Afghanistan with Roh Yakobi

In Part 2 of this exclusive interview with acclaimed journalist and author Jon Lee Anderson, we investigate one of the most consequential assassinations in Afghanistan’s modern history: the killing of Ahmad Shah Massoud, just two days before the attacks of September 11, 2001. Drawing on his extensive reporting and personal investigations in Afghanistan, Jon takes us behind the scenes of Massoud’s assassination, examining how two al-Qaeda operatives posing as journalists gained access to the legendary Tajik commander, who helped facilitate their journey, and the troubling questions that remain unanswered more than two decades later. Jon recounts his encounters with some of Afghanistan’s most powerful figures, including Abdul Rasul Sayyaf, Burhanuddin Rabbani, Bismillah Khan, Marshal Fahim and Abdullah Abdullah. He explains why he came to suspect that Sayyaf may have been directly involved in the plot, his conversations with Massoud’s brother Ahmad Wali Massoud, and what British intelligence officials…

In this episode, I sit down with acclaimed journalist and author Jon Lee Anderson to trace Afghanistan’s long road to 9/11 through the eyes of someone who witnessed or followed much of it firsthand. Jon first travelled into Afghanistan in the late 1980s, reporting from the front lines of the war against the Soviet Union and spending time with the Mujahideen. Over the decades that followed, he witnessed the rise of the Arab jihadists, the emergence of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, Afghanistan’s devastating civil war, the rise of the Taliban, the post-9/11 intervention, and ultimately the return of the Taliban to power. We talk about the people he met along the way, the shifting alliances and loyalties, the warning signs that were visible long before 9/11, and why he came to believe that the Taliban would eventually prevail. Jon Lee Anderson is a longtime staff writer at The New Yorker and one of the most respected foreign correspondents of his generation. His reporting from Afghanistan spans more than three…

On 9 September 2001, two al-Qaeda operatives posing as journalists assassinated Ahmad Shah Massoud, just two days before the 9/11 attacks. But how did they manage to get so close to him? In this excerpt from my exclusive interview with veteran New Yorker journalist Jon Lee Anderson, he discusses his investigation into Massoud’s assassination, the route the killers took through Northern Alliance territory, and the local figures who helped them along the way. Anderson explains why he believes Abdul Rasul Sayyaf was directly involved in the plot to assassinate Massoud, as well as the questions he had about other senior figures in Massoud’s circle. He also reveals that British intelligence later approached him and said they too believed Sayyaf was involved in Massoud’s murder. This is an excerpt from the interview. The full exclusive conversation with Jon Lee Anderson will be released soon. 👍🏼 Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi…

More than two decades after helping overthrow the Taliban and witnessing the birth of Afghanistan’s new government, Don Parnell looks back at what became of the country — and the people — he left behind. In the final part of this exclusive three-part interview, the former CIA Chief of Ground Branch reflects on the aftermath of the 2001 campaign, his relationship with Hamid Karzai, and the extraordinary experiences that followed the fall of Kandahar. Parnell shares some of the more human — and at times surprisingly amusing — stories from those days: the personalities he encountered, the friendships forged under extraordinary circumstances, and the strange, mundane and occasionally absurd problems that existed alongside the deadly serious business of war. His recollections offer a glimpse of Afghanistan rarely captured in official histories: not simply strategy, intelligence and politics, but the people, humour and everyday realities behind them. He also recalls returning to Afghanistan and being honoured by…

As Hamid Karzai emerged as Afghanistan’s new interim leader, the Taliban’s first regime was collapsing. But behind the scenes, the final days of Taliban rule in their Pashtun heartland, were shaped as much by negotiations as by military force. In Part 2 of this 3 parts exclusive interview, former CIA Chief of Ground Branch Don Parnell recounts witnessing Hamid Karzai’s acceptance of the interim presidency, the secret negotiations that led to the surrender of Kandahar, and entering the city alongside Karzai as Mullah Omar slipped away. He describes establishing a base at Mullah Omar’s residence, the removal of the Taliban flag, the confusion surrounding Omar’s escape, and the remarkable scenes as Kandahar celebrated the end of Taliban rule with music, kites and a return to public life. Parnell also reflects on Hamid Karzai’s leadership during those pivotal days, the complex tribal politics that shaped the campaign, and offers a candid assessment of why he believes the West ultimately failed in Afghanistan.…

