Over 200,000 Afghans have been evacuated and resettled in the U.S. since the War in Afghanistan came to its chaotic and disappointing end in August of 2021, with the Taliban re-taking control of the country it had ruled in the years before September 11, 2001.

Today’s guest, Omid, is many things: Hazara Afghan, husband, father of four, friend, project manager, new American, and my mentee. In this episode, we talk about how he perceived the earliest days of the War in Afghanistan, his work with the U.S. as a subcontractor, how he navigated the stressful week of evacuating his family from Kabul (while dodging the Taliban), and how he’s adjusting to his new-ish life in the U.S.

Life as an immigrant, refugee, or asylum seeker in the U.S. has various challenges, many of which most Americans will never fully appreciate. But these stories are indelibly the story of America.

Omid’s journey is an important reminder of our promise to the Afghans (and Iraqis) who put their lives on the line to help the U.S. We owe it to them to hear their stories and struggles while celebrating their successes and achievements.

How to get involved:

Volunteer or donate to No One Left Behind: https://www.nooneleft.org/

Local Afghan restaurant in Chicagoland: https://kabulhouse.com/

Sign the petition to end gender apartheid in Afghanistan and Iran: https://endgenderapartheid.today/

Writing is cathartic…but have you ever tried talking to yourself?

Over the last year, I spent too many months strolling around my neighborhood with my AirPods in, pretending to have a meaningful conversation about geopolitics with someone smarter than myself. In reality, I was doing a verbal puzzle, trying to make sense of the discombobulated mess that had been in my mind since Q3 ‘23.

One fateful day, after connecting all of my dots, I decided that my word salad (a Caesar, the king of salads) would be more palatable in podcast form.

In this intro episode, I’ll talk about the impetus for The CIA Reject, why it’s lonely to be a geopolitics (and terrorism/conflict) nerd living in Chicago, and what I hope to continue learning about and sharing with my readers. Godere!