‘People over Pets’ – Defense Minister talks about ‘confusion’ about Ben Farthing’s flight from Kabul

[ad_1]

Britain’s defense minister hit back after being criticized for not supporting a former Royal Marine in Afghanistan.

Paul Farthing, better known as Pen, is trying to get volunteers and animals at his charity in Kabul out of the country after the Taliban seized power.

Bean is originally from Plymouth, and thus, the British citizen is able to leave Afghanistan. But he said he would not abandon his staff and animals at the shelter he set up in the mid-2000s.

The 52-year-old claims his evacuation plans – which included renting a $500,000 plane – have been put on hold by the Defense Department.

Defense Secretary Ben Wallace responded to the allegations when he appeared on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday 24 August, noting that there was “confusion” surrounding the proposed evacuation.

The British Army participates in the evacuation at Kabul Airport, Afghanistan.

“Don’t expect me to push people away from animals”

“It’s not about flights coming into the airport – there are flights leaving all the time, and there is space on flights when they are not full,” he told GMB.

This is about handling people at the airport and getting them through those gates.

“The pen was offered a flight. He holds a British passport, his wife left on Friday, and we highly encourage him to make his way to the airport and take that.

“For now, he has chosen to stay with both animals and pets as well as with his staff.

“There are people we have to prioritize right now to get them out of the country.

“It doesn’t matter how many charter planes you fly on. It takes at least 24 hours for some of these people to queue to get to the airport and pass through Taliban checkpoints.

“But I’m afraid when it comes to animals, I have to prioritize people over them.

“There are some people who are very scared and anxious and you don’t expect me to push these people out of the way to make room for the animals.”

Today’s top news in West Country

[ad_2]