The Afghanistan Project Podcast: Recent Episodes
Mikael Cook
Welcome to The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Welcome to Episode 58 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, featuring the incredible return guests Bill Roggio, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and an unmatched expert on the Taliban, and Will Selber, retired Air Force Lt. Col., prolific writer, and host of the "Shoulder to Shoulder" and "Stories From My Brothers" podcasts.
Today’s episode looks at the latest developments within al Qaeda, the Taliban, and Islamic State Khorasan Province, as well as the group’s ties to one another and to Iran.
We also discuss the breadth and history of the war in Afghanistan, our lack of will to get the fight right, and the pain we left in our wake when ending nearly twenty years of involvement with the disastrous withdrawal.
About Will Selber and Bill Roggio:
Find Bill on X @billroggio, and find the Long War Journal here: https://www.longwarjournal.org/
Find Will Selber’s writings at the Bulwark, where he is a Military Affairs Fellow. You can follow him on X at @AggieWill00 or on Substack: https://substack.com/@willselber
About the host:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 57 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast. Our guests today are Rob Dufresne, Tony Barnes, and Jason Howk, members of “Over Never Out.” Together, the group created “Hold On, Reach Out,” a moving song about the important role veterans play for one another in the fight for mental health growth and countering spiking suicide rates in the veteran community.
eRob, Tony, and Jason talked about how the song was created, and their unique backgrounds and connections to the message within “Hold On, Reach Out.”
Jason Howk also talks about his latest release, “It’s Not Over For Them,” a ballad about the ongoing battle our Afghan allies face in the aftermath of the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal, and the continuing battles for those in the U.S. who bear the emotional burden of that failure.
Recurrent themes in this episode are healing through pain, supporting those we care about as they deal with struggles we may never fully fathom, and using music to heal loudly, which is Rob’s post-transition goal and something Jason and Tony have personally witnessed.
About the guests:
Find “Over Never Out” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVqqu1DRcoMCX_kvrysKTvQ
Listen to “Hold On, Reach Out:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXc4rsRy9Lw&list=OLAK5uy_ku87T-xRWASumpCloIKxat-Om7Uj0tvh4
Listen to “It’s Not Over For Them:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBwddNCZ18M
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow him on Instagram or X @Mikaelcook89.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 56 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast. Our special guest today is an Afghan woman still living under Taliban rule in hiding in Afghanistan. We will be calling her “Amina” to protect her identity.
Amina spoke about her life as a legal professional beforethe Taliban came to power, and the fear that accompanied their takeover as the individuals that prosecutors put in prison were freed. She also spoke about how she now lives in hiding to protect her life.
We talked about the gender apartheid that the Taliban arepracticing against Afghan women, and specifically addressed education bans, a ban on independent journalism, and the sexual assaults that imprisoned women have faced. In the face of watching their human rights get stripped away, Amina said many women are facing a mental health crisis.
Despite all that she has lost in her current situation,Amina stressed that this is not the time to give up, and that “this darkness will not last forever.”
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operationsas a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow him on Instagram or X @Mikaelcook89.
For Afghan listeners:If you would like to have your story consideredfor a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity
Welcome to Episode 55 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast. We're bringing back a return guest, retired Lt. Col. Will Selber, for an awesome update about how he was able to get Ahmadullah to safety, and the superhuman levels of trust and faith Afghan allies have had to hold in their American contacts in order to secure safety in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Will also talked about more incredible news that came shortly after Ahmadullah’s return – another friend, Nazir, made his way out of Afghanistan and to the States after going radio silent when he recognized that there was no quick path to safety to keep him from falling victim to the Taliban’s reprisal campaign without taking matters into his own hands.
Will and I, as we so often do, also talked about the mental load of this casework, which is significant, even if the events themselves are joyous.
About Will Selber:
Will Selber is a retired Middle East Foreign Area Officer who spent 4 1/2 years in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was an active member of Operation Sacred Promise and has helped relocate 100+ Afghans. He is currently the Millitary Affairs Fellow at the Bulwark. You can follow him on X at @AggieWill00 or on Substack: https://substack.com/@willselber
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow him on Instagram or X @Mikaelcook89.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 54 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, featuring John Ondrasik, the platinum-selling, Grammy nominated recording artist also known as Five For Fighting.
John discusses the anger he felt during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan that led him to write “Blood On My Hands” and begin his efforts to help Afghans left behind during the initial withdrawal escape to freedom after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.
John continued to write more protest music as the worldwide destabilization from our failure in Afghanistan was felt in Ukraine. “Can One Man Save the World” is a tribute to the heroism of Ukrainians who have led a hard fight against Russia’s unprovoked attack in February 2022.
Most recently, when Hamas terrorists massacred over athousand Israelis on Oct. 7 and took hundreds of hostages back into their tunnels in Gaza, John wrote “OK,” which explains that the communities impacted by Hamas’ barbarity “are not okay.” John discusses his feelings about the need to stand up for Israel and for Jews around the world as they are targeted by another iteration of an age-old hate.
About John Ondrasik:
Follow John on X: https://twitter.com/johnondrasik
Find John’s charity website, What Kind of World Do You Want, here: https://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/
Listen to “Blood on My Hands” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpTrYHCmwOs
Listen to “Can One Man Save the World?” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm3XEsIXJaI
Listen to “OK” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDJXo2Gn-ww&rco=1
About the hosts:
Beth W. Bailey worked in support of Afghanistanoperations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan Allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a futureepisode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 53 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, featuring Beau Lendman, a former Senior Vice President at Anham whose support to the company’s 5,000 Afghan special immigrant visa applicants led him to create AfghanHire, a remote hiring platform that links skilled Afghans with lucrative jobs.
Beau and I discussed the effort of supporting so many SIV applicants in the days after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the journey to understand how to successfully help applicants navigate the program. We also talked about a problematic development in December 2023, when a series of applicants were denied SIV in what appeared to be a batched manner, and some applicants who had achieved Chief of Mission approval and sometimes were preparing for flights to the U.S. had that COM approval revoked. We addressed the mental load that the latest devastating turn of events has added for Beau, who feels he has been party to malfeasance.
Finally, we talked about the development of AfghanHire, and how Beau hopes the company can make a difference around the world in the future.
About AfghanHire:
Follow AfghanHire on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/afghan-hire/about/ or visit their website: https://teams.afghanhire.org/
About the hosts:
Beth W. Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan Allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 52 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, featuring Amy Sins, a master of all trades and dynamic disaster relief professional. Amy is a chef and owner of Langlois, a traveling culinary showcase in her hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. Amy is also the founder and executive director of Fill the Needs, a nonprofit organization through which she and her team provide immediate assistance within the first two weeks of natural or man-made disasters.
Amy was the focus of TAPP’s second episode, where she talked about the case that found her pivoting into the world of Afghanistan evacuations. Today, we talk about the changes that have occurred in more than a year since we last spoke. Amy reported that all of the families whose cases she has been involved in have safely departed Afghanistan, and she shared the story of visiting one of those families overseas to share a hug – and some excellent Afghan cooking.
Amy also talked about the expansion of her disaster reliefefforts into other countries where urgent evacuations were required. Having seen what can go wrong for Americans living abroad or traveling abroad, even in seemingly safe countries, Amy shared advice that can help travelers think outside the box in case of emergency, and make the necessary preparations to thrive in adverse circumstances.
About Amy Sins and Fill the Needs:
Follow Fill the Needs on Instagram @filltheneedsorg or visit their website, http://www.filltheneeds.org.Find Amy on Instagram @chefamysins or Twitter @chefamysins.
Episode 2 of TAPP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRUMpvOmjkM&t=4s
About the hosts:
Beth W. Bailey worked in support of Afghanistanoperations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan Allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a futureepisode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 51 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast. Today’s guest, Mike No Go Zones, is a YouTuber and independent journalist who takes his viewers to the places around the country and world that we’re often urged to avoid.
In March 2021, Mike traveled to Kabul, Afghanistan, capturing some of the last moments of relative freedom the inhabitants of the city experienced before the country came under Taliban rule just five months later.
Mike and I talk about his trip, getting into some of thecorruption and dysfunction he witnessed that he was not able to show on camera, and talking about families and individuals he met who have been deeply impacted by the country’s return to Taliban rule. We juxtapose a lot of the realities he witnessed, versus the realities of today.
Mike and I also talk about the other YouTubers who havetraveled to Kabul since August 2021, and who in so doing have effectively shilled for the Talib by portraying the view the new rulers allow them to see: a “safe” country with boundless beauty. Unfortunately, these travelers never mention the realities of life under the Taliban that the average Afghan faces – particularly the hell that Afghan women have been cast into since losing access to education, the ability to appear in public without an escort, and often work, among a plethora of other heinous human rights violations they have faced.
Mentioned in the episode:
Mike No Go Zones visits Kabul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkaPDTtT5UQ
ASEEL App, where listeners can send aid to Afghans: https://aseelapp.com/do-good
About Mike No Go Zones:
Follow Mike on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mikenogozones
on X: https://www.twitter.com/mnogozonesor on his website: https://www.mikenogozones.com/
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operationsas a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow him onInstagram or X @Mikaelcook89.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a futureepisode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 50 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast. Today’s guest, James Powers, is an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran and advocate for veterans causes, and another American swept into the morass of post-withdrawal Afghanistan.
Today, James and Beth talk about how he got pulled into the volunteer effort to assist vulnerable Afghans in the days before and during the August 2021 withdrawal. He also discusses his subsequent efforts to advocate for the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would increase eligibility for the special immigrant visa program to additional endangered groups of allies. We also talk about the impact of moral injury on the veteran population.
