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flag U.S. officials helped a Marine adopt an Afghan girl during the 2021 withdrawal, bypassing legal safeguards and sparking controversy over child trafficking and government accountability.

flag Federal documents reveal that U.S. officials, despite opposing the adoption, helped Marine Maj. Joshua Mast and his wife adopt an Afghan girl orphaned in 2019, using a Virginia court order to remove her during the 2021 withdrawal. flag The court, citing the child as "stateless," bypassed legal safeguards and ignored ongoing U.S. and Afghan efforts to reunite her with family. flag Federal agencies say they were never informed, and the adoption violated international norms, raising concerns about child trafficking and U.S. credibility. flag A judge later admitted procedural flaws and regretted the decision. flag The case exposed deep government inconsistencies, with some officials aiding the Masts while others opposed the move. flag The child remains with the family, and the case remains unresolved in Virginia’s highest court.

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