The Afghanistan Project Podcast

Welcome to Episode 155 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. I'm excited to introduce Andres Caceres-Solari, a former U.S. Marine, to discuss his unheeded intelligence warnings about the Taliban's resurgence while at NATO HQ. We also address major shortcomings in our Afghanistan mission.About Andres:Andres H Caceres-Solari is a former US Marine who served several tours in Iraq and the southern Philippines, and was also a Foreign Area Officer in Indonesia. He is currently an academic living in Europe with a PhD in international law specializing in insurgencies. As a human rights lawyer, he represents several Ukrainian families against Russia at the European Court of Human Rights. He is a published author, has written several books to include Criminal Negligence in Command, where he details the failure of NATO’s HQ to address the advances of the Taliban, as well as the emergence of the Islamic State, the Russian intention to invade Ukraine in 2014, and the rise of the Houthis as a threat in the Middle East.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 Episode 154 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Lt. Gen. John Bradley talks about how the Lamia Afghan Foundation started with his wife Jan's incredible efforts to send needed items to Afghans overseas. We talk about how the organization grew and what it continues to do in present-day Afghanistan.

About Lt. Gen. Bradley:

General Bradley retired from the United States Air Force in August 2008, with 41 years of service. He was the Chief of Air Force Reserve, Headquarters, United States Air Force, Washington, District of Columbia, and the Commander of the Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, the largest Major Command in the U.S. AirForce, responsible for over 76,000 Airmen, around the world. Prior to this he was the Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for Reserve Matters, the Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia. He is a Vietnam veteran, with 337 combat missions as a fighter pilot. He has over 7,000 flying hours in the A-37, A-10, F-4, and F-16 fighter aircraft. He is a member of the U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council.

Find Lamia Afghan Foundation here: https://lamia.org/

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 Episode 153 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Colin Smith returns to The Afghanistan Project Podcast to discuss the latest report from the U.N. Sanctions Monitoring Team on terror growth inside Afghanistan and around the world. About Colin:Colin Smith is the UK Threat Assessment Expert and Coordinator, overseeing the work of the United Nations’ Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which supports implementations of sanctions against the Taliban. The monitoring team also provides biannual assessments of the global threat that Al Qaeda and ISIL and its affiliates pose. Colin was a British diplomat in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for twenty years, focusing on national security and counter-terrorism.Find the latest UN Monitoring Team assessment here:https://docs.un.org/en/S/2026/651About 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 Episode 152 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’s guest is retired U.S. Army Colonel Justin Sapp, a member of Team Alpha, the CIA’s original eight-man team of analysts, linguists, warriors, and tribal experts who went into Afghanistan to defeat al Qaeda in the days immediately following Sept. 11, 2001.

In this episode, Justin talks about Team Alpha and other early American units' reliance on their Afghan counterparts in the earliest post-9/11 efforts inside Afghanistan. He describes the ongoing efforts of Badger Six, the nonprofit that Team Alpha and supporters have created in order to assist the families of those Afghans who were indispensable to Team Alpha, and who are currently facing uncertainty because of Green Card processing in the pipeline for access to U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

About Justin:Justin Sapp is a contingency strategist for Constellis, and recently retired as a US Army Green Beret Colonel following 30 years of exceptionally distinguished service. He received numerous military decorations during his service, including the Defense Superior Service Award and the Bronze Star with “V” device.Find Badger Six at their website: https://badgersix.org/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 her on Instagram or X ⁠@BWBailey85⁠.

Welcome to Episode 152 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 guests are Sonia Norton, Director of Advocacy at No One Left Behind, and Daniel Salazar, a refugee and protection policy advisor at Global Refuge.We discuss Congressional efforts to restore Temporary Protected Status for our Afghan allies, recent legal decisions that impact processing halts for Afghans, and what both No One Left Behind and Global Refuge are doing as the five-year anniversary of the Afghanistan withdrawal falls.A correction from Daniel on the status of the Dorcas lawsuit: Most of the policies discussed in the Dorcas lawsuit remain vacated. However, the comprehensive re-review of Afghans and others who entered between 2021 and 2025 is allowed to resume. In an order this month, an appeals court sided with the government's motion for a stay pending appeal with respect to that policy. The remainder of the policies-- including the adjudications pause-- remain no longer in effect under the lower court's ruling.About the guests:Sonia Norton is the Director of Advocacy at No One Left Behind. Before joining No One Left Behind, she 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 10 Policy 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.Daniel Salazar is a refugee and protection policy advisor at Global Refuge, the national refugee resettlement agency formerly known as Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. He does policy and advocacy work on the U.S. refugee admissions program, Afghan and Ukrainian resettlement, and other topics. He has worked on Afghan-related legislation such as the Afghan Adjustment Act, the Afghan SIV program, and CARE authorization since July 2022, first at U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants and now at Global Refuge. He is also a coalition member of Evacuate Our Allies and has helped campaigns on Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan and re-parole for Afghans. Before this work, he was a journalist in Kansas and Texas before moving to Washington, DC for his master’s in foreign service at Georgetown University.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 Episode 151 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, we're talking about the ongoing effort to find permanency for members of the Female Tactical Platoon, Afghan women who served with their male Afghan National Army Special Operations Command counterparts on vital SOF missions.My guests are advocate and combat veteran Michael Scadden, NXT Mission founder and Cultural Support Team veteran Rebekah Edmondson, and FTP member Farida.We talk about what the FTP did, why it placed them in danger, and what has happened (or not happened) to protect members of the FTP in the U.S.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 Episode 150 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've got a familiar returning guest, #AfghanEvac president Shawn VanDiver. This time, we're talking about who we each were before the withdrawal from Afghanistan took place, and who we became as our allies needed assistance.
Find #AfghanEvac here: https://afghanevac.org/

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 Episode 149 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 starts a short series where we'll be diving into the withdrawal from Afghanistan, five years later. My first guest is Jon Singleton, a veteran whose work with Task Force Pineapple was instrumental in helping Afghans as their country fell to the Taliban and the U.S. prepared to depart.

We talk about the difficulties of processing this period, and return to the events of five years ago.

About Jon Singleton:

Jon Singleton is a retired Naval Aviator who’s served in Bosnia, throughout the Middle East, in Afghanistan, and at the Pentagon. For most of the last two decades, he’s been successfully selling residential real estate in Jacksonville, Florida. He and his business partner, Susan Hopkins recently joined Christie’s International Real Estate First Coast, and are about to hit their combined 1000th sale! When he is not keeping busy with work or volunteer efforts, he enjoys time with his family in the historic neighborhood of San Marco.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 Episode 147 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 Mashal Sherullah, who has spent years advocating for Afghan allies awaiting processing for the Special Immigrant Visa and U.S. Refugee Admissions Program in Pakistan. We discuss the plight of these Afghans who supported the U.S. mission and why it is imperative to resume processing and protections for these vital allies.About Mashal Sherullah: is Mashal Sherullah is a former USAID advisor and advocates for Afghan allies who worked with the American military. He spent 16 years working at the intersection of humanitarian response, donor relations, and international development. As a Senior Public Administration Advisor, Mashal worked alongside U.S. personnel to strengthen governance, promote community collaboration, and directly support the U.S. mission—especially the development mission in Afghanistan—while also contributing to efforts that safeguarded American personnel. As a Provincial Public Administration Advisor for USAID’s ISLA program, Mashal led initiatives to strengthen public administration capacity in Laghman, Afghanistan. This included developing and implementing standard operating procedures within provincial government and provincial council offices, while regularly engaging with Afghan government counterparts at the provincial, district, and national levels, including the Independent Directorate of Local Governance in Kabul.While waiting to be evacuated to the U.S. after the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Mashal observed the severe challenges faced by Afghan allies in the Special Immigrant Visa and U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, who faced prolonged delays and bureaucratic barriers.In response, he mobilized a network of over 1,500 allies and SIV, P1, and P2 applicants. His advocacy contributed to increased engagement with U.S. Embassy officials, helping raise awareness of urgent cases and systemic processing challenges.Mashal is currently pursuing an MBA in Healthcare Management, with a long-term goal of advancing into healthcare philanthropy and nonprofit leadership focused on improving outcomes for vulnerable populations.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 Episode 146 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 Robert Billard, an Afghanistan veteran and content writer at Military.com. We chat about his Afghanistan deployment as an IA in 2014-15, about his recent article on controversial Gen. Raziq, and about the strategic failures of the Afghanistan warAbout Robert Billard: Robert Billard is a content writer for Military.com and an Afghanistan veteran who joined the Marine Corps in 2005 and has deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom twice. Once as a Rifleman with the 6th Provisional Security Company in 2007, and again as a Logistics Advisor to the Afghan National Security Forces in 2014-2015. He is also a veteran of Resolute Support Mission and numerous named overseas exercises in support of various combatant commanders. Robert’s writings have been featured in professional academic journals such as the Journal of Advanced Military Studies and Marine Corps History and he is a contributing author at We Are The Mighty and the Brownstone Institute. Robert is an avid student of military history and strategy and a vocal acolyte of Carl Von Clausewitz. 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 Episode 145 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 Katharina Ritz, Head of the Afghanistan Delegation for the International Committee of the Red Cross. Katharina just returned from Kabul, and talks about the various periods in which she has worked in Afghanistan, and about what activities the ICRC is engaged in in Afghanistan at the moment.About Katharina Ritz:Katharina Ritz (born in 1967), holds a degree in General and Surgical Nursing and joined the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1996 and carried out assignments in conflict areas worldwide, in particular Sudan, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Rwanda, in positions of Health and Assistance program Coordinator. From 2003 to 2005, she carried out assignments in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Central African Republic and Ivory Cost as Mission / Sub Delegation responsible.As Deputy Head of Delegations, she carried out assignments in Iraq (2005 to 2006), Israeli/Occupied Palestinian Territories (2006 to 2009) and was assigned afterwards as Deputy Head of Operations for South Asia based in Geneva from 2009 to 2011. These assignments were followed by positions as Head of Delegation in the Central African Republic (2011 to 2012) and Head of Delegation in Libya (2012 to 2014). After the assignment in Libya, Katharina Ritz completed a Master of Advanced Studies in Civilian Peacebuilding. The studies were followed by a position as Head of Delegation in Iraq (2015 to 2020), a position as ICRC Head of Delegation in Yemen (September 2020 to February 2023) and started in October 2023 an assignment as ICRC Head of Delegation in Afghanistan.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 Episode 144 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, former ANA Major Yaser Yarghal talks about his upbringing and education in Afghanistan, and how he made his way to the Afghan National Military Academy.