On 14 November 2001, a small CIA team and U.S. Special Forces secretly inserted Hamid Karzai into southern Afghanistan. Less than a month later, Karzai would become Afghanistan’s interim leader. In Part 1 of this exclusive interview, Don Parnell, former CIA Chief of Ground Branch, who was by Karzai’s side throughout the mission, tells the inside story of one of the most consequential operations of the war in Afghanistan. Parnell recounts how the CIA assembled the mission in the aftermath of 9/11, the dangerous helicopter insertion into Uruzgan, working with Pashtun tribal elders, and the race to build a southern uprising against the Taliban. He also describes surviving behind Taliban lines with little food or water, the devastating U.S. friendly-fire strike that nearly killed Hamid Karzai, and witnessing the moment Karzai learned he had been chosen to lead Afghanistan’s new post-Taliban government. A rare first-hand account from one of the CIA officers at the centre of the campaign that toppled the Taliban.…

In this episode, renowned British photographer Jenny Matthews reflects on nearly four decades of documenting Afghanistan, from the final years of the Soviet occupation to the return of the Taliban. She recalls arriving in Kabul in 1988, photographing Afghan women during a time of war and uncertainty, and witnessing a society far more complex and vibrant than many outsiders imagined. The conversation explores her encounters with figures such as Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the contrasts between Kabul and the refugee camps of Peshawar, and the experiences that shaped her career. Matthews also reflects on her remarkable journey to Bamiyan in 1998, where she found a landscape of breathtaking beauty and extreme hardship. She describes seeing families living in caves on the sides of the Bamiyan Buddhas, children enduring poverty and isolation, and the shock of coming under Taliban bombardment shortly after arriving. From war widows and women fighters to schoolchildren, midwives and future politicians, Matthews has spent…

In this third and final part of a remarkable conversation, Milton Bearden reflects on the aftermath of the anti-Soviet jihad, the collapse of Afghanistan into civil war, and the decisions that helped shape the world that followed. He speaks candidly about Pakistan’s uneasy relationship with the United States, arguing that Washington often treated Islamabad as a temporary necessity rather than a true ally. Bearden also offers blunt assessments of key Mujahideen figures, including Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, whom he describes as a deeply dangerous man, and reflects on the rivalries and corruption that consumed the movement after victory. The conversation explores the rise of the Taliban, the misreading of Afghanistan by American policymakers, and the wider failures that followed the Soviet defeat. Bearden recalls how many in Washington came to dismiss Afghanistan as a remote and alien place once the Cold War objective had been achieved, despite the warning signs emerging from the chaos left behind. He also reveals…

In this second part of a remarkable conversation, Milton Bearden reflects on what came after the Soviet withdrawal and the decisions that helped shape Afghanistan’s next, far more chaotic chapter. He explains how the CIA shifted tactics in dealing with Ahmad Shah Massoud, funnelling cash rather than weapons into a war that had effectively become a vast arms marketplace. He offers a more measured assessment of Massoud himself, arguing that by the late 1980s he was already looking beyond the battlefield and positioning for the political struggle that would follow. Bearden also recounts the moment he sent a two-word cable to Washington, “We won”, as Boris Gromov crossed the Friendship Bridge. But while the Cold War was collapsing in Eastern Europe, Afghanistan slipped down the list of priorities. He is blunt. The United States lost interest, and it was a mistake. The episode challenges popular narratives around Osama bin Laden and the so-called “Afghan Arabs”, who at the time were seen as marginal players,…

