Afghanistan with Roh Yakobi

How the CIA Defeated the Soviets in Afghanistan | Milton Bearden (Part 1)

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:55:01 GMT

Milton Bearden was the CIA officer tasked by Director William Casey in 1986 with using $1 billion and Stinger missiles to help drive Soviet forces out of Afghanistan, one of the most consequential covert operations of the Cold War.

In this first part of a remarkable conversation, Bearden takes us inside the secret machinery of Operation Cyclone. He recounts how Washington shifted from simply "bleeding" the Soviets to pursuing outright victory, how the covert war was run through Pakistan's ISI, and how weapons and money were distributed among the fractious Mujahideen factions, none of them, by his own admission, above reproach.

He describes training fighters in makeshift conditions in Rawalpindi: a white sheet, an infrared light, and a $200 room that outperformed the US Army's billion-dollar facility at Fort Bliss. He recounts the September 1986 Stinger strike outside Jalalabad that changed the course of the war overnight, and speaks candidly about his dealings with General Akhtar, a tense face-to-face with Hekmatyar, and the direct back-channel contacts with commanders that bypassed ISI oversight entirely.

Bearden also reflects on corruption among commanders, the deliberate exclusion of the Hazaras, the Saudi dollar-for-dollar funding match that doubled the war chest, and why he believes the only measure that ever truly mattered was whether the Soviets left.

They did. On February 15, 1989, General Boris Gromov crossed the Friendship Bridge and the war was won.

A rare, unfiltered account from the man who helped run one of the most consequential covert operations of the Cold War.

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Inside The Secret CIA Mission that Toppled the Taliban - Justin Sapp (Part 3)

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 11:22:40 GMT

Former U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret) and Team Alpha member Justin Sapp recounts his role in the clandestine CIA mission that landed behind Taliban lines immediately after 9/11. He describes working alongside General Dostum and later travelling to Bamiyan to meet Karim Khalili and help organise forces to retake the region.

Justin details witnessing the aftermath of Taliban savagery against Hazara communities. After Team Alpha, he served multiple deployments in other theatres, and through personal stories and reflections looks back on how an early military success evolved into a far longer and more complicated conflict than anyone expected.

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Mark Urban: I Marched Into Kabul with Ahmad Shah Massoud (E34)

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:39:43 GMT

Mark Urban is a British journalist, broadcaster, and best-selling author of many books, including War in Afghanistan and The Skripal Files. He has covered Afghanistan extensively since the late 1980s, witnessing firsthand the withdrawal of Soviet forces, accompanying Ahmad Shah Massoud as he took Kabul in 1992, and other key events. In this interview, he shares his stories of the country and his thoughts on its future, as well the impacts of the West's failure.

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Inside the Secret CIA Mission That Toppled the Taliban - Justin Sapp (Part 2)

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:55:34 GMT

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Inside the Secret CIA Mission That Toppled the Taliban - Justin Sapp (Part 1)

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 15:46:17 GMT

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Tom Tugendhat: The pain and costs of our defeat in Afghanistan (E69)

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 11:26:48 GMT

Tom Tugendhat is a British Member of Parliament and former Security Minister who served multiple tours in Afghanistan in various civilian and military capacities.

In this exclusive interview, Tom speaks with unusual bluntness about the war’s outcome, rejecting euphemism and insisting that the West was decisively defeated. He argues that this was not the product of inevitability or fate, but of political choices, strategic incoherence, and a failure to take responsibility for loss. Alongside this analysis, he tells personal stories of people he served with and encountered in Afghanistan, explaining why he remains deeply fond of them and why their courage, loyalty, and sacrifice continue to matter to him. He also steps back to offer a broader strategic reading of the present moment, warning that Afghanistan reshaped how the world now judges Western resolve, credibility, and seriousness — with consequences that reach far beyond the country itself.

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Charlie Gammell: How I fell in love with Herat (E68)

Sat, 20 Dec 2025 14:49:29 GMT

Charlie Gammell is a former British diplomat, author and historian who has worked extensively in Afghanistan and Iran. Speaking fluent Farsi and Pashto, with Herati and Khosti accents, Charlie reflects on his time in Afghanistan, how he fell in love with Herat and its history, and why he wrote 'The Pearl of Khorasan: A History of Herat'.

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James Cowan: From Helmand to HALO - a British Commander’s Remarkable Afghanistan Story (E67)

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 15:37:13 GMT

James Cowan has seen Afghanistan at its most intense: the frozen, “medieval” Kabul he first stepped into after the Taliban’s fall in 2001, the brutal peak of the NATO campaign in Helmand, and the country’s stunning collapse two decades later. He later took on a very different mission as head of the Halo Trust, working to clear the country of the deadly remnants of its wars. In this interview, he retraces that journey — from fighting the Taliban on the front lines to now negotiating with them so his teams can clear landmines and save lives. With rare candour, he reflects on the war, its cost, and the stark realities facing Afghanistan today.