We talk about his service, and his participation in Ranger School and Airborne School, as well as the frustrations in his ANA career that led him to leave Afghanistan and start creating a life, and a business, in Canada.

Yaser talks about his book, Unsabotaged, which is due out in January 2027.About Yaser Yarghal:

Yaser Yarghal is a former Afghan Army Major and US Army Ranger and Airborne Graduate who began his military career at the Afghan National Military Academy in 2008 and served in the Afghan National Army until 2020. Born and raised in Khost, Afghanistan, he witnessed the collapse of the Afghan military from the inside before leaving Afghanistan in October 2020 and rebuilding his life in Canada. He is the founder of Unsabotaged, a newsletter and platform about resilience, leadership and building a life nobody can take from you, and is currently writing his memoir of the same name, publishing January 2027.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 Episode 143 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've got a familiar returning guest, #AfghanEvac president Shawn VanDiver. We talk about not only the Afghans at Camp As Sayliyah whom the administration was recently considering sending to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but also about the recent legal developments that could impact Afghans.Find #AfghanEvac here: https://afghanevac.org/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 Episode 142 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, Gold Star Father Mark Schmitz shares the story of his son, Marine Corps Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz, who perished on August 26, 2021 alongside 12 U.S. service members and 160 Afghans.

Mark shares the story of The Freedom 13 Recreational Healing Camps, the 501(c)3 he and his wife have created to commemorate Jared and all 13 U.S. service members who lost their lives at Hamid Karzai International Airport during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Find The Freedom 13 here: https://thefreedom13.org/

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 Episode 141 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, Ellen Smith, the founder and Executive Director of Keeping Our Promise, brings a great news story about being able to reunite an Afghan ally and his wife with the baby they were forced to leave behind when making their way to the U.S. Ellen also talks about several other updates for Afghan friends in the KOP ecosystem, and lets viewers know what is needed to support families here in the U.S.

Find KOP here:https://www.keepingourpromise.org/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 Episode 140 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'm talking about a project that I began over a year ago to preserve the stories of the volunteers, advocates, and other supporters who have been part of the effort to keep Afghans safe and supported in the leadup to and aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal. I also explain how I came to this work, what the effort of supporting Afghans has been like, and what the community around me has meant as my own life went through upheaval in the midst of the chaos.I can never thank the people who have been part of this journey enough for their presence and the fortitude they've demonstrated. It has been the honor of a lifetime to witness the efforts people have made - and often continue to make - to fulfill our government's promises to our allies.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 Episode 139 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'm thrilled to bring on two incredible experts on the expansion of terrorism in the Taliban's Afghanistan, Colin Smith, and Graham Aikin. We discuss how terror groups have found safe haven in the Taliban's Afghanistan, including al Qaeda and Daesh, as well as groups like ETIM/TIP and TTP. About Colin and Graham:Colin Smith is the UK Threat Assessment Expert and Coordinator, overseeing the work of the United Nations’ Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which supports implementations of sanctions against the Taliban. The monitoring team also provides biannual assessments of the global threat that Al Qaeda and ISIL and its affiliates pose. Colin was a British diplomat in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for twenty years, focusing on national security and counter-terrorism.Find the latest UN Monitoring Team assessment here:https://docs.un.org/en/S/2026/44Graham Aikin is a part-time PhD student within King's Centre for the Study of Intelligence, where he is researching the resurgence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan since the withdrawal in 2021, with a particular focus on the challenges of intelligence collection. He holds a joint law degree from the University of Central Lancashire and Central Connecticut State University, from where he graduated in 2003. He spent several years as a senior private banker with Coutts & Co, where he developed an extensive knowledge of tax havens, terrorism financing and sanctions, before establishing his own training consultancy in 2012. He has studied extensively the events of 9/11, its antecedents and the subsequent ‘Global War on Terror’. Graham undertook a Master’s degree in Covert Action, HUMINT and the Psychology of Intelligence Elicitation and his Master’s dissertation focused on the Investigatory Power’s Commissioner’s role in overseeing the UK intelligence agencies treatment of detainees and the sharing of intelligence with their liaison partners. Find Graham’s latest article here: https://kcsi.uk/kcsi-insights/not-your-fathers-afghanistan-is-the-west-taking-its-eye-off-the-al-qaeda-ballAbout 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 Episode 138 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'm thrilled to introduce Spencer Sullivan and Abdulhaq Sodais, coauthors of 'Not Our Problem: The True Story of an Afghan Refugee, an American Promise, and the World Between Them.'

We talk about the deployment in Zabul when Spencer and Abdulhaq met, and the 13-year battle for Spencer to arrive in the U.S. that only concluded this December.

