The Afghanistan Project Podcast

Welcome to Episode 109 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Today I have three incredible guests, Hosna Jalil, AnniePforzheimer, and Jason Howk, joining me to talk about the gender apartheid and terrorist regime in place inside Afghanistan four years following the collapse of the former Afghan government, and how opponents of that regime can support those who seek a free, inclusive, and democratic future for Afghanistan We talk about the greatest disappointments of the past fouryears, the near recognition that many Western countries have expressed in regard to the de facto government, and the heinous pain that Afghan women face in their homeland. We also discuss possible solutions for returning peace toAfghanistan, and note why the world should be concerned about the Taliban’s gender apartheid system and growing terrorist network inside Afghanistan. About Hosna, Annie, and Jason: Hosna Jalil is a former Afghan government official who madehistory as one of the youngest and first women to serve in senior leadership roles. She served as the Deputy Minister of Interior Affairs and later as the Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs, following her role as Director of Policy at the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum. Now based in the U.S., Hosna continues her work at the intersection of governance, security, and women’s empowerment, focusing on policy, innovation, and education to counter extremism and buildmore inclusive systems. Annie Pforzheimer is a retired U.S. Department of Statecareer diplomat with the rank of Minister Counselor, an Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, an Adjunct Professor at Pace University and the City University of New York, a human rights advocate and a foreign policy commentator. She is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves as Board Chair for Women for Afghan Women, a social service agencyin the US and Afghanistan. Ms. Pforzheimer is the author of numerous articles and op-eds on Afghanistan policy, and co-author of studies and articles on issues relating to international organized crime and fentanyl. Her thirty-yeardiplomatic career focused on security, rule of law, and human rights policy. She was the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Afghanistan and Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Kabul; Office Director for UN peacekeeping and sanctions; head of the $700 million security assistanceprogram in Mexico; the lead human rights officer in Turkey and South Africa; and director at the National Security Council regarding Central American migration. Ms. Pforzheimer is a graduate of Harvard University, with a Masters degree in National Security Studies from the National Defense University. Jason Howk is a US Army veteran whose service spanned major developments of our Afghan adventure, from supporting the early development of the Afghan National Army in 2002, to overseeing interagency teams of civiliansworking to establish enduring security in the region in 2013. Jason is now the Board President of Global Friends of Afghanistan, a diverse organization of Afghan andinternational leaders searching for paths to a democratic and peaceful future for Afghanistan in the aftermath of the Taliban’s rule. Jason is also a writer, musical collaborator, and adjunct professor of Islamic Studies at the US Air Force Special Operations School. About the host: Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as acivilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on Twitter: https://x.com/BWBailey85 on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85 on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/ https://buymeacoffee.com/bwbailey85

Welcome to "The case that broke my heart," a special series within The Afghanistan Project Podcast where volunteers, advocates, and veterans speak out about the case or cases that had the greatest impact on them over the course of four years (sometimes more, rarely less) of supporting Afghan allies.Today's episode features TAPP host Beth Bailey talking about the cases that were most difficult over the past four years.

Welcome to Episode 108 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Today, my guest is Army veteran Mikael Cook, my formerco-host and the author of Life and Death at Abbey Gate. Mikael and I finally tell the story of how this podcast cameto be – which includes some embarrassing tears (mine), and the desire to counteract hatred and misunderstanding in the general population. We talk about how Mikael began fighting to help his formerinterpreters escape Hamid Karzai International Airport, and how the effort morphed into involvement with two other evacuations About Mikael Cook: Find Mikael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikaelcook89/ Buy Life and Death at Abbey Gate: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Death-Abbey-Gate-Afghanistan-ebook/dp/B0CTRZJHRY?ref_=ast_author_mpb About the host: Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as acivilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on Twitter: https://x.com/BWBailey85 on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85 on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/ https://buymeacoffee.com/bwbailey85

Welcome to "The case that broke my heart," a special series within The Afghanistan Project Podcast where volunteers, advocates, and veterans speak out about the case or cases that had the greatest impact on them over the course of four years (sometimes more, rarely less) of supporting Afghan allies.Today's episode features Megan, who asked to be identified by first name only.

