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, [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.