Find more about 'Not Our Problem' here: https://www.notourproblembook.com/About Spencer and Abdulhaq:Spencer Sullivan is a U.S. Army combat veteran and has been advocating for Afghan refugees for over a decade. His writing and interviews in support of America’s Afghan wartime allies have featured in various outlets including the LA Times, CNN, the Associated Press, Fox Business, The Guardian, HuffPost, and Military.com. Spencer holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from the College of William and Mary and a Master of Arts in organizational leadership from Brandman University. He works in leadership and organization development and lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and son.Follow Spencer on Instagram: instagram.com/spencersullivanauthorAbdulhaq Sodais is a former interpreter for US forces in Afghanistan where he served for over two years translating for both combat and support units. He is also a strong advocate for refugees, and his ambition is that his and Spencer's book will bring awareness to the refugee experience to a western audience. He is a recent arrival in the United States, having just completed a 13 year effort to get asylum in America in exchange for his service during the war. He is starting a new life in Chicago with his wife with the help of a refugee resettlement organization known as RefugeeOne.Follow Abdulhaq on Instagram: instagram.com/abdulhaqsodaisauthorAbout 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 Episode 137 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'm thrilled to bring back Daniel Salazar and Sonia Norton for a discussion on updates for Afghans in various U.S. programs and pathways, and the long-awaited discussion on how to write, pitch, and promote an op-ed on Afghanistan that can help move the conversation forward in a positive manner in the current climateAbout Sonia and Daniel:Sonia Norton is the Director of Advocacy at No One Left Behind. Before joining No One Left Behind, she 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 10 Policy 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.Daniel Salazar is a refugee and protection policy advisor at Global Refuge, the national refugee resettlement agency formerly known as Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. He does policy and advocacy work on the U.S. refugee admissions program, Afghan and Ukrainian resettlement, and other topics. He has worked on Afghan-related legislation such as the Afghan Adjustment Act, the Afghan SIV program, and CARE authorization since July 2022, first at U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants and now at Global Refuge. He is also a coalition member of Evacuate Our Allies and has helped campaigns on Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan and re-parole for Afghans. Before this work, he was a journalist in Kansas and Texas before moving to Washington, DC for his master’s in foreign service at Georgetown University.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 Episode 136 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'm thrilled to host Kieran Ramsey, Chief Investigative Officer at Global Reach. Kieran talks about the support Global Reach provides to the families of those wrongfully detained by overseas regimes, and discusses the Taliban's long practice of using hostages to achieve their own goals inside Afghanistan.We also discuss the current situation for hostages wrongfully held in Iran, whose situations are unknown in the current conflict.About Kieran Ramsey:During a 32-year career in federal law enforcement and the U.S. Intelligence Community, Kieran Ramsey spearheaded massive investigations including the Boston Marathon Bombing, the killing of a U.S. diplomat overseas, the assassination of an internationally renowned journalist, and multiple kidnapping/hostage cases, Kieran is also able to harness the power of partnership, across agencies and across governments, in direct support of victims and their families.Kieran most recently served at the FBI’s highest echelon of executive leadership as an Assistant Director and the FBI’s Senior Representative to a U.S. Intelligence Community agency. This assignment required his resourcefulness and expertise to ensure U.S. Intelligence Community capabilities and authorities were fully integrated not only in hostage situations, but across the entire range of national security threats: counterterrorism, counterespionage, cyber, and transnational organized crime.Kieran is well-known as a leader in the hostage space, having served as the third Director of the U.S. Government’s Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, wherein he led the interagency effort through a period of great change that saw the successful return of numerous hostages and wrongful detainees. He further established deep relationships with former hostages, hostage families, and other hostage advocacy groups which continue to this day.Kieran’s other positions across his lengthy career include multiple domestic office postings, as well as cross-cultural assignments as a diplomat, and the senior FBI official in U.S. embassies in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. His reputation as a “fixer,” placed him in some of the most challenging assignments, ranging from the Regime Crimes Task Force in Iraq in 2004, to navigating FBI’s support to local law enforcement during the period of civil unrest in Portland, Oregon in 2020. He also led one of the FBI’s Evidence Response Teams in New York in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.Kieran has been honored with numerous accolades and awards across his career for a variety of investigations including the U.S. Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association Award, the International Chiefs of Police Award, and the International Narcotics Officer Association Award. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University and a master’s degree from Georgetown University, and is a former adjunct faculty member for the FBI.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 Episode 135 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. This is the third segment in a special sub-series of the podcast in conjunction with The Fighter Pilots' Guide to Living.Today’s guests are three Green Berets from ODA 595, Mark Nutsch, Paul Evans, and Mike Elmore, and three members of VF-213, Nate Bailey, Michael Peterson, and Chip King.Today, we talk about the aftermath of the first strafing run that Biff and Tung conducted in support of ODA 595 and the use of that tactic throughout the remainder of VF-213's deployment.We also talk about the remaining months of operations that ODA 595 and VF-213 conducting in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the takeaways that each of our guests had from their participation in the early days of the Global War on Terror.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 Episode 134 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. This is the second segment in a special sub-series of the podcast in conjunction with The Fighter Pilots' Guide to Living.Today’s guests are three Green Berets from ODA 595, Mark Nutsch, Paul Evans, and Mike Elmore, and three members of VF-213, Nate Bailey, Michael Peterson, and Chip King.Today, we dive into the evolving conditions inside and overhead in Afghanistan as Green Berets arrived in the country, and we talk about the difficulties of calling in close air support in the early days of Operation Enduring Freedom.Towards the end of the episode, we address the single incident on November 5, 2001 that shifted the way that F-14 Tomcats would support ground forces working to push back the Taliban . 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 Episode 133 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

This is a special sub-series of the podcast in conjunction with The Fighter Pilots' Guide to Living.Today’s guests are three Green Berets from ODA 595, Mark Nutsch, Paul Evans, and Mike Elmore, and three members of VF-213, Nate Bailey, Michael Peterson, and Chip King.Today, we dive into the missions that ODA 595 and VF-213 had prior to the attacks of 9/11, and how those missions changed after the terror attacks that shocked the world.Our conversation will lead us to a discussion of a single incident in November 2001 that shifted the way that F-14 Tomcats supported ground forces working to push back the Taliban in the earliest days of Operation Enduring Freedom. 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 Episode 132 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'm thrilled to host Natalie Gonnella-Platts, Director of Global Policy for the George W. Bush Institute.

An incredible expert on the dire situation inside Afghanistan, Natalie talks about many of the ongoing struggles facing Afghans in their homeland and many of the policy choices that could be pursued to hold the Taliban to account.

Find the Captured State project here: https://www.bushcenter.org/series/captured-state

Find the Taliban Travel Tracker here: https://www.bushcenter.org/publications/taliban-travel-tracker

About Natalie Gonnella-Platts:

Natalie Gonnella-Platts has over 15 years of experience advancing research, policy, and programs in support of women and children worldwide. Her current work includes a focus on the rights and well-being of women and children in Afghanistan; the intersection of economic development, migration, and gender-based violence in regions like Central America; the agency and advancement of young women and adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa; and the link between democratic backsliding, autocratic regimes, and gender inequity.

She is the host of the Bush Institute’s award nominated podcast, Ladies, First; the co-author of a first-of-its kind analysis on global first ladies, A Role Without a Rulebook; and served as a project lead on the development of the Bush Center’s 2018 and 2019 special exhibits. Her work has also been featured across a wide range of external outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Vanity Fair, The Dallas Morning News, Real Clear World, and Politico. Gonnella-Platts studied Communications and International Studies (Peace and Conflict) at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Fredonia. She earned an MA in War, Violence and Security studies from the University of Sussex in Brighton, United Kingdom. Prior to her current role, she has held various positions in London and New York at organizations including BBC Worldwide, the Legatum Institute, and AIG, among others.

