Rahmanullah Lakanwal Shooting: Biden’s Betrayal Puts Americans at Risk!

by L Richardson

The nation woke up to devastating news that shook us deeply. On November 27, 2025, Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal ambushed two National Guard members just blocks from the White House. The attack showed no mercy – Lakanwal shot one Guard member who fell, then leaned over to shoot them again before firing multiple times at the second Guard member[1].

The victims were 20-year-old Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and 24-year-old Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe. These brave West Virginians conducted routine patrols near our nation’s most important symbols of democracy when the attack happened[43]. They represented America’s finest – young patriots who stepped up to protect our capital[2]. Beckstrom died from her injuries, while Wolfe fights for his life in critical condition[3].

This attack becomes even more shocking given Lakanwal’s background. The 29-year-old Afghan came to our country in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome – a Biden administration program that resettled over 70,000 Afghans after the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan[1]. Lakanwal carried a powerful .357 Magnum revolver[1] but had no criminal record according to federal law enforcement documents[1]. He drove across the country from his home in Bellingham, Washington, with the sole purpose of attacking American service members[1].

A disturbing picture of the shooter’s past has started to surface. Sources confirm Lakanwal’s work with U.S. forces in Afghanistan, including ties to CIA-backed “Zero Units”[2] – paramilitary groups that activists link to alleged abuses[2]. FBI Director Kash Patel said investigators worked through the night and seized cellphones, laptops, iPads, and other electronic devices from Lakanwal’s home[1]. He launched what he called a “coast-to-coast investigation”[43].

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro delivered a stern message to the attacker: “You picked the wrong target, the wrong city, and the wrong country, and you will be sorry for the violence and the evil you perpetrated in our nation’s capital”[43]. Lakanwal now faces first-degree murder charges after Beckstrom’s death[3].

President Donald Trump called the shooting “a crime against our entire nation” and “a crime against humanity”[43]. He pointed to the attack as “the single greatest national security threat facing our nation”[43]. He ordered 500 additional National Guard troops to Washington[4].

Questions about the vetting procedures for Afghan evacuees need answers. Lakanwal received asylum approval in April 2025 after applying in December 2024[1]. Department of Homeland Security reports had warned about the Biden administration’s failure to track Afghan evacuees[4].

This shooting goes beyond random violence – it exposes the real-life consequences of weak border security and failed immigration policies. The following sections will reveal how this tragedy connects to larger systemic failures. The Rahmanullah Lakanwal shooting proves why American safety must come first.

II. Background: Unmasking the CIA’s Shadowy Zero Units and Their “Death Squad” Legacy

Image Source: War on the Rocks

The story behind the Rahmanullah Lakanwal shooting reveals a disturbing chapter of America’s war in Afghanistan that most citizens have never heard about. A shadowy program links directly to the man who attacked our National Guard members.

Lakanwal stood out from other Afghan refugees. He spent eight years in a “Zero Unit” – the “03” unit, also known as the Kandahar Strike Force. These units served as the CIA’s secret paramilitary forces throughout the Afghanistan conflict. They took on some of the war’s most dangerous missions[6].

These elite squadrons emerged right after 9/11 and worked directly for the U.S. government[7], unlike regular Afghan Army units. American special operations soldiers trained these Zero Units, named for their numeric designations (01, 02, 03, etc.)[6]. Their capabilities and equipment surpassed all other Afghan forces.

The CIA’s Ground Branch officers led these lethal units, with at least 10 U.S. special operations forces, including elite units like SEAL Team Six[6]. We used them mainly at night to target high-value terrorists with devastating efficiency[6].

A darker truth lurks beneath this counterterrorism success story. Human rights organizations called these units “death squads”[5] because of their alleged brutality and civilian killings. The numbers tell a shocking story. Research shows at least 452 civilians killed in just 107 raids by a single Zero Unit – and this count is nowhere near complete[8].

The Intercept published a damning report that labeled the Zero Units as “death squads.” The 01 unit alone killed at least 51 civilians, including women and children[6]. ProPublica’s findings suggested these operations caused hundreds of Afghan civilian deaths[6].

