RescueFacts: What is the Afghan SIV program? 

not the full, nor truthful story. I served as an advisor in afghanitan with the US military for tours (multiple). For about two years I managed about 15 langague assistants (LA's) for a DOS/DOD contractor. Good guys (mostly) did their job..but then again that was the job they applied for, accepted and were paid for their work/employment. Once we started this "special" immigration program SIV in 2009 that got going in 2011...we were not going to achieve our goals of a physically, demographically and infrastructure secure afghanitan. It, at it's core: created an us and "them" mentality, attitude and working function. if you worked for the US you were "special" if you did not you were therefor "not" special and insinuated "against" the US and afghan government. Wrong in every dimension possible. We arrived in Afghanistan in October 2001..with specific goals: strategic, national interest and mutually beneficial goals. Not to "along: the way do a political drug "deal" to sneak/send only and exactly only the afghan's that worked for the US here with a visa. It should of been from day one (October 2001) no visa no scam and "con" like that. Each afghan that worked for the US knew: they were working for their nation, to build their nation and to protect their nation only. This far slanting of the "truth" that they risked their lives to work for us..is exactly that: a "slant". Nobody forced them to work for the US. It was not a hollywood-movie and the US pointed a gun at an afghan that spoke english and "you work for us now, kid". I knew many, but not the majority of the LA's that rarely left the base. they translated documents in and on the base. A full badder, paper cut and falling in the hallway was the most "danger" they incurred. but not; in the media "hero" and "brave" and they were "one" of us. good marketing; small reality. Remember this folks that were not in afghanistan: they wanted to "scam" and get a visa. Ask these "hero's" how many served in the afghan national security forces (ANSF) very, very (if any) did. They knew where the "honey" was and kept to their "scared" and they are being "threatened" story..especially after 2009 with that being a "requirement" for a US visa (SIV). when the mission of two-decades failed in a complete and catastrophic failure of diplomatic and military policy: giving the insurgents 85 billion$ (billion) in weapons and the government of afghanistan. Many "officals" backed all this "SIV" as some type of "victory" in the mist of their complete and utter failure. I had friends/colleagues killed in afghansitan to defend that nation, it's integrity (physical/demographic) and our nation's national security. The LA's cared less about that..they did the translator job for: it paid reasonably well, a steady job in afghanistan and they knew they could "swing" a visa to the U.S. Many, did not even like or support the US: again the job paid well and they could come here with a job even if they cared less for eurpoe/US. Yes, they could of done a "lottery" for like 300 or so LA a year that would of worked. When each LA applied for this SIV program (that was not a "promise") each LA stated just by them "applying" meant the US "promised" them a US visa. Again, not true nor valid. That caused all of this. with a "lottery" some come to the US and some do not. With SIV the LA's mentality is "if" they applied therefore the US "promised" them a visa. And our US media kept that fraction of the "truth" going... Ms. Habibi seems like a wonderful women/person and sincere. She did not "work" of know the solid ground of afghanistan, nor the culture, like many including myself did. They will not tell you this "information": I just did".