Tainted Welcome: When Allies Become “Terrorists”

By Mohamad Hammoud

How a former US-backed Afghan fighter was recast overnight — and what that reveals about American hypocrisy

On November 26, 2025, two members of the US National Guard were patrolling near the White House when gunfire erupted. One soldier fell to the ground, critically wounded, while the other struggled to respond under sudden chaos. CBS News later reported that one of the soldiers died. Within hours, before investigators had pieced together the facts, officials and the media framed the shooting as a terrorist attack, leaving little space for uncertainty or context.

From Partner Force to Asylum Seeker

According to The Washington Post, the accused shooter, 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, arrived in the United States in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a program that resettled Afghans who had aided US forces. He later applied for asylum, which was granted in 2025, CBS News reported.

Before coming to America, Lakanwal had served in a CIA-backed Afghan paramilitary “partner force” in Kandahar, part of the so-called “Zero Units” relied upon for night raids and counterterrorism operations during the war in Afghanistan, according to statements reported by The Guardian.

Neighbors in Washington state recalled him as polite and quiet, living with his wife and five young children, blending into the suburb like any other family, unremarkable yet quietly present.

Warning Signs and Mental Collapse

Long before the ambush, cracks in Lakanwal’s life had begun to show. The Associated Press reported that a community advocate had repeatedly sent warnings about his deteriorating mental health, noting stretches of “long, lightless isolation” punctuated by sudden, erratic trips across the country. Friends and neighbors observed his struggle to maintain a job or care consistently for his children. Paranoia and despair threaded through these messages, yet repeated calls for help went unheeded, leaving him essentially alone with the weight of past violence and resettlement.

Investigators are now examining whether these severe mental health strains — possibly including post-traumatic stress and acute paranoia — contributed to the shooting, CBS News cited law enforcement sources. While Lakanwal reportedly expressed persistent fear of deportation, authorities have found no evidence linking him to extremist groups or propaganda. The investigation continues, and his true motive remains unknown.

Rapid Conversion to “Terrorism”

Despite the visible signs of trauma, public judgment moved faster than the facts. The government immediately suspended visa processing for Afghan allies and froze pending asylum applications, Reuters reported. Officials framed the pause as necessary to restore confidence in vetting procedures — an ironic step for a man who had already passed intensive screening to work alongside the CIA.

Once Lakanwal’s name hit the headlines, the story hardened. Media outlets, political figures and immigration officials framed him as a terror threat hiding among asylum seekers. In that rush, the complexity of his life — years of service, trauma, a collapsing mind and a struggling family — was erased.

When Ally Becomes Enemy

The case exposes a recurring pattern. Lakanwal was vetted, armed and evacuated by the United States — welcomed through a program meant to reward loyalty — yet when the weight of war and resettlement overwhelmed him, the system that once relied on him recoiled. Abroad, Washington celebrated Afghan partners as symbols of American resolve; at home, one man’s collapse triggered suspicion so broad it functioned as collective punishment.

Reuters reported that thousands of Afghan visa cases are now frozen, leaving former US partners, asylum seekers and the communities that received them in the shadows. Families who once stood beside American forces now face delays, social stigma, and fear, as the shooting becomes a pretext to treat a displaced population not as victims of conflict but as latent threats.

Conclusion: Double Standards

The broader lesson is stark. In the United States, when a mass shooting targets schoolchildren, officials and media often frame the perpetrator as mentally ill, emphasizing the need for help. Yet when a Muslim immigrant acts, even in far less violent ways, the verdict is predetermined: he is a terrorist. Lakanwal’s story makes the disparity clear. A man who served alongside US forces, vetted and trained by the CIA, arrives in America expecting safety and support — and instead becomes a permanent suspect. The message is unmistakable: even loyalty and service offer no immunity; for some, suspicion is automatic and collective punishment is always waiting.