Bush, Clinton, Obama back support for refugees from Afghanistan

Three former US presidents – Republican George W Bush and Democrats Bill Clinton and Barack Obama – have banded together behind a new group aimed at supporting refugees from Afghanistan settling in the United States following the recent American withdrawal.

The former US leaders and their wives will serve as part of Welcome.US, a coalition of advocacy groups, US businesses and other leaders launching on Tuesday, Welcome.US said in a statement.

The coalition said it will help the tens of thousands of Afghans fleeing their country as part of the Biden administration’s evacuation to resettle in the United States by mobilising support and volunteers.

Many of the refugees have said they would have been at risk had they remained in Afghanistan under the Taliban after their work with US and allied troops or with American and international agencies amid 20 years of war.

Bush launched the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, following the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, DC. The war continued under President’s Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, until the US withdrawal on August 31.