About James Powers:
Follow James on X at https://twitter.com/Justavet11
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operationsas a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow him on Instagram or X @Mikaelcook89.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a futureepisode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 49 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast.
Today’s guest, Sean Carberry, is a journalist and author whose detailed first-hand reporting on Afghanistan has long enabled him to question the overarching narrative of the West’s ability to provide lasting success in Afghanistan through the programs and efforts it established during nearly two decades of presence there.
Sean discusses some of the overzealous programs he bore witness too, as well as some of the more effective efforts. We talk about his efforts to speak truth to power, his time in Afghanistan as NPR’s last Kabul-based correspondent from 2012-2014, and his time with the DOD Inspector General between 2017 and 2021.
We conclude with a look at the impact that Sean’s war correspondent career had as he wrote about the experience in his memoirs, Passport Stamps: Searching the World for a War to Call Home, while the U.S. withdrawal was taking place.
About Sean Carberry:
Follow Sean on X at https://twitter.com/sdcarberry17
Find Sean’s book, Passport Stamps: Searching the World for a War to Call Home, on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Passport-Stamps-Searching-World-Call/dp/1956440550/
Referenced in the episode:
Find Sean’s opinion piece from The Hill about the Afghanistan withdrawal here: https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/567967-afghanistans-collapse-shows-the-failure-to-create-a-country-worth/
For the “counterinsurgency spaghetti” infographic showing all the interlinked factors that would link to success in Afghanistan, follow the link here: https://metasd.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/COIN-Afghan.jpg
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow him on Instagram or X @Mikaelcook89.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 48 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Beth Bailey and Mikael Cook highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Today’s guest, Michael DeSerio, is an active-duty member of the U.S. Army, and currently the Operations NCOIC at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. More than a decade ago, he was deployed as an infantryman to Afghanistan, with one tour between 2010 and 2011 in Uruzgan and Kandahar provinces, and a second tour in Wardak province in 2013.
While listeners may expect to hear that Michael’s 2010-2011 deployment was more kinetic, given the well-documented terrors of other RC-S deployments during the surge, Michael’s Uruzgan and Kandahar deployment was relatively calm, with a focus on supporting the development of the Afghan National Police and winning hearts and minds of the local populace.
His deployment during 2013 was a different story. RC-E was controlled by the Haqqani Network, and though much of Afghanistan was seemingly becalmed while the U.S. began pursuing peace talks with the Taliban, Michael’s unit faced a highly kinetic atmosphere, filled with massive IEDs and firefights.
Michael’s descriptions of both battlefields are vivid and intense. We hope you strap in for a hell of a ride in this episode.
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow him on Instagram or X @Mikaelcook89.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to a special episode of The Afghanistan Project Podcast about March 19th hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in which retired General McKenzie, former CENTCOM Commander, and retired General Milley, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Joining me, and having watched nearly the entire four-hour affair, was recently retired Air Force Lt. Col. Will Selber, who offered excellent insights on the politicization of the hearing and the lack of meaningful answers that might help us regain honor for those who served, and ensure that the mistakes made during 20 long years of war are not repeated in the future.
For those who don’t want to listen to the whole shebang, Will has covered it well. You can also find the article he references in the podcast, asking President Biden to finally publicly talk about Afghanistan, at the link here: https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/president-biden-should-talk-about-afghanistan
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow him on Instagram or X @Mikaelcook89.
Will Selber is a retired Middle East Foreign Area Officer who spent 4 1/2 years in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was an active member of Operation Sacred Promise and has helped relocate 100+ Afghans. He is currently the Millitary Affairs Fellow at the Bulwark. You can follow him on X at @AggieWill00
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 47 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast. Today’s guests are familiar to longtime listeners. Andrew Sullivan, Director of Advocacy for No One Left Behind, and Shawn VanDiver, President of the #AfghanEvac coalition, joined me to discuss new moves within the House and Senate that would authorize 12,000 additional special immigrant visas. This development follows a frenzied effort to save the program from running out of the 8,000 currently available visas in September 2024.
Shawn and Andy talk about their and other advocates’ efforts to impress upon Congressional staff the importance of continuing the SIV program, which ultimately led to the inclusion of aforementioned language in upcoming funding bills, though these bills must pass both House and Senate.
Andy and Shawn also talked about all that remains to be done for our Afghan allies, including passing the Afghan Adjustment Act, the Afghan Allies Protection Act, and language from a former National Security bill that would have expanded USRAP protection to Afghan prosecutors. They also mentioned a plethora of ways in which listeners can take it upon themselves to support Afghan allies through programs within No One Left Behind, #AfghanEvac, or the Welcome Corps.
Find No One Left Behind via:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/n1leftbehind
Website: http://nooneleft.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/no-one-left-behind/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nooneleftbehindus/
Follow #AfghanEvac via:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/afghanevac
Website: https://afghanevac.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/afghanevac
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghan_evac/
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow him on Instagram or X @Mikaelcook89.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 46 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Beth Bailey and Mikael Cook highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Today’s episode was intended to be a short discussion that several Afghans asked me to host about their special immigrant visa and humanitarian parole cases with recently retired Air Force Lt. Col. Will Selber, and Kate Kovarovic, the former Director of Resilience Programming for the #AfghanEvac coalition.
What happened when we started recording was unexpected, but pretty incredible. Three stories became over a dozen as Will, Kate, and I started regurgitating some of the most difficult cases we’ve handled in the last two and a half years.
This is an important episode. If you’re someone who questions what possesses people to devote so much time and energy to the causes of our Afghan allies, watch this episode.
If you’re a volunteer with a loved one who doesn’t understand the work you’re undertaking, I encourage you to watch this with them, and tell them your own stories.
Something struck me about three-quarters of the way into recording this one, and I eventually give it voice. The fact that Will and Kate and I (and any other person who has gotten wrapped up in this effort) can recall these humans we’ve supported through the unthinkable in such detail is a testament to the impression that work has made on us. This issue has become marrow-deep for volunteers. They won’t give up.
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow him on Instagram or X @Mikaelcook89.
Will Selber is a retired Middle East Foreign Area Officer who spent 4 1/2 years in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was an active member of Operation Sacred Promise and has helped relocate 100+ Afghans. He is currently the Military Affairs Fellow at the Bulwark. You can follow him on X at @AggieWill00
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 45 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Beth Bailey and Mikael Cook highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Today’s special guest host, Will Selber, is a recently retired Air Force Lt. Col. who has appeared in prior episodes to discuss the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and moral injury.
Today’s guest, Trevor Beaman, is an active-duty MasterSergeant Green Beret currently working with 7th Special Forces Group. We discuss his four tours in Afghanistan, starting in 2004, and the changes and diversity of effort he witnessed in the country during the period he spent coming into and out of Afghanistan. We delve into a lot of the deep topics that were central to the U.S. effort in Afghanistan: how the military effort spilled over into nation building to the detriment of troops, how the deployment cycle led to inflated ideas about the effect of U.S. efforts, and how unsustainable many of our efforts in Afghanistan became.
Trevor also shares some new insights near the end of theepisode about what led to certain choices during the U.S. withdrawal, including the departure from Bagram Airfield.
Throughout this episode, Trevor notes the importance ofrecalling all who gave their lives during our 20-year effort in Afghanistan. We here at TAPP concur wholeheartedly.
About Trevor Beaman:
Follow Trevor on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/trevor_a_beaman/
Find more about Trevor, including his incredible talks ontrauma and mental health, at https://trevorbeaman.org/
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operationsas a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Will Selber is a retired Middle East Foreign Area Officerwho spent 4 1/2 years in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was an active member of Operation Sacred Promise and has helped relocate 100+ Afghans. He is currently the Millitary Affairs Fellow at the Bulwark. You can follow him on X at @AggieWill00
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow him on Instagram or X @Mikaelcook89.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 44 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast,where hosts Beth Bailey and Mikael Cook highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest today is Pashtana Durrani, author of ‘Last to Eat,Last to Learn,’ and the founder of LEARN Afghanistan, an NGO that provides learning opportunities to girls who lack access to traditional education.
Pashtana and Beth talked about ‘Last to Eat, Last to Learn,’including the young women who inspired Pashtana to gain an education but leave behind hopes of attending Oxford University’s preparatory program in order to make sure that the education promised by the Afghan government reached the girls in the lands where the Taliban wanted to ensure no education took place.
We discussed Pashtana’s journey to creating LEARN, and theunique struggles she faces today to ensure that the young women she continues to secretly educate become part of the Afghanistan’s post-Taliban future.
About Pashtana and LEARN Afghanistan:
Follow Pashtana on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarakPashtana
Find ‘Last to Eat, Last to Learn’ on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Eat-Learn-Afghanistan-Fighting/dp/0806542446/
Read more about LEARN Afghanistan on the website: https://learnafghan.org/
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operationsas a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteranof the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow him on Instagram or X @Mikaelcook89.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a futureepisode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 43 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast,where hosts Beth Bailey and Mikael Cook highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Today’s special guest host, Will Selber, is a recently retired Air Force Lt. Col. who has appeared in prior episodes to discuss the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and moral injury.
Our guest today is Kate Kovarovic, the former Director ofResilience Programming for the #AfghanEvac coalition. We’re here to delve into difficult topics that listeners and viewers may find triggering, so please take breaks and seek support if you need it.
This week’s conversation is about the demands that wereplaced upon U.S. volunteers who leapt into the chaos of the Afghanistan withdrawal in an effort to help U.S. allies who were not airlifted to safety before U.S. forces left the country. We talk about the pace of daily operations and the life-or-death situations volunteers were ask to navigate, and the toll that this took on people who were trying to provide support.
