Sir Rodric Braithwaite is a former British diplomat and author who served as ambassador to the Soviet Union. He has written extensively on Russia and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, including in his acclaimed book, Afgantsy.

In this interview, he offers a rare insight into how Soviet leaders came to the decision to invade Afghanistan, why the country became strategically significant, the role of communism and Afghan leadership at the time, how the Soviet intervention differed from the British and later NATO-led invasions, and much more...

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Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi

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Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh

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Steve MacBeth is a former soldier in the Canadian Army and the author of 'No Names, No Packdrill - An Oral History of Canadians at War in Afghanistan'. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan, and in this interview, takes us inside Canada's mission in Afghanistan, talks about his book, and shares his personal reflections and stories.

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Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi

Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi

Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh

Email: [email protected]

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General Joseph Votel is a retired U.S. Army four-star general and was the Commander of U.S. Central Command from 2016 to 2019. He led multiple operations in Afghanistan, beginning shortly after the 9/11 attacks.

In this second part, he talks about his arrival in the country, how he found the people, their values, and their culture. He also offers a personal reflection on the country’s future, the Taliban’s rule, and shares a story about celebrating New Year in Helmand with a non-alcoholic beer alongside his soldiers and Afghan colleagues.

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General Joseph Votel is a retired U.S. Army four-star general and Commander of U.S. Central Command from 2016 t0 2019. He led multiple operations in Afghanistan, beginning shortly after the 9/11 attacks.

In this first part of the interview, he analyses recent developments in the Middle East, including the role of Iran, the geopolitical situation in South and Central Asia, and assesses the factors that contributed to the failure in Afghanistan, which he will explore in greater depth, along with his personal experiences in the country, in Part 2.

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Dr Jonathan L. Lee is a social and cultural historian and a leading authority on the history of Afghanistan. He lived in Afghanistan and travelled widely across the country for many years.

He is the author of The Journals of Edward Stirling in Persia and Afghanistan, 1828-1829, The Ancient Supremacy: Bukhara, Afghanistan and the Battle for Balkh, 1731-1901, Amazing Wonders of Afghanistan, and Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present.

In this third part, he delves into the Hazara genocide of the 1890s and its lasting impact on the community and their identity. He compares it with the Armenian genocide, discusses his books, and shares personal stories from Afghanistan, and more.

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Dr Jonathan L. Lee is a social and cultural historian and a leading authority on the history of Afghanistan. He lived in Afghanistan and travelled widely across the country for many years.

He is the author of The Journals of Edward Stirling in Persia and Afghanistan, 1828-1829, The Ancient Supremacy: Bukhara, Afghanistan and the Battle for Balkh, 1731-1901, Amazing Wonders of Afghanistan, and Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present.

In this second part, we continue the conversation on who founded the country and the state, who named the country and drew its borders, the role of the British Empire in this process, the role of women in the country’s history, and the extraordinary story of the woman who wanted to drink her son’s blood over an inheritance dispute.

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Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh

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Dr Jonathan L. Lee is a social and cultural historian and a leading authority on the history of Afghanistan. He lived in Afghanistan and travelled widely across the country for many years.

He is the author of The Journals of Edward Stirling in Persia and Afghanistan, 1828-1829, The Ancient Supremacy: Bukhara, Afghanistan and the Battle for Balkh, 1731-1901, Amazing Wonders of Afghanistan, and Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present.

In this first part of the interview, he tells us how he found Afghanistan when he first arrived, what attracted the hippies, where many died, and then takes us through the events and circumstances that led to the foundation of Afghanistan in the 18th century.

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Toby Harnden is an award-winning journalist and author of 'Dead Men Risen' and 'First Casualty'.

In this second part of the interview, we continue the story of the fall of Mazar-i-Sharif on 9th November 2001. In the days that followed, over 400 captured Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters revolted at Qala-i-Jangi, where they were being held, killing Mike Spann, and Hazara and Uzbek guards. The uprising lasted for six days, and only 86 Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters survived, including John Walker Lindh, also known as the American Taliban. The episode delves into their story, Toby's own reflections and more.

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Toby Harnden is an award-winning journalist and author of Dead Men Risen and First Casualty. In this first part of the interview, he shares his story of Afghanistan and the inside story of Team Alpha—a group of eight CIA operatives who landed in the mountains of northern Afghanistan to join the forces of General Abdul Rashid Dostum and begin the war to avenge the 9/11 attacks. They fought their way to the capture of the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, where, soon after, the team suffered their—and America’s—first casualty of the campaign, a story that will be told in part 2.

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رضا سرور یکی از دانش‌آموختگان برنامه‌ی تحصیلی فولبرایت و مدیر پیشین پذیرش در دانشگاه آمریکایی افغانستان و در حال حاضر، دانشجوی دکترای دانشگاه Texas A&M ایالت تگزاس آمریکاست. او تجربه‌ی گسترده‌ در کمک به دانشجویان برای درخواست و دریافت بورسیه‌های تحصیلی در خارج از افغانستان دارد. در این گفت‌وگو، او داستان شخصی خود را به اشتراک می‌گذارد و یک راهنمای جامع برای دستیابی به بورسیه‌های تحصیلی ارائه می‌دهد.

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Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh

Email: [email protected]

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.