The Afghanistan Project Podcast

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/BWBailey85on 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/BWBailey85on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85on 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/BWBailey85on Substack: https://substack.com/@bwbailey85on the web: https://bethwbailey.com/