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Al Carns: Afghanistan captures your soul (E66)

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 10:56:55 GMT

In this profoundly personal and powerful interview, the UK's Minister for the Armed Forces, Al Carns MP, tells his story of Afghanistan from the eyes of a soldier who fought there. Al recounts his first tour as a 26-year-old commando in the hellish frontline of Helmand, from the dust of Camp Bastion and countless relentless gun battles in different parts of the country.

He shares harrowing near-death experiences and the heavy responsibility of leading men in combat, offering a raw reflection on war, camaraderie, and the complex relationship soldiers form with a country of breathtaking beauty and brutal conflict. We discuss the mission's intent, the progress he witnessed, the painful 2021 collapse, and his unique perspective on whether it was all "worth it," and why Afghanistan is a place that "captures a bit of your soul."

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Fred Smith: Songs, diplomacy and falling in love with Uruzgan (E65)

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 09:22:59 GMT

Fred Smith is an Australian diplomat, author, singer and songwriter who served alongside Australian forces in Uruzgan, as well as in Kabul. He didn’t just take his diplomatic skills to the country, but his guitar too. He wrote songs and held concerts there. He has released two albums, Dust of Uruzgan and The Sparrows of Kabul, and two books of the same titles, which tell the stories behind his songs, as well as his personal memoirs and reflections.

In this interview, he shares his story and reflections on the complexities of Afghanistan, particularly Uruzgan — how he came to love the place despite his initial reservations about the campaign before accepting the assignment, and the grief he feels over what has happened to the country since.

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Zalmay Khalilzad: My life, my story, my mission (From Bonn to Doha Talks) - Part 2 (E64)

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 10:07:09 GMT

Born to a mid-level government official and an illiterate mother in Afghanistan’s northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, Zalmay Khalilzad has a remarkable and, in many ways, inspiring story. As a teenager, he travelled to America through a cultural exchange programme in 1996 – an experience that had a profound, life-changing impact on him.

After completing a PhD at the University of Chicago, he joined the US government and rose through the ranks, working for Reagan, the Bushes and Trump. The 9/11 attacks and the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan gave him the opportunity to become America’s all-powerful fixer in the country. He later served as US ambassador to Iraq, then to the United Nations, and returned to Afghanistan, where he negotiated America’s withdrawal deal with the Taliban – a deal that paved the way for the group’s recapture of power in August 2021.

In this Part 2 of his tell-all interview, he recounts his story, covering his roles in Afghanistan from the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks through to the Doha talks, and what has happened since. He end with a message for the younger generation of Afghan diaspora in the West. Did he aspire to become President of Afghanistan? Was he sympathetic towards the Taliban? These questions, and more, are answered.

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Zalmay Khalilzad: My life, my story, my mission (From Kabul to the White House) - Part 1 (E63)

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 13:16:05 GMT

In this tell-all interview, he recounts his story. Part 1 covers his childhood, teenage years in Kabul, his falling in love with America, and his path into the US government.

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Alexander Matheou: Afghanistan's humanitarian emergency (E62)

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 15:11:56 GMT

Alexander Matheou, Regional Director for Asia Pacific of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC). In this interview he unpacks the scale of Afghanistan’s humanitarian emergency. In the past year, over two million people have been forced back from Iran and Pakistan - returning to drought, collapsing livelihoods, and shrinking international aid. Matheou shares first-hand accounts from the borders, the daily struggles of returnees, and why long-term investment, not just short-term relief, is vital for the country’s survival and dignity.

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Taliban anniversary special: Four years of madness | Fereshta Abbasi (E61)

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 23:00:00 GMT

On 15 August 2021, the Taliban captured Kabul, reclaiming power after 20 years of war. Despite promises to the contrary, they have imposed severe restrictions on the rights of women and girls, ethnic minorities, free speech, and all civil liberties.

Marking the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power, Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, shares her reflections and thoughts on the future.

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Heidi Meyer: Time to recognise the Taliban? (E60)

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 15:27:53 GMT

Heidi Meyer is a former NATO, Pentagon, and US State Department official with over a decade of experience in Afghanistan, including time spent working inside the Arg Palace. In this interview, she shares candid reflections on her time in the country — from witnessing widespread corruption and travelling across Afghanistan, to whether the Taliban should be recognised, along with some weird and wonderful stories.

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Nathalie Paarlberg: A cultural history of Afghanistan (E59)

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 16:16:34 GMT

Nathalie Paarlberg is an art historian and the Chief Operating Officer at Turquoise Mountain. In this interview, she takes us on a journey through Afghanistan’s rich cultural history and art, as well as sharing her personal story of living and working in the country for several years. Her book, 'Je Ogen Zijn Mooi' (Your Eyes Are Beautiful), has been published in the Netherlands.