Welcome to Episode 107 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Today I am joined by Chris Robinson of the Last DeploymentProject to bring listeners back to the immediate consequences of the Taliban takeover for Americans and Afghans converging on Hamid Karzai InternationalAirport between August 15 and 16, 2021. Using the over 300 hours of testimony accumulated from 70participants in HKIA operations, Chris goes into a detailed account of what occurred on the airfield during those days, complete with maps that help demonstrate key locations where actions took place. This can be a difficult time for veterans of Afghanistan. For anyone in need of help or 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 Chris: Chris Robinson is a Marine Infantry veteran and OralHistorian. He served from 2016-2020 with the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (2nd LAR), 2nd Marine Division out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Originally from Southeast Louisiana, he is a two-time graduate fromSoutheastern Louisiana University, getting a BA in English (with a concentration in Creative Writing) in 2016 and a MA in History in 2023. He started The Last Deployment Project while he was at university and conducted his first interview in October 2022. In April 2023, he published his 176-pagethesis: The Last Deployment Project - Voices from HKIA. As of now, he has conducted 70 interviews totaling around 300 hours of recordings. In August 2024, he finalized a book deal with Casemate Publishers to have a book published for the fifth anniversary, August 2026. Find The Last Deployment Project: On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NsCAm4XYhb00g6ggstwfZ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.last.deployment_project/ About the host: Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as acivilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on Twitter: https://x.com/BWBailey85on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/ https://buymeacoffee.com/bwbailey85

Welcome to "The case that broke my heart," a special series within The Afghanistan Project Podcast where volunteers, advocates, and veterans speak out about the case or cases that had the greatest impact on them over the course of four years (sometimes more, rarely less) of supporting Afghan allies.Today's episode features John Moses of the Massachusetts Afghan Alliance and Kate Kovarovic, the former Director of Resilience Programming at #AfghanEvac.

Welcome to Episode 106 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Today, my guest is Geeta Bakshi, founder of nonprofit Familand 14-year veteran of the CIA. Geeta and I talk about the CIA-trained National Strike Units,more commonly known as the Zero Units, and the challenges they faced as our most highly-vetted partners over twenty years of war, and during the final weeks of our presence in Afghanistan. We focus particularly on the role the Zero Units played in clearing Hamid Karzai International Airport in August 2021 and the upheaval they experienced after being exfiltrated from their homeland. We talk about the toll that losses and injuries within theZero Units had on the group and the families of the wounded and fallen, and the ongoing challenges they face in the U.S. We also discuss the imperative to help the Zero Units now as many have still not been processed for Special ImmigrantVisas and are reaching the end of their humanitarian parole. Find Famil here: http://familusa.org/ About the host: Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as acivilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on Twitter: https://x.com/BWBailey85 on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85 on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/ https://buymeacoffee.com/bwbailey85

Welcome to a special episode of The Afghanistan Project,where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Today, my guest is Sonia Norton, the Director of Advocacyfor nonprofit No One Left Behind. Sonia delivers details about the two bipartisan acts that have been put forward in the last week by House and Senate, and how they would impact our allies if passed. Sonia also discusses additional changes needed to do themost good for our allies, including the addition of more Special Immigrant Visas in subsequent legislation. I mention new changes in IRAP's Pacito v Trump case, whichhas become a class action lawsuit that seeks to help all USRAP applicants impacted by the suspension of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and several other subgroups of refugees and allies. About Sonia Norton: Before joining No One Left Behind, Sonia worked in the House of Representatives for five years with members of the House Committees on Armed Services, Judiciary, and Ways and Means. Most recently, she served as the Senior Legislative Assistant for Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), where she led a policy portfolio including Afghan allies, foreign affairs, and judiciary issues. In that role, Sonia was the lead House Democratic staffer for the introduction of the Afghan Adjustment Act and was named one of the Top 10Policy Staff to Watch. Sonia has also served as a Fulbright-Nehru English Teaching Assistant and was elected for three terms on the Women’s Congressional Staff Association Board. Follow No One Left Behind: Online: https://www.nooneleft.org/ On X: https://x.com/n1leftbehind On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nooneleftbehindus/ On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/no-one-left-behind About the host: Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as acivilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on X: https://x.com/BWBailey85 on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85 on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/ https://buymeacoffee.com/bwbailey85