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 Episode 131 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've got a familiar returning guest, #AfghanEvac president Shawn VanDiver. We talk about not only the Afghans at Camp As Sayliyah who are in proximity of the ongoing military conflict with Iran and have had debris from missiles and/or missile interceptors fall into their rooms on the base.Shawn also talks about a number of other factors impacting Afghans in locations around the globe and at home in the U.S.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 Episode 130 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 social justice activist Shannon Galpin, who has a long history of supporting women inside Afghanistan.We talk about Shannon's work in Afghan women's prisons, supporting the deaf community in Afghanistan, and helping to support Afghan women cyclists across the country.We also talk about Shannon's support for refugees fleeing the country following the withdrawal, and her work on an archive to share the stories of Afghan women in sports.About Shannon Galpin:Shannon Galpin is a social justice activist, author, artist, and filmmaker. Shannon has spent two decades working with Afghans and during the eight years she worked in Afghanistan she worked in the women’s prisons, with the deaf community, created women’s education programs, supported the first graffiti art workshops and music festivals, and spent years supporting the first women’s cycling teams. Shannon is a Fellow with the Royal Geographical Society and a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year. In 2009, Shannon became the first person to mountain bike in Afghanistan. She continued to travel through Afghanistan by bike for several years, using the bike as a tool to explore and interrogate gender barriers. She supported and trained the first Afghan Women’s National Cycling team and helped build and support the ‘right to ride’ movement across Afghanistan. When the Taliban returned, Shannon evacuated athletes and human rights defenders, set up safehouses, and resettled hundreds of Afghans into dozens of countries. Shannon is the author of two books on Afghanistan, including her memoir, Mountain to Mountain, and Streets of Afghanistan. Currently Shannon is building the first Afghan Women’s Sport Archive to ensure their legacy is preserve for present and future generations. 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 a special episode of The Afghanistan Project focused on the heightened conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan, its origins, and how regional dynamics play a role.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 Episode 129 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 Danilo Zak, the Director of Policy at Church World Service.We discuss the value refugees add to society, the successes of the Pacito v Trump lawsuit in forcing the restarting of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, and the suite of changes for Afghans that have taken place in recent months.We also discuss new legislation that may have a positive impact for those impacted by processing pauses.About Danilo Zak:Danilo Zak is the Director of Policy at Church World Service. In this role, he leads the CWS Policy Team on strategic engagement with policymakers to advance pro-refugee, pro-immigrant policies and neutralize harmful proposals. Danilo is responsible for managing and executing a strategic plan to advance a refugee resettlement, asylum, and immigration framework that strengthens U.S. leadership and has a positive impact on people’s lives.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 Episode 128 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 'Noori,' a joint terminal attack controller (JTAC) in the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command.Noori talks about how he was selected for ANASOC, training to become a JTAC, and the ground missions that left him wounded on three different occasions.After becoming a trainer for other ANASOC units, Noori was evacuated from Kabul and talks about adjusting to life in the U.S.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 Episode 127 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 Jordan Kane, who was the team lead for the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) report on aid diversion by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Jordan and I discuss the changes that SIGAR underwent following the Taliban's takeover and the difficulties Jordan had with censorship as she worked to highlight the Taliban's aid diversion practices through SIGAR.About Jordan:Jordan holds a Bachelors degree from Pomona University and a Masters from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Jordan has worked for the Department of State, Booz Allen Hamilton, USAID, DT Global, and SIGAR.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 Episode 126 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 Mark Flanigan. Mark spent the 2016-17 academic year teaching at a women's liberal arts college in Bangladesh. Four years later, when he was helping Afghans who had been moved to Ft. McCoy following the Taliban's August 2021 takeover, kismet brought him back in contact with several of his Afghan students, who have taken off to a number of prestigious universities since being welcomed into the U.S.Mark talks about the impact that his experience has had on his life.About Mark:Mark Flanigan is a U.S. Army veteran, Rotarian, and educator in Northern Virginia. He previously served as a National Operations Officer with IOM, aiding in the resettlement of Afghan evacuees across the U.S. under Operation Allies Welcome. He completed additional short-term refugee resettlement assignments in Qatar, Bangladesh, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. Mark’s diverse experience includes roles as an AmeriCorps VISTA, a HillVets fellow, a Rotary Peace Fellow in Japan and Thailand, a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF), and a JET Program teacher in Nagasaki. He holds an M.A. in Peace Studies from International Christian University in Tokyo, an M.S. in Public Policy from George Mason University, and a B.A. in Political Science from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.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 Episode 125 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 Hasht-e Subh editor Hussain Haidari, who discusses his journey fleeing Afghanistan and becoming a refugee inside the U.S. We talk about Hussain's advocacy for the refugee community, the safety and stability his family has found in the U.S., and his hopes for his homeland.About Hussain:In Afghanistan, Hussain Ali Haidari was an executive officer for former Afghan president Ashraf Gani and a reporter for 8am media. He now continues to write for the site, is an intake and outreach specialist at Minneapolis nonprofit Emerge, and is the reporter and editor for New Home, a weekly refugee newsletter. Hussain is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Social Work at the University of Minnesota.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 Episode 124 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 Andrew Sullivan, Executive Director of nonprofit No One Left Behind. Andy talks about the Jan. 14 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on vetting practices for Afghan allies, including OIG revelations about vetting suggestions that were not heeded by the Biden or Trump administrations, and the panel of speakers talking about our allies. Andy also talks about the current state of the SIV program, which is suspended to the detriment of the allies who worked shoulder-to-shoulder with U.S. forces during nearly two decades of war.Find No One Left Behind via: Twitter: https://twitter.com/n1leftbehindWebsite: 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 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 Episode 123 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 veteran Joe Burdick, who has spent much of the last four and a half years making sure that we remember the sacrifices of the 13 U.S. service members who died at Abbey Gate at Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 26, 2021.We talk about how Joe became an advocate for the fallen, and the effort to pass Ohio SB 244 to create a day of memory in their honor.About Joe:Joe Burdick is a veteran-driven entrepreneur and podcast host whose work centers on service, honor, and impact. Drawing from his military background, Joe founded Burdick Custom Flags, crafting handmade wooden flags that stand as symbols of sacrifice and pride. His podcast amplifies authentic voices—veterans, leaders, athletes, and creators—through honest, long-form conversations. Beyond business and media, Joe is committed to philanthropy, using his platform to support causes that serve veterans, first responders, and military families. His mission is simple: serve, create, and give back.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 Episode 122 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 incredible filmmaker Brishkay Ahmed, who is discussing her documentary film, 'In the Room,' which tells the stories of five tremendous Afghan women whose activism has forced them to flee their homeland. About Brishkay:Brishkay Ahmed is known for her feature documentaries In the Rumbling Belly of Motherland (2021), Unveiled: The Kohistan Video Scandal (2016) and Story of Burqa (2012). Throughout her years as a documentary filmmaker, her projects have been supported by the NFB, CBC, Super Channel, RTA, Bravo and Cinema Politica. Her last feature documentary, In the Rumbling Belly of Motherland, a nominee for the 2021 DGC Allan King Award for Excellence in Documentary, won the Outstanding Feature Film Award at the 2021 Reelworld Film Festival. Her short film Fatima in Kabul (2021) was a Canadian Screen Award nominee for Best Web Program and a Banff Rockie Award nominee for Short Non-Fiction Program. Beyond documentaries, Brishkay is the creator and co-director of the Afghan prime-time legal drama Between You and Me for Tolo TV, Afghanistan. She also worked as a writer and director on several police and legal procedurals in Kabul, Afghanistan (2011–2019). Brishkay studied film production at NYU and is an alumna of the Canadian Film Centre.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 Episode 121 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 for a third time to dive into another article from Center for Immigration Studies' Phillip Linderman that casts aspersions on Republicans who support Afghans, belittles the politically diverse advocates who support our allies, and makes demeaning, dehumanizing, and downright false "observations" about Afghans with absolutely no evidence. 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 Episode 120 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's guest is Canadian veteran Nathan Kehler, discussing Project Athena, his effort to map participation in the Afghan war through a living map.Nathan talks about his deployment to Kandahar in 2009, and how his participation in Project 44, an effort to map the Second World War, led to the creation of Project Athena.We talk about what's in the works for expanding Project Athena, and Canada's role in the Afghanistan withdrawal.Find Project Athena here: https://www.projectathena.ca/About Nathan Kehler:Nathan Kehler is a former Armoured Reconnaissance soldier with the Royal Canadian Dragoons who later re-mustered as a Geomatics Technician with 2 Combat Engineer Regiment. He deployed to Kandahar in 2009 as part of the 1 PPCLI Battle Group, Task Force 3-09, serving across Panjwai, Dand, and Kandahar City. He released from the Canadian Armed Forces in 2019 and has since focused on historical mapping and digital preservation. He founded Project ’44, an interactive web map documenting the Canadian Army during the Second World War, and later created Project Athena to map Canada’s war in Afghanistan. His work aims to make military history more accessible by giving veterans and the public a way to explore, contribute, and preserve stories through modern digital tools.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 Episode 119 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's guest is director Ankita Kumar, discussing her new documentary, 'Far From Home,' which tells the story of an Afghan family living in India, where they seek refugee status and a path to rebuilding a life.Ankita talks about why she focused on the refugee situation in India, and how she chose the subjects of her film. We discuss future projects, and upcoming screenings of the documentary.About Ankita:Ankita Kumar is an award-winning journalist-turned-documentary filmmaker. Far from Home is her first film. It has screened at over 8 film festivals last year and won several awards. Before filmmaking, Ankita worked for news organizations such as Deutsche Welle (DW) and POLITICO. Her core coverage areas are refugees, migration, immigration and culture. Ankita has taught at UC Berkeley's Journalism school. She is currently working on her next feature documentary on Carnatic music (a form of Indian classical music) and producing another documentary on a Syrian-Armenian artist.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 Episode 118 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 Jenn Noonkester, a retired senior Air Force NCO who has been helping to shepherd multiple U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants, and some Afghan Christians, to safety in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal.

Jenn talks about the devastation that followed for the Afghans she is assisting when the Presidential Directive authorizing just 7,500 USRAP applicants in FY 2026 was released and included no provisions for our Afghan allies.

We talk about the individuals she is supporting, and the ways to keep assisting USRAP applicants in the face of the devastating news.About Jenn:

Jenn is a retired Air Force senior NCO who deployed several times during her career, including to Afghanistan and Iraq. Jenn left the service in the months following the Afghan government’s collapse after a 20-year career. She is now pursuing a degree and is involved in public service to assist her community, fellow evacuation volunteers, veterans, and anyone else who struggles with mental health.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 Episode 117 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 Sarina Faizy, formerly a Provincial Council member in Kandahar province. Sarina talks about her journey to being elected to the Provincial Council, the cultural difficulties of performing her job, and traveling to the U.S. for her education.

We discuss her efforts to help Afghans who arrived in the U.S. following the harrowing withdrawal from Kabul, and her hopes for her future and the future of her country.About Sarina Faizy:

Sarina began her career as a Media Relations Officer for ISAF/NATO in Kandahar in 2011, and eventually was elected to the Kandahar Provincial Council, where she held a position between 2014 and 2019. Sarina helped to process Afghans into the country in September 2021 and was recently a Senior Operations Associate at Chemonics working on support to their Special Immigrant Visa Unit.

Sarina has her Bachelor’s from Malalay University and her Master’s in International Law from my alma mater, the College of William and Mary.

You can find Sarina's children's book, Sarina of Kandahar: An Afghan Girl's Journey to Change the World, on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sarina-Kandahar-Afghan-Journey-Change/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 a special mini-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 guests are co-founder of Massachusetts Afghan Alliance John Moses and #afghanevac president Shawn VanDiver. We discuss the inaccuracies and concerns raised by a piece by "Civis Legatus" in the Benjamin Franklin Fellowship that purports to share information about the special immigrant visa program.