Milton Bearden was the CIA officer tasked by Director William Casey in 1986 with using $1 billion and Stinger missiles to help drive Soviet forces out of Afghanistan, one of the most consequential covert operations of the Cold War. In this first part of a remarkable conversation, Bearden takes us inside the secret machinery of Operation Cyclone. He recounts how Washington shifted from simply "bleeding" the Soviets to pursuing outright victory, how the covert war was run through Pakistan's ISI, and how weapons and money were distributed among the fractious Mujahideen factions, none of them, by his own admission, above reproach. He describes training fighters in makeshift conditions in Rawalpindi: a white sheet, an infrared light, and a $200 room that outperformed the US Army's billion-dollar facility at Fort Bliss. He recounts the September 1986 Stinger strike outside Jalalabad that changed the course of the war overnight, and speaks candidly about his dealings with General Akhtar, a tense face-to-face with…

Former U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret) and Team Alpha member Justin Sapp recounts his role in the clandestine CIA mission that landed behind Taliban lines immediately after 9/11. He describes working alongside General Dostum and later travelling to Bamiyan to meet Karim Khalili and help organise forces to retake the region. Justin details witnessing the aftermath of Taliban savagery against Hazara communities. After Team Alpha, he served multiple deployments in other theatres, and through personal stories and reflections looks back on how an early military success evolved into a far longer and more complicated conflict than anyone expected. 👍🏼 Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rohyakobi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theafgpod X: https://x.com/theafgpod Hosted on Acast. See…

Former U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret) and Team Alpha member Justin Sapp recounts his role in the clandestine CIA mission that landed behind Taliban lines immediately after 9/11. He describes working alongside General Dostum and later travelling to Bamiyan to meet Karim Khalili and help organise forces to retake the region. Justin details witnessing the aftermath of Taliban savagery against Hazara communities. After Team Alpha, he served multiple deployments in other theatres, and through personal stories and reflections looks back on how an early military success evolved into a far longer and more complicated conflict than anyone expected. 👍🏼 Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rohyakobi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theafgpod X: https://x.com/theafgpod Hosted on Acast. See…

Former U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret) and Team Alpha member Justin Sapp recounts his role in the clandestine CIA mission that landed behind Taliban lines immediately after 9/11. He describes working alongside General Dostum and later travelling to Bamiyan to meet Karim Khalili and help organise forces to retake the region. Justin details witnessing the aftermath of Taliban savagery against Hazara communities. After Team Alpha, he served multiple deployments in other theatres, and through personal stories and reflections looks back on how an early military success evolved into a far longer and more complicated conflict than anyone expected. 👍🏼 Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rohyakobi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theafgpod X: https://x.com/theafgpod Hosted on Acast. See…

Tom Tugendhat is a British Member of Parliament and former Security Minister who served multiple tours in Afghanistan in various civilian and military capacities. In this exclusive interview, Tom speaks with unusual bluntness about the war’s outcome, rejecting euphemism and insisting that the West was decisively defeated. He argues that this was not the product of inevitability or fate, but of political choices, strategic incoherence, and a failure to take responsibility for loss. Alongside this analysis, he tells personal stories of people he served with and encountered in Afghanistan, explaining why he remains deeply fond of them and why their courage, loyalty, and sacrifice continue to matter to him. He also steps back to offer a broader strategic reading of the present moment, warning that Afghanistan reshaped how the world now judges Western resolve, credibility, and seriousness — with consequences that reach far beyond the country itself. 👍🏼 Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺…