Welcome to Episode 105 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Today, my guest is Scott Bailey, co-founder and President ofthe Board of Directors of the Blacksburg Refugee Partnership. Scott and I discuss the hopelessness that Afghan refugees and visa applicants are experiencing in Pakistan as they attempt to evade deportation to Afghanistan. We also discuss the Blacksburg Refugee Partnership’s effortsto assist Afghans in need of assistance during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the community outreach from Blacksburg at large as the Blacksburg Refugee Partnership filed applications to help a number of Afghans reach the U.S. through Welcome Corps in late 2024. Though those efforts have stalled, one family was able toarrive in Blacksburg, and received a warm welcome from a community who showered them with care. Scott also talked about his work with She Leads Tomorrow,which allows Afghan women forbidden from receiving an education in the Taliban’s Afghanistan to further their learning online. Find Blacksburg Refugee Partnership Inc. here: https://www.blacksburgrefugeepartnership.org/ About the host: Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as acivilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on Twitter: https://x.com/BWBailey85 on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85 on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/ https://buymeacoffee.com/bwbailey85

Welcome to "The case that broke my heart," a special series within The Afghanistan Project Podcast where volunteers, advocates, and veterans speak out about the case or cases that had the greatest impact on them over the course of four years (sometimes more, rarely less) of supporting Afghan allies.Today's episode features Leslie Merriman, founder of Our Culture is Giving. Find Our Culture is Giving here:https://ourcultureisgiving.org/

Welcome to Episode 104 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Today, my guest Andy Sullivan, the Executive Director for nonprofit organization No One Left Behind. Today, we discuss No One Left Behind’s incredible pivot to help more than 2,000 Special Immigrant Visa applicants who were in need of a path to the U.S. after a series of executive orders and stop work orders halted the prior methods of evacuating processed allies with SIVs to our country. Andy talks about what No One Left Behind accomplished in Albania and Qatar and continues to do today for ourallies in need of assistance. Andy also gives an incredibly helpful update on SIV numbers and statistics, and talks about the biggest need No One Left Behind has as it takes on new work and fulfills our promises to our wartime allies. About Andy Sullivan: Andy is an Erie, PA native and a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute. For over nine years, Andy served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army, and was deployed to Iraq, Eastern Europe, and Zabul, Afghanistan. Andy has his Mastersin Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Find No One Left Behind via: Twitter: https://twitter.com/n1leftbehind Website: http://nooneleft.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/no-one-left-behind/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nooneleftbehindus/ About the host: Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as acivilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on Twitter: https://x.com/BWBailey85 on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85 on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/

Welcome to a special extra episode of the Afghanistan Project Podcast featuring guestElizabeth Lynn, the director of nonprofit Operation Recovery. We discuss my latest piece in the Washington Examiner, about the deportation of 19-year-old single, unaccompanied Afghan female Khultum from Pakistan, where her mother is suffering from extreme burns she received in an electrical accident in December, and her USRAP-applicant father is tooendangered to face a return to the Taliban’s Afghanistan. Find the article here: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/courage-strength-optimism/3474703/afghan-refugees-face-imminent-danger-in-talibans-domain/ Five other U.S. allies were deported alongside Khultum, including 4 USRAP applicants in the care of Paws Unite Pups, and one SIV applicant being assisted by No One Left Behind, whose executive director Andy Sullivan will be Monday’s guest. We also discuss the lack of information for nonprofitsassisting Afghans, and the need to stand by our Afghan allies. About Elizabeth Lynn: Elizabeth served in the U.S. Air Force and the Navy Reserves, and has received multiple commendations for her service. After holding a variety of positions with the U.S. Postal Service, USCIS, IRS and other U.S. government institutions, Elizabeth retired in 2020. She came out of retirement shortly thereafter to help Afghans left behind in their homeland. Find Operation Recovery here: https://operationrecovery.org/ Find Paws Unite People here:https://www.pawsunitepeople.com/ Find No One Left Behind here: https://www.nooneleft.org/ About the host: Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as acivilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on Twitter: https://x.com/BWBailey85 on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85 on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/ https://buymeacoffee.com/bwbailey85