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Cover photo: © Jeanette Huisman

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Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi

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Mary Beard: Taliban, women and lessons from history (E58)

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 14:41:38 GMT

In this exclusive and gripping interview, acclaimed historian Professor Mary Beard explores how the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan reflects enduring patterns of patriarchal control throughout history. Drawing on examples and stories of ancient Greek and Roman history, Professor Beard examines how societies have historically silenced women, excluded them from public life, and regulated their behaviour through coercion, custom, and control.

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Pascal Maitre: Afghanistan through my lens (E57)

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 12:19:38 GMT

Pascal Maitre is a world-renowned French photojournalist whose decades of work from around the world, particularly in Afghanistan, have produced some of the most iconic images of people, war, culture, nature, and more.

He first travelled to Afghanistan in the 1970s and has since covered the Soviet–Afghan War and the Mujahideen civil war; he travelled through Bamiyan and Hazarajat, capturing breathtaking photos of the Buddhas in 1996, and spent two weeks with Ahmad Shah Massoud, during which he took some of his most iconic photographs. His lens documented the looting of the Kabul Museum in July 2000, the Pashtun communities of the east, Kabul in 2018, Buzkashi in northern Afghanistan, and life under the Taliban after the group's return in August 2021.

In this interview he shares his and the stories behind his photographs.

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David Tyson: A CIA spy's story in Afghanistan (Part 3) (E56)

Sun, 18 May 2025 12:46:06 GMT

David Tyson is a retired CIA officer who served for 25 years, much of it in Central and South Asia. He cultivated relationships with anti-Taliban leaders and commanders in northern Afghanistan prior to the 9/11 attacks, making multiple trips into the country and meeting figures such as Ahmad Shah Massoud. A member of Team Alpha - whose story was told in a previous episode with Toby Harnden - David played a key role in organising forces behind Taliban lines. After taking Mazar-i-Sharif in November 2001, he faced a violent uprising of over 400 al-Qaeda fighters in Qala-i-Jangi, where he had to fight for his life. For his actions, he was awarded the CIA’s Distinguished Intelligence Cross, the Agency’s highest award for valour, as well as the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal.

In this interview, he shares his story in detail. In this final instalment - Part 3 - we continue from where we left off in Part 2. David recounts the inside story of the fall of Mazar-i-Sharif, the circumstances surrounding it, and the capture and interrogation of hundreds of Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters. He explains how the Qala-i-Jangi uprising began, and how he managed to survive it. He then reflects on his experiences, shares his views on the current situation and the Taliban, and recounts stories involving General Dostum.

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Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi

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David Tyson: A CIA spy's story in Afghanistan (Part 2) (E55)

Sun, 11 May 2025 11:14:47 GMT

In this interview he shares his story in detail. In this Part 2, we carry on his story from Part 1, David's pre 9/11 relationships and engagements with anti-Taliban commanders, joining Team Alpha, joining General Dostum behind Taliban line, the capture of Mazar-i-Sharif and...

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Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi

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David Tyson: A CIA spy's story in Afghanistan (Part 1) (E54)

Sat, 03 May 2025 16:57:17 GMT

In this interview he shares his story in detail. In this Part 1, he gives an account of his background, what made him interested in Central Asia, his initial work in Afghanistan, the CIA’s policy on Afghanistan in the years preceding the 9/11 attacks, and his meetings with Ahmad Shah Massoud and others.

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Sir Rodric Braithwaite: Inside the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (Part 2) (E53)

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 08:36:13 GMT

Sir Rodric Braithwaite is a former British diplomat and author who served as ambassador to the Soviet Union. He has written extensively on Russia and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, including in his acclaimed book Afgantsy.

In this interview, he offers a rare insight into how Soviet leaders came to the decision to invade Afghanistan, why the country became strategically significant, the role of communism and Afghan leadership at the time, how the Soviet intervention differed from the British and later NATO-led invasions, the legacies they left behind, witnessing the fall of the Soviet Union and more.

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Sir Rodric Braithwaite: Inside the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (Part 1) (E52)

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 12:05:07 GMT

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Steve MacBeth: Inside Canada's Afghan war (E51)

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 08:45:20 GMT

Steve MacBeth is a former soldier in the Canadian Army and the author of 'No Names, No Packdrill - An Oral History of Canadians at War in Afghanistan'. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan, and in this interview, takes us inside Canada's mission in Afghanistan, talks about his book, and shares his personal reflections and stories.

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Gen. Joseph Votel: My lessons from Afghanistan (Part 2) (E50)

Sat, 22 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT

General Joseph Votel is a retired U.S. Army four-star general and was the Commander of U.S. Central Command from 2016 to 2019. He led multiple operations in Afghanistan, beginning shortly after the 9/11 attacks.

