Major Joshua Mast

Okay, so probably fast forward a couple months. She's been under U.S. care at Bagram. Doctors and nurses love her, obviously, trying to make sure she's safe and recovering and all that. We're trying to get more information for decision makers. And then there was a real problem with classification. So we have some NATO folks who don't have a U.S. secret clearance.

Okay, so probably fast forward a couple months. She's been under U.S. care at Bagram. Doctors and nurses love her, obviously, trying to make sure she's safe and recovering and all that. We're trying to get more information for decision makers. And then there was a real problem with classification. So we have some NATO folks who don't have a U.S. secret clearance.

And we're working with NGOs and some folks at the embassy that it's not easy to share how much we know. And so at one point I sat through – a meeting where they were going to use our general's influence to make the Afghans take her. Like, end of story. Like, here, your problem. Like, kind of like an operational, like, it's a distraction from operations, Afghan problem.

And we're working with NGOs and some folks at the embassy that it's not easy to share how much we know. And so at one point I sat through – a meeting where they were going to use our general's influence to make the Afghans take her. Like, end of story. Like, here, your problem. Like, kind of like an operational, like, it's a distraction from operations, Afghan problem.

And we're working with NGOs and some folks at the embassy that it's not easy to share how much we know. And so at one point I sat through – a meeting where they were going to use our general's influence to make the Afghans take her. Like, end of story. Like, here, your problem. Like, kind of like an operational, like, it's a distraction from operations, Afghan problem.

Let's just make them take her. And so that was going to happen. And I was like, I went to my colonel. I was like, sir. I was like, I don't think I can sleep at night. If we, like, close our eyes and say that she's not going to get, like, best case scenario, she's going to die of neglect. Because you're talking about Kabul, which is like Denver. It's a mile-high city.

Let's just make them take her. And so that was going to happen. And I was like, I went to my colonel. I was like, sir. I was like, I don't think I can sleep at night. If we, like, close our eyes and say that she's not going to get, like, best case scenario, she's going to die of neglect. Because you're talking about Kabul, which is like Denver. It's a mile-high city.

Let's just make them take her. And so that was going to happen. And I was like, I went to my colonel. I was like, sir. I was like, I don't think I can sleep at night. If we, like, close our eyes and say that she's not going to get, like, best case scenario, she's going to die of neglect. Because you're talking about Kabul, which is like Denver. It's a mile-high city.

It's fall, so it's going to be cold. There's no heat in the orphanages. There's no running water, electricity. There's a few nice presentation facilities in the capital that they showed all the NGOs to get people to donate. But in reality, in most places, there's nothing. You know, there's very little infrastructure. There's no medical care. And, like, this is a kid with a fractured skull.

It's fall, so it's going to be cold. There's no heat in the orphanages. There's no running water, electricity. There's a few nice presentation facilities in the capital that they showed all the NGOs to get people to donate. But in reality, in most places, there's nothing. You know, there's very little infrastructure. There's no medical care. And, like, this is a kid with a fractured skull.

It's fall, so it's going to be cold. There's no heat in the orphanages. There's no running water, electricity. There's a few nice presentation facilities in the capital that they showed all the NGOs to get people to donate. But in reality, in most places, there's nothing. You know, there's very little infrastructure. There's no medical care. And, like, this is a kid with a fractured skull.

Like, holy cow. How do we ignore, as Americans, like the big U.S., us, how do we ignore what's actually going to happen? And I have no problem with killing terrorists. Like, her parents died in combat with our guys. No problem with that. But we're about protecting innocence.

Like, holy cow. How do we ignore, as Americans, like the big U.S., us, how do we ignore what's actually going to happen? And I have no problem with killing terrorists. Like, her parents died in combat with our guys. No problem with that. But we're about protecting innocence.

Like, holy cow. How do we ignore, as Americans, like the big U.S., us, how do we ignore what's actually going to happen? And I have no problem with killing terrorists. Like, her parents died in combat with our guys. No problem with that. But we're about protecting innocence.

Like we believe, like even our worst enemy, it's not that child's fault that their parents were terrorists in a foreign country or brought them there to wage jihad. And so it was about getting that information to the right decision maker. But I got off track. Your question was... How did we get involved? We appealed. I went to my authority.

Like we believe, like even our worst enemy, it's not that child's fault that their parents were terrorists in a foreign country or brought them there to wage jihad. And so it was about getting that information to the right decision maker. But I got off track. Your question was... How did we get involved? We appealed. I went to my authority.

Like we believe, like even our worst enemy, it's not that child's fault that their parents were terrorists in a foreign country or brought them there to wage jihad. And so it was about getting that information to the right decision maker. But I got off track. Your question was... How did we get involved? We appealed. I went to my authority.

I was like, hey, sir, can I try to create a legal path to the U.S. for this child? And he was like, oh, sure, knock yourself out. I appreciate where you're coming from. And so I got authorization.

I was like, hey, sir, can I try to create a legal path to the U.S. for this child? And he was like, oh, sure, knock yourself out. I appreciate where you're coming from. And so I got authorization.

I was like, hey, sir, can I try to create a legal path to the U.S. for this child? And he was like, oh, sure, knock yourself out. I appreciate where you're coming from. And so I got authorization.