Unfortunately, the stressful circumstances of evacuationwork created hostile situations for volunteers, who, without a formal apparatus supporting their needs, sometimes found the overwhelm too much to handle. Kate admits fielding 50 calls from volunteers expressing suicidal ideations, as well as one suicide likely attributed to volunteer operations, and an additional death from a volunteer whose health conditions were almost certainly exacerbated by the situations the withdrawal forced them to endure.
We spend the last part of our conversation talking about the importance of recognizing the efforts of volunteers, and creating a better system by which the government can leverage civilian support in future conflicts.
I am hopeful that government leaders are among the viewersof this episode, and that they take these discussions to heart.
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operationsas a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteranof the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow him on Instagram or X @Mikaelcook89.
Will Selber is a retired Middle East Foreign Area Officer who spent 4 1/2 years in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was an active member of Operation Sacred Promise and has helped relocate 100+ Afghans. He is currently the Millitary Affairs Fellow at the Bulwark. You can follow him on X at @AggieWill00
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a futureepisode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to a special episode of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, which features the full conversation between host Beth Bailey and an Afghan teen who asked to remain nameless while talking about his efforts - carried on without his family's knowledge - to help his father move his special immigrant visa forward.
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 42 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Beth Bailey and Mikael Cook highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Today’s guest, Will Yeske, is the author of Damn the Valley, which tells about his experience in 1st Platoon, Bravo Company of the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the 82nd Airborne Division during a deployment in Kandahar’s Arghandab River Valley.
We talk about Will’s impetus for writing the book, including the role that Wall Street Journal writer Ben Kesling’s book, 'Bravo Company,' played in spurring him into action to write about the Arghandab deployment from the perspective of the paratroopers who witnessed it firsthand.
We also discuss the lessons that the U.S. failed to learn from previous engagement in the area, which ultimately led to Bravo Company being tasked with taking on the Arghandab after a Stryker brigade combat team faced too many difficulties with maneuvering and building a force in the area.
We talk about mental health battles Bravo Company members faced when returning home, and difficulties with transition. Most importantly, we talked about how important it is to get stories down on paper and to talk about memories of war to preserve them for future generations.
Our story this week comes from an Afghan teen who is secretly helping his father try to get his special immigrant visa processed. Just a small portion of his story is included in this episode, but you can find his full story in a special bonus episode for the week entitled The Afghanistan Project Podcast: Story of an Afghan Teen.
About William Yeske and Damn the Valley:
Follow Will on:
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/williamyeske/
Twitter : https://twitter.com/WYeske
LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamyeske/
Find Damn the Valley on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Damn-Valley-Airborne-Arghandab-Afghanistan/dp/1636243657/
Learn more about the book on:
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/damnthevalleybook/
Website: https://damnthevalleybook.com/
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 41 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast,where hosts Beth Bailey and Mikael Cook highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Today’s guest Zainab Homam is the founder and CEO of theAwesta Charitable Organisation, a UK-based charity which provided support to Afghan youth in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2018, when the security situation forced the charity to end its work there.
Zainab discussed the heartache of assisting Afghans who wereattempting to flee Afghanistan during the withdrawal alongside British colleagues and volunteers, including the desperation surrounding the UK’s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), a scheme which provided frustration rather than solutions to the refugee crisis.
Zainab also talked about the challenges surrounding helpingAfghan refugees in the UK, especially with mental health struggles and acclimating to a new set of social norms.
This week’s story comes from Shir, a man who is unable toapply for a special immigrant visa because of technicalities. Because the U.S. corporation that employed him at the Kabul Airport received its pay from the Afghan Government, Shir’s first job with the U.S. did not count towards SIV eligibility. His former supervisor from a different job has refused to help Shir with paperwork needed to file an SIV.
About Zainab and Awesta Charitable Organisation:
Follow Zainab on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/zainab-homam-73057621/)or find Awesta Charitable Organisation online at https://awesta.org/
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operationsas a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a futureepisode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 40 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Beth Bailey and Mikael Cook highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest today is ‘Legend,’ an Afghan American U.S. Army combat veteran and the head of American veteran organization Vets4NRF, which supports the National Resistance Front’s efforts to return democracy to Afghanistan. Filling in as a temporary co-host is Jazz Cannon, an Afghan American women’s rights activist who is an avid supporter of resistance in Afghanistan.
Our conversation revolves around the rich history of Afghanistan, and the country that many Afghans long to return to as the Taliban once again deprives citizens of their human rights and offers no pathway to representative government.
We discuss the tacit and overt support the U.S. is providing to the Taliban, and the lack of support for efforts to resist the Taliban, as well as the inevitable outcomes for Americans should there be no efforts to counter the Taliban and Haqqani Network.
About Legend Group Foundation and Vets4NRF:
Follow Jazz Cannon on Twitter @Jazz_Cannon,Instagram @jazz_cannon. Find the Legend Group Foundation at legend.ngo, and Vets4NRF at vets4nrf.org.
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 orTwitter @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 39 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest today is Heather Barr, the Associate Director of the Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, whose history of working in Afghanistan traces back to 2007 when she first began working in the country with the UnitedNations.
Heather notes the decline in women’s rights traces back to the years prior to the Taliban takeover, when the international community first noticed that girls’ educational attendance was waning in 2018. Since the earliest weeks after the fall of the former Afghan government, Heather discusses many of the specific Taliban regulations that have decimated women’s rights, including the latest arrests of women protestors for allegations of “bad hijab,” in which the world has witnessed the Taliban contradicting their own directives about hijab regulations.
Heather discusses many of the pathways by which Afghan women could achieve justice for the gender persecution they now face in their homeland – either through the inclusion of gender apartheid in international law, through International Criminal Court prosecutions, or through the International Court of Justice. She also discussed Human Rights Watch’s work,and the enablers that let researchers gain insights on Taliban human rights violations despite strict Taliban control over media. Though Heather believes that there will be a long path to bringing Afghanistan back from the devastation the Taliban have inflicted, she noted that Afghan women will be prepared for that challenge when it arrives.
Our letter this week comes from Fazal and Latifa, a husband and wife who qualified for humanitarian parole in October 2022, but only recently received confirmation that they would soon be transferred out of the country and therefore needed to assemble their passports and necessarypaperwork. The couple did not have the funds to cover these expenses when theysubmitted their letter to the show, but a generous American donor has sincehelped them gather their final documents so they can be prepared to leave behindthe uncertainty, torture, and pain that marked their last days in Afghanistanand Pakistan.
About Heather and Human Rights Watch
Follow Heather on Twitter (https://twitter.com/heatherbarr1)
Follow Human Rights Watch on Twitter (https://twitter.com/hrw) or website (https://www.hrw.org/)
Mentioned in the Episode:
Heather Barr’s episode from Afghanistan with Roh Yakobi: https://www.theafgpod.com/2243404/14298512-heather-barr-how-dare-we-give-up-on-afghan-women-and-girls
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
For listeners in Afghanistan:If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like usto give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 38 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest today is Gareth Westwood, a former security analyst whose work in Kabul between 2019 and 2020 gave him an incredible vantage point to witness moments and choices that would ultimately shape the environment in which the disastrous August 2021 withdrawal took place.
Gareth discusses the escalating numbers of high-profile attacks underway as the Doha Agreement was being negotiated, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on day-to-day operations, and the Taliban’s creep into district centers and early stages of the reprisal campaign against government figures. He also addressed the uncertainty among NATO countries and the Afghan government about the U.S.’s intentions to truly withdraw even after the Doha Agreement was negotiated.
Near the end of our episode, Gareth explained how the withdrawal from Afghanistan affected him as he went through a multi-phase process of grappling with his personal feelings about the disastrous outcome of a nearly twenty-year campaign.
Our letter this week comes from special immigrant visa applicant “Saee,” who asked that we refer to him by last name only. Saee had nearly achieved his SIV when his application – and all applications with a letter of recommendation from his former supervisor, were stopped for unspecified reasons. Fortunately, Saee has found new recommenders, but he hopes for expedited processing of his visa to escape the limbo that he and his family find themselves in.
About the hosts:
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to a special episode of The Afghanistan Project Podcast. Today, Beth is taking listeners through the podcast's 2023 content. If you've missed episodes or you're new to the podcast, this is a great way to get a (relatively) quick understanding of what you'll find in our episodes throughout the past year.
The largest number of our guests have been military veterans and active-duty service members involved in operations supporting Afghans or their fellow veterans. Their activities run the gamut from physically bringing individuals out of Afghanistan, to working to highlight the difficulties facing prosecutors, to combating moral injury among veterans, to supporting the translators who served beside them. (Apologies - Legend's episode belongs in this category - Legend is a US military veteran as well as an Afghan American. We have a lot of crossover in these categories)
We have also had a number of incredible civilian guests, some of whom, like Alexa Greenwald, have worked on issues in Afghanistan and Pakistan for years, and some of whom, like Amy Sins, are new to Afghanistan but have made a huge difference for Afghans all the same.
We were thrilled by the number of Afghans who joined us to tell us their stories this year. We had individuals come on who escaped from Hamid Karzai International Airport, as well as individuals who are still in Afghanistan working to support their countrymen any way they can. We heard from refugee resettlement workers, former Afghan special forces personnel, members of different resistance factions, and translators who have gone through hell to help their families in Afghanistan.
We had a huge number of episodes dealing with the withdrawal. We talked to expert Bill Roggio who was tracking Taliban control in the leadup to the withdrawal, and Brian Castner who was documenting war crimes for Amnesty International as the country fell to the Taliban. We talked to multiple Afghans who helped others escape, escaped themselves, or tried to fight the Taliban before they took Kabul. We talked a number of Americans who were pulled into the void, and played a huge role in saving lives from the U.S. through #DigitalDunkirk and similar groups, and we talked with some incredible veterans who were on the ground at the airport in Kabul about the chaos they witnessed, the Abbey Gate bombing, and the moral injury and devastation that followed them home.
