Democrat President Joe Biden is reportedly planning on forcing U.S. airline companies to assist with the transportation of tens of thousands of refugees out of Afghanistan as he deals with the crisis that he created.
“The White House is expected to consider activating the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, or CRAF, created in 1952 in the wake of the post-World War II Berlin Airlift, to provide nearly 20 commercial jets from up to five airlines to augment U.S. military efforts to transport Afghan evacuees from bases in the region,” The Wall Street Journal reported. “Officials are considering alternatives for ramping up the evacuation effort, which include expanding the number of bases in the region to reduce overcrowding, officials said, a move that could augment the use of civilian airlines or avert the need for them.”
The report said that military bases in the United States were being designated to provide housing for the refugees, which comes after a report last week saying that Biden was concerned about the political impact of importing large numbers of refugees in addition to the border catastrophe that has erupted under his leadership.
The commercial airliners would not fly into Afghanistan, rather, they would “help to ferry the thousands of Afghans and others who are stranded at U.S. bases in Qatar, Bahrain and Germany” in an effort to “relieve the pressure on those bases, which are fast filling up with Afghan evacuees as the U.S. expands efforts to fly them out of the airport in Kabul.”
The Journal noted that the U.S. Military’s Transportation Command has already notified airlines that they might be forced to create a reserve fleet to assist with the effort. Capt. John Perkins told the paper, “U.S. Transportation Command issued a warning order to U.S. carriers Friday night on the possible activation of CRAF.”
The news comes as the Biden administration has sparked global backlash over its chaotic and controversial actions surrounding the pullout from Afghanistan. Numerous members of the British Parliament slammed Biden last week, with some saying that his actions have resulted in a situation that is “far worse” than Saigon, and that he may have “condemned the world to Chinese domination in future and the end of western liberal democracy.”
The administration has been plagued by constant chaotic images and reports emerging out of Kabul of violence being inflicted by the Taliban and other extremists against people trying to flee the country. The administration has faced intense criticism after images emerged of extremists seizing a significant amount of weapons and military gear that the U.S. gave to the Afghan military to fight against the Taliban, a fact that national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed at a White House press briefing last week.
This article has been expanded after publication to include additional information.