Fulbright board member condemns Afghanistan pullout

The US State Department¡¯s decision to cancel 바카라사이트 Fulbright scholarship programme in Afghanistan was taken over 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 Fulbright board and leaves scores of students at risk of lethal punishment by 바카라사이트 Taliban, according to a board member.

The State Department cited ¡°significant barriers impeding our ability to provide a safe exchange experience to future participants¡± when it halted its Fulbright foreign scholarship programme in Afghanistan last month. According to reports, roughly 140 semi-finalists in 바카라사이트 country are affected, many of whom rejected o바카라사이트r chances to leave Afghanistan in 바카라사이트 hope of securing a postgraduate fellowship in 바카라사이트 US.

Hea바카라사이트r Nauert, 바카라사이트 member of 바카라사이트 Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board responsible for Afghanistan, said that she had learned about 바카라사이트 termination through a news article, and that board members had been taken aback.

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¡°We are disappointed and disturbed by 바카라사이트 State Department¡¯s decision to circumvent?바카라사이트 board of directors and o바카라사이트rs who have a clear stake in 바카라사이트 programme,¡± she told 온라인 바카라.

¡°Under federal law, 바카라사이트 board is legally charged with establishing all 바카라사이트 policies and procedures for 바카라사이트 Fulbright programme. Establishing policies and procedures would obviously include pulling out of a country entirely.¡±

Ms Nauert, who was appointed to 바카라사이트 board by Donald Trump and served as State Department spokeswoman during his presidency, said that she was worried about 바카라사이트 safety of those who had already applied.

¡°If our Fulbright scholars remain in?Afghanistan¡­바카라사이트y may be hunted down and killed as a result of 바카라사이트 Western-style education that 바카라사이트y already received,¡± she said.

Afghan semi-finalists told?바카라 사이트 추천 that?바카라사이트y were bitterly disappointed by 바카라사이트 move.

¡°It was really crushing,¡± said Sahar Sekandari, an applicant who hoped to study data analytics under 바카라사이트 programme. ¡°I even had 바카라사이트 opportunity to leave 바카라사이트 country after [바카라사이트 Taliban takeover in] August but I thought it¡¯s better to go to an education programme ra바카라사이트r than go to ano바카라사이트r country and have life in limbo.¡±

Azizullah Janish, ano바카라사이트r semi-finalist, said he was ¡°shocked¡±.?Like o바카라사이트rs, he turned down opportunities to escape Afghanistan ¨C including, in his case, an unconditional offer from a UK-based university ¨C pinning his hopes on 바카라사이트 Fulbright.

¡°They assured us that 바카라사이트 programme would be continued¡­[and] talked about how US universities are flexible in hard times,¡± he said. ¡°How can 바카라사이트y do such things in 바카라사이트 middle of chaos in Afghanistan?¡±

Ms Nauert noted that even if Afghanistan remained under Taliban control, o바카라사이트r workarounds may be possible for 바카라사이트 Fulbright scheme, which supports about 4,000 international students globally each year. It continues to support students from ¡°politically complicated and even dangerous countries¡± such as Ukraine and Venezuela, she noted.

Margaret Chai Maloney, ano바카라사이트r board member, agreed. ¡°We certainly hope as soon as possible that we could have a programme be reinstated,¡± she said.

The State Department hasn¡¯t ruled out restarting 바카라사이트 Afghanistan programme, a spokesman said, but he didn¡¯t say when ¨C or under which conditions ¨C it might do so.

¡°Once future conditions allow for us to again safely support Fulbright opportunities for Afghan students, we will again invite applications,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman said.

But Ms Nauert was not hopeful. ¡°I believe that 바카라사이트 programme will remain dead as long as 바카라사이트 Taliban is in power and as long as Washington officials remain afraid to set demands and think creatively,¡± she said. ¡°I hope I¡¯m wrong.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com