Charlie Gammell is a former British diplomat, author and historian who has worked extensively in Afghanistan and Iran. Speaking fluent Farsi and Pashto, with Herati and Khosti accents, Charlie reflects on his time in Afghanistan, how he fell in love with Herat and its history, and why he wrote 'The Pearl of Khorasan: A History of Herat'. 👍🏼 Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Cowan has seen Afghanistan at its most intense: the frozen, “medieval” Kabul he first stepped into after the Taliban’s fall in 2001, the brutal peak of the NATO campaign in Helmand, and the country’s stunning collapse two decades later. He later took on a very different mission as head of the Halo Trust, working to clear the country of the deadly remnants of its wars. In this interview, he retraces that journey — from fighting the Taliban on the front lines to now negotiating with them so his teams can clear landmines and save lives. With rare candour, he reflects on the war, its cost, and the stark realities facing Afghanistan today. 👍🏼 Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this profoundly personal and powerful interview, the UK's Minister for the Armed Forces, Al Carns MP, tells his story of Afghanistan from the eyes of a soldier who fought there. Al recounts his first tour as a 26-year-old commando in the hellish frontline of Helmand, from the dust of Camp Bastion and countless relentless gun battles in different parts of the country. He shares harrowing near-death experiences and the heavy responsibility of leading men in combat, offering a raw reflection on war, camaraderie, and the complex relationship soldiers form with a country of breathtaking beauty and brutal conflict. We discuss the mission's intent, the progress he witnessed, the painful 2021 collapse, and his unique perspective on whether it was all "worth it," and why Afghanistan is a place that "captures a bit of your soul." 👍🏼 Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood…

Fred Smith is an Australian diplomat, author, singer and songwriter who served alongside Australian forces in Uruzgan, as well as in Kabul. He didn’t just take his diplomatic skills to the country, but his guitar too. He wrote songs and held concerts there. He has released two albums, Dust of Uruzgan and The Sparrows of Kabul, and two books of the same titles, which tell the stories behind his songs, as well as his personal memoirs and reflections. In this interview, he shares his story and reflections on the complexities of Afghanistan, particularly Uruzgan — how he came to love the place despite his initial reservations about the campaign before accepting the assignment, and the grief he feels over what has happened to the country since. 👍🏼 Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Fred Smith & Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X:…

Born to a mid-level government official and an illiterate mother in Afghanistan’s northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, Zalmay Khalilzad has a remarkable and, in many ways, inspiring story. As a teenager, he travelled to America through a cultural exchange programme in 1996 – an experience that had a profound, life-changing impact on him. After completing a PhD at the University of Chicago, he joined the US government and rose through the ranks, working for Reagan, the Bushes and Trump. The 9/11 attacks and the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan gave him the opportunity to become America’s all-powerful fixer in the country. He later served as US ambassador to Iraq, then to the United Nations, and returned to Afghanistan, where he negotiated America’s withdrawal deal with the Taliban – a deal that paved the way for the group’s recapture of power in August 2021. In this Part 2 of his tell-all interview, he recounts his story, covering his roles in Afghanistan from the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks through to the…

Born to a mid-level government official and an illiterate mother in Afghanistan’s northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, Zalmay Khalilzad has a remarkable and, in many ways, inspiring story. As a teenager, he travelled to America through a cultural exchange programme in 1996 – an experience that had a profound, life-changing impact on him. After completing a PhD at the University of Chicago, he joined the US government and rose through the ranks, working for Reagan, the Bushes and Trump. The 9/11 attacks and the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan gave him the opportunity to become America’s all-powerful fixer in the country. He later served as US ambassador to Iraq, then to the United Nations, and returned to Afghanistan, where he negotiated America’s withdrawal deal with the Taliban – a deal that paved the way for the group’s recapture of power in August 2021. In this tell-all interview, he recounts his story. Part 1 covers his childhood, teenage years in Kabul, his falling in love with America, and his path into…