Find Massachusetts Afghan Alliance:

on the web: https://massafghanalliance.org/on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/massafghanalliance/

on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/massafghanalliance/ Follow Shawn on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shawnjvandiver Follow #AfghanEvac:

on Twitter https://twitter.com/afghanevac on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/afghanevac/ on the web: https://afghanevac.org/ 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 Episode 116 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 #afghanevac president Shawn VanDiver providing an overarching update on the various programs supporting Afghan SIV and USRAP applicants and the legislative efforts underway to support our allies. About Shawn VanDiver and #AfghanEvac: Follow Shawn on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shawnjvandiver Follow #AfghanEvac on Twitter https://twitter.com/afghanevac on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/afghanevac/ on their website: https://afghanevac.org/ 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 "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 Geeta Bakshi of nonprofit Famil.Geeta talks about being introduced to a member of the Zero Units experiencing suicidal ideation because he was having serious struggles with his SIV case status, which made him feel as though he had no future.Miraculously, Famil was able to find that this man answers - and uncover more of the vagaries in the SIV system that make it difficult to navigate.

Welcome to Episode 115 of The Afghanistan Project, where wecover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Today, my guest is Fahim Abed, an investigations editor with Lighthouse Reports and 2023 Nieman fellow at Harvard. Fahim was a reporter for The New York Times in Afghanistan until the Taliban takeover of the country in August 2021.

Fahim discusses a Lighthouse Reports’ investigation which found that 110 reprisal killings of Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) personnel have taken place since 2023.

Fahim talks about the peril that ANDSF personnel live under as a result of their affiliation with the former government, including aggressive torture. We discuss the need for additional protections for ANDSF personnel, considering the closeness of their ties with U.S. military personnel.

Fahim closes the episode by reading a letter from the widow of an ANDSF reprisal victim.

Find the Lighthouse Reports investigation here: https://www.lighthousereports.com/investigation/hunted-by-the-taliban/

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 114 of The Afghanistan Project, where wecover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Today, my guest is Dr. Amna Mehmood, a molecular biologist who has turned her skills to helping Afghans in their homeland and the diaspora. Dr. Mehmood recently conducted a survey of the impact of the Taliban’s internet ban, and she shares herimportant findings in this episode.

Dr. Mehmood also talks about how hard she fought for her own education as a refugee in Pakistan during childhood and particularly her teen years.

About Dr. Amna Mehmood:

Dr. Amna Mehmood is a molecular biologist and senior scientist (Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg) in Germany.
She received her Master’s and PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Jacobs University Bremen as a DAAD scholar and later studied  Cancer Genomics and Immuno-Oncology at Harvard Medical School.
After completing her PhD, Dr. Mehmood returned to Afghanistan to help establish the country’s National Reference Laboratories Network, working to strengthenmolecular diagnostics and research capacity on a national level.
But behind her impressive scientific career is an extraordinary personal journey.
As a young girl fleeing war in Afghanistan and growing up as a refugee in Pakistan, Amna’s path was marked by instability, changing schools, and limited resources; often with little or no access to a laboratory.
Yet her determination and love for science never faded. From those humble beginnings, she went on to help establish national molecular diagnostic laboratories in Afghanistan, contributing to her country’s medical and research capacity during some of its most challenging years. Yet she transformed those challenges into purpose and leadership.
Today, she continues her scientific work in Germany while leading the Resilient Afghan Diaspora Initiatives, a platform she founded to give voice to those silenced by conflict and to share the stories of Afghan resilience, strength, and hope across generations

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 113 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 Shabir Kabiri, who has in-depth understanding of the internet infrastructure inside Afghanistan.We discuss the growth of the internet inside Afghanistan during the past twenty years, and the likely scenario which created the most recent whole-country internet outage inside Afghanistan.We talk about the sectors impacted by the outage, and possible workarounds should the Taliban cut off access in the future.About Shabir Kabiri:Shabir Kabiri is an Afghan national who has lived in the US for over 10 years - first as a student and now a resident. Originally from Kabul, he worked as a digital development consultant with the World Bank to expand internet access and adoption in Afghanistan. A graduate of the United States Military Academy, West Point, he currently works for an American defense contractor. Shabir has in-depth technical knowledge of the digital connectivity and internet infrastructure in Afghanistan, and how the technology is intertwined with other sectors such as education, health, banking, and others.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 Episode 112 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 Mina Sharif, author of the new shortstory collection Your War, Our Lives.

Mina discusses the book’s reception among Westerners,Afghans in the diaspora, and Afghans who remain in the Taliban’s Afghanistan.

We talk about the major themes in the stories, and end our conversation with a call to action for supporters of Afghan women, whose lives have been deeply impacted by the loss of human rights they experience under Taliban rule.

About Mina Sharif:

Mina Sharif is an Afghan-Canadian writer and advocate whose work centers on amplifying Afghan women’s voices and challenging simplified narratives about Afghanistan. She is the founder of Sisters 4 Sisters, a nationwide mentorship program for Afghan girls, and her debut short storycollection, Your War, Our Lives, draws on her 15 years in Kabul to illuminate the resilience and humanity of Afghan daily life.

Find Your War, Our Lives here:

https://minasharif.com/your-war-our-lives

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 111 of The Afghanistan Project, where wecover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Today, my guest is Army veteran Rebekah Edmondson, CEO of NXT Mission, a nonprofit which serves Afghan women who were part of the elite Female Tactical Platoon.

Rebekah talks about how the FTP came to exist, and what she witnessed of these incredible Afghan women during multiple deployments of her own to Afghanistan as a member of the Cultural Support Team.

Rebekah talks about her work to support members of the FTP following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan as many members arrived in the U.S. on humanitarian parole. She also mentions the struggles of those who remain overseas as U.S.Refugee Admissions Program applicants.

Find NXT Mission here: https://www.nxtmission.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/BWBailey85on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/

Welcome to Episode 110 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war inAfghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Today, my guest Andrew Walker, who has been helping Afghans in a volunteer capacity for several years.

Andy talks about the case of a 16-year ANASOC commando whom he helped find safety, who was recently forced to depart Pakistan and return to a country where he will behunted by the Taliban.

Andy discusses misconceptions about the Afghan National Army’s willingness and capacity to fight for their country and delves into personal details about the impact that his work had on his health. Finally, he applauds the service members – including Generals – who assisted the Afghan he has been shepherding.

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 toFox 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 "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 No One Left Behind Executive Director Andrew Sullivan.Andrew talks about attempting to help his interpreter’s family, about a woman forced to watch her husband depart Camp As Sayliyah with her children, and a daughter whose future was in limbo due to a misunderstood scenario involving an engagement.

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/

Welcome to Episode 95 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 Chris Robinson, creator of The Last Deployment Project.Chris is a Marine Infantry veteran and Oral Historian. 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 from Southeastern 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-page thesis: The Last Deployment Project - Voices from HKIA. As of now, he has conducted 60 interviews totaling around 250 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.In this episode, we talked about Chris’ military experience, and about how he came to create The Last Deployment Project. We also discuss the important facts he’s gathered about our final days and months in Afghanistan, and the facts he still needs to gather about HKIA (2/1 Marines, Chris needs you!)Find The Last Deployment Project:On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NsCAm4XYhb00g6ggstwfZOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.last.deployment_project/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 Episode 94 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 guests are Sonia Norton, Director of Advocacy atNo One Left Behind, and Daniel Salazar, a refugee and protection policy advisor at Global Refuge.

We discuss the revocation of Temporary Protected Status forAfghans, the rationales given for that revocation, and how Afghans can protect themselves stateside. We also talk about the possibility that Congress will allocate additional Special Immigrant Visas in the upcoming budget.

About the guests:

Sonia Norton is the Director of Advocacy at No One LeftBehind. Before joining No One Left Behind, she 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 10 Policy 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

Daniel Salazar is a refugee and protection policy advisor atGlobal Refuge, the national refugee resettlement agency formerly known as Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. He does policy and advocacy work on the U.S. refugee admissions program, Afghan and Ukrainian resettlement, and other topics. He has worked on Afghan-related legislation such as the Afghan Adjustment Act, the Afghan SIV program, and CARE authorization since July 2022, first at U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants and now at Global Refuge. He is also a coalition member of Evacuate Our Allies and has helped campaigns on Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan and re-parole for Afghans. Before this work, he was a journalist in Kansas and Texas before moving to Washington, DC for his master’s in foreign service at Georgetown University.

