The BBC have spent all week implying that virtually every Afghan heading for the UK is a former Interpreter who had risked their lives working for the British Forces. Reports from Kabul suggest the real number is less than 30.
By thursday the narrative had become ridiculous, these were all 'brave Afghanistan citizens who had selflessly helped the British Army and we now had a moral duty to take care of them' the BBC told us. Repeating this lie, whilst showing footage of thousands attempting to escape the Taliban was meant to condition us to looking kindly on the tens of thousands about to descend on us from yet another volatile failed Muslim state.
According to reports from Kabul the actual number of interpreters seeking asylum is 'less than 30' and have already been taken care of under pre-existing rules. They are not part of the 20,000 Afghans coming to the UK in the first wave, and neither are their families, who will also need protection according to the BBC.
Afghan interpreters and others who worked for the UK government can come to the UK as part of the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP)' this represents a free pass to the UK and thousands are now coming forward to claim they worked for UK forces over the last 20 years though records are said to have been lost or destroyed.
The BBC have run emotional stories, replete with cute children, evil imperialism and moral imperatives whilst stating: "There are fears that Afghans who worked with Western authorities or groups could be at higher risk of reprisals from the Taliban. The group has denied this, but [Ahmed] said he did not believe them." going on to say "Ahmed said that when he worked with UK soldiers, the Taliban used to target interpreters as they were the "eyes and ears" of the forces. Asked what he would say to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson about his family's situation, he said: "I just want him to provide a pathway to safety for me and my family. I beg him."
Focusing on one probably genuine victim does not prove that the plane load of young Afghan men being flown out of Kabul are anything other than economic migrants of course. You will note from that image a disturbing lack of women, children and elderly people, those traditionally thought to be running from war.
About 2,000 Afghan former staff and their families have come to the UK via ARAP already according to the Home Office, with a further 5,000 due in a matter of days. This is 7000 on top of the 20,000 the UK has agreed to take. In an ironic twist the UK government are organising British interpreters for those who claimed to be Afghan Interpreters, inadvertently exposing the scam as they do.