Alexander Matheou, Regional Director for Asia Pacific of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC). In this interview he unpacks the scale of Afghanistan’s humanitarian emergency. In the past year, over two million people have been forced back from Iran and Pakistan - returning to drought, collapsing livelihoods, and shrinking international aid. Matheou shares first-hand accounts from the borders, the daily struggles of returnees, and why long-term investment, not just short-term relief, is vital for the country’s survival and dignity. 👍🏼 Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On 15 August 2021, the Taliban captured Kabul, reclaiming power after 20 years of war. Despite promises to the contrary, they have imposed severe restrictions on the rights of women and girls, ethnic minorities, free speech, and all civil liberties. Marking the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power, Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, shares her reflections and thoughts on the future. 👍🏼 Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heidi Meyer is a former NATO, Pentagon, and US State Department official with over a decade of experience in Afghanistan, including time spent working inside the Arg Palace. In this interview, she shares candid reflections on her time in the country — from witnessing widespread corruption and travelling across Afghanistan, to whether the Taliban should be recognised, along with some weird and wonderful stories. 👍🏼 Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nathalie Paarlberg is an art historian and the Chief Operating Officer at Turquoise Mountain. In this interview, she takes us on a journey through Afghanistan’s rich cultural history and art, as well as sharing her personal story of living and working in the country for several years. Her book, 'Je Ogen Zijn Mooi' (Your Eyes Are Beautiful), has been published in the Netherlands. Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends Cover photo: © Jeanette Huisman 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this exclusive and gripping interview, acclaimed historian Professor Mary Beard explores how the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan reflects enduring patterns of patriarchal control throughout history. Drawing on examples and stories of ancient Greek and Roman history, Professor Beard examines how societies have historically silenced women, excluded them from public life, and regulated their behaviour through coercion, custom, and control. Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pascal Maitre is a world-renowned French photojournalist whose decades of work from around the world, particularly in Afghanistan, have produced some of the most iconic images of people, war, culture, nature, and more. He first travelled to Afghanistan in the 1970s and has since covered the Soviet–Afghan War and the Mujahideen civil war; he travelled through Bamiyan and Hazarajat, capturing breathtaking photos of the Buddhas in 1996, and spent two weeks with Ahmad Shah Massoud, during which he took some of his most iconic photographs. His lens documented the looting of the Kabul Museum in July 2000, the Pashtun communities of the east, Kabul in 2018, Buzkashi in northern Afghanistan, and life under the Taliban after the group's return in August 2021. In this interview he shares his and the stories behind his photographs. Support the show: Leave stars, comments, share with friends 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh…

David Tyson is a retired CIA officer who served for 25 years, much of it in Central and South Asia. He cultivated relationships with anti-Taliban leaders and commanders in northern Afghanistan prior to the 9/11 attacks, making multiple trips into the country and meeting figures such as Ahmad Shah Massoud. A member of Team Alpha - whose story was told in a previous episode with Toby Harnden - David played a key role in organising forces behind Taliban lines. After taking Mazar-i-Sharif in November 2001, he faced a violent uprising of over 400 al-Qaeda fighters in Qala-i-Jangi, where he had to fight for his life. For his actions, he was awarded the CIA’s Distinguished Intelligence Cross, the Agency’s highest award for valour, as well as the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. In this interview, he shares his story in detail. In this final instalment - Part 3 - we continue from where we left off in Part 2. David recounts the inside story of the fall of Mazar-i-Sharif, the circumstances surrounding it, and…

David Tyson is a retired CIA officer who served for 25 years, much of it in Central and South Asia. He cultivated relationships with anti-Taliban leaders and commanders in northern Afghanistan prior to the 9/11 attacks, making multiple trips into the country and meeting figures such as Ahmad Shah Massoud. A member of Team Alpha - whose story was told in a previous episode with Toby Harnden - David played a key role in organising forces behind Taliban lines. After taking Mazar-i-Sharif in November 2001, he faced a violent uprising of over 400 al-Qaeda fighters in Qala-i-Jangi, where he had to fight for his life. For his actions, he was awarded the CIA’s Distinguished Intelligence Cross, the Agency’s highest award for valour, as well as the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. In this interview he shares his story in detail. In this Part 2, we carry on his story from Part 1, David's pre 9/11 relationships and engagements with anti-Taliban commanders, joining Team Alpha, joining General Dostum behind…