Follow Global Refuge:

Online: https://www.globalrefuge.org/

On X: https://x.com/GlobalRefuge

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/globalrefuge_/

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/globalrefuge/

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/BWBailey85on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85

on the web: https://bethwbailey.com

Welcome to Episode 93 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 Kreshma Fakhri of Zan Times. Kreshma hasa master’s degree in political science and a bachelor’s degree in Persian literature from Kabul University. She started her journalism career in 2009 and since then her work has been published in various local and international media. She has worked as investigative reporter on issues such as corruption, human rights abuses, and violence against women and children.

We talked about the threats Kreshma faced in Afghanistan asa reporter, and how she fled to Turkey and later became involved in efforts to create a media platform where Afghan women could report on the issues they faced under Taliban rule. We talk about the important work of recruitment underway and the issues still facing women in Afghanistan today.

Find Zan Times:

On the web: https://zantimes.com/

On X: https://x.com/ZanTimes

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/

Today, #AfghanEvac president and founder Shawn VanDiver provides an update on the compliance order and timeline achieved in IRAP's Pacito v. Trump lawsuit, as well as an update on the figures of Afghan allies who remain in our Special Immigrant Visa and U.S. Refugee Admissions Program pipelines.

Follow Shawn VanDiver on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shawnjvandiver

Follow #AfghanEvac on

Twitter: https://twitter.com/afghanevac

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/afghanevac/

their website: https://afghanevac.org/

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 Episode 92 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 U.S. Air Force veteran Tanner Yackley.Tanner has over a decade of expertise with the MQ-9 Reaper, including serving in combat capacity as a sensor operator. He is now a PhD candidate, and is focusing on the unique mental health challenges that drone operators and support personnel face as veterans.

Today, we’re discussing his combat experience with the MQ-9 Reaper, and how it differed from typical forward-deployed pilots’ and weapons system operators’ experiences. We discuss the mental health impact of the work pace and rotations and of replaying scenes of combat in order to become more adept at targeting.

We also talk about Tanner’s work into researching the mentalhealth of drone operators, which is not well understood in the health or veteran communities.

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 91 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 guests are James Seddon and Jillian Butler, whohave joined me to talk about a series of articles in the American Conservative by Center for Immigration Studies' Board Member Phillip Linderman that attack our Afghan allies’ deservingness for the programs they qualify for, and egregiously cast aspersions on the #AfghanEvac coalition of veterans and volunteers who have supported our allies for three and a half years against a callous bureaucracy.

James Seddon is a father, husband, writer, retired Navyveteran, Afghanistan veteran, speaker, activist for veterans and Afghan allies, recovering IT manager, and regularly unsuccessful fisherman living in Southern California.

Jillian Butler is a journalist, and earned her Master’sDegree in international relations from the University of San Diego.

We discuss Phillip Linderman’s articles, as well as the debate that The Afghanistan Project Podcast hosted between Linderman and #AfghanEvac founder Shawn VanDiver.

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 90 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 Lori Butierries. Lori is a full-time caregiver to two children with disabilities. She uses her life experiences and the medical knowledge she gained from serving as a Hospital Corpsman in the United States Navy to help others facing similar hardships.

Lori has written for The Havok Journal, AwareNowMagazine, and The Mighty. Likewise, other news sites like MSN and Yahoo! News have also republished select articles Lori has written.

Lori's writing extends to children's literature. Her debutpicture book, GIFT FROM GOD, was self-published at the beginning of 2021 and placed as a finalist in two categories in the 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Lori's long-term goals are to use her writing to educateothers about, advocate for, and dismantle negative stereotypes regarding disability, mental health, and the military/veterans community.

Lori and I discuss how she was voluntold to take part inearly efforts to acknowledge cultural sensitivities in Afghanistan by sending female searchers to look for intelligence, weapons, or ammo hidden on Afghan women while infantry units searched Afghan men and dealt with enemy forces.

We talk about the nature of her workup period, dealing withmenstruation in the field, being embedded within infantry units despite having limited understanding of how to react to combat situations, and how Lori transitioned into advocacy for Afghan women after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

About Lori Butierries:

Follow Lori on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/lori_butierries/

Follow Lori on Twitter here: https://x.com/LButierries

Find Lori’s book, Gift of God, here: https://www.amazon.com/GIFT-GOD-Lori-Butierries/dp/0578838362/

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 The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Today, Center for Immigration Studies’ Board Member Phillip Linderman, and #afghanevac coalition president Shawn VanDiver will be discussing a series of articles Phillip has authored in The American Conservative about the vetting of our Afghan allies and the allegations that the AfghanEvac coalition has ties with the open-border lobby.

Phillip discusses his articles and his belief that the Trump administration’s pause on Afghan arrivals is in the U.S. interest. Shawn provides the counter, examining why it is paramount for our national security to fulfill America’s promise to support the allies who qualify for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and the Special Immigrant Visa program.

We then go point-by-point through claims in each article (“The Afghan Refugee Program Is an Unfixable Mess – and May Bring the Next Terrorist Attack,” and “The Veterans Group Running Interference for Open-Border NGOs”) that contradict demonstrated fact, including by discussing the thorough interagency vetting our allies receive, the danger to our allies in the Taliban’s Afghanistan, the need to fulfill America’s promise to its allies, and the lack of political bias within the #AfghanEvac coalition.

About the guests:

Phillip Linderman is a retired State Department senior Foreign Service officer. Over a three-decade career, he served abroad in U.S. embassies and consulates in Belgium, Mexico, Ecuador, Germany, Cuba, Chile, and Trinidad. He also represented U.S. interests at the Organization of American States and the European Union. Linderman’s diplomatic duties often focused on U.S. border security, international travel, and migration policies, giving him wide experience in working with foreign governments, as well as U.S. law enforcement and intelligence partners, on matters such as visa and passport fraud, human trafficking, terrorist travel, watchlisting, and identity information collection and use.

Shawn VanDiver is the founder of #AfghanEvac. A vocal proponent of civic engagement at all levels, Shawn serves as Vice Chair of the San Diego Convention Center and is the founder of the San Diego Chapter of the Truman National Security Project. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors for Vets Community Connections and the Veterans Community Oversight and Engagement Board.

Shawn attended National University, the Naval Postgraduate School, and University of San Francisco and holds degrees and certifications related to homeland security, cybersecurity, emergency management, and public leadership. Shawn is a Navy veteran, proud father and avid sailor.

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. 89 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 guests are Sonia Norton, Director of Advocacy atNo One Left Behind, and Daniel Salazar, a refugee and protection policy advisor at Global Refuge.

We discuss Temporary Protected Status, and why it was usedfor our Afghan allies in the aftermath of Operation Allies Refuge. We talk about the continuation of a dangerous situation inside Afghanistan for our allies to return to, and what still remains unknown about developments.

About the guests:

Sonia Norton is the Director of Advocacy at No One LeftBehind. Before joining No One Left Behind, she 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 10 Policy 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.

Daniel Salazar is a refugee and protection policy advisor atGlobal Refuge, the national refugee resettlement agency formerly known as Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. He does policy and advocacy work on the U.S. refugee admissions program, Afghan and Ukrainian resettlement, and other topics. He has worked on Afghan-related legislation such as the Afghan Adjustment Act, the Afghan SIV program, and CARE authorization since July 2022, first at U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants and now at Global Refuge. He is also a coalition member of Evacuate Our Allies and has helped campaigns on Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan and re-parole for Afghans. Before this work, he was a journalist in Kansas and Texas before moving to Washington, DC for his master’s in foreign service at Georgetown University.

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 88 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 Steve Lewis. Steve has been a high school educator and coach for about thirty years. He writes for Havok Journal and is an incredible advocate for veterans. Steve is also involved with advocacy for our Afghan allies.

We talk about Steve’s family legacy of service, and the lessons he learned from the veterans in his life. We also discuss how the events of 9/11 led him to become a veteran advocate, and the various ways he remembers American veterans.

We also discuss Steve’s current endeavor of chronicling the actions of the 1-24th Infantry Regiment.

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 The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

My guest today is Alison Tabor, a Supervising Attorney with Resettlement Action DC (REACT DC) and a Principal Attorney with AGT LAW PLLC.

Alison discusses cases of Green Card removal from Afghans in the SIV program and a pause in Green Card issuance for SIV applicants, asylum seekers, and refugees. She also answers questions from Afghan listeners.