Survivors described nightmarish raids. Zero Unit soldiers burst into homes at night and killed loved ones at more than 30 raid sites[8]. Nobody from the Afghan or U.S. officials came back to investigate these incidents[8]. Provincial officials told families seeking answers that they could do nothing because these were Zero Unit operations[8].

U.S. agencies’ faulty intelligence led to many of these tragic raids[8]. Afghanistan’s former intelligence chief admitted they “were getting it wrong at times and killing civilians”[8]. Yet nobody faced consequences for these failed operations.

The CIA consistently rejected brutality allegations, saying they came from “Taliban propaganda”[9] and represented “a persistent false narrative”[6]. Former CIA officers maintained there were “no rogue operations”[6] and that the units “took every order from them”[6].

These controversial units, surprisingly, played a key role in the 2021 American evacuation from Afghanistan[9]. Many members helped with the chaotic withdrawal and secured guaranteed space on outbound flights for themselves and their families[5].

Elite unit members like Lakanwal got almost guaranteed U.S. asylum because they risked Taliban retaliation[5]. This made them top priorities for evacuation.

A U.S. official involved in the investigation revealed that Lakanwal had been “disturbed by the casualties in this unit”[5]. Yet this man, who witnessed brutal night raids and civilian killings, still passed through our vetting system.

This untold story exposes more than one man’s violent act. A system of shadowy operations, poor oversight, and thousands of people with similar backgrounds now live within our borders. This national security risk just needs immediate attention.

III. Atrocities Exposed: War Crimes, Civilian Bloodshed, and Deep State Denials

Blood from innocent Afghan civilians stains the hands of CIA-backed units where Rahmanullah Lakanwal served for eight long years. Human Rights Watch found that there was evidence of these “Zero Units” committing war crimes – including extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, indiscriminate airstrikes, and attacks on medical facilities[10].

Human Rights Watch’s damning 2019 report revealed 14 cases of war crimes by the same 02 unit linked to Lakanwal[11]. ProPublica’s investigation detailed at least 452 civilians killed in just 107 raids by a single Zero Unit over four years[8]. Yes, these numbers likely understate the actual civilian deaths[8].

These death squads followed a consistent pattern. They would arrive by helicopter after dark and blast open doors with explosives[11]. Zero Unit soldiers shot four men dead while their families watched in one home in Zurmat (eastern Paktia Province)[10]. They executed three shopkeepers and their holiday guest in another house that same night[10]. A religious teacher and two construction workers lost their lives when the unit moved to a third home[10].

These atrocities became more evident with time. An Afghan paramilitary unit raided a home in Nangarhar province in 2018 and shot five members of one family, including an elderly woman and a child[12]. The United Nations Assistance Mission documented 353 civilian casualties (284 deaths and 69 injuries) from these operations during 2018. They noted that “the high number of fatalities compared to the number of injured suggests that force was employed indiscriminately”[11].

The aftermath brought more disturbing revelations. A shepherd found human remains near an American base[13]. Six different sites with human remains appeared around the perimeter[13]. An Afghan army commander laughed when locals asked how bodies could be buried just 50 yards outside the base without notice. He said, “There is no possibility,” and pointed out the guard towers’ clear sight lines in all directions [13].

Afghanistan’s former intelligence chief admitted these units “were getting it wrong at times and killing civilians”[8]. He also acknowledged that no one paid any consequences for these botched raids[8]. He visited one family and told them: “We are sorry… We want to be different from the Taliban”[8].

Many raids happened because of fatally flawed intelligence. The Afghanistan Analysts Network reported that in Zurmat, soldiers executed eight men from one tribe and four cousins from a single extended family. This family was “known not to be associated with the Taliban or any other armed opposition group”[11]. The family’s patriarch had openly criticized the Taliban[11].

The aftermath brought no justice. Provincial officials told families seeking answers that nothing could be done since “they have their own intelligence, and they do their own operation”[8]. One family lost three grandchildren and received only “a parcel of rice, a can of oil, and some sugar” as compensation[8].

The CIA continues to deny these atrocities. Their spokesperson claimed these accounts were “a systematic propaganda campaign designed to discredit them because of the threat they posed to Taliban rule”[8]. The same agency that denies these killings documented the expected “collateral damage” for each operation in their internal papers[8].