We had the outsized luck to sit with experts in their fields about their work that has made large changes in the world. Marcela Gaviria and Martin Smith talked with us about their incredible PBS Frontline documentary. Brian Castner detailed the work Amnesty International has done to document crimes against humanity in areas that researchers cannot reach. Bill Roggio honored us with his incredible Taliban expertise twice, talking about the makeup of the group today, and its path to taking control of the country in 2021.
Volunteer burnout and moral injury were really prevalent topics in many of our episodes. It was heavy to sit with people experiencing difficult emotions every day as they processed what they went through during the withdrawal, or talked about the difficulty of supporting Afghans through the hopelessness and tumult that have followed the withdrawal. It was also a great honor. We truly believe that talking about these deep feelings is an important way to work through them, and we appreciate each person who shared those hard moments with us. We look forward to more of those heavy episodes next year.
We are grateful to all our listeners. We'd love to hear from you if you have stories that you'd like to tell. We're looking to talk more about the topics we've covered this year, but we also want to dive more deeply into women's issues, and talk about past experiences from those who fought or volunteered in Afghanistan during our almost twenty-year presence there.
Tashakor, and see you in 2024.
Welcome to Episode 37 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest today is Andy Sullivan, the Director of Advocacy for No One Left Behind, a nonprofit organization that supports the wartime allies whom we promised assistance through the special immigrant visa program.
Andy takes listeners through the latest SIV numbers for an update on the number of primary applicants in the pipeline, the estimate length of time for processing these applicants, and progress on long-standing issues the SIV program has faced.
We also talk about the issues facing Afghans in Pakistan, tellseveral stories of Afghans who are dear to us, and talk about the vast array of services No One Left Behind provides to those it supports.
Find No One Left Behind via:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/n1leftbehind
Website: http://nooneleft.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/no-one-left-behind/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nooneleftbehindus/
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteranof the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 36 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast,where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest today is Parwani, a former Colonel in theAfghanistan National Army Special Forces. As the former Director of Intelligence for the Joint Special Operations Command, Parwani talks about his efforts to repel the Taliban in the months leading up to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, to include operating in Helmand as the province was overrun, and operating in Kabul until the Taliban took the capital on August 15, 2021.
Parwani discusses his evacuation to the U.S., including thedepression that overtook him when he was forced to leave behind his homeland. That depression abated when Col. Parwani joined the Afghanistan United Front, headed by Gen. Sami Sadat. Parwani discusses the goals and state of the AUF, and his hopes for the future of his country.
Find AUF on:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/afgunitedfront
Website, https://www.afghanistanunitedfront.org/
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteranof the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operationsas a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a futureepisode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 35 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guests today are representatives from resettlement support agency REACT DC, which has been working to support Afghan refugees who arrived in the D.C. metro area in the aftermath of Operation Allies Welcome.
Sarah Cady, the Chief Executive Officer of REACT DC, discussed how the nonprofit stood up in September 2021 with prodigious support from Afghans and advocates throughout the area. She also talked about many of the specific programs that REACT DC has developed to address the ongoing needs of the refugee population, including initiatives to support Afghan women, and to provide legal help for refugees still navigating asylum requests, the special immigrant visa program, and the re-parole process.
Hasib Dellawar, the director of REACT DC’s Career Pathwaysprogram, talked about his own path to the U.S., which began with service to the American government that qualified him for the SIV program. Hasib and his family arrived in the U.S. on the day that his country fell to the Taliban, Aug. 15, 2021. He began adjusting to the area with help from resettlement agencies and friends, and eventually found and began to work for REACT DC.
Now, Hasib helps Afghans find employment through the CareerPathways program. Many Afghans who have arrived in the U.S. have professions that they are no longer able to practice in the U.S. without further education or certification. The Career Pathways team helps Afghan identify their skills, work up resumes, and determine whether they want to find work job market that matches their previous experience, or helps them enter into a new career field that excites them.
At the end of the show, Sarah and Hasib discussed how Afghans have been mentally impacted by decades of war and trauma, and the need to provide mental health support to refugee populations.
Find REACT DC via:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/reactdcorg
Website, https://www.reactdc.org/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/resettlement-action-dc-react-dc/
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteranof the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operationsas a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a futureepisode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 34 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast,where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest, Joan Barker, is a former Peace Corps volunteerwho taught English to Afghan Air Force personnel from 2017 and 2018 in an effort to make the Afghan military more self-sustaining in preparation for Americans to depart the country. Joan talks about her experience working alongside Afghans, and how it led her to join the #DigitalDunkirk effort to find U.S. allies a pathway out of Afghanistan during the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021. Joan also talks about her work supporting Afghan refugees in Operation Allies Welcome, and advocating for moral injury recovery among those who felt a deep shame as a result of the devastation wrought during and after our Afghanistan departure.
Our story this week comes from an Afghan whom we are callingObaidullah. Obaidullah shared the story of his father, a former Special Forces member, who received disarmament papers from the Taliban but did not trust that the Taliban would not find and kill him for his work supporting the former Afghan government. He fled to Pakistan without legal paperwork, and now is concerned about being arrested and deported to Afghanistan, where his life is once more at risk.
About Joan Barker:
Follow Joan on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/joan__barker/)or Twitter (https://twitter.com/ms_joan777)
You can find Joan’s opinion pieces by following her linktreehere: https://linktr.ee/joan.e.barker?utm_source=linktree_admin_share
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteranof the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operationsas a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a futureepisode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 33 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest, Jason Howk, is a veteran of the U.S. Army who was involved firsthand in key periods of our twenty-year effort to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan. Jason talks about his efforts in supporting the creation of the Afghan National Army in 2002, his work as Gen. McChrystal’s aide-de-camp in 2009, and his work on creating an enduring peace process for Afghanistan leadingup to 2013.
Jason also outlined his goals in creating Global Friends ofAfghanistan in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal, and the current state of efforts to support Afghan-led discussions to creating a future of stability in Afghanistan when Taliban rule comes to its end.
About Jason Howk and Global Friends of Afghanistan:
Find Jason on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason_c_howk
Find Global Friends of Afghanistan at their website, https://www.globalfriendsofafghanistan.org/.
Follow GFA on Twitter https://twitter.com/GFAfghanistanor LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-friends-of-afghanistan-gfa/
Mentioned in this episode:
Support Afghans through Aseel App here: https://aseelapp.com/
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operationsas a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the WashingtonExaminer. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 orTwitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a futureepisode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 32 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast,where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Today’s guest, Shawn VanDiver, is president and founder ofthe #AfghanEvac coalition, which unites volunteers and professionals from government, national security, and public policy backgrounds in a search to fulfill the promises the U.S. made to its allies left behind in Afghanistan. Shawn talked about the important wins that the coalition has been able to achieve through their efforts, as well as some of the difficulties they have faced over the past two years.
Shawn dove into the difficulties facing Afghan refugees who havemoved to Pakistan in an effort to find safety over decades of war, and who are now under threat of deportation to Afghanistan. In particular, #AfghanEvac has come out strongly in support of allies with documented paths to refugee status or humanitarian parole or special immigrant visa eligibility, and has pressured the Pakistani government to allow those individuals safe haven while their cases are processed. In addition, #AfghanEvac hopes that Pakistan will allow the establishment of a Resettlement Support Center to process Priority-1 and Priority-2 applicants to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
Finally, Shawn addressed the importance of passing the AfghanAdjustment Act, which would alleviate uncertainty plaguing many Afghan refugees in the U.S., and add additional eligibility categories for Afghans seeking special immigrant visas. Shawn laid out numerous arguments for passage of the AAA, and wants listeners to know that 89 percent of Americans support passage of the AAA, according to a poll from With Honor (https://withhonor.org/news/89-of-americans-support-keeping-our-pledge-to-our-afghans-allies/)
Today’s episode concludes with an emotional letter sent tothe #AfghanEvac coalition from an appreciative Afghan ally who arrived in the U.S. in early November.
About Shawn VanDiver and #AfghanEvac:
Follow Shawn on Twitter :https://twitter.com/shawnjvandiver.
Follow #AfghanEvac on Twitter https://twitter.com/afghanevac or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/afghanevac/. Their website can be found here: https://afghanevac.org/
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteranof the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operationsas a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a futureepisode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 31 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest, Kevin Rardin, tells listeners about his experience as a Command Judge Advocate in Afghanistan as an Army JAG Corps officer, and the affection he developed for his Afghan counterparts and especially his interpreter, whom we are calling Abdul-Hadi. Kevin and Abdul-Hadi grew especially close in the years after Kevin left the country, and when Abdul-Hadi asked Kevin to help him escape Kabul in August 2021, Kevin details the epic journey that the two underwent to find safety for his endangered interpreter and his wife and eight children.
Kevin also discusses his continued work supporting Afghan prosecutors who are at risk for promoting democracy and rule of law through the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.
Today’s episode concludes with a story from a stranded Afghan interpreter who calls himself Zee. Zee expressed his sadness that the Taliban had named August 15 Mujahideen Victory Day, considering that the only such day that many Afghans celebrate is the day when the pro-Russian government collapsed in 1992. Zee says he hopes that the international community never recognizes the Taliban.
About the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys:
Follow APA on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APAinc
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteranof the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 30 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast,where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest, Patrick Wargo, joined the contractor workforce inAfghanistan after serving in the Navy. After starting in a private security role, Patrick eventually pivoted and began teaching English to Afghan National Army Special Operations Command personnel. Patrick witnessed many of the final months of retrograde operations, and left Afghanistan himself in June 2021. He has continued to support Afghan refugees and special immigrant visa applicants in the years since the withdrawal.
