Dear President Biden and Secretary Blinken, 

The rapid collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government lays bare the immense failure and destruction caused by 20 years of U.S. military interventions.  Urgent action is required to mitigate the crisis that U.S.’s longest war has created. We call on you to: 

• Recognize the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan and establish and maintain diplomatic relations with them;
• Support UN efforts to create a humanitarian corridor and guarantee safe passage for humanitarian workers to help the large displaced population;
• Expand qualification categories for Afghan refugees coming to the U.S. & reduce the paperwork required to qualify
• Cease all bombings and CIA paramilitary involvement;
• After U.S. evacuations are complete, remove U.S. forces, except for a residual protective force at the US embassy for possible recognition of a new government;
• Do not sanction the Taliban/Afghanistan. Sanctions hurt common people, while those who are elite and in power evade them. The Afghan people have been hurt enough by the U.S. and should not now be subjected to U.S. sanctions. 

In the days, weeks, and months to come, accountability will be vital. The U.S. must learn from this debacle by investigating, and holding people accountable, for 20 years of epic failure. The U.S. must cease its military interventions around the world and cut the runaway Pentagon budget. We must stop destabilizing the Middle East and Southwest Asia, including lifting sanctions on Iran, stopping weapons export to the regimes of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, and the UAE, and pulling our troops out of Iraq and Syria. 

We call on you today to act with responsibility to the Afghan people and tomorrow, with accountability for all the horror and destruction that U.S. militarism has and is continuing to cause. 

Sincerely,