Welcome to Episode 17 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’s guest is Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the managing editor of its preeminent publication on the Global War on Terror, the Long War Journal. Bill provided a thorough debrief about the Taliban, who are largely unchanged from the Taliban of the 1996-2001 regime. If anything, Bill explained various reasons why the Taliban’s current iteration should prompt more concern from international onlookers than the regime of old. We discussed the Taliban’s leadership and military structure, its control over the judiciary, and its use of military assets that remained in Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021. Bill was adamant that, despite calls for peace talks from National Resistance Front leaders, the Taliban is intent to rule without opposition. Any hope for the future in Afghanistan will likely arise from armed resistance inside the country, though Bill believes that this resistance must rise up organically, and with new leaders who are not tied to the previous Afghan government.

Concluding our episode, we shared a story from “Rahimullah,” a former combat interpreter. Rahimullah spent three years working alongside U.S. forces until he was fired from his job without explanation after a routine counterintelligence examination. Rahimullah has been unable to receive a special immigrant visa on account of his termination. Now he lives in hiding for fear of being captured by the Taliban, who will not count him as an innocent because he was terminated from his work with the Americans.

More about Bill Roggio and Long War Journal:

Find Bill on Twitter @billroggio, and find the Long War Journal here.

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.

Welcome to Episode 16 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and focus on 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 heard from refugee advocate Anna Segur and U.S. Navy veteran Val Simich about their joint efforts to support humans fleeing conflict zones around the world. After the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, Val and Anna started supporting Afghans with special immigrant visa applications underway. Through an SIV applicant they were assisting, they came to know Aziza Akbari, an NGO founder who was under serious threat after the Taliban’s takeover because she was slated to begin working alongside Afghan Special Forces. Anna and Val helped Aziza find a lawyer to file her humanitarian parole application. Of the more than 50,000 Afghan humanitarian parole applicants (whose processing fees of $575 per application have netted the U.S. government over $28,000,000) Aziza is one of fewer than 1,000 to be granted parole.

Aziza joined us to share the story of how she came to the U.S., and the helpers who made her escape possible. Her story of hope is a rare one in the post-withdrawal landscape, but we hope it stands as a beacon of light to Afghans still living in darkness under the Taliban.

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.

Welcome to Episode 15 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 heard from Jonathon Alcocer, a veteran and pastor, about his endeavor to help 22 Afghans escape from their country, where they had been living in hiding for 18 months to avoid the Taliban’s reprisal campaign. Alcocer told us about how he joined two other Americans in trying to guide their flock from Zimbabwe, where they had legal traveler visas, to South Africa, where they planned to file for asylum.

Their journey went badly wrong when the South African government turned the group away at the border, sparking a grueling three-day period of interrogation aboard the bus the group traveled on, a harrowing drive to the country’s capital, and detainment beneath the Robert Gabriel Mugabe international Airport. Even after the group escaped Zimbabwe, Alcocer stayed with the Afghans in his charge until late April, when he was finally able to obtain temporary visas that will keep the group safe until their special immigrant visa cases are processed.

Our episode concludes with questions Alcocer posed to the two former Afghan commandos in his group, and their answers about their experiences since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.

About the guests:

The Lifeline Foundation provided travel and other costs for the group of 22 Afghans as they fled their homeland.

Moral Compass Federation, Operation North Star, and Flanders Fields provided for the two commandos and their families while they lived in hiding.

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.

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.

Welcome to Episode 13 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 are Pasoon Khan and Ryan Engle. Pasoon is a former Afghan interpreter who worked alongside U.S. forces from 2008 to 2014, including during chaotic fighting seasons in southern Afghanistan during the surge. In 2014, Pasoon came to the U.S. under the special immigrant visa program. He became a citizen in December 2021, and now works as a security guard to support his wife, children, parents, and family in Afghanistan. Ryan Engle was one of many U.S. military personnel who benefitted from Pasoon’s incredible service, and is among ten who personally wrote Pasoon a letter of recommendation for his SIV. Ryan is a United States Naval Academy graduate, and served 6 years as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. He is now involved in providing long term care for veterans.

In this episode, Pasoon talks about the path that led to him becoming an interpreter. He discusses being outside of Patrol Base Dakota on Nov. 21 2010 and watching a grenade fly over his head and land on the rooftop where LCpl Kyle Carpenter and his friend were providing security. Pasoon witnessed the act of heroism that came next when LCpl Carpenter leapt atop the grenade to shield his friend from its blast, an act which later resulted in LCpl Carpenter being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Pasoon also discusses being severely wounded in an IED blast in Kajaki, and the painfully long recovery process that followed his injury.

Pasoon and Ryan also discussed the efforts that were made in the lead-up to, and aftermath of, the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to secure the evacuation of Pasoon’s family. When Pasoon’s parents and siblings were unable to evacuate from Hamid Karzai International Airport, Pasoon and Ryan fought for their admittance by filing for humanitarian parole while Pasoon worked 80-90-hour weeks to pay for the expenses of his own family, his parents and siblings in Afghanistan, and his uncle’s family in Afghanistan. When Pasoon noticed his father’s health declining in the spring of 2022, he flew to Afghanistan and forced the State Department’s hand. Pasoon was only able to secure evacuation for his parents, who were subsequently stuck in Qatar for eight months before they could enter the U.S. Pasoon’s six siblings, two of whom are under the age of 18, remain in Afghanistan. The family remains frustrated by their predicament.

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.

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.