This bloody history belongs to the units where Rahmanullah Lakanwal served for almost ten years. His exposure to these operations – and possible participation in them – raises serious questions about the mental state and character of the man who attacked our National Guard heroes on American soil.

IV. Biden’s Catastrophic Failure: Botched Evacuation, Lax Vetting, and 10,000+ Imported Threats

Image Source: CNN

The Biden administration’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal created a security nightmare that brought Rahmanullah Lakanwal to American soil. The events of August 2021 weren’t just poor planning. They represented a catastrophic failure that put every American citizen at risk.

Military leaders had warned against Biden’s chaotic withdrawal plan. Former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley and U.S. Central Command retired Gen. Frank McKenzie testified about keeping 2,500 troops in Afghanistan to prevent the collapse[14]. Biden rejected their advice and chose a smaller force of 650 soldiers just to guard the embassy[14].

The results proved devastating. Milley pointed to “the timing of the State Department” as too slow and late[14]. McKenzie called this timing “the fatal flaw that created what happened in August”[14]. This mismanaged evacuation let the Taliban take control quickly and created dangerous security gaps.

Operation Allies Welcome brought 76,000 Afghan evacuees to the United States[15] [16]. The Biden administration rushed these people through a broken system instead of proper vetting. House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer and other Republicans voiced serious concerns about “lax vetting and resettling of potentially ineligible Afghans in the United States, including individuals with terrorist ties”[15].

A Department of Justice report revealed something more alarming. The Terrorist Screening Center found 55 Afghan evacuees who were either on the terrorist watchlist before reaching U.S. ports or added during evacuation[17]. The FBI explained this security breach happened because “the need to immediately evacuate Afghans overtook the normal processes required to determine whether individuals attempting to enter the United States pose a threat to national security”[17].

The Department of Defense Inspector General found that Afghan evacuees “were not vetted by the National Counterterrorism Center using all DOD data before arriving” in the United States [15]. Thousands of potential threats entered with minimal screening.

Lakanwal came through this compromised system on September 8, 2021[18]. He passed through a supposedly “rigorous” and “multi-layered” vetting process despite his eight years with the CIA’s controversial Zero Units[19]. A 2022 audit by the Office of Inspector General revealed “some information used to vet evacuees through US Government databases (such as name, date of birth, identification number, and travel document data) was inaccurate, incomplete, or missing”[19].

These failures led to nearly 3 in 5 Afghan evacuees getting paroled into the country for two years[15]. Many lacked eligibility for refugee resettlement benefits, creating a poorly vetted population with questionable legal status[15].

Statistics can’t measure the real cost of these lapses. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom’s murder by someone who should never have entered our country shows the human toll.

This catastrophe betrays the government’s constitutional duty to protect its citizens. More American lives will be lost without immediate action to fix these security failures and properly vet or remove these potential threats.

V. Hidden Dangers: Mental Trauma, Terror Watchlists, and Risks to Our Communities

Image Source: ABC News

The story of Rahmanullah Lakanwal reveals a disturbing truth – thousands of Afghan evacuees now live among us with deep psychological trauma and pose potential security risks to American communities across the country.

Afghan refugees face a devastating mental health crisis. People working with these refugees point out the “mental health challenges” they experience after years in conflict zones[20]. PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms show up frequently as a result of seeing horrible violence[21]. Studies show Afghan refugees have “higher prevalence of PTSD and depression” compared to others. These conditions “persist for years and even worsen over time”[22].

These mental health problems create real threats to our communities. The Department of Justice Inspector General found 55 Afghan evacuees who were either already on the terrorist watchlist but still reached U.S. ports of entry or were added during evacuation[17]. Some got removed from the list, but nine stayed on the watchlist as of July 2024 and remain under surveillance[17].

The situation gets worse – eight evacuees in the United States stayed on the terrorist watchlist, with four under active FBI investigation[23]. Afghan evacuee Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi was caught planning an Election Day terrorist attack for ISIS just last year[23]. The Biden administration still lets thousands more like him enter the country.

Children brought through this program show worrying psychological issues, too. Research reveals Afghan refugee children develop both “internalizing behaviors” like anxiety and depression and “externalizing” behaviors, including “hyperactivity, opposition/defiance, and aggression”[24]. Schools and communities become less safe because of these conditions.