Welcome to Episode 103 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Today, my guest is Tahmina Nasser, who arrived in the U.S. during Operation Allies Refuge after working with Americans for over a decade. Tahmina discusses qualifying to work with the U.S. in Afghanistan, and many of the jobs she held in her homeland with various American entities over 14 years. She also talks about the dangers that those jobs brought to her. Tahmina tells the story of her evacuation from Afghanistan, and her arrival and adjustment inside the U.S. Unlike many of the refugees who have come on the podcast, Tahmina says she could not find the assistance she desperately needed in the U.S., and was forced to provide for her family largely on her own. Tahmina also tells the heartbreaking firsthand account of the abuse she experienced at the hands of her husband in Afghanistan, and the lack of agency she experienced years later on arrival in the U.S. She also laments the circumstances that Afghan women have been forced into now that the Taliban have control of the country. About the host: 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 contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on Twitter: https://x.com/BWBailey85on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/ https://buymeacoffee.com/bwbailey85

Welcome to Episode 102 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Today, my guest is David Collier, who recently returned froma three-week trip to Afghanistan. We talk about David’s travel preparations and whether thegroups he looked to for support made note of Western tourists who had been kidnapped and held prisoner by the Taliban, or of the Afghan women subjected to torture, imprisonment, and rape at the hands of the Taliban. We discuss how David entered the country, the mistreatmentof Afghan refugees he witnessed at the hands of Pakistani authorities, and some of the few incidents he was able to witness of Afghan women’s treatment inside their homeland. David also talks about the poverty and beauty he witnessedinside Afghanistan, and his efforts to help some of the people he met on his travels. About David Collier: David works in the agricultural manufacturing industry and lives in Shepparton, Victoria—about two hours north of Melbourne. He is currently the Operations & Sales Manager at Feedtech Feeding Systems, which builds livestock feeding equipment in Australia. Find more about David’s travels on the Digging DeeperPodcast: https://shows.acast.com/a-reflection-on-anzac-day-across-two-generations/episodes/digging-deeper-sheppartons-david-collier-explores-afghanista Or on his Facebook travel journal: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576947977026 About the host: Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as acivilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on Twitter: https://x.com/BWBailey85 on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85 on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/

Welcome to Episode 101 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Today, my guest is Dr. Nooralhaq Nasimi, founder anddirector of the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA). Dr. Nasimi talks about his childhood in Afghanistan, hisescape to the UK, and how he has supported refugees like himself through the ACAA. We also discuss the history of ethnic conflict among Afghans. About Dr. Nasimi: Dr. Nasimi has a law degree from Southbank University, a PhDin Political Science, and an honorary doctorate in law and social sciences from Royal Holloway University. Dr. Nasimi has also received a plethora of awards for hiswork, including the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2018, the British Citizen Award in 2020, and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire by King Charles III at Windsor Castle in December 2023. About the host: Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as acivilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on X: https://x.com/BWBailey85 on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/

Welcome to Episode 100 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.Our guest this week is Army veteran John Moses, a veteran fellow at the Hoover Institution and co-founder of the Massachusetts Afghan Alliance, an organization supporting Afghans building new lives in Massachusetts.This week, John talks about updates for Afghans whose cases he has been working on through Mass Afghan, issues still to be resolved, and what he wishes for under the Trump administration. About John Moses and Massachusetts Afghan AllianceFind Massachusetts Afghan Alliance through their website: https://massafghanalliance.org/Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/massafghanalliance/ Or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/massafghanalliance/About the host: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 contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on X: https://x.com/BWBailey85 on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85 on the web: https://bethwbailey.com

