The US is formally investigating whether to give safe haven to the Afghan pilot whom UK officials are threatening to deport to Rwanda, sparking fury from top politicians and military figures who said it “shameful” for Britain to turn its back on the war hero.
The former air force lieutenant, who flew multiple combat missions alongside coalition forces, has been living in limbo for months after coming to the UK on a small boat while his wife and child hide from the Taliban in Afghanistan.
There was shock at defence secretary Ben Wallace’s refusal to intervene after the pilot’s application to the UK’s Afghan refugee scheme was rejected this week – leaving him with the prospect of a one-way flight to Rwanda.
While British officials have refused to intervene to halt Home Office deportation threat, the US State Department is now considering his and his family’s asylum application after The Independent first raised his case.
Lord Dannatt, former head of the British Army, said the fact that the pilot had been “cast off” by the British for the US to handle was “a complete abrogation of our responsibilities and our decency”.
Air Marshal Edward Stringer, commander of RAF air operations during the Afghan conflict, said the UK government was making a “weaselling distinction” over the pilot’s war record.
Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said for Britain to “turn its back on a pilot” and fail to “do what is necessary to keep to the covenant that we protect his life as he helped to protect ours is shameful”.
Sir Iain told The Independent: “Without heroes like this pilot who is now seeking our help to stay here we would not be able to fight causes which matter to democratic governments who fight for freedom.”
He added: “We were allies and comrades in arms to those who helped the coalition and now they have themselves and their family at risk from the Taliban we have failed our pledge we gave to stand by them. To see America stand in for us and do the decent thing is galling and shameful.”
Labour said the Rishi Sunak’s government appeared to be operating “Operation Cold Shoulder” to Afghan heroes, describing the intervention by the US as “deeply embarrassing”.
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The airman, who flew more than 30 sorties against terrorist threats which were planned by British and US commanders, was described as a “true patriot to his nation” by his US supervisor.
But the Ministry of Defence has rejected his application to stay in the UK under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) – aimed at getting those who helped British forces out of the country.
The government said it did not accept his role had “resulted in a high and imminent risk of a threat to your life”. The MoD also said it does not accept that Britain’s operations in would have been “materially less efficient or materially less successful” without him.
Although category 4 of the Arap scheme is aimed at those “closely supporting and assisting” British forces – thought to be his best chance of staying in the UK – officials deemed the pilot ineligible.
The pilot flew combat mission alongside organised by coalition forces in Afghanistan
Senior military figures are disappointed that Mr Wallace – rumoured to be angling for the job of Nato secretary general – has not rushed to the aid of the Afghan pilot who helped coalition forces against the Taliban.
“This is a very disappointing decision – justified on very narrow grounds,” Lord Dannatt told The Independent. “Are we denying he fought against the Taliban? This is a most ungenerous decision which sits uncomfortably with common decency.
“He came to this country, trusting in the decency of the British, by the only means available to him and now seems doomed to be deported to Rwanda. To cast him off as America’s problem is a complete abrogation of our responsibilities and our decency.”
Air Marshal Stringer said: “Whether we had a de jure contract with these Afghan servicemen or not seems a weaselling distinction on which to fall back.
Lord Dannatt has backed Afghan pilot’s case