Lakanwal’s case shows widespread failures in vetting. The rushed evacuation created dangerous gaps – flight manifests ended up “incomplete or missing,” visa statuses became “unknown,” and demographic data was missing[25]. FBI officials noted that “vetting refugees from certain war-torn countries can be difficult when the U.S. has limited capabilities to gather intelligence”[25].

These individuals’ unstable situation puts our communities at greater risk. Many Afghans now face expiring humanitarian parole status, which affects their work permits, driver’s licenses, and legal immigration status[26]. They might vanish into American society without proper monitoring, letting their resentments and psychological issues grow unchecked.

Patriots, Rise Up! Don’t Let Biden’s Border Betrayals Claim More American Lives—Demand Congress Audit All Afghan Evacuees Now, Push for Trump’s Mass Deportations, and Secure Our Sovereignty Before It’s Too Late.

This danger didn’t need to happen. Former Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell warned us in 2021 that “just because an Afghan works with us, and is friends with us, does not actually mean they are safe to bring here”[25]. Nobody listened to his warning, and American lives were lost.

National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent cut through the intelligence agencies’ blame game with a stark truth. These Afghans “were NOT vetted for their suitability to come to America and live among us as a neighbor, integrate into our communities, or eventually become an American citizen”[25].

Lakanwal’s case brings everything into focus – a deeply traumatized man from a violent background got through improper vetting and ended up attacking innocent American service members. This isn’t just one isolated incident. More dangers like this could be hiding in plain sight.

VI. Constitutional Mandate: Protecting Citizens’ Life, Liberty, and Sovereignty Above All

Image Source: Dreamstime.com

The government exists to protect its citizens – this fundamental promise lies at the heart of our Constitution. The Rahmanullah Lakanwal shooting shows a devastating breach of this sacred duty.

Our Constitution was designed as a “carefully balanced document” that would create “a national government sufficiently strong and flexible to meet the needs of the republic, yet sufficiently limited and just to protect the guaranteed rights of citizens”[27]. Protection of “life, liberty, and property” forms its foundation – rights so crucial that governments cannot take them away “without due process of law”[28].

This constitutional duty stands absolute. National security documents clearly state: “Defending our Nation against its enemies is the first and fundamental commitment of the Federal Government”[29]. The Biden administration has completely failed in this fundamental responsibility.

The Fourteenth Amendment makes it clear – no state can “abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens”[30]. These words represent binding commitments. The Supreme Court serves as the “guardian and interpreter of the Constitution” to keep these rights protected[27].

The government’s decision to let potentially dangerous individuals enter our communities without proper screening violates the Constitution. American safety must come first, and the “practice of judicial review” makes sure that “the will of the whole people, as expressed in their Constitution, would be supreme”[27].

The Patriot Act embodied these principles. It passed with strong bipartisan support (98-1 in the Senate, 357-66 in the House) and fixed a critical gap: “the FBI could get a wiretap to investigate the mafia, but they could not get one to investigate terrorists”[31]. It eliminated “the major legal barriers that prevented the law enforcement, intelligence, and national defense communities from talking and coordinating their work to protect the American people”[31].

We just need our government to fulfill its constitutional obligations. The Supreme Court’s unique role comes from “the deep commitment of the American people to the Rule of Law and to constitutional government”[27]. Those responsible for letting Lakanwal into our country must face consequences.

The Framers envisioned a government providing “balance between society’s need for order and the individual’s right to freedom”[27]. We cannot betray this vision. Immediate action on failed vetting must happen now. Complete audits of all Afghan evacuees should follow quickly.

VII. Libertarian Critique: Big Government’s Tyrannical Incompetence and Mayorkas’ Lies

Image Source: ABC News

The Rahmanullah Lakanwal shooting perfectly shows what happens when unchecked bureaucracies grow too powerful. Libertarians warned us that “government control of energy and its interventionist foreign policy were leading us down the road to war”[32]. The biggest problem isn’t just failed policies – it’s the inherent tyrannical incompetence of big government.