Today’s episode concludes with a story from a young Afghan teenwho has had to relocate to a different province after the Taliban attempted to force her into marriage to a 70-year-old man. She tells us that her parents and younger brother have been arrested, and will not be released until she returns and complies with the illegal marriage.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteranof the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operationsas a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a futureepisode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 29 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast,where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest, Timothy ‘Tito’ Torres, has served with the U.S. Army Rangers since 2005 and currently works as the executive director and vice president of the Moral Compass Federation. The Moral Compass Federation consists of more than 30 nonprofit groups, each with their own unique missions. Some groups help Afghan allies in need of humanitarian aid, while others support evacuation, or resettlement aid. Still other groups support veterans and Gold and Blue Star families who have borne the nation’s battles. Under the Moral Compass Federation umbrella, each unique group can sign on to advocacy work or special projects that give each organization more of a voice than they might have on their own.
Today’s episode concludes with a story from a young Afghan man whose brother died after he attempted to flee the country by clinging to the body of a military cargo plane departing from Hamid Karzai International Airport.
About the Moral Compass Federation:
You can follow the efforts of the Moral Compass Federationon their website, where you can find additional information about each of its member organizations.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteranof the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operationsas a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a futureepisode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 28 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest, Mariam Atash, is a Afghan American attorney, human right activist, and adjunct law professor who has been supporting Afghans through her practice since before the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021. Mariam talked about specifics of the Priority-1 and Priority-2 programs within the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, and the immigration consequences that have arisen from the processing delays within programs.
Today’s episode concludes with a story from a young Afghan woman currently living in Tajikistan. Directly following the Taliban’s takeover, a local Talib began pursuing her for marriage, but she was desperate to avoid becoming a wife and wanted to pursue a law career. U.S. Army soldier and Vets4NRF founder “Legend” advised the girl’s family to pretend that she had died, and brought her across the border to Tajikistan, where she now is studying to be a lawyer.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 27 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
For this installment of our series exploring the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, we chatted with volunteers Anna Segur and Val Simich about their work supporting our allies who were attempting to escape Afghanistan in the months leading up to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. We also spoke with Afzil and Sayed, two former interpreters who were able to escape during the evacuation thanks to the support of Anna and Val. Their stories truly highlight the incredible strain our withdrawal created for Afghans seeking to escape the country after the Taliban’s takeover.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 26 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
For the latest installment of our withdrawal series, we talked with Joe Laude, who was a Marine Corps Sgt. in the 2nd Battalion 1st Marine Regiment during the evacuation from Hamid Karzai International Airport. Joe talked with us about his own recollections from the evacuation, as well as those of many of the other veterans of HKIA whom he has been able to speak with about their own efforts because of his work to stand up Operation Allies Refuge Foundation. OAR Foundation seeks to spread the truth about the events at HKIA as those on the ground experienced them, and to combat the moral injury that affects veterans who were present during the withdrawal.
More about Operation Allies Refuge Foundation:
Follow OAR on Instagram @OARFoundation or on their website, here.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 25 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
In continuing our series exploring the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, we brought on Jill Marie Bussey, the Director for Public Policy at Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Jill Marie told us about her work to spin up evacuation resources for Afghans who needed to leave the country as the U.S. prepared for its Afghanistan withdrawal. She discussed visiting the first wave of special immigrant visa applicants who arrived at Ft. Lee in early August 2021, and the combined joy of meeting our allies and the difficulty of letting them know that they would have to enter the country on parole, and would be hard-pressed to reunite with their families in the years to come. Jill Marie also spoke about her efforts during the withdrawal to aid Afghans through the informal networks that were created to help Afghans reach Hamid Karzai International Airport and find their way on the evacuation flights helping Afghans and other vulnerable groups reach safety after the Taliban took hold of the country.
Our conversation also dealt with the intricacies of the parole designations that have been granted to our Afghan allies, the immigration backlogs they face, and the difficulties they have navigating our asylum system without legal assistance. Jill Marie talked about the latest re-parole guidelines for those whose two years of parole are quickly coming to an end, and mentioned the difference between the asylum that Afghans who arrived during Operation Allies Welcome received, and the asylum being granted to Afghans who came to the U.S. through the southern border as an effort to find safety more quickly than they were likely to achieve it through the SIV program, humanitarian parole, or the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
More about Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, and the re-parole process:
LIRS’s website can be found here
Information on:
Re-Parole Process for Certain Afghans
Afghan Re-Parole FAQs
Form I-797C, Notice of Action
Employment Authorization Guide
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 24 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
For this installment of our series exploring the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, we talked with Joe Laude and Aidan Gunderson about their experiences at Hamid Karzai International Airport during the horrifying suicide attack at Abbey Gate on Aug. 26, 2021. Joe Laude was a Marine Corps Sgt. in the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment at the time of the evacuation. Aidan Gunderson was a combat medic with the 82nd Airborne Division. Both described their personal views of the explosion at Abbey Gate, and their aftermath.
Around 170 Afghans perished at Abbey Gate while trying to escape their transforming homeland. 13 U.S. service members made their final sacrifices at Abbey Gate while trying to help our allies find safety.
About Operation Allies Refuge Foundation:
Find OAR Foundation’s website here.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 23 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
This week continues our series returning to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan as we pass the two-year-mark of our departure. Hannah Williams and Braden Wayment joined us to talk about the mental impact that our withdrawal, and our almost 20-year presence in Afghanistan, have had on them and many other veterans over the past two years.
Listeners, please be advised that this episode includes stories of suicide and mental trauma. If you need help finding resources for managing these kinds of feelings, please reach out Fight the War Within Foundation, or call the national suicide and crisis hotline at 988. Patrol Base Abbate and Operation Allies Refuge Foundation are great organization that help forge community that strengthens veterans’ bonds and promote resiliency.
Both Hannah and Braden work to help our Afghan allies make their way out of Afghanistan. Their time is volunteered, but the pace and demands of their efforts are grueling. Both Hannah and Braden gave an unvarnished explanation of why – and for whom – they continue their work, and of the meaning Afghanistan continues to have for veterans like Braden who fought there, and for veterans like Hannah, who were close to individuals who spent time there, and care deeply about fulfilling America’s promises.
More about the evacuation groups Hannah and Braden support:
Hannah donates her time to Operation Sacred Promise. You can find their website here. Braden donates his time to Task Force Argo, which can be found online here.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 22 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
For installment two on our series exploring the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, we chatted with U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Will Selber about his view of Afghanistan’s slow descent into chaos in the leadup to the withdrawal, while working in the country between June 2020 and 2021. He shares his deep understanding of the difficulties faced by the Afghan military and his knowledge of the actors involved lends an air of humanity to the discussion that many in the media failed to address in their dissection of the leadup to the Taliban takeover.
Will then talks about his multi-week effort, staged at a hotel room in D.C., to help Afghans escape the country. Following his initial dogged work to preserve lives, he talks about his incredibly intense year volunteering his time to save allies who were left behind through Operation Sacred Promise, while he was also juggling military command. For listeners who are familiar with the battle of juggling devotion to the Afghan cause and the need to be present within their own lives, Will’s talk about his decision to back away from volunteer work will be especially poignant.
More about Will Selber and Operation Sacred Promise:
Follow Will on Twitter @AggieWill00. Operation Sacred Promise’s website can be found here.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 21 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
This week kicks off the sub-series of the podcast where we’ll be dialing in on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan for the two-year anniversary of our departure. To kick off our sub-series, we’re glad to have an incredible return guest - Bill Roggio is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the managing editor of its preeminent publication on the Global War on Terror, the Long War Journal.
Bill told us how and when he created a map that would help him track which Afghan districts were controlled by Taliban forces, and which were under Afghan government control. With a great deal of open-source information, and a lot of time, Bill updated the graphic monthly, but more often when the U.S. began preparing to withdraw from Afghanistan in spring 2021. In the lead-up to the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Bill presented a far less sunny overview of Taliban strength than nearly any of the analysts examining the Taliban’s capabilities. As our date of departure neared, Bill’s map appeared in media outlets around the world, as did his condemnations of U.S. intelligence that the country would fall to the Taliban
At the same time, Bill was drawn into the withdrawal in a more intimate way, which we discussed as another element of the departure from Afghanistan that brought difficulties to volunteers who gave up their normal lives in an attempt to save the lives of Afghan allies.
Concluding our episode, we shared a story from “Nimatullah,” who qualifies for the special immigrant visa program because of his work as a security guard. Nimatullah waits anxiously for his SIV to be processed and for his family to be evacuated, especially because his son Asadullah suffers from hemophilia.
More about Bill Roggio and Long War Journal:
Find Bill on Twitter @billroggio, and find the Long War Journal here. To see the maps referenced in the podcast, go to Long War Journal.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 20 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
This week’s guest is Air Force Lt. Col. Will Selber, who volunteers with evacuation non-governmental organization Operation Sacred Promise. Will joined us to talk about moral injury, a phenomenon which was first studied in the aftermath of the Vietnam War when veterans of the conflict noted “distress as a result of violating their core beliefs during combat,” as Selber and his mother, a professor of social work with more than a decade of work assisting veterans, wrote in their recent piece on moral injury in War on the Rocks.
Will talked about the reasons that moral injury has been discussed in recent years as a concern for veterans of our conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and told us about his own experience with moral injury and his scholarship on the topic. (This episode is heavy at times - we urge listeners who find it difficult to reach out for support to groups like Patrol Base Abbate, Fight the War Within Foundation, or Operation Allies Refuge Foundation. If you’re in urgent need of assistance, please call the military suicide hotline at 988.
