The Afghanistan Project Podcast

Mikael Cook
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Welcome to The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

  1. 3 days ago

    Mashal Sherullah on supporting Afghan allies in Pakistan - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep 147

    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/

    49 min

  2. 22 Jun

    Robert Billard discusses Afghanistan strategic failures - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep 146

    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/

    1hr 2min

  3. 15 Jun

    International Committee of the Red Cross' Katharina Ritz - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep 145

    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/

    1hr 3min

  4. 8 Jun

    Yaser Yarghal, former ANA Major, talks Unsabotaged Book - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep 144

    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/

    1hr 1min

  5. 1 Jun

    Shawn VanDiver on Camp As Sayliyah Future, Legal Updates - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep. 143

    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/

    49 min

  6. 25 May

    Gold Star Father Mark Schmitz & The Freedom 13 Healing Camp - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep 142

    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/

    1hr 9min

  7. 18 May

    Ellen Smith of Keeping Our Promise brings a good news story - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep 141

    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/

    1hr 7min

  8. 11 May

    Preserving the stories of advocacy heroes - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep. 140

    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/

    35 min
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Welcome to The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

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