The Biden administration’s handling of the Afghanistan crisis showed why libertarians distrust state power deeply. The Libertarian Party pointed out that “Despite countless warnings that the Taliban could take the country swiftly, the Biden Administration failed to properly plan a coordinated evacuation”[33]. They made no serious evacuation decisions until “mere hours before the fall of Kabul”[33].

DHS Secretary Mayorkas’s blatant lies stand out as the most outrageous example of government incompetence that endangers Americans. He kept saying, “The border is secure. The border is closed”[34]. The reality tells a different story – Border Patrol sources reported “more than 500 encounters with unaccompanied minors every single day”[34].

Deception runs deep in this administration. Mayorkas claimed they were “expelling families”[34], but by March 2021, they sent back only 13% of family units[34]. His statements about operational priorities proved false as well. “Border Patrol agents are being taken off law enforcement duty to provide care for the faster-increasing number of unaccompanied minors”[34].

This government dishonesty verifies the core libertarian belief that “powerful interest groups only wield coercive power if they can enlist the help of the state itself”[35]. Libertarians know that “governments are composed of fallible and corruptible human beings”[36] who will eventually abuse their power.

The Lakanwal shooting’s tragic truth explains why libertarians promote “a restructuring of our country’s interactions with the world”[37]. Their deep skepticism of government competence makes sense. Without holding anyone accountable for these failures, bureaucratic incompetence and political lies will continue to cost American lives needlessly.

VIII. Republican Solutions: Back Trump’s Mass Deportations, Border Walls, and Pause on High-Risk Migration

Trump acted quickly and decisively after the Lakanwal shooting. He stated, “We must now reexamine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden”[38]. His team stopped processing all immigration requests for Afghan nationals while they reviewed security protocols.

Trump revealed his plans to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries”[39] as threats grew. This pause would stay until the U.S. immigration system “fully recovers” from what he called “millions of Biden illegal admissions”[40].

Republicans have backed their words with action. Trump ordered a thorough review of asylum cases that Biden’s administration approved, as well as Green Cards issued to citizens of 19 countries[39]. His all-encompassing approach aims to:

End what he calls “Biden’s illegal admissions.”
Remove anyone he doesn’t see as “a net asset to the United States.”
Strip citizenship from migrants who “undermine domestic tranquility.”
Send back foreign nationals seen as security risks or “non-compatible with Western civilization”[40]

The public backs these actions—about half of Americans, including 42% of Democrats, support mass deportations of undocumented immigrants[41].

Trump’s previous term marked a dramatic change in enforcement. He claimed all undocumented migrants should be removed[42], unlike Biden’s selective approach. His “zero-tolerance” policy sealed borders that Biden had left wide open.

Trump’s tough enforcement strategy has put more immigration officers in major U.S. cities and reached record deportation numbers[39]. ICE arrested roughly 53,000 people by mid-November, and over two-thirds had no criminal record[39]. This shows the administration’s steadfast dedication to full enforcement.

Stand up for Trump’s Mass Deportations, and Protect Our Sovereignty Before It’s Too Late. Share This Message Everywhere, Call Your Reps Today, and Support Our Troops—America First Means No More Imported Threats!

IX. Nationalist Rally: Honor Our Troops, Defend Our Nation – Demand Audits and Action Now!

Patriots across America need to stand up and take action now. The Rahmanullah Lakanwal shooting wasn’t just another tragedy—it was a direct consequence of devastating government failures that put everyone at risk.

This piece reveals a harsh reality about how Biden’s administration brought thousands of poorly vetted Afghans with questionable backgrounds into our country. Specialist Sarah Beckstrom’s blood stains our capital’s streets, yet no meaningful action protects us from future attacks.

Here’s what you can do:

Call your representatives today to ask for complete security audits of all Afghan evacuees
Back President Trump’s firm deportation plans that remove threats to our safety
Help spread this message with hashtags like #DeportNow and #MakeAmericaSafeAgain

We must hold our government accountable and honor Beckstrom’s sacrifice so no other American faces the same fate. Her killer’s path from CIA death squad member to shooter on American soil shows a complete betrayal of our nation’s sovereignty.

The political establishment resists change, but we can’t stop until we remove every threat from our communities. Our constitutional duty to protect American lives comes before everything else. Honor our troops, defend our nation, ask for audits—and most importantly, make America safe again!