David Tyson is a retired CIA officer who served for 25 years, much of it in Central and South Asia. He cultivated relationships with anti-Taliban leaders and commanders in northern Afghanistan prior to the 9/11 attacks, making multiple trips into the country and meeting figures such as Ahmad Shah Massoud. A member of Team Alpha - whose story was told in a previous episode with Toby Harnden - David played a key role in organising forces behind Taliban lines. After taking Mazar-i-Sharif in November 2001, he faced a violent uprising of over 400 al-Qaeda fighters in Qala-i-Jangi, where he had to fight for his life. For his actions, he was awarded the CIA’s Distinguished Intelligence Cross, the Agency’s highest award for valour, as well as the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. In this interview he shares his story in detail. In this Part 1, he gives an account of his background, what made him interested in Central Asia, his initial work in Afghanistan, the CIA’s policy on Afghanistan in the years preceding…

Sir Rodric Braithwaite is a former British diplomat and author who served as ambassador to the Soviet Union. He has written extensively on Russia and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, including in his acclaimed book Afgantsy. In this interview, he offers a rare insight into how Soviet leaders came to the decision to invade Afghanistan, why the country became strategically significant, the role of communism and Afghan leadership at the time, how the Soviet intervention differed from the British and later NATO-led invasions, the legacies they left behind, witnessing the fall of the Soviet Union and more. 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Rodric Braithwaite is a former British diplomat and author who served as ambassador to the Soviet Union. He has written extensively on Russia and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, including in his acclaimed book, Afgantsy. In this interview, he offers a rare insight into how Soviet leaders came to the decision to invade Afghanistan, why the country became strategically significant, the role of communism and Afghan leadership at the time, how the Soviet intervention differed from the British and later NATO-led invasions, and much more... 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Produce/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve MacBeth is a former soldier in the Canadian Army and the author of 'No Names, No Packdrill - An Oral History of Canadians at War in Afghanistan'. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan, and in this interview, takes us inside Canada's mission in Afghanistan, talks about his book, and shares his personal reflections and stories. 📺 Watch/Subscribe on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

General Joseph Votel is a retired U.S. Army four-star general and was the Commander of U.S. Central Command from 2016 to 2019. He led multiple operations in Afghanistan, beginning shortly after the 9/11 attacks. In this second part, he talks about his arrival in the country, how he found the people, their values, and their culture. He also offers a personal reflection on the country’s future, the Taliban’s rule, and shares a story about celebrating New Year in Helmand with a non-alcoholic beer alongside his soldiers and Afghan colleagues. 📺 Watch on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

General Joseph Votel is a retired U.S. Army four-star general and Commander of U.S. Central Command from 2016 t0 2019. He led multiple operations in Afghanistan, beginning shortly after the 9/11 attacks. In this first part of the interview, he analyses recent developments in the Middle East, including the role of Iran, the geopolitical situation in South and Central Asia, and assesses the factors that contributed to the failure in Afghanistan, which he will explore in greater depth, along with his personal experiences in the country, in Part 2. 📺 Watch on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Jonathan L. Lee is a social and cultural historian and a leading authority on the history of Afghanistan. He lived in Afghanistan and travelled widely across the country for many years. He is the author of The Journals of Edward Stirling in Persia and Afghanistan, 1828-1829, The Ancient Supremacy: Bukhara, Afghanistan and the Battle for Balkh, 1731-1901, Amazing Wonders of Afghanistan, and Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present. In this third part, he delves into the Hazara genocide of the 1890s and its lasting impact on the community and their identity. He compares it with the Armenian genocide, discusses his books, and shares personal stories from Afghanistan, and more. 📺 Watch on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Jonathan L. Lee is a social and cultural historian and a leading authority on the history of Afghanistan. He lived in Afghanistan and travelled widely across the country for many years. He is the author of The Journals of Edward Stirling in Persia and Afghanistan, 1828-1829, The Ancient Supremacy: Bukhara, Afghanistan and the Battle for Balkh, 1731-1901, Amazing Wonders of Afghanistan, and Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present. In this second part, we continue the conversation on who founded the country and the state, who named the country and drew its borders, the role of the British Empire in this process, the role of women in the country’s history, and the extraordinary story of the woman who wanted to drink her son’s blood over an inheritance dispute. 📺 Watch on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See…

