As A U.S. War Winds Down, Afghans Look For A Way Out --- The clock is ticking for Afghans who have worked with the U.S. and other foreign governments in Afghanistan. Like the war itself, special visa programs for Afghan employees are winding down. To qualify for these visas, applicants must demonstrate that they are in the Taliban's cross hairs. -- Ali (who asked that his full name not be used), a cook with various U.S. contractors, is hoping to qualify. He is from Ghazni province, one of the more violent places in Afghanistan. His career choice has been good for his bank account but bad for his safety. -- "If I'm saying that I'm working for Americans, they are going to kill me," he says -- The "they" are the Taliban, who have long said they will kill any Afghans who work for foreign militaries or governments. To protect his family, Ali kept people in the dark about his work. He was successful until about a year ago. Since then, his brother has been beaten and his family threatened. -- "I'm trying to leave ... to any country that can give opportunity for us to be safe," he says. -- So he asked his American supervisor, Hoppy Mazier, for a recommendation letter to apply for a special immigrant visa to the U.S. The program began in 2009 and is modeled on a similar program started in Iraq in 2007. Though initially designed to help military interpreters, it applies to Afghan employees of any U.S. government agency or contractor. -- "Some of our staff have almost been killed because of where they work and what they do," says Mazier, who has since left his job at a U.S.-funded contractor. -- He says that his organization gave Ali sanctuary because it determined his life was in danger. He wrote a letter of recommendation for Ali so he can apply for a U.S. visa. --- Mazier opens a folder on his computer. In it are some 70 recommendation letters he's written for former staffers seeking U.S. visas. He spent seven years working in Afghanistan. He says that in his waning days, he received a crush of requests for visa letters from employees panicking that when he goes, no one will be able to help them. - Read More, Sean Carberry, NPR, http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2014/09/11/347370724/as-a-u-s-war-winds-down-afghans-look-for-a-way-out