Mentioned in the episode:

Recent article on COM denials and revocations, including those in the states: https://gazette.com/news/wex/abandoning-america-s-afghan-allies/article_d05d3711-e194-58b9-bbe1-7941c9d4a3d3.html

Reason Article about USRAP family who reached US after USRAP suspension: https://reason.com/2025/03/21/afghan-refugees-stuck-in-limbo-as-usrap-suspension-defies-court-order/

A list of resources can be found here:

Pro bono legal service providers who represent people in removal proceedings at immigration courts (EOIR): https://www.justice.gov/eoir/list-pro-bono-legal-service-providers

Pro bono legal service providers who assist people in custody with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the border: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/1582586/dl?inline=

Pro bono legal service providers for remote credible fear interview (CFI): https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/1571576/dl?inline=

NAKASEC 24/7 HOTLINE: 1-844-500-3222 (No Dari/Pashto interpretation available)

National Immigration Legal Services Directory - Nonprofit Resource Center https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/nonprofit/legaldirectory/

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 Episode 87 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 Shahir, a student at Texas Tech University. Shahir’s family currently hold Special Immigrant Visa and Priority-2 U.S. Refugee Admissions Program cases and have been greatly impacted by the executive orders suspending the USRAP and freezing foreign aid.

We discuss Shahir’s family’s choice to send him outside of Afghanistan for his studies to protect him from violence inside the country, and the transitions he made to become accustomed to living in a country where there was peace.

Shahir talks about his father’s work for the U.S. Embassy, USAID, and Afghan Aid, and how this led him to qualify for both an SIV and a P-2 referral to the USRAP, though he was urged not to pursue the latter. We talk about Shahir’s family’s prospects, particularly those of his four sisters, who prompted his father to find a path to safety.

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 Episode 86 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

My guest today is Nasir, a former Afghan military member who awaits transfer from the CARE Team for his Priority-1 case in the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

Nasir talks about his incredible attitude in the face of hardship, his service to his country, and his hope that he can one day be part of efforts to restore peace in Afghanistan.

Nasir and his American friends have started a GoFundMe to support his efforts to reach safety and start anew. You can find that fundraiser here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/a-sons-dream-a-fathers-plan-for-a-safe-future

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 Episode 85 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 U.S. Army veteran James McCants. James entered the U.S. Army in 2006 and graduated from the Defense Language Institute after finishing the Tagalog language basic course in 2007. After completing ATI and going on two deployments to the Philippines, James deployed to Afghanistan between March 2011 and February 2012 with the Headquarters Support Company of 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group. He spent time in Baghlan, Konduz and Faryab provinces, with the majority of his deployment with ODA 1313 at Village Stability Platform (VSP) Mangal located in Mangal village, Baghlan-I-Jadid district, Baghlan Province. James talks about his deployment and the growth and safety that the Army enabled in their area of operations. We also talk about his connection to Afghanistan after the war ended, including his dogged efforts to mark U.S. bases on Google Maps, and loudly advocating for our Special Immigrant Visa allies with his local leaders in Juneau. We talk about many of the wounds that exist for veterans following the now-unsung conflict in Afghanistan, and why remembering Afghanistan is important now and into perpetuity.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 The Afghanistan Project, where we cover alltopics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Today, my guest is Julie Pacheco-Toye, the foster mother of“Kara,” a young Afghan teen who came to the U.S. unaccompanied following the withdrawal, and went through a great deal of uncertainty before finding herself in Julie and her husband’s home. Now, Kara experiences even greater uncertainty as President Trump’s executive order suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and possible impending Afghanistan travel ban may put an even longer than anticipated pause on her reunion with her family.

Julie and I talk about Kara’s tumultuous journey to theU.S., the struggle to demonstrate that she was a child after being processed into the country, and the multiple housing situations she endured before Julie and her husband became her foster parents.

We talk about the journey to bring Kara’s sister herethrough humanitarian parole, and the continued uncertainty about the remainder of Kara’s family, who are waiting on the USRAP and do not know when they might be reunited with their children.

If you would like to support Kara and her family, you can doso through their GoFundMe, here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/reunite-a-young-afghan-refugee-with-her-family

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 83 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’s guest is Mursal, a sixteen-year-old Afghan who helped to educate girls in her country after being forbidden from attending the 8th grade in 2021. With the help of some amazing Americans, Mursal was able to escape her country and is now in school in the U.S. She is the author behind Hope’s Corner, which is hosted on Kate Kovarovic’s Substack.

Mursal talks about her efforts to educate girls after the Taliban’s takeover, and the Taliban’s horrifying attempts to make her stop teaching.

We also talk about the practice of forced and child marriage still occurring inside Afghanistan and the great trauma it is causing.

Find Kate Kovarovic’s Substack here:

https://substack.com/@katekovarovic

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 The Afghanistan Project, where we cover alltopics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Today’s guest is Layma Murtaza, a board member from Aseel, which provides food and assistance to Afghans in need and also helps Afghan artisans bring their products to the world through the web. Layma has over 10 years of experience working in the international development and humanitarian space in Syria and Afghanistan, through NGOs like the International Rescue Committee, Danish Refugee Council, the Aga Khan Foundation, and the International Organization for Migration

Layma talks about Aseel’s innovative approach todecentralizing aid and the importance of continuing assistance to Afghanistan in the aftermath of executive orders that impact the country.

Find Aseel on the web: https://aseelapp.com/

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/

Welcome to The Afghanistan Project, where we cover alltopics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Today, I’m very honored to bring on Ambassador M. AshrafHaidari is the Founder & President of Displaced International (DI) and a former refugee who is now a U.S. citizen. Overcoming significant challenges, he has built a distinguished career as a humanitarian leader and diplomat, with more than 20 years of experience in national and international organizations across multiple continents. His work reflects the values of democracy, rights, liberty, and equality, contributing to both his birth country and the United States. Drawing on his own experiences as a former refugee, he relentlessly advocates for displaced populations worldwide, particularly Afghan P1 and P2 resettlement applicants affected by the USRAP freeze, urging the Trump Administration to grant them an exemption.

Ashraf discusses the origins of displacement and the methods that DI is using to assist refugees on the move around the world, particularly those who have been awaiting assistance in the USRAP program.

Ashraf also tells his own story of life as an internally-displaced person before becoming a refugee and now U.S. citizen.

Find Displaced International:

On Twitter: https://x.com/displacedint

On the web: https://displacedinternational.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

Welcome to The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Our guests today are Shawn VanDiver and Kate Kovarovic, giving their input on breaking information that the State Department has been asked to put together plans for shutting down Enduring Welcome.

We beg for advocacy, in an effort to stop any decisions that could impact 200,000 allies and the veterans and advocates who have fought for them for 3.5 long years.

 Shawn VanDiver is founder and president of the AfghanEvac coalition, an umbrella of multiple volunteers and professionals across the government and private sector who aim to fulfill the promises the U.S. made to its Afghan allies.

Kate Kovarovic is the former Director of Resilience Programming for the #AfghanEvac coalition.

Follow Kate Kovarovic on Substack:https://substack.com/@katekovarovic

Follow Shawn VanDiver on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shawnjvandiver

Follow #AfghanEvac:

on Twitter: https://twitter.com/afghanevac

on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/afghanevac/

on their website: https://afghanevac.org/

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 Episode 81 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

My guest today is Hamayun Khan, an author, independent researcher, financial professional, and education advocate. He is the founder of SolaTeach, an online initiative educating Afghan girls English and professional skills. His writing focuses on Afghanistan’s socio-economic and financial landscape, with work featured in The National Interest, The Diplomat, and The Migration Policy Institute. He has authored The Death Within, along with several book chapters, peer-reviewed papers, and op-eds, contributing to Afghanistan’s financial and economic development and policy.

In our episode, Hamayun talks about the economic impact the de facto government has had in Afghanistan, and about the message of The Death Within, which draws upon his own experience having had two students end their lives due to societal pressure while in college.

Find The Death Within on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Death-Within-Hamayun-Khan/dp/1977248136/

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 The Afghanistan Project Podcast.

My guest today is Elizabeth Lynn, the director of governmentoperations at Operation Recovery, where she directs the Afghanistan and Grow America Farm Corps initiatives. 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.

Elizabeth talks about Afghans who are impacted by currentoperational orders, the impact on exhausted veterans, and an upcoming resilience event for veterans, hosted by Operation Recovery on March 17.

Find Operation Recovery here: https://operationrecovery.org/

Register to attend The Next Mission Summit: New Horizons in Veteran Wellbeing and Resiliency, hosted by Operation Recovery:

Virtually:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-next-mission-summit-new-horizons-in-veteran-wellbeing-resiliency-registration-1237953886399?aff=HWC

In-person: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-next-mission-summit-new-horizons-in-veteran-wellbeing-resiliency-registration-1205132386409?aff=HWC

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 The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal. Our guests today are Shawn VanDiver and Kate Kovarovic, giving a needed update on the fallout from new executive orders that impact our Afghan allies as well as our already overstretched volunteers. Shawn VanDiver is founder and president of the #AfghanEvac coalition, an umbrella of multiple volunteers and professionals across the government and private sector who aim to fulfill the promises the U.S. made to its Afghan allies. Kate Kovarovic is the former Director of Resilience Programming for the #AfghanEvac coalition.