Dr Jonathan L. Lee is a social and cultural historian and a leading authority on the history of Afghanistan. He lived in Afghanistan and travelled widely across the country for many years. He is the author of The Journals of Edward Stirling in Persia and Afghanistan, 1828-1829, The Ancient Supremacy: Bukhara, Afghanistan and the Battle for Balkh, 1731-1901, Amazing Wonders of Afghanistan, and Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present. In this first part of the interview, he tells us how he found Afghanistan when he first arrived, what attracted the hippies, where many died, and then takes us through the events and circumstances that led to the foundation of Afghanistan in the 18th century. 📺 Watch on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Assistant Producer: Sa-aadat Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Toby Harnden is an award-winning journalist and author of 'Dead Men Risen' and 'First Casualty'. In this second part of the interview, we continue the story of the fall of Mazar-i-Sharif on 9th November 2001. In the days that followed, over 400 captured Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters revolted at Qala-i-Jangi, where they were being held, killing Mike Spann, and Hazara and Uzbek guards. The uprising lasted for six days, and only 86 Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters survived, including John Walker Lindh, also known as the American Taliban. The episode delves into their story, Toby's own reflections and more. 📺 Watch on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Toby Harnden is an award-winning journalist and author of Dead Men Risen and First Casualty. In this first part of the interview, he shares his story of Afghanistan and the inside story of Team Alpha—a group of eight CIA operatives who landed in the mountains of northern Afghanistan to join the forces of General Abdul Rashid Dostum and begin the war to avenge the 9/11 attacks. They fought their way to the capture of the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, where, soon after, the team suffered their—and America’s—first casualty of the campaign, a story that will be told in part 2. 📺 Watch on YouTube Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

رضا سرور یکی از دانش‌آموختگان برنامه‌ی تحصیلی فولبرایت و مدیر پیشین پذیرش در دانشگاه آمریکایی افغانستان و در حال حاضر، دانشجوی دکترای دانشگاه Texas A&M ایالت تگزاس آمریکاست. او تجربه‌ی گسترده‌ در کمک به دانشجویان برای درخواست و دریافت بورسیه‌های تحصیلی در خارج از افغانستان دارد. در این گفت‌وگو، او داستان شخصی خود را به اشتراک می‌گذارد و یک راهنمای جامع برای دستیابی به بورسیه‌های تحصیلی ارائه می‌دهد. 📺 Watch on YouTube Producer: Roh Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shaharzad Akbar is the Executive Director of Rawadari and the former Chair of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. In this interview, she reflects on and reviews 2024, shares her analysis of the current situation, discusses what the future may hold for Afghanistan in the year ahead, and her expresses hopes for the country, particularly women and girls. 📺 Watch on YouTube Producer: Roh Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saad Mohseni is the Chairman and CEO of Moby Group, and the author of 'Radio Free Afghanistan'. Born in London, raised in Kabul, Tokyo and Melbourne, Saad Mohseni has been one of the most influential figures in Afghanistan's recent history, transforming Afghanistan and its culture by revolutionising the country's media landscape. In this interview, he shares his remarkable story, how he brought new media to Afghanistan, its impacts and consequences, as well as sharing his views on the current situation in the country. 📺 Watch on YouTube Producer: Roh Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

