In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to support the rise of communism in the country, beginning a series of constant conflict that Afghanistan still faces today. It’s also had huge impacts on our geopolitical climate today - to fight Russian communism, the US backed and funded rebels, who’d later become the Taliban, who rose to power, and continue to rule today, after the civil war which followers Russia’s eventual retreat. But how did one invasion lead to such huge consequences? How does the Taliban continue to rule today? What does it tell us about the war in Ukraine? And what does Afghanistan’s future look like? Today, we’re joined by an esteemed guest - foreign correspondent, Afghanistan expert, and the only journalist who was with the Taliban when they took Kabul in 1996, David Loyn.

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