In this second part, he talks about his arrival in the country, how he found the people, their values, and their culture. He also offers a personal reflection on the country’s future, the Taliban’s rule, and shares a story about celebrating New Year in Helmand with a non-alcoholic beer alongside his soldiers and Afghan colleagues.

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Gen. Joseph Votel: My lessons from Afghanistan (Part 1) (E49)

Sat, 15 Mar 2025 19:22:04 GMT

General Joseph Votel is a retired U.S. Army four-star general and Commander of U.S. Central Command from 2016 t0 2019. He led multiple operations in Afghanistan, beginning shortly after the 9/11 attacks.

In this first part of the interview, he analyses recent developments in the Middle East, including the role of Iran, the geopolitical situation in South and Central Asia, and assesses the factors that contributed to the failure in Afghanistan, which he will explore in greater depth, along with his personal experiences in the country, in Part 2.

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Jonathan Lee: What is Afghanistan? (Part 3) Hazara Genocide (E48)

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 15:20:53 GMT

Dr Jonathan L. Lee is a social and cultural historian and a leading authority on the history of Afghanistan. He lived in Afghanistan and travelled widely across the country for many years.

He is the author of The Journals of Edward Stirling in Persia and Afghanistan, 1828-1829, The Ancient Supremacy: Bukhara, Afghanistan and the Battle for Balkh, 1731-1901, Amazing Wonders of Afghanistan, and Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present.

In this third part, he delves into the Hazara genocide of the 1890s and its lasting impact on the community and their identity. He compares it with the Armenian genocide, discusses his books, and shares personal stories from Afghanistan, and more.

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Jonathan Lee: What is Afghanistan? (Part 2) Drinking Blood (E47)

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 14:32:59 GMT

Dr Jonathan L. Lee is a social and cultural historian and a leading authority on the history of Afghanistan. He lived in Afghanistan and travelled widely across the country for many years.

In this second part, we continue the conversation on who founded the country and the state, who named the country and drew its borders, the role of the British Empire in this process, the role of women in the country’s history, and the extraordinary story of the woman who wanted to drink her son’s blood over an inheritance dispute.

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Jonathan Lee: What is Afghanistan? (Part 1) The Hippies (E46)

Sat, 08 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Dr Jonathan L. Lee is a social and cultural historian and a leading authority on the history of Afghanistan. He lived in Afghanistan and travelled widely across the country for many years.

In this first part of the interview, he tells us how he found Afghanistan when he first arrived, what attracted the hippies, where many died, and then takes us through the events and circumstances that led to the foundation of Afghanistan in the 18th century.

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Toby Harnden: Inside the CIA's first combat team in Afghanistan (Part 2) (E45)

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Toby Harnden is an award-winning journalist and author of 'Dead Men Risen' and 'First Casualty'.

In this second part of the interview, we continue the story of the fall of Mazar-i-Sharif on 9th November 2001. In the days that followed, over 400 captured Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters revolted at Qala-i-Jangi, where they were being held, killing Mike Spann, and Hazara and Uzbek guards. The uprising lasted for six days, and only 86 Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters survived, including John Walker Lindh, also known as the American Taliban. The episode delves into their story, Toby's own reflections and more.

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Toby Harnden: Inside the CIA's first combat team in Afghanistan (Part 1) (E44)

Sat, 25 Jan 2025 13:04:15 GMT

Toby Harnden is an award-winning journalist and author of Dead Men Risen and First Casualty. In this first part of the interview, he shares his story of Afghanistan and the inside story of Team Alpha—a group of eight CIA operatives who landed in the mountains of northern Afghanistan to join the forces of General Abdul Rashid Dostum and begin the war to avenge the 9/11 attacks. They fought their way to the capture of the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, where, soon after, the team suffered their—and America’s—first casualty of the campaign, a story that will be told in part 2.

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رضا سرور: چگونه بورسیه بگیریم (Farsi Special) (E44)

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 19:04:39 GMT

رضا سرور یکی از دانش‌آموختگان برنامه‌ی تحصیلی فولبرایت و مدیر پیشین پذیرش در دانشگاه آمریکایی افغانستان و در حال حاضر، دانشجوی دکترای دانشگاه Texas A&M ایالت تگزاس آمریکاست. او تجربه‌ی گسترده‌ در کمک به دانشجویان برای درخواست و دریافت بورسیه‌های تحصیلی در خارج از افغانستان دارد. در این گفت‌وگو، او داستان شخصی خود را به اشتراک می‌گذارد و یک راهنمای جامع برای دستیابی به بورسیه‌های تحصیلی ارائه می‌دهد.

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Shaharzad Akbar: The Taliban have a vision for Afghanistan (E42)

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Shaharzad Akbar is the Executive Director of Rawadari and the former Chair of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. In this interview, she reflects on and reviews 2024, shares her analysis of the current situation, discusses what the future may hold for Afghanistan in the year ahead, and her expresses hopes for the country, particularly women and girls.

