WASHINGTON — With winter closing in across much of Afghanistan, American veterans organizations and other private groups are pressing the State Department for funding to continue evacuating thousands of vulnerable Afghans who didn't make it out of the country during the massive U.S. airlift in August.
The call for government funding for the increasingly expensive humanitarian operation came during recent meetings between the private organizers and State Department officials. While the State Department, which is leading the Afghan relocation effort, hasn't said whether it would fund charter flights organized by the groups, organizers say such assistance could help accelerate what has been a sluggish endeavor so far.