Concluding our episode, we shared a story from “Asadullah,” a young man who suffers from hemophilia. His father Nimatullah has applied for a special immigrant visa, and Asadullah hopes that the SIV will be grated to give the family safety in the U.S., and Asadullah ready access to the medication he needs to survive.
More about Will Selber and Operation Sacred Promise:
Follow Will on Twitter @AggieWill00. Operation Sacred Promise’s website can be found here.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 19 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
This week’s guest is Yousuf Sediq, a former special operations squadron commander in Task Force 241, an elite counterterrorism force within the Afghan Special Forces. Yousuf is the author of 5,000 Days of War: The Firsthand Account of an Afghan Special Forces Operator.
Yousuf discusses his decision to begin working with the Canadian Special Forces as an interpreter in 2007, and the dissatisfaction he felt with the treatment of interpreters at Canadian bases. Yousuf then began working with the U.S. Special Forces as an interpreter, working alongside the U.S. Army Special Forces and the U.S. Navy Seals before joining the Afghan Special Forces in 2013. Yousuf briefly discusses rising through the ranks and ultimately joining Task Force 241 before talking about his work supporting the U.S. withdrawal from Hamid Karzai International Airport in August 2021. Ultimately Yousuf and his colleagues were among the last Afghans to leave HKIA during the withdrawal.
Yousuf expresses pride at having secured special immigrant visa packages for his fellow Task Force 241 members, and briefly talked about his plans for the future in the U.S.
More about Yousuf:
Find 5,000 Days of War: The Firsthand Account of an Afghan Special Forces Operator here.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 18 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
This week’s guest is Brian Castner, a weapons investigator at Amnesty International who was part of the research team behind a June 2023 report that uncovered evidence of Taliban war crimes and collective punishment in northern Afghanistan’s Panjshir province.
Brian told us about his work documenting the crimes that took place prior to and during the fall of Afghanistan, which led him to be in Kabul at the time of the Taliban takeover in August 2021. We discussed the variety of crimes that were taking place at the time of the fall, and the impossibility of documenting every incident – particularly of the reprisal killings that were taking place around the country when the Taliban began to target their former enemies for death.
Brian gave us insights into how Amnesty International gathers evidence of the crimes it is able to investigate and prove, and we discussed some of the findings in the war crimes report in Panjshir, as well as the steps the international community can take to ensure accountability in the future. While many of Amnesty International’s recommendations in the report are for the Taliban, we also discussed the likelihood of the Taliban changing their behavior.
More about Brian Castner and Amnesty International:
Find Brian on Twitter @Brian_Castner.
Amnesty International’s most recent report on collective punishment in Panjshir can be found here. Amnesty International’s additional reporting mentioned in the episode includes a report on crimes documented during the fall of Afghanistan, a May 2023 report on Taliban gender persecution, and one of several articles on targeting of Hazara members of the former Afghan government. Follow Amnesty International’s work on Twitter @amnesty.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 17 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
This week’s guest is Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the managing editor of its preeminent publication on the Global War on Terror, the Long War Journal. Bill provided a thorough debrief about the Taliban, who are largely unchanged from the Taliban of the 1996-2001 regime. If anything, Bill explained various reasons why the Taliban’s current iteration should prompt more concern from international onlookers than the regime of old. We discussed the Taliban’s leadership and military structure, its control over the judiciary, and its use of military assets that remained in Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021. Bill was adamant that, despite calls for peace talks from National Resistance Front leaders, the Taliban is intent to rule without opposition. Any hope for the future in Afghanistan will likely arise from armed resistance inside the country, though Bill believes that this resistance must rise up organically, and with new leaders who are not tied to the previous Afghan government.
Concluding our episode, we shared a story from “Rahimullah,” a former combat interpreter. Rahimullah spent three years working alongside U.S. forces until he was fired from his job without explanation after a routine counterintelligence examination. Rahimullah has been unable to receive a special immigrant visa on account of his termination. Now he lives in hiding for fear of being captured by the Taliban, who will not count him as an innocent because he was terminated from his work with the Americans.
More about Bill Roggio and Long War Journal:
Find Bill on Twitter @billroggio, and find the Long War Journal here.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 16 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and focus on the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
This week, we heard from refugee advocate Anna Segur and U.S. Navy veteran Val Simich about their joint efforts to support humans fleeing conflict zones around the world. After the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, Val and Anna started supporting Afghans with special immigrant visa applications underway. Through an SIV applicant they were assisting, they came to know Aziza Akbari, an NGO founder who was under serious threat after the Taliban’s takeover because she was slated to begin working alongside Afghan Special Forces. Anna and Val helped Aziza find a lawyer to file her humanitarian parole application. Of the more than 50,000 Afghan humanitarian parole applicants (whose processing fees of $575 per application have netted the U.S. government over $28,000,000) Aziza is one of fewer than 1,000 to be granted parole.
Aziza joined us to share the story of how she came to the U.S., and the helpers who made her escape possible. Her story of hope is a rare one in the post-withdrawal landscape, but we hope it stands as a beacon of light to Afghans still living in darkness under the Taliban.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 15 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
This week, we heard from Jonathon Alcocer, a veteran and pastor, about his endeavor to help 22 Afghans escape from their country, where they had been living in hiding for 18 months to avoid the Taliban’s reprisal campaign. Alcocer told us about how he joined two other Americans in trying to guide their flock from Zimbabwe, where they had legal traveler visas, to South Africa, where they planned to file for asylum.
Their journey went badly wrong when the South African government turned the group away at the border, sparking a grueling three-day period of interrogation aboard the bus the group traveled on, a harrowing drive to the country’s capital, and detainment beneath the Robert Gabriel Mugabe international Airport. Even after the group escaped Zimbabwe, Alcocer stayed with the Afghans in his charge until late April, when he was finally able to obtain temporary visas that will keep the group safe until their special immigrant visa cases are processed.
Our episode concludes with questions Alcocer posed to the two former Afghan commandos in his group, and their answers about their experiences since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.
About the guests:
The Lifeline Foundation provided travel and other costs for the group of 22 Afghans as they fled their homeland.
Moral Compass Federation, Operation North Star, and Flanders Fields provided for the two commandos and their families while they lived in hiding.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 14 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey
highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety
of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of
Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
This week, we had a brief discussion about Mikael’s recent trip to Vienna, Austria to participate in a
conference between Afghan leaders, American veterans, and proponents of peace in Afghanistan about
forging a united path to counteract the Taliban in Afghanistan. Ahmad Massoud, commander of the
National Resistance Front, has now formally welcomed all parties engaged in resistance against the
Taliban to unite with the NRF to repel the Taliban’s government, which is not representative of the
people of Afghanistan. Mikael discusses talking with Massoud and NRF fighters, and how Americans can
support the NRF from the U.S.
Our episode concludes with a brief note of hope from a young Afghan girl attending school in secret
despite the Taliban’s ban on education for girls above the sixth grade.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an
active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You
can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the
Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-
withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on
Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your
experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as
much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your
identity.
Welcome to Episode 13 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest this week are Pasoon Khan and Ryan Engle. Pasoon is a former Afghan interpreter who worked alongside U.S. forces from 2008 to 2014, including during chaotic fighting seasons in southern Afghanistan during the surge. In 2014, Pasoon came to the U.S. under the special immigrant visa program. He became a citizen in December 2021, and now works as a security guard to support his wife, children, parents, and family in Afghanistan. Ryan Engle was one of many U.S. military personnel who benefitted from Pasoon’s incredible service, and is among ten who personally wrote Pasoon a letter of recommendation for his SIV. Ryan is a United States Naval Academy graduate, and served 6 years as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. He is now involved in providing long term care for veterans.
In this episode, Pasoon talks about the path that led to him becoming an interpreter. He discusses being outside of Patrol Base Dakota on Nov. 21 2010 and watching a grenade fly over his head and land on the rooftop where LCpl Kyle Carpenter and his friend were providing security. Pasoon witnessed the act of heroism that came next when LCpl Carpenter leapt atop the grenade to shield his friend from its blast, an act which later resulted in LCpl Carpenter being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Pasoon also discusses being severely wounded in an IED blast in Kajaki, and the painfully long recovery process that followed his injury.
Pasoon and Ryan also discussed the efforts that were made in the lead-up to, and aftermath of, the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to secure the evacuation of Pasoon’s family. When Pasoon’s parents and siblings were unable to evacuate from Hamid Karzai International Airport, Pasoon and Ryan fought for their admittance by filing for humanitarian parole while Pasoon worked 80-90-hour weeks to pay for the expenses of his own family, his parents and siblings in Afghanistan, and his uncle’s family in Afghanistan. When Pasoon noticed his father’s health declining in the spring of 2022, he flew to Afghanistan and forced the State Department’s hand. Pasoon was only able to secure evacuation for his parents, who were subsequently stuck in Qatar for eight months before they could enter the U.S. Pasoon’s six siblings, two of whom are under the age of 18, remain in Afghanistan. The family remains frustrated by their predicament.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 9 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest this week is Paul Alkoby, a U.S. Air Force veteran who became one of many individuals pulled into the chaos of the U.S. withdrawal in Afghanistan to extract allies and endangered Afghans.
In this episode, Paul drills down into an ongoing dilemma he faces as he attempts to support an Afghan special operator who was left behind, and who has faced a plethora of issues to maintain his safety and his health as an amputee experiencing serious health issues.
Paul and Beth also talk about Paul’s experiences during the evacuation of Hamid Karzai International Airport supporting efforts that occurred alongside Digital Dunkirk. His group, whose members referred to themselves as “The Network,” was successful in getting Afghans out of the country through Black Gate and Abbey Gate. Paul’s tales of success are masterful, but his emotional explanation of the toll that evacuation took on his job and mental health are a reminder of the weight volunteers have borne because of governmental ineptitude.
