While I understand that the refugees are in a bad situation, why is the focus on them and not our military personnel and better supporting them? Airbnb is providing housing for refugees but not homeless veterans who have lost loved ones and suffer from physical and mental scars of serving in Afghanistan. We need to make sure we don’t have a Vietnam situation where we don’t take care of our service members when they come back.

Because these people CHOSE to be in the military. Innocent people didn’t choose to have foreign governments interfere and lose their homes and countries and families to terrorists. The military knew what they were getting themselves into.

Because airbnb can do whatever they want with their assets. If you care so deeply about the veterans you can also volunteer and donate money for that cause. You probably make good money as a consultant at deloitte. You could probably provide housing for at least one veteran.

I'd rather assist innocent refugees who've had their country torn apart by foreign invaders and who now have to start over again with absolutely nothing, including a lack of cultural knowledge, language skills, education (in many cases), any friends or family etc. All while knowing that friends and family are dead or at very real risk of death and that their homes and belongings gone forever.

Add to this the fact that people are wanting to support the illegal invaders more than them in the new country and are vocal about it.

The foreign invaders chose their path.

Whataboutism in its truest form!

You can help one group of people without taking away from the rights or validity of another.

By your logic, I shouldn't give away one $ to a homeless person unless I first make sure that all the homeless that suffered before them are first well taken care of. That's impossible and leads to nothing but inaction, insensitivity and continued suffering all around.

Who are you to decide if the one person I choose to help is less worthy of my assistance?

Champion your causes without detracting from the humanitarian causes that are championed by others.

This question unreasonably takes the fact that we are providing aid to refugees and posits that as why we have insufficient aid for vets.

In reality there are infinite tradeoffs that could be made, but people are triggered by aid to refugees in dire straights. But yes, we should help homeless vets. And you could do that by raising taxes or adjusting any of a near-infinite number of government programs.

Speaking as a vet, we’re good. It’s not an either/or. Lots of benefits, charities, peer support etc is available. The fact there are homeless vets, or homeless in general, is a domestic policy choice. Log into any NextDoor group in an area with homeless folks and you’ll see whether most people care (they don’t)

I honestly wish my time in Afghanistan had a purpose and impact similar to what’s going on at HKIA. I don’t think patrolling around or executing operations in a province with poppies growing to the horizon amounted to much at all.

OP there is a really big difference bw immediate/urgent need and ongoing systemic problems. Yes we may need an ongoing shift in how we support veterans, but we also have a lot of homeless refugees who need housing now.
We also have a lot of services available to veterans that they don’t take advantage of (for a number of reasons). Source - I used to work for the VA

Okay then let's do both. Our homelessness problem is a policy choice and I'd love to see us stop making it. No need to pit groups against each other, it's not an either or situation.

For Christ’s sake, OP.

Our military personnel already HAVE support. It’s called “the entire US military.”

Random Afghan dude who is fleeing the Taliban because he’d like his daughter to go to college does not have a trillion dollar budget supporting him.

I honestly do not understand people like you. Just think for a moment, and try to have some basic empathy.

This is why people hate liberals. Author just asked why we aren't doing more for vets, not that we should screw over refugees but this has become political with all the discussion on how refugees are innocent and the vets/US knew what they were doing. why are people able to show so much compassion for some folks, but not for others

because god-forbid Saudi or UAE help them

Remember, all European based countries are essentially evil so they must sacrifice their own livelihoods for the sake of people with 0 commonality to them

I'm curious to know where AirBnB is planning to house these refugees? In people's homes? I don't think AirBnB owns real east properties?

The logic of this post is beyond comprehension. Seriously!?

Talk to your representative about boosting the VA budget! What is this app supposed to help you with?

Why does it have to be one or the other? Why are you pitting veterans agaisnt the Afghans they fought to protect? Military folks don’t see it that way.

These comparisons are just lazy and silly. It’s not one or the other. You’re conflating 2 problems. You can do that w any two situations you find horrible or negative.

Refugees are in far worse shape and need more help. Period. Cant believe this is even a question.

I agree fully that veterans need to be taken care of, but it’s interesting you draw parallels with Vietnam. Both wars were completely unnecessary and the USA had no business invading and destroying another country, then pulling out like it would’t endanger thousands of lives. Given how terribly the USA has exacerbated a bad situation for those refugees, giving them aid is the bare minimum that can be done. It’s like this - as a nation the US needs to make amends for it’s wrongs, and as a nation the US needs to better support it’s vets. The latter at least has a systematic plan, budget and department. The former is a dream on a unicorn, if past is prologue. In the long term, I would say the US needs to butt out of issues that are frankly none of their damn business because the idea of “nationbuilding” is just double speak to just hide the ultimate target of financial gains. The USA today continues the proud tradition of the European imperialists of the previous century where they invade a foreign land under false pretences, destroy their culture because it’s not comprehensible to invaders, drain resources and hastily exit to leave the newly minted “third world” country to pick up the pieces and ultimately accept extremely one sided business contracts that maintain status quo. The least they can do is accept a few refugees