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, [email protected]. 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.