Welcome to episode 11 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast. Last week, the Biden administration released a 12-page report about the withdrawal from Afghanistan. In defense of the report, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby claimed “I just didn’t see [the chaos of the withdrawal]. Not from my perch.”

The community of veterans involved in the withdrawal from Kabul have been vocal in their condemnation of the White House report, and particularly of Kirby’s remarks. This week, we brought on four veterans involved with the evacuation of the Hamid Karzai International Airport to discuss the events they witnessed during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Aidan Gunderson from the 82nd Airborne, Bobby Barnhisel from the 2nd Battalion 1st Marines, Connor McMurray from the 10th Mountain, and Mike Markland from the 1st Battalion 8th Marines talk about their unique roles and perspectives around the airfield. We also discuss why it is critical to correct the official record of the activities surrounding our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Many of the observations and recollections in this episode contain difficult topics. We want our listeners to know that they are never alone, and that their service was and will always be meaningful. For anyone struggling and looking for ways to connect with other veterans who share their experience, please reach out to any of the following:

Operation Allies Refuge Foundation

PB Abbate

Fight the War Within Foundation

Veterans Crisis Line

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.

Welcome to Episode 10 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 are three members of the Legend Group Foundation and Vets4NRF. Legend is an Afghan-American who served with the U.S. Army after arriving in the U.S. just days before September 11, 2001. He is the founder of Legend Group Foundation and Vets4NRF, and has traveled back to Afghanistan several times to help evacuate endangered persons. Jazz Cannon is the spokesperson for Legend as well as the senior advisor for Legend Group Foundation and Vets4NRF. Richard Barrett is an author with a passion for understanding the history of warfare and assisting refugees.

In this episode, Legend discusses the National Resistance Front’s efforts to repel the Taliban, and the group’s growing support in the international community. Legend and Jazz talk about a tense return to Afghanistan to witness the Taliban’s one-year anniversary of their seizure of the country. Legend, Richard, and Jazz explain why they want viewers to support the NRF’s cause, and why it’s important to empower Afghans living under Taliban rule.

Our episode concludes with a letter from a former employee of the Kabul airport, whom we are calling Shakur. Shakur tells of his difficulty in adhering to the Taliban’s harsh restrictions.

About Legend Group Foundation and Vets4NRF:

Follow Jazz Cannon on Twitter @Jazz_Cannon, Instagram @jazz_cannon. Find the Legend Group Foundation at legend.ngo, and Vets4NRF at vets4nrf.org.

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.

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 guests this week are Martin Smith and Marcela Gaviria, producers and directors of the forthcoming PBS FRONTLINE three-part docu-series “America and the Taliban” which airs April 4, April 11, and April 25 at 10 PM ET/9 PM CT.

In this episode, Marcela and Martin deliver gripping behind-the-scenes insights on what it’s like to sit across from senior Taliban members and discuss their war-time conduct, and their plans for post-war Afghanistan. We discuss the crises that continue to face Afghan women, the ongoing hunger issues that plague impoverished Afghans, and the odd juxtaposition of Afghanistan’s return to relative peace  and simultaneous descent into a dark world of idiosyncratic and sometimes dangerously repressive edicts and restrictions.

With Afghanistan having returned to a pre-9/11 state, we also discuss how best to move forward towards creating enduring change in a country rent by conflict.

Our episode concludes with a letter from Zaeedi, whose name has been changed for his protection. A Priority-1 applicant to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, Zaeedi is still living in Afghanistan under serious threat of persecution, though he must reach a third country for processing of his P-1 application.

About Marcela and Martin:

Martin Smith’s forty-year journalistic career has focused heavily on the rise of al-Qaeda and the wars that followed in the wake of the attacks of September 11, 2001. He has earned a multitude of journalistic awards, including four duPont-Columbia Gold Batons, five Peabody Awards, and eight Emmys. 

Marcela Gaviria has likewise followed the U.S. presence in Afghanistan and Iraq closely during her celebrated journalistic career. She is the recipient of nearly two dozen journalism awards, among which are seven Emmys, and the George Polk Award for Investigative Journalism. Follow her on Twitter here: 

Find the full documentary episodes at FRONTLINE, here: 

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.

Welcome to Episode 8 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 Bryan Stern, a veteran of the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. Bryan is a recipient of the Purple Heart medal, and his work has been praised by high-level officials throughout the U.S. government. Bryan is the head of Project Dynamo, a veteran-run organization that pulls at-risk individuals from complex situations. Project Dynamo has evacuated over 3,000 individuals from Afghanistan since the 2021 U.S. withdrawal, and has also evacuated 3,000 people from Ukraine in the aftermath of the Russian invasion.

In this episode, Bryan talks about his personal travels to Taliban-occupied Afghanistan to ensure that the numerous American citizens and green card holders who were left behind can return to their country. He also discusses his work in Ukraine to help those with ties to America, and others whose lives are in special danger in Ukraine, evacuate to safety.

Bryan and Beth discuss the aspects of each conflict that make operations in the two zones difficult and unique.  

Our episode concludes with a letter written by Ahmadi, whose name has been changed to protect his identity. Ahmadi worked for numerous foreign governments during the 20-year foreign involvement in Afghanistan, but none of these governments have helped him to escape the conflict. After multiple threats to his life, Ahmadi lives separately from his family and has run out of funds to continue paying for their expenses.

About Project Dynamo:

Follow Project Dynamo on social media on Twitter @Project_Dynamo1, Instagram @projectdynamo, Facebook @ProjectDYNAMOorg, or their website projectdynamo.org.

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.