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Saad Mohseni: The extraordinary life of a media visionary (E41)

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 00:00:29 GMT

Saad Mohseni is the Chairman and CEO of Moby Group, and the author of 'Radio Free Afghanistan'. Born in London, raised in Kabul, Tokyo and Melbourne, Saad Mohseni has been one of the most influential figures in Afghanistan's recent history, transforming Afghanistan and its culture by revolutionising the country's media landscape.

In this interview, he shares his remarkable story, how he brought new media to Afghanistan, its impacts and consequences, as well as sharing his views on the current situation in the country.

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Gen H.R. McMaster: Trump 2.0, Afghanistan and the Taliban (E40)

Sat, 09 Nov 2024 00:00:53 GMT

General H.R. McMaster served as Donald Trump's National Security Advisor for 14 months during his first term and he formulated America's South Asia Strategy, which Trump abandoned after McMaster's departure. In this interview, he discusses the implications of the second Trump presidency for the world, looks back at the failure in Afghanistan and whether the country will feature in the new administration's foreign and security policy. He also shares his thoughts on the future of Afghanistan and the contributions he wants to make.

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Sune Rasmussen: Afghanistan is a part of me (E39)

Sun, 20 Oct 2024 23:00:26 GMT

Sune Engel Rasmussen is a Danish journalist and author who lived in Afghanistan, reporting extensively for several international outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian.

In this interview, we discuss his book Twenty Years, which offers an unique intimate insight into two decades of Western involvement in Afghanistan, told through the stories and struggles of young men and women affected by it, along with his own experiences of living and working in the country.

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Andrew North: My 20 years in Afghanistan (E38)

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 23:00:55 GMT

Andrew North is an award-winning British journalist and former BBC correspondent in Afghanistan, Iraq, India, and the United States. He lived and reported from Afghanistan throughout two decades of international involvement and visited the country three times after the Taliban’s return, with his last visit resulting in his kidnapping by the group’s intelligence agents. His recently published book, War & Peace & War, tells his and the stories of five people who lived through the country’s conflicts.

In this interview, he shares his stories and insights.

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Rahmatullah Nabil: The story of an Afghan spymaster (Part 2) (E37)

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 23:00:26 GMT

Rahmatullah Nabil is an Afghan politician and former intelligence chief. Having lost his father at the age of one, he was raised by his mother, who dedicated her life to him. Nabil left school and joined one of the Mujahideen factions as a teenager. An ambush on Soviet forces, during which he was injured, and the discovery of a handwritten letter belonging to a Soviet soldier, changed his life. This led him to become a refugee in Pakistan, where he graduated from university and worked for the UN. He eventually joined the Afghan Republic government, becoming the country’s spymaster and later a presidential candidate. In this interview, he shares his extraordinary life story, and his thoughts and hopes for Afghanistan.

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Rahmatullah Nabil: The story of an Afghan spymaster (Part 1) (E36)

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 23:00:52 GMT

Rahmatullah Nabil is an Afghan politician and former intelligence chief. Having lost his father at the age of one, he was raised by his mother, who dedicated her life to him. Nabil left school and joined one of the Mujahideen factions as a teenager. An ambush on Soviet forces, during which he was injured, and the discovery of a handwritten letter belonging to a Soviet soldier, changed his life. This led him to become a refugee in Pakistan, where he graduated from university and worked for the UN. He eventually joined the Afghan Republic government, becoming the country’s spymaster and later a presidential candidate. In this interview, he shares his extraordinary life story, and his thoughts and hopes for Afghanistan.

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Sir William Patey: The Taliban cannot turn Kabul into a Pashtun village (E35)

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 23:00:24 GMT

Sir William Patey is a retired British diplomat with extensive experience in Middle Eastern and South Asian geopolitics. He served as the UK Ambassador to Kabul from 2010 to 2012, following earlier roles as Ambassador to Sudan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. In this interview, he shares his insights and analysis on Afghanistan—discussing what went wrong, what the future may hold, and recounting stories from his time in the country.

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Sir Laurie Bristow: Why did we get it so badly wrong for 20 years? (E33)

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 23:00:47 GMT

Sir Laurie Bristow, the UK's last ambassador in Kabul, witnessed the disintegration of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the fall of Kabul into the hands of the Taliban in August 2021. He is the author of Kabul: Final Call, which provides an insider's view of the events as they unfolded. In this interview, we discuss the book, Sir Laurie’s reflections on his experiences, and his thoughts on the current situation in the country and its future.

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Thomas Barfield: Time to break up Afghanistan? (Part 2) (E32)

Sat, 10 Aug 2024 08:59:45 GMT

In this interview, he talks about traveling around Afghanistan for the first time in 1971 and the impact it had on him, his fieldwork in northern Afghanistan, the country's history, its place in the region, its complex politics and society, as well as his thoughts on the future, along with plenty of fascinating and funny stories and anecdotes.

