March 3, 2006

Taliban Taking Terrorism Course at Yale University

Where is the U.S. State Department?
Is this the new security system at work since 9/11? -Alli

Why A Taliban At Yale?
Posted by Tom Segel on March 2, 2006

Americans who read the New York Times must have wrinkled their brows in puzzlement after reading the February 26, 2006 article about a former government official and spokesman for the Taliban walking the campus of Yale University as a student.

Sayed Rahmatullah Hashemi has been granted special student status and the state department has awarded him entry into the United States on a student visa. This is an interesting turn of events for a person who could just as easily have ended up as a guest of the United States in a cell at Guantanamo Bay.

Prior to his arrival as a student, Rahmatullah had been imprisoned at Bagram Air Base. He had been a member of the Taliban government, serving both in Afghanistan and in the United States as Second Foreign Secretary and Ambassador-at-Large.

What the New York Times article fails to address is the rationale behind even allowing this individual into the United States, let alone as an International Student at a prestigious university. Another area not addressed in this account, is why Yale, which accepts only ten percent of all applicants, granted admission to this former Taliban officer.

Sayed Rahmatullah Hashemi is said to have a fourth grade education and has passed a high school equivalency examination. He does speak acceptable English. This, however, does not meet any of the requirements Yale has listed for its International Students accepted for Special Programs. According to the College Board, Yale requires all foreign students to score in the 700 to 790 range on both the SAT verbal and math tests. International students must also score 600 on the TOEFL exam and 250 on a computer exam. In addition, Yale states in its admission policy that those students enrolled in special programs must fund their own education and a Foreign Student Certification of Finances must be filed.
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