Forty million dollars a week. Headlines say it goes to the Taliban. But the truth is far more complicated. In this episode, we trace the flow of U.S. aid through banks, UN agencies, and NGOs, and explore how the Taliban inevitably benefits indirectly while millions of Afghans struggle to survive.

From frozen markets to starving families, from hospitals on the brink to teachers and healthcare workers keeping society alive, this episode unpacks the human, political, and moral paradox behind one of the most controversial numbers in recent U.S. foreign policy.

"Money is never just money; it is survival, legitimacy, leverage, and sometimes controversy, all at once."

Tune in to hear the untold story of Afghanistan that everyone is talking about but few truly understand.

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We often hear the call: ‘Open schools for girls in Afghanistan.’ It sounds moral, noble, and urgent. But what if that very push is exactly what the Taliban want?"

In this week’s episode of Beyond the Frontline, we dig deep into how Taliban-controlled education is not just about classrooms; it’s a political tool. They use it to gain legitimacy, reward symbolic concessions, and indoctrinate an entire generation of children. Every international call for access under Taliban rules risks giving them exactly what they need: recognition and control.

Through human stories, statistics, and analysis, we reveal why pushing for education under these conditions does not protect Afghan children—it endangers their future. From empty classrooms to secret lessons in basements, Afghan women and men are resisting in ways the world rarely sees.

Listen now to understand why real education cannot exist under oppression—and why the fight for freedom and knowledge goes far beyond headlines and photo ops.

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Every dollar that entered Afghanistan in the name of rebuilding also bought something else: a little more silence, a little more corruption, and a little more betrayal.

For two decades, Afghanistan wasn’t just a war. It was a business. Billions flowed into the country, not to build a nation, but to feed an industry of contractors, consultants, politicians, and middlemen. And while the world believed the fiction of progress, Afghans lived the reality of collapse in slow motion.

In this episode of Beyond the Frontline, you will hear how Afghan leaders sold the nation’s future piece by piece, how ghost soldiers and hollow ministries became the norm, and how the international community turned a blind eye while billions vanished into luxury and offshore accounts. You’ll hear stories of ordinary Afghans caught in the middle: teachers, soldiers, and families who believed in the promise of a republic and paid the price for its betrayal.

This is the story of the business of betrayal, the collapse that was decades in the making, the corruption that was systematic, and the truths that no one else dared to tell.

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Every nation has a story. For Afghans, the tragedy is that ours has almost always been told by someone else, soldiers, diplomats, journalists, politicians, foreigners, aid workers. Everyone but us.

In this premiere episode of Beyond the Frontline, we take you behind the headlines to reclaim the Afghan story. From the fall of Kabul on August 15, 2021, to the collapse of social order that followed, we explore the human experiences, the betrayals, and the truths often buried beneath foreign narratives and domestic corruption.

This isn’t about pity or charity. It’s about understanding the reality of war, the consequences of power, and the resilience of ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances. You’ll hear firsthand insights from someone who lived the Afghan experience as a soldier, an analyst, and a witness to history.

What you’ll get in this episode:

* An unfiltered look at Afghanistan’s collapse in 2021

* Reflections on corruption, foreign interference, and the human cost of war

* The voices and stories that never made it to headlines or policy discussions

Why listen?Because Afghanistan is not unique, the forces that destroyed it exist elsewhere. This podcast connects the Afghan story to global struggles in governance, migration, and conflict. It’s about truth, memory, and connection.

Bonus Content for Subscribers:Episodes 1–3 are free for all listeners. Episodes 4+ are exclusive to paid subscribers and include:

* Full episodes

* Transcripts

* Behind-the-scenes insights

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