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Thomas Barfield: Time to break up Afghanistan? (Part 1) (E31)

Sat, 18 May 2024 09:00:00 GMT

Professor Thomas Barfield is one of the preeminent experts on Afghanistan, having spent over five decades studying and writing on the country. He is the author of 'Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History' and 'Shadow Empires,' among many others.

In this interview, he talks about traveling around Afghanistan for the first time in 1971 and the impact it had on him, his fieldwork in northern Afghanistan, the country's history, its place in the region, its complex politics and society, as well as his thoughts on the future, along with plenty of fascinating and funny stories and anecdotes.

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Artemis Akbary: The costs of being gay in Afghanistan (E30)

Fri, 03 May 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Artemis Akbary is an LGBTIQ rights activist and the co-founder and Executive Director of the Afghan LGBT Organization (ALO), and a producer/presenter at Radio Ranginkaman. They have spoken and campaigned at various international gatherings about the plight of the LGBTIQ community in Afghanistan. In this moving interview, Artemis shares their personal story, and their harrowing experience of growing up in Iran, fleeing to Turkey, and then settling in Europe, enduring years of torment and abuse, as well sharing stories of LGBTIQ men and women persecuted in Afghanistan.

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Thomas Ruttig: The untold story of Germany in Afghanistan (Part 2) (E29)

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Thomas Ruttig is a co-founder of the Afghanistan Analysts Network. He has worked on and in Afghanistan since he graduated in Afghan Studies from Humboldt University, Berlin in 1985: as an East German (GDR) diplomat, including at the GDR Embassy in Kabul (1985-89), as political affairs officer for two United Nations missions in Afghanistan (2000-2003, including as UNSMA head of office Kabul, adviser to the Afghan Independent Emergency Loya Jirga Commission and UNAMA head of office Islamabad and Gardez), deputy to the EU Special Representative for Afghanistan (2003-2004); political adviser to the German Embassy in Kabul (2004-06).

In this interview he shares his story of Afghanistan and the history of Germany's relationship with the country.

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Thomas Ruttig: The untold story of Germany in Afghanistan (Part 1) (E28)

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 23:00:00 GMT

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Fereshta Abbasi: I am lucky to be alive (E27)

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Fereshta Abbasi is the Afghanistan Researcher at Human Rights Watch and a Chevening Scholar. Born a refugee in Iran, she was taken to Afghanistan as a child, where she pursued her education, eventually becoming a lawyer.

In this interview, she shares her remarkable story and inspirational achievements.

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Llewelyn Morgan: The Buddhas of Bamiyan (E26)

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Llewelyn Morgan is a professor of Classics at the University of Oxford. He is the author of "The Buddhas of Bamiyan", a book that explores the long and complex history of the Buddha statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, and their eventual destruction in 2001.

Professor Morgan has written extensively on Afghanistan, and in this interview, he discusses his work, the Buddhas of Bamiyan, their histories, and more.

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Franz-Michael Mellbin: Afghans were not good allies (E25)

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Ambassador Franz-Michael Mellbin is a former EU Special Representative and Danish ambassador in Afghanistan. He played a central role in the implementation of the Danish and EU efforts in Afghanistan, from September 11, 2001, until the evacuation from Kabul. He assisted the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations with the planning of US Afghanistan policies. Mellbin negotiated the first peace agreement in Afghanistan in over 20 years, between the government and Hekmatyar/Hezb-e-Islami, and took the initiative for the EID ceasefire with the Taliban in 2018. He is currently the Danish ambassador in the Philippines.

In this candid interview, he reflects on his time in Afghanistan and shares his thoughts and stories.

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Andrew Quilty: August in Kabul (E24)

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Andrew Quilty is a multi-award-winning Australian photojournalist and the author of "August in Kabul". He lived and worked in Afghanistan for almost a decade, capturing and covering the country's stories. His work has been published globally. He was in Kabul the day the Taliban arrived in August 2021, riding his motorcycle and capturing their arrival.

In this interview, he reflects on his time in Afghanistan, his love for the country and its people, and more.

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Pashtana Durrani: Afghanistan is not accepting its daughters (E23)

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Born in a refugee camp in Pakistan, Pashtana Durrani is an Afghan human rights activist and the founder of LEARN Afghanistan, an NGO through which she runs undercover schools across the country. In this interview, she talks about her life and work.

Her book, "Last to Eat, Last to Learn", is out now.

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Question Time: Your questions answered! (E22)

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT

In this first Q&A episode, I attempt to answer some of your questions...