Welcome to Episode 99 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Today, my guest is James Seddon, who has joined me to talk about the latest article from Center for Immigration Studies' Phillip Linderman in the New York Post that further attacks our Afghan allies’ deservingness for the programs they qualify for, and egregiously attacks the Coordinator for Afghanistan Relocation Efforts (CARE) program with obtuse and demonstrably false accusations. James Seddon is a father, husband, writer, retired Navy veteran, Afghanistan veteran, speaker, activist for veterans and Afghan allies, recovering IT manager, and regularly unsuccessful fisherman living in Southern California. About the host: 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 contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on Twitter: https://x.com/BWBailey85 on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85 on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/

Welcome to Ep. 98 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Today, my guest is Matt Zeller, who discusses the betrayal of our allies and his own interpreter’s experience on arrival in the U.S., which spurred the creation of nonprofit No One Left Behind.We also talk about Matt’s time in Afghanistan, and his memoir, Watches Without Time, published by Just World Books in 2012, which details his experiences as an embedded combat adviser with Afghan security forces in Ghazni, Afghanistan.About the guests:Matt is an Afghan war veteran, the co-founder of No One Left Behind, and an adjunct fellow at the American Security Project. He is also a producer of Champions of the Golden Valley, an award-winning documentary that captures the emergence of a homegrown ski culture in the snow-capped mountains of Afghanistan. The film reveals a breathtaking and seldom-seen side of the country — a remote region where joy, resilience, and community are forged on the slopes.About the host: 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 contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on X: https://x.com/BWBailey85 on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85 on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/

Welcome to Ep. 97 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Today, my guest is Jason Howk, a US Army veteran whose service spanned major developments of our Afghan adventure, from supporting the early development of the Afghan National Army in 2002, to overseeing interagency teams of civilians working to establish enduring security in the region in 2013. Jason is now the president of the board of Global Friends of Afghanistan, a diverse organization of Afghan and international leaders searching for paths to a democratic and peaceful future for Afghanistan in the aftermath of the Taliban’s rule. Jason is also a writer, musical collaborator, and adjunct professor of Islamic Studies at the US Air Force Special Operations School. We discuss the devastation that the U.S. military andveteran communities will face if the U.S. fails to protect its allies from deportation to a country where they are under direct threat of reprisal. We also talk about the failure of the current administration’s intelligence organizations to recognize the truth about the growth of terrorism inside Afghanistan, the difficulties Afghans face inside their homeland, and the rationale given for Temporary Protected Status ending. Follow Global Friends of Afghanistan and Jason Howk: Online: https://www.globalfriendsofafghanistan.org/ On X: https://x.com/jason_c_howkAND https://x.com/GFAfghanistan On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-friends-of-afghanistan-gfa About the host: Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as acivilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on X: https://x.com/BWBailey85 on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85 on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/

Welcome to Episode 96 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Today, my guest is Ben, an elder at Oklahoma Khorasan Church, which primarily serves Afghan Christians in the Oklahoma City area. Ben and his family came to the U.S. in 2020 and 2021 respectively, after the Taliban took over Afghanistan. In addition to his role as elder, he serves Afghan Christian families across the country. We discuss the stigma against Christian Afghans inAfghanistan, and in the U.S., as well as the treacherous journey some Afghan Christians took to Brazil, through the deadly Darien Gap and Central America to make their way to the Mexican border and plead for asylum in the U.S. Like many Afghans who entered the country using the CBP One App, a number of Christian Afghans are facing the revocation of parole, and fear imminent deportation. About the host: Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as acivilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow Beth: on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bwbailey85/ on X: https://x.com/BWBailey85 on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85 on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/