Follow Kate Kovarovic on Substack: https://substack.com/@katekovarovic

Follow Shawn VanDiver and #AfghanEvac: on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shawnjvandiver on Twitter: https://twitter.com/afghanevac on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/afghanevac/ on their website: https://afghanevac.org/ 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 The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

My guest today is Alison Tabor, a Supervising Attorney with Resettlement Action DC (REACT DC) and a Principal Attorney with AGT LAW PLLC.

Alison delivers excellent information about how various groups of Afghans in the U.S. are impacted by the latest executive orders that have stopped processing of the USRAP, halted foreign funds, and impacted refugee resettlement and immigration.

Alison advises all Afghans without asylum or a Green Card to find an attorney who can help them with their cases.

A list of resources can be found here:

Pro bono legal service providers who represent people in removal proceedings at immigration courts (EOIR):

https://www.justice.gov/eoir/list-pro-bono-legal-service-providers

Pro bono legal service providers who assist people in custody with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the border: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/1582586/dl?inline=

Pro bono legal service providers for remote credible fear interview (CFI): https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/1571576/dl?inline=

NAKASEC 24/7 HOTLINE: 1-844-500-3222 (No Dari/Pashto interpretation available)

National Immigration Legal Services Directory - Nonprofit Resource Center https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/nonprofit/legaldirectory/

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 her on Instagram or X ⁠@BWBailey85⁠.

Welcome to The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Our guest today is Omid Eztarabi, a Social Activist and Human Rights Defender who has been participating in humanitarian efforts to improve civil society and women’s rights in Afghanistan since 2018, working for organization like the International Civil Society Action Network, the Afghan Women Organization for Equality, and Youth Entrepreneurial Services.

Omid has been actively involved in program development and human rights initiatives in collaboration with various German organizations, including the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, The Berlin Senate, Das Afghanistan Komitee, The German Institute for Human Rights, Deutsche Gesellschaft, German Dream, Impact Civil Society Research and Development, and the German Institute for Foreign Relations.

Omid talks about his pleas to the U.S. people and leaders for exemptions to executive orders that impact Afghan applicants to the US Refugee Admissions Program and that have also impacted Special Immigrant Visa applicants.

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 her on Instagram or X ⁠@BWBailey85⁠.

Find her work at https://bethwbailey.com/

Welcome to The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Our guests today are Sarah Cady, the CEO of Resettlement Action DC (REACT DC), Ellen Smith, the Executive Director of Keeping Our Promise, Inc. and John Moses, the co-founder of Massachusetts Afghan Alliance.

We discuss the impact new executive orders and stop work orders have had for each organization and the Afghans they support. We also work to dispel pervasive myths about the Afghan refugee population, and talk about what organizations need to get through the 90-day pause in processing.

An update - Beth referenced in the episode that 5 Afghan intel professionals had been found murdered, presumably by the Taliban, recently. In fact, 5 Afghans were arrested by Taliban intelligence but only 3 Afghans were found murdered, all of whom worked for the former ministry of the interior. Find the story here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFSBrcIx1Xq/

About the guests:

Keeping Our Promise:

https://www.keepingourpromise.org/

                                    https://www.keepingourpromise.org/donate.html

Massachusetts Afghan Alliance:

                                    https://massafghanalliance.org/

                                    https://massafghanalliance.org/donate

REACT DC:

                                    https://www.reactdc.org/

                                    https://donorbox.org/general-support-contribution?designation=General%20Support%20Contribution&default_interval=o

About the Akrami family:

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/2976254/after-siv-rejection-family-reunites-and-discovers-state-department-failure/

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/beltway-confidential/2980726/state-department-must-reopen-siv-case-repair-separation/

About the Ahmadi family, whose family members were wrongfully killed by a U.S. Reaper strike:

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/2837363/us-no-answer-relocation-compensation-afghanistan-drone-strike-victim-family/

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 her on Instagram or X ⁠@BWBailey85⁠.

Welcome to The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Our guests today are Shawn VanDiver and Kate Kovarovic, giving their input on new executive orders that impact our Afghan allies as well as our already overstretched volunteers.

Shawn VanDiver is founder and president of the #AfghanEvac coalition, an umbrella of multiple volunteers and professionals across the government and private sector who aim to fulfill the promises the U.S. made to its Afghan allies. Kate Kovarovic is the former Director of Resilience Programming for the #AfghanEvac coalition.

Referenced in the episode:

Family Reunification Episode with Terry Symula, John Moses, and Elizabeth Lynn:

https://youtu.be/SIL9O2lWpnc?si=SCyFbqs07ZAjAD1X

Family Reunification cases involving Zero Units with Geeta Bakshi:

https://youtu.be/onETEgyIfRk?si=jAgO5Ah1PgaVmEr6

About Shawn VanDiver and #AfghanEvac:

Follow Shawn on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shawnjvandiver

Follow #AfghanEvac on Twitter https://twitter.com/afghanevac

Or on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/afghanevac/

Or on their website: https://afghanevac.org/

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 her on Instagram or X ⁠@BWBailey85⁠.

Welcome to The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Our guest today is Andy Sullivan, the Chief Advocacy Officer for No One Left Behind, a nonprofit organization that supports the wartime allies whom we promised assistance through the special immigrant visa program.

Andy takes listeners through two new Trump administration executive orders that are impacting or may impact our Afghan allies, explaining who is impacted by the orders (US Refugee Admissions Program applicants), and who as yet is exempted from the pause (SIV applicants).

We discuss efforts to continue supporting our allies, the incredible service our Afghan supporters have provided to us and continue to provide after arriving on U.S. soil.

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 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 her on Instagram or X ⁠@BWBailey85⁠.

For Afghan listeners:

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, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com. 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 80 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’s guests are two members of the Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization (AJSO), a nonprofit organization based in Germany.

Freshta Hemmati is an Afghan journalist and women's rights activist. She holds a bachelor's degree in Journalism and a master's in International Relations, specializing in diplomacy. Over her eight-year career in journalism in Afghanistan, she has significantly contributed as an investigative journalist, a political programs radio host, and a skilled communications expert in various Afghan media outlets and international initiatives. Following her relocation to Canada due to the Taliban's takeover, she has collaborated with the Canadian provincial government, and currently, she serves as the CEO of the Afghanistan Journalists Support Organization (AJSO) and leads the advocacy committee for female journalists within AJSO.

Masud is an Afghan journalist who remains in his homeland and is joining us today on condition that we do not show his face or identify him.

Today’s episode focuses on the dangers for journalists covering the Taliban’s iron-fisted rule in Afghanistan, and the creation of the AJSO as a means for Afghan journalists to work with Western journalists to report the ground truth in their homeland.

We discuss women’s issues as well as Freshta’s story of escaping the country just prior to the Taliban’s ban on travel for unaccompanied women.

Find the AJSO via:

Website: www.ajso.org

E-mail: official@ajso.org 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AfghanistanJSO

Twitter: www.twitter.com/AfghanistanJSO

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghanistanjso2022

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 her on Instagram or X ⁠@BWBailey85⁠.

Welcome to Episode 79 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’s guests are members of Team Alpha, the CIA’s original eight-man team of analysts, linguists, warriors, and tribal experts who went into Afghanistan to defeat al Qaeda in the days immediately following Sept. 11, 2001.

David Tyson retired from the CIA Directorate of Operations in 2020 after a 25-year career at the Agency that involved numerous overseas deployments and two rotations as the Chief of Station. David received the CIA’s Distinguished Intelligence Cross, the Agency’s highest award for valor, and the Agency’s Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. He also served in the US Army, both as an enlisted servicemember and an officer.

Justin Sapp is a contingency strategist for Constellis, and recently retired as a US Army Green Beret Colonel following 30 years of exceptionally distinguished service. He received numerous military decorations during his service, including the Defense Superior Service Award and the Bronze Star with “V” device.

In this episode, David and Justin talk about their deployment to Afghanistan post-9/11 and the Afghan teammates who enabled their progress in fighting back against al Qaeda.

The majority of our episode focuses on Badger Six, the nonprofit that Team Alpha and supporters have created in order to assist the families of the 30-35 Afghans who were indispensable to Team Alpha, and who are currently in the pipeline for access to U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. We discuss the impediments facing team members, and their success when they reach the U.S.

Finally, Justin and David weigh in on their feelings about the resurgence of al Qaeda, the emergence of ISIS-K, and the return of pre-9/11 conditions for women inside Afghanistan.

Find Badger Six at their website: https://badgersix.org/

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 her on Instagram or X ⁠@BWBailey85⁠.