Our episode concludes with a heartfelt open letter to war, written by Nahida Qasimi. Nahida fled her homeland to seek an education, but is struck by the experiences and people war has kept from her.
About Paul Alkoby:
Follow Paul on Instagram @realkoby_ or through his website, realkoby.com.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to episode 11 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast. Last week, the Biden administration released a 12-page report about the withdrawal from Afghanistan. In defense of the report, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby claimed “I just didn’t see [the chaos of the withdrawal]. Not from my perch.”
The community of veterans involved in the withdrawal from Kabul have been vocal in their condemnation of the White House report, and particularly of Kirby’s remarks. This week, we brought on four veterans involved with the evacuation of the Hamid Karzai International Airport to discuss the events they witnessed during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Aidan Gunderson from the 82nd Airborne, Bobby Barnhisel from the 2nd Battalion 1st Marines, Connor McMurray from the 10th Mountain, and Mike Markland from the 1st Battalion 8th Marines talk about their unique roles and perspectives around the airfield. We also discuss why it is critical to correct the official record of the activities surrounding our Afghanistan withdrawal.
Many of the observations and recollections in this episode contain difficult topics. We want our listeners to know that they are never alone, and that their service was and will always be meaningful. For anyone struggling and looking for ways to connect with other veterans who share their experience, please reach out to any of the following:
Operation Allies Refuge Foundation
PB Abbate
Fight the War Within Foundation
Veterans Crisis Line
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
Welcome to Episode 10 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest this week are three members of the Legend Group Foundation and Vets4NRF. Legend is an Afghan-American who served with the U.S. Army after arriving in the U.S. just days before September 11, 2001. He is the founder of Legend Group Foundation and Vets4NRF, and has traveled back to Afghanistan several times to help evacuate endangered persons. Jazz Cannon is the spokesperson for Legend as well as the senior advisor for Legend Group Foundation and Vets4NRF. Richard Barrett is an author with a passion for understanding the history of warfare and assisting refugees.
In this episode, Legend discusses the National Resistance Front’s efforts to repel the Taliban, and the group’s growing support in the international community. Legend and Jazz talk about a tense return to Afghanistan to witness the Taliban’s one-year anniversary of their seizure of the country. Legend, Richard, and Jazz explain why they want viewers to support the NRF’s cause, and why it’s important to empower Afghans living under Taliban rule.
Our episode concludes with a letter from a former employee of the Kabul airport, whom we are calling Shakur. Shakur tells of his difficulty in adhering to the Taliban’s harsh restrictions.
About Legend Group Foundation and Vets4NRF:
Follow Jazz Cannon on Twitter @Jazz_Cannon, Instagram @jazz_cannon. Find the Legend Group Foundation at legend.ngo, and Vets4NRF at vets4nrf.org.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 9 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guests this week are Martin Smith and Marcela Gaviria, producers and directors of the forthcoming PBS FRONTLINE three-part docu-series “America and the Taliban” which airs April 4, April 11, and April 25 at 10 PM ET/9 PM CT.
In this episode, Marcela and Martin deliver gripping behind-the-scenes insights on what it’s like to sit across from senior Taliban members and discuss their war-time conduct, and their plans for post-war Afghanistan. We discuss the crises that continue to face Afghan women, the ongoing hunger issues that plague impoverished Afghans, and the odd juxtaposition of Afghanistan’s return to relative peace and simultaneous descent into a dark world of idiosyncratic and sometimes dangerously repressive edicts and restrictions.
With Afghanistan having returned to a pre-9/11 state, we also discuss how best to move forward towards creating enduring change in a country rent by conflict.
Our episode concludes with a letter from Zaeedi, whose name has been changed for his protection. A Priority-1 applicant to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, Zaeedi is still living in Afghanistan under serious threat of persecution, though he must reach a third country for processing of his P-1 application.
About Marcela and Martin:
Martin Smith’s forty-year journalistic career has focused heavily on the rise of al-Qaeda and the wars that followed in the wake of the attacks of September 11, 2001. He has earned a multitude of journalistic awards, including four duPont-Columbia Gold Batons, five Peabody Awards, and eight Emmys.
Marcela Gaviria has likewise followed the U.S. presence in Afghanistan and Iraq closely during her celebrated journalistic career. She is the recipient of nearly two dozen journalism awards, among which are seven Emmys, and the George Polk Award for Investigative Journalism. Follow her on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/marcellular
Find the full documentary episodes at FRONTLINE, here:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/america-and-the-taliban/
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 8 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest this week is Bryan Stern, a veteran of the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. Bryan is a recipient of the Purple Heart medal, and his work has been praised by high-level officials throughout the U.S. government. Bryan is the head of Project Dynamo, a veteran-run organization that pulls at-risk individuals from complex situations. Project Dynamo has evacuated over 3,000 individuals from Afghanistan since the 2021 U.S. withdrawal, and has also evacuated 3,000 people from Ukraine in the aftermath of the Russian invasion.
In this episode, Bryan talks about his personal travels to Taliban-occupied Afghanistan to ensure that the numerous American citizens and green card holders who were left behind can return to their country. He also discusses his work in Ukraine to help those with ties to America, and others whose lives are in special danger in Ukraine, evacuate to safety.
Bryan and Beth discuss the aspects of each conflict that make operations in the two zones difficult and unique.
Our episode concludes with a letter written by Ahmadi, whose name has been changed to protect his identity. Ahmadi worked for numerous foreign governments during the 20-year foreign involvement in Afghanistan, but none of these governments have helped him to escape the conflict. After multiple threats to his life, Ahmadi lives separately from his family and has run out of funds to continue paying for their expenses.
About Project Dynamo:
Follow Project Dynamo on social media on Twitter @Project_Dynamo1, Instagram @projectdynamo, Facebook @ProjectDYNAMOorg, or their website projectdynamo.org.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan Allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Beth sat down with No One Left Behind Director of Advocacy Jeff Phaneuf to talk about their reactions to the House Foreign Affairs Committee's first hearing on the Afghanistan withdrawal. The hearing lasted more than five hours, and was filled with incredible testimony from people who witnessed the devastation and took up the mantle that the government was struggling under in mid-August 2021. Jeff and Beth talk about the meaning of accountability, the importance of being non-partisan, the weight of offering post-withdrawal support to Afghan allies, and their hopes for the future. We here at The Afghanistan Project Podcast urge everyone to take the time to listen to the full hearing (or at least the opening testimony from the witnesses). Let us know in the comments if you agree with Jeff's and Beth's thoughts on what the hearing did well, and what they hope to see from future hearings, orders, and legislation.
Welcome to Episode 7 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest this week is Lark Escobar, who worked alongside the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army to help build up language skills in male – and female – members of the Afghan military through the Defense Language Institute. Today, Lark advocates for her trainees, who are just a portion of the 3,000 Afghans she is supporting as they attempt to flee Taliban persecution and make it to safety in the U.S. or other third countries.
In the episode, Lark discusses the processing of special immigrant visas and Priority-1 and Priority-2 referrals to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. She also describes the difficulties experienced by volunteers, who work long hours for no pay to assist the Afghans on their rosters, essentially gap-filling for the State Department.
Lark also has valuable insights on the important work of fighting against racism that keeps some Americans from wanting to accept and welcome Afghan allies, and about the myriad ways that listeners can volunteer to aid Afghans, and learn more about the beauty of Afghan culture and experience.
Our episode concludes with a letter written by Nasrin, whose name has been changed to protect her identity. Nasrin endured a great deal of hardship from a young age. Forced to marry at 10 and a mother of three by 18, she spent more than a decade living with her abusive husband until, during the presidency of Hamid Karzai, prosecutors allowed her to leave her marriage. Nasrin received assistance from USAID as a shop owner, but was not able to escape the country during evacuation operations in 2021. She now lives in Pakistan, and fears returning to Afghanistan, where her former husband now seeks to marry her 22-year-old daughter to a member of the Taliban.
About Lark Escobar:
Follow Lark on Twitter @Larkabroad. You can find Fletcher Afghanistan Evacuation and Resettlement Working Group on Twitter @FletcherEvac, Instagram @fletcherafghanevac, or Facebook @FletcherAfghanEvac.
Mentioned in the episode:
Lark suggests the following cookbook if you want to learn to take on traditional Afghan recipes: Parwana: Recipies and Stories from an Afghan Kitchen. If you’re not ready to purchase a whole cookbook, try making Kabuli Pulao, the national dish of Afghanistan, with naan and Afghan green chutney. The prep is time-consuming, but you won’t regret it.
Lark also recommends reading Dear Zari: The Secret Lives of the Women of Afghanistan.
Welcome to Episode 6 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guests this week are three volunteers who were part of the #DigitalDunkirk network, a hastily assembled team of experts who doggedly pursued methods of evacuating Afghan allies from Hamid Karzai International Airport during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. Chris Davis is an active-duty Marine whose current assignment is as a fellow at Georgetown Law, where he is earning his Masters of Law in national security law. Dan Gibbons is a Marine Corps reservist who works with MARSOC, and is also the digital product management director at a financial firm. Joe McNamara is a Marine Corps veteran and founder of a leadership development firm. He is also on the Board of Directors for Operation Patriots FOB.
In this episode, Chris, Joe, and Dan each explain how they came to be involved in the Digital Dunkirk network, and what their unique roles and experiences in that effort were. They describe the dangers presented by the Taliban stationed around the airport, and other difficulties Afghans faced in navigating the overcrowded spaces that kept them from accessing safety. Their stories show how a group of volunteers operating on little-to-no sleep used phones and various chatting apps to circumvent those obstacles from across the world. The tales of success they share are a reminder of what is possible through the American spirit of persistence.