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Zahra Nader: My mother begged schools to let me in (E21)

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Born in Bamiyan, Zahra Nader is an award-winning journalist and the Editor-in-Chief of Zan Times, a media outlet focused on women and marginalised communities in Afghanistan. In this interview, she talks about her childhood, her struggles as a refugee in Iran, her life in Kabul and Canada, her experiences, and her dreams for her outlet and herself, sharing her incredible story.

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Sima Samar: Telling my story (E20)

Sat, 17 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Renowned for her decades of humanitarian work, providing health and education services to millions in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Sima Samar discusses her extraordinary life journey in this interview. She talks about her origins in a village in Hazarajat and her rise to become a globally recognised physician, activist, and politician.

Her memoir, OUTSPOKEN: My fight for freedom and human rights in Afghanistan, is published on 27 February in the US/Canada and 13 March in the UK.

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Craig Whitlock: America and the lies of the Afghan War (E19)

Sat, 10 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Craig Whitlock is an investigative journalist at The Washington Post and the author of 'The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War'. The book, which offers a comprehensive examination of the deceptions, shortcomings, missteps, and misguided policies that characterised America's defeat in Afghanistan.

In this interview, Craig discusses his book, experience of covering US defence policies on the War on Terror, the impact of failure in Afghanistan and more.

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Mir Tamim Ansary: I will never see Afghanistan again (E18)

Sat, 03 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Mir Tamim Ansary is an Afghan-American author who left Afghanistan in the early 1960s. He has written many books, including "West of Kabul, East of New York", "Games Without Rules", "Destiny Disrupted: A History of The World Through Islamic Eyes" and "The Invention of Tomorrow".

In this interview he talks about his childhood in Afghanistan, his extraordinary family background, growing up in America and his views on the current situation in both countries and beyond.

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Larisa Brown: The Gardener of Lashkar Gah (E17)

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Larisa Brown is a British journalist and author. She is currently the defence editor at The Times newspaper. In this interview, she talks about her book, The Gardener of Lashkar Gah, which tells the extraordinary story of Shaista Gul, a man who worked at a British military base in Helmand as a gardener, and his son, Jamal, who worked as an interpreter with British forces across the province, got injured and...

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Tobias Ellwood: We should engage with the Taliban in Kabul (E16)

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Tobias Ellwood is a Conservative member of the British Parliament and a former chair of the House of Commons' Defence Select Committee. In July 2023, he visited Afghanistan, following which he called for engagement with the Taliban, causing an uproar, with many criticising his stance. As a result, he resigned as chair of the Defence Select Committee.

In this in-depth interview, he talks about his trip to Afghanistan, his reasons for engagement with the Taliban and more.

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Heather Barr: How dare we give up on Afghan women and girls (E15)

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Heather Barr is associate director of the Women's Rights Division at Human Rights Watch. She worked in Afghanistan for over a decade for the UN and Human Rights Watch. In this interview she reflects on her time in the country, her work and views on the current situation.

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Wendy Chamberlain MP: There are concerns Afghanistan is growing the next generation of terrorists (E14)

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Wendy Chamberlain MP is a Liberal Democrat member of the British parliament. She is the co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Afghan Women and Girls and has been a strong voice for the cause of women and girls in Afghanistan.

In this interview she talks about her work on Afghanistan, her views and concerns.

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Johnny Mercer: Afghanistan is deeply intoxicating (E13)

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Johnny Mercer is former British MP and Minister for Veterans' Affairs. He served three tours in Afghanistan as an army officer. In this interview, he talks about his time in Afghanistan, his views on the Taliban and the current situation in the country and stories of fighting the group in Helmand.

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David Loyn: Engagement has failed, the West should support alternatives to the Taliban (E12)

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT

David Loyn is a renowned British journalist and author who specialises in Afghanistan, with decades of experience in the country and the region as a BBC correspondent. He worked as an advisor to Ashraf Ghani's government for a year after leaving the BBC. In this interview, he shares his insights, analysis, and thoughts on the situation in the country and what should happen next.

David Loyn's books "The Long War: The Inside Story of America and Afghanistan Since 9/11" and "Butcher and Bolt: Two Hundred Years of Foreign Failure in Afghanistan" were published in 2021 and 2008 respectively.

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Charlie Herbert: Persecution of the Hazaras is the untold story of Afghanistan (E11)

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Major General Charlie Herbert served multiple tours in Afghanistan and led British forces in Helmand province. He also served in other capacities, working with Afghan government ministries and leaders. In this interview, he shares his insights, thoughts, and stories about what happened during the 20-year Western involvement in the country and what he thinks about the future.

Host & Producer: Roh Yakobi

Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi

Email: hello@rohyakobi.com

Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi

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Stephan Jensen: I cried in an Oslo cafe when Kabul fell to the Taliban (E10)

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Stephan Jensen is a former Norwegian army officer who served in Afghanistan's northern provinces of Faryab and Balkh (Mazar-i-Sharif). Currently, he is working on a book detailing the history of the War in Afghanistan. In this interview, Jensen discusses his experiences during his time in the country, provides an analysis of what went wrong, and explores Norway's unique position in global diplomacy, and its role as conflict mediator, especially on Afghanistan.