General H.R. McMaster served as Donald Trump's National Security Advisor for 14 months during his first term and he formulated America's South Asia Strategy, which Trump abandoned after McMaster's departure. In this interview, he discusses the implications of the second Trump presidency for the world, looks back at the failure in Afghanistan and whether the country will feature in the new administration's foreign and security policy. He also shares his thoughts on the future of Afghanistan and the contributions he wants to make. 📺 Watch on YouTube Producer: Roh Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sune Engel Rasmussen is a Danish journalist and author who lived in Afghanistan, reporting extensively for several international outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian. In this interview, we discuss his book Twenty Years, which offers an unique intimate insight into two decades of Western involvement in Afghanistan, told through the stories and struggles of young men and women affected by it, along with his own experiences of living and working in the country. 📺 Watch on YouTube Producer: Roh Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew North is an award-winning British journalist and former BBC correspondent in Afghanistan, Iraq, India, and the United States. He lived and reported from Afghanistan throughout two decades of international involvement and visited the country three times after the Taliban’s return, with his last visit resulting in his kidnapping by the group’s intelligence agents. His recently published book, War & Peace & War, tells his and the stories of five people who lived through the country’s conflicts. In this interview, he shares his stories and insights. 📺 Watch on YouTube Producer: Roh Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rahmatullah Nabil is an Afghan politician and former intelligence chief. Having lost his father at the age of one, he was raised by his mother, who dedicated her life to him. Nabil left school and joined one of the Mujahideen factions as a teenager. An ambush on Soviet forces, during which he was injured, and the discovery of a handwritten letter belonging to a Soviet soldier, changed his life. This led him to become a refugee in Pakistan, where he graduated from university and worked for the UN. He eventually joined the Afghan Republic government, becoming the country’s spymaster and later a presidential candidate. In this interview, he shares his extraordinary life story, and his thoughts and hopes for Afghanistan. 📺 Watch on YouTube Producer: Roh Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rahmatullah Nabil is an Afghan politician and former intelligence chief. Having lost his father at the age of one, he was raised by his mother, who dedicated her life to him. Nabil left school and joined one of the Mujahideen factions as a teenager. An ambush on Soviet forces, during which he was injured, and the discovery of a handwritten letter belonging to a Soviet soldier, changed his life. This led him to become a refugee in Pakistan, where he graduated from university and worked for the UN. He eventually joined the Afghan Republic government, becoming the country’s spymaster and later a presidential candidate. In this interview, he shares his extraordinary life story, and his thoughts and hopes for Afghanistan. 📺 Watch on YouTube. Producer: Roh Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir William Patey is a retired British diplomat with extensive experience in Middle Eastern and South Asian geopolitics. He served as the UK Ambassador to Kabul from 2010 to 2012, following earlier roles as Ambassador to Sudan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. In this interview, he shares his insights and analysis on Afghanistan—discussing what went wrong, what the future may hold, and recounting stories from his time in the country. 📺 Watch on YouTube. Producer: Roh Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Urban is a British journalist, broadcaster, and best-selling author of many books, including War in Afghanistan and The Skripal Files. He has covered Afghanistan extensively since the late 1980s, witnessing firsthand the withdrawal of Soviet forces, accompanying Ahmad Shah Massoud as he took Kabul in 1992, and other key events. In this interview, he shares his stories of the country and his thoughts on its future, as well the impacts of the West's failure. 📺 Watch on YouTube. Producer: Roh Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Laurie Bristow, the UK's last ambassador in Kabul, witnessed the disintegration of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the fall of Kabul into the hands of the Taliban in August 2021. He is the author of Kabul: Final Call, which provides an insider's view of the events as they unfolded. In this interview, we discuss the book, Sir Laurie’s reflections on his experiences, and his thoughts on the current situation in the country and its future. 📺 Watch on YouTube. Producer: Roh Yakobi Music ©: Dawood Sarkhosh Email: hello@rohyakobi.com Instagram: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi X: @TheAfgPod & @RohYakobi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.