Our episode concludes with a letter written by Ayoubi, whose name has been changed to protect his identity. As a content writer and technical manager at Zan TV, Ayoubi received multiple threats from bad actors for his role in allegedly perverting Islam by promoting women’s rights. In 2018, Ayoubi was stabbed and left for dead by armed attackers. Though he moved from Kabul to Parwan to stay safe in the aftermath of the attack, when the Taliban came to power in August 2021, the Taliban came to Ayoubi’s home three times seeking him. Ayoubi moved to Pakistan to evade danger, but his circumstances have created additional psychological or legal pressures that give him great concern.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan Allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram or Twitter @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode 5 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest this week is Alexa Greenwald, who works with Uplift Afghanistan Fund to assist Afghans who have been displaced after the U.S. withdrawal. In the episode, Alexa talks about the struggles facing Afghans who have fled to Pakistan seeking processing of their Priority-1 and Priority-2 referrals to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. Uplift Afghanistan Fund, started by Afghan women hoping to offset the crisis created by the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, is pivoting to help. Uplift works to provide education, food distribution, and skill building for refugees stranded in Pakistan, where they are vulnerable to extortion, harassment, and the threat of deportation.
Alexa also gives listeners a gripping play-by-play of how her former company, Sayara International, helped evacuate over 1,200 Afghans between August and December 2021 from both Hamid Karzai International Airport and Mazar-e Sharif. With so many still stranded in their homeland and in third-countries, Alexa believes it is more important than ever to find ways to support Afghans.
Our episode concludes with a letter written by lawyer Ziaullah, whose name has been changed to protect his identity. Having worked alongside U.S. government entities and held prominent roles in society, Ziaullah was at direct risk when the Taliban came to power in August 2021. Though Ziaullah moved to Pakistan to undergo processing for his Priority-2 referral to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program eight months ago, the processing of his case has yet to begin. He fears that his life is at risk both in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
About Uplift Afghanistan Fund and Alexa Greenwald:
Follow Uplift Afghanistan Fund on Twitter @UpliftAFGfund or Instagram @upliftafgfund, or visit their website, www.upliftafghanistan.org. Contact Alexa at Alexa@upliftafghanistan.org
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan Allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram or Twitter @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode Four of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey are highlighting the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest this week is Leslie Merriman, whose work volunteering to aid Afghan special immigrant visa recipients through No One Left Behind became a broader mission of feeding SIV applicants left behind in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021. Leslie’s work has now expanded to include coordinating medical care for communities, particularly in minority-dominated regions, with limited facilities, supplies, and doctors. Through Leslie’s medical clinics, she began explicitly supporting a large number of women and children who have been raped by members of the Taliban. She has started nonprofit organization Our Culture is Giving to coordinate emotional and physical assistance for these victims.
In addition to covering Leslie’s extensive efforts to support Afghans, and the risks the Afghan population faces, we also discuss the signs the international community seems to be willfully ignoring that the Taliban are conducting a slow but deliberate genocide against minority populations. We also discuss the concerning allegations that Afghan commandos trained by U.S. forces are joining the Islamic State offshoot in Afghanistan, and even fighting alongside Russian troops in Ukraine.
The episode concludes with a letter from a young Afghan woman whose name we have left out for her protection. Our young writer was put at serious risk when she chose to work in a coeducational facility in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the country in August 2021. The Taliban’s threats against her forced her to abandon her post, and seek an education outside the country. To make it to Bangladesh, where the young woman is currently studying, she had to escape across Torkham, as she was not allowed to fly outside the country without the presence of a male relative.
About our guests:
Follow Leslie on Twitter @LeslieAMerriman or Instagram @ourcultureislove, and support Our Culture is Giving by visiting their website, http://ourcultureisgiving.org
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan Allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode Three of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where cohosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guests this week are from Afghan company Aseel, which is working to empower Afghan artisans, and assist the people of Afghanistan who face serious hardships due to the country’s economic decline. Omar Haidari is Aseel’s public relations lead. He is joined by Humaira, a young Afghan woman and Aseel employee whose work has been a source of hope even as the Taliban attempts to erase women from society.
In this episode, Omar discusses Aseel’s mission at its inception to connect Afghan artisans with international audiences. Omar explains how the instability that followed the U.S. withdrawal left Aseel without a means to bring artisanal handicrafts to market. Simultaneously, Afghans were suffering from displacement and hunger, and no international humanitarian organizations were present in the country to alleviate their suffering. In response to the aid vacuum, Aseel began offering life-sustaining support to Afghans in need. Aseel does this by providing food, warming materials, and basic supplies to recipients whom they identify through their Omid system, named after the Dari word for “hope.” With a second harsh winter under Taliban rule already claiming dozens of Afghan lives, and hundreds of non-governmental organizations suspending operations in the country due to Taliban misogyny, Omar underscores the crucial importance of the aid Aseel is providing.
Humaira and Omar also discuss Aseel’s role in empowering Afghans through the reinstated “Buy Good” section of their site. The company looks forward to revitalizing the rich culture of Afghanistan by once more enabling artisans to bring their products to international buyers. By adding more women artisans to their fold, particularly those who are disabled or who have been widowed and must act as their family’s sole breadwinners, Aseel seeks to aid the Afghan women who have been stripped of their human rights in passing months.
As a young Afghan woman who saw her future change permanently after the Taliban took control of the country, Humaira offers an emotional view of the transformation her work at Aseel made in her life. With her renewed sense of purpose, Humaira tells listeners about how she aims to help her fellow Afghans search for light amidst the darkness.
Our episode concludes with a letter written by Afghan special immigrant visa applicant Zarmina, whose name has been changed for her protection. After applying for her SIV in August 2021, Zarmina tells listeners about how her family attempted through multiple means to exit the country as the Taliban took over Kabul. She also describes in devastating detail the hopelessness she feels while she lives in hiding with her family and awaits Chief of Mission approval, the first step of the SIV process.
About our guests:
Follow Aseel on Twitter @ASEELApp or Instagram @aseelapp. Support their efforts by visiting their website, http://aseelapp.com/, where you can purchase aid packages to help Afghan families in need, or buy beautiful pieces of art, jewelry, tapestry, and clothing that help Afghans support themselves in trying times.
You can also follow Omar on Instagram @omar.haidari and Twitter @OmarHaidari1.
Welcome to Episode One of The Afghanistan Project Podcast. Through this podcast, hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey will highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our first guest is Jeff Phaneuf, Director of Advocacy for U.S. nonprofit organization No One Left Behind. A six-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served as an infantry officer on both reserve and active duty, Jeff was intimately involved in the efforts to extract our allies and endangered individuals from Hamid Karzai International Airport during the August 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. When juggling coursework for his Stanford University MBA program and his continued support of Afghans became too burdensome, he took a leave of absence from Stanford, and started his current role at No One Left Behind.
In our first episode, Jeff tells our hosts about his incredible work with the Marines of the 2nd Battalion 1st Marines to help coordinate the evacuations of hundreds of Afghans from Kabul in August 2021. He discusses No One Left Behind’s mandate for helping special immigrant visa recipients who supported U.S. efforts in Afghanistan to acclimate to a new life in the United States. He also explains how that original mission has expanded in passing years as the SIV program has faced mounting challenges.
Jeff presents a thorough overview of the issues facing our stranded SIV-eligible allies, who number around 200,000, and of Congressional shortcomings that threaten the future of the SIV program. He also shares a number of important ways for listeners to help, and for Afghans to reach out for assistance.
Our episode concludes with a letter written by Afghan SIV applicant Fawad, whose name has been changed for his protection. A member of Afghanistan’s Hazara Shia minority, Fawad has lived in a tent with his family of four for much of the last 16 months as he awaits word from the Department of State about his SIV application, which was filed anew in April 2022.
About our guests:
Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeff_phaneuf, and support the efforts of No One Left Behind through their Instagram @nooneleftbehindus, Twitter @n1leftbehind, or website, https://www.nooneleft.org/.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army Non-Commissioned Officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan Allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
Welcome to Episode Two of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest this week is Amy Sins, an incredible figure in the world of disaster relief. Amy is a chef and owner of Langlois, a traveling culinary showcase in her hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. Amy is also the founder and executive director of Fill the Needs, a nonprofit organization through which she and her team provide immediate assistance within the first two weeks of natural or man-made disasters.
In this episode, Amy explains how she was brought in to use her disaster relief skills to assist Afghans attempting to flee their country through Hamid Karzai International Airport in August 2021. While Amy typically hands off her duties to an established relief organization after several weeks of crisis response, she explains that, in Afghanistan, no other organizations were available to backfill her operations. Almost a year and a half later, Amy continues to provide support to families stuck in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and throughout Europe.
Amy provides important insight on the various programs that are available to Afghans who worked alongside U.S. personnel during our almost twenty-year Afghanistan engagement. She explains why humanitarian parole has failed to offer respite for Afghans, and talks about the struggles facing Afghans with Priority-1 and Priority-2 referrals to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
Though her work supporting Afghans has been an all-consuming facet of her life, Amy tells listeners about the hope that her work has given her, and given the Afghans whom she supports. She implores listeners to think about how their particular skills could be used to support refugees and those in need.
Our episode concludes with a letter written by Afghan Priority-2 referral candidate Arezo, whose name has been changed for her protection. Arezo tells listeners about how her work as a women’s rights advocate led to multiple terrifying threats from the Taliban. Though Arezo moved to Pakistan to undergo processing for her P2 referral, her visa has expired, and processing of her case has yet to begin.
About Amy Sins:
Follow Fill the Needs on Instagram @filltheneedsorg or visit their website, http://www.filltheneeds.org. Find Amy on Instagram @chefamysins or Twitter @chefamysins.
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan Allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experience to our email at theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com