Host & Producer: Roh Yakobi

Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi

Email: hello@rohyakobi.com

Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi

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Habiba Sarabi: How I made history (E9)

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Dr Habiba Sarabi is the former Minister of Women's Affairs in Afghanistan and was the first woman to hold a governorship in the country, serving as the governor of Bamiyan Province. She was also a part of the delegation negotiating with the Taliban before the group's return to power in August 2021.

In this interview she talks about her childhood, her life in politics, negotiating with the Taliban, life in exile and her hopes for Afghanistan.

Host & Producer: Roh Yakobi

Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi

Email: hello@rohyakobi.com

Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi

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Jason Criss Howk: Time is running out for Afghanistan (E8)

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Jason Criss Howk has spent 21 years focused on Afghanistan in defence, diplomacy, academic, humanitarian, and intelligence roles. He is the director of Global Friends of Afghanistan, a frequently published writer, and guest lectures at American University and the USMC War College.

Host & Producer: Roh Yakobi

Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi

Email: hello@rohyakobi.com

Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi

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Mohsin Dawar: Pashtuns who support the Taliban are harming Afghanistan (E6)

Sat, 11 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Mohsin Dawar is a Pakistani politician who leads the political party called the National Democratic Movement. He previously served as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from August 2018 to August 2023.

Dawar has been a staunch critic of the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, accusing them of being proxies of the Pakistani military. In this interview, he talks about Pakistan, Pashtuns, the Taliban (both Afghan and Pakistani), refugees, the Durand Line, risking his life, and more.

Host & Producer: Roh Yakobi

Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi

Email: hello@rohyakobi.com

Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi

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Fawzia Koofi: My bags are still packed (E6)

Sat, 04 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Fawzia Koofi has been a prominent figure in Afghanistan's politics and a women's rights activist. She served a member and the first female Deputy Speaker of parliament before the Taliban's recapture of the country. In this interview she talks about her childhood, life in politics, negotiating with the Taliban and leaving Afghanistan.

Host & Producer: Roh Yakobi

Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi

Email: hello@rohyakobi.com

Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi

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Refugees in Indonesia: Betrayed and forgotten (E5)

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 21:00:00 GMT

Hussain Shah Rezai fled Afghanistan when he was a teenager almost ten years ago. He is one of over ten thousand refugees from Afghanistan stuck in appalling and inhumane conditions in Indonesia. In this episode, Hussain tells his and their story.

Hussain on X: @HussainS_Rezaie

Warning: This episode contains a discussion on mental health issues. If you are affected, please seek help from a professional.

Host & Producer: Roh Yakobi

Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi

Email: hello@rohyakobi.com

Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi

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Sir Laurie Bristow: We are utterly wrong to think Afghanistan's story is over (E4)

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Sir Laurie Bristow was the British ambassador to Afghanistan during the Taliban's takeover in August 2021. In this interview, he talks about living and working through those chaotic days, the factors leading to them, and what he thinks about the situation in the country now.

Host & Producer: Roh Yakobi

Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi

Email: hello@rohyakobi.com

Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi

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Mozhdah Jamalzadah: I am a rebel and I can't be told to shut up (E3)

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 23:00:00 GMT

Mozhdah Jamalzadah is a singer, actor and campaigner. In this interview, she talks about leaving Afghanistan as a young child, the challenges of settling in Canada, pursuing music, acting, working in Afghanistan, and her interest in politics.

Host & Producer: Roh Yakobi

Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi

Email: hello@rohyakobi.com

Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi

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Levison Wood: Afghanistan has a special place in my heart (E2)

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 22:00:00 GMT

Levison Wood is a British a writer, explorer and photographer. He first walked through Afghanistan in 2004 and then served as a soldier in southern Afghanistan. His latest book, Escape from Kabul, gives a riveting account of the fall of Afghanistan into the hands of the Taliban and the chaotic evacuation of Kabul in August 2021.

Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi

Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi

Email: hello@rohyakobi.com

Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi

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Shakardokht Jafari: Not trying is the biggest sin (E1)

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 09:00:00 GMT

Shakardokht (Shakar) is a medical physicist and multi award-winning innovator, based in the UK.

Born in Afghanistan's central highlands of Hazarajat, Shakardokht became a refugee in Iran aged 6. Resisting repeated pressures to accept arranged marriages as a schoolgirl, she studied hard and managed to enter the Tehran University. In 2010, she arrived in the UK to study the University of Surrey and was the first woman from Afghanistan to gain a PhD in radiation technology.

Her book: Shakar An Afghanistani Woman's Journey is available in bookstores.

Host & Producer: Roh Yakobi

Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi

Email: hello@rohyakobi.com

Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi

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