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Artwork for The Afghanistan Project Podcast

The Afghanistan Project Podcast

Mikael Cook
Afghanistan
Taliban
Women's Rights
U.S. Withdrawal
SIV Program
United States
U.S. Military
Human Rights
Afghan Allies
Education
Afghan Refugees
U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan
Special Immigrant Visa
Executive Orders
Al-Qaeda
No One Left Behind
Phillip Linderman
Special Immigrant Visa Program
US Refugee Admissions Program
Mental Health

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes173Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
History

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Artwork for The Afghanistan Project Podcast

Latest Episodes

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 i... more

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... more

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... more

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, b... more

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Recent Guests

Yaser Yarghal
Former Afghan Army Major, US Army Ranger and Airborne graduate; founder of Unsabotaged
Unsabotaged / Author-in-progress
Episode: Yaser Yarghal, former ANA Major, talks Unsabotaged Book - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep 144
Mark Schmitz
Gold Star Father, founder of Freedom 13 Recreational Healing Camp
Freedom 13
Episode: Gold Star Father Mark Schmitz & The Freedom 13 Healing Camp - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep 142
Ellen Smith
Founder and Executive Director of Keeping Our Promise (Rochester, NY)
Keeping Our Promise
Episode: Ellen Smith of Keeping Our Promise brings a good news story - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep 141
Graham Aikin
Part-time PhD student at King's Centre for the Study of Intelligence, expert on terrorism in Afghanistan
King's College London (Centre for the Study of Intelligence)
Episode: Terror in Afghanistan with Colin Smith, Graham Aikin - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep. 139
Colin Smith
UK threat assessment expert and coordinator of the UN Monitoring Team
United Nations Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team
Episode: Terror in Afghanistan with Colin Smith, Graham Aikin - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep. 139
Spencer Sullivan
US Army combat veteran and author
Not Our Problem co-author
Episode: Spencer Sullivan and Abdulhaq Sodais' 'Not Our Problem' - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep. 138
Abdulhaq Sodais
Former interpreter for US forces in Afghanistan
Not Our Problem co-author
Episode: Spencer Sullivan and Abdulhaq Sodais' 'Not Our Problem' - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep. 138
Sonia Norton
Director of Advocacy at No One Left Behind
No One Left Behind
Episode: Write an Afghanistan op-ed ft. Daniel Salazar, Sonia Norton - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep 137
Daniel Salazar
Refugee and Protection Policy Advisor at Global Refuge
Global Refuge
Episode: Write an Afghanistan op-ed ft. Daniel Salazar, Sonia Norton - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep 137

Hosts

Mikael Cook
Host of The Afghanistan Project Podcast
Beth Bailey
Co-host of The Afghanistan Project Podcast

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 23 ratings
  • Just subscribed

    Great podcast… My Dad a decorated combat vet long, long before the Global War on Terror and he’d have enjoyed this platform.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Amdyfyn
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Compelling human stories paired with tactical details.
Listeners praise deep-dive guest knowledge and practical policy context.
Engaging, hard-hitting insights from veterans and advocates.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#192
Hong Kong/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Gold Star Father Mark Schmitz & The Freedom 13 Healing Camp - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep 142
Q: What was it like for you to hear about Jared's experience and his willingness to serve?
Mark describes pride in Jared's commitment from a young age, the deep respect for his son's choices, and how Jared's determination shaped his family's approach to honoring his memory.
Spencer Sullivan and Abdulhaq Sodais' 'Not Our Problem' - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep. 138
Q: What motivated you to tell this story now?
Our goal has always been to humanize refugees by sharing the lived experiences of those who served with us and the consequences of policy decisions, not for fame, but to foster empathy and understanding.
ODA 595 and VF-213 in 2001 Afghanistan - Part 1 - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep. 133
Q: What was the original mission before the situation on the ground forced a shift?
Original mission was personnel recovery and ground support for isolated Americans; quickly pivoted to unconventional warfare and ground support as targets and interagency plans coalesced.
ODA 595 and VF-213 in 2001 Afghanistan - Part 2 - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep. 134
Q: What was the core mission and end state of the operation as described by the ODA team?
The mission was unconventional warfare in support of Dostum, providing close air support, humanitarian aid, and securing lines of communication, with the end state to unite local militias, enable allied ground operations, and allow the team to return home.
Former SIGAR team lead Jordan Kane on aid diversion report - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep. 127
Q: How many of the people you helped managed to escape successfully?
A few families made it out, but many remain stuck.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Afghanistan Project Podcast

What is The Afghanistan Project Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A show focused on Afghan issues, frontline experiences, policy debates, and humanitarian responses. Across recent episodes, listeners hear first-person war stories from Special Forces units and aviation crews, insights into air-ground coordination, and detailed accounts of recruitment with local partners. Guests span military operators, policy researchers, journalists, and refugee advocates, often touching on women's rights, humanitarian aid, and refugee policy. The format blends tactical battlefield recollections with policy analysis and advocacy, offering both granular battlefield detail and broad strategic context. Noteworthy is the consistent emphasis on human resilience, the evolving role of partner forces, and the juxtaposition of on-... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Afghanistan Project Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Afghanistan Project Podcast:

1. The Joe Rogan Experience
2. Economist Podcasts
3. The Rest Is Politics: US
4. MeSsy with Christina Applegate & Jamie Lynn Sigler
5. SNAFU with Ed Helms

How many episodes of The Afghanistan Project Podcast are there?

The Afghanistan Project Podcast launched 3 years ago and published 173 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Afghanistan Project Podcast?

Recent guests on The Afghanistan Project Podcast include:

1. Yaser Yarghal
2. Mark Schmitz
3. Ellen Smith
4. Graham Aikin
5. Colin Smith
6. Spencer Sullivan
7. Abdulhaq Sodais
8. Sonia Norton

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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