Washington, D.C., was rocked by a shocking act of violence as two National Guardsmen were shot by a suspect with ties to the CIA's past operations in Afghanistan.
The incident involves Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, who allegedly opened fire on the Guardsmen in the nation's capital, prompting a swift suspension of all immigration processing for Afghan nationals, including those who once worked with the U.S. government, pending a security review, as Breitbart reports.
Lakanwal's story begins in Kandahar, a volatile region in southern Afghanistan often called the Taliban's stronghold, where fierce battles raged between NATO forces and insurgents after the 2001 U.S. invasion.
According to former CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Lakanwal served as part of a partner force in Kandahar, collaborating with U.S. intelligence until the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
That partnership ended shortly after the evacuation, yet the Biden administration saw fit to bring Lakanwal to American soil in September 2021, citing his prior work with the government.
One has to wonder if the vetting process was more about political optics than national safety, given the tragic outcome we're now witnessing in D.C.
A close relative revealed to NBC News that Lakanwal spent a decade in the Afghan army, often working alongside U.S. Special Forces, which paints a complex picture of a man once considered an ally.
After arriving in the U.S., he settled in Washington state, over 2,600 miles from the scene of the shooting, raising questions about what led him to the capital.
Details remain scarce as Lakanwal is currently hospitalized with injuries described as non-life-threatening, leaving authorities and the public grasping for answers.
Jeffery Carroll, executive assistant chief at the Metropolitan Police Department, noted, "Many details about the suspect are still unknown as he’s still in the hospital receiving treatment."
President Donald Trump weighed in, expressing deep concern over the vetting process, stating, "He was flown in by the Biden administration in September 2021 for those infamous flights that everybody was talking about."
Trump's point hits hard -- how could a system meant to protect Americans allow someone with such a murky background to slip through, only to allegedly turn on our own troops?
In the wake of this incident, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has indefinitely halted processing immigration requests for Afghan nationals, a move that signals a much-needed reevaluation of security protocols.
While some may cry foul over this pause, it’s a pragmatic step when trust in the system has been shattered by an event as grave as this shooting.
Let’s hope this review isn’t just bureaucratic theater but a genuine effort to ensure that those who come to our shores are truly aligned with our values and safety, not potential threats waiting to strike.
