1 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:19,559 Speaker 1: And we are back with another edition of the Federalist 2 00:00:19,679 --> 00:00:23,079 Radio Hour. I'm Matt Kittle, Senior Elections correspondent at the 3 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:27,719 Federalist and your experienced Shirpa on today's quest for Knowledge. 4 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:31,079 As always, you can email the show at radio at 5 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:35,719 the Federalist dot com, follow us on x at FDRLST, 6 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:39,640 make sure to subscribe wherever you download your podcast, and 7 00:00:39,679 --> 00:00:43,000 of course to the premium version of our website as well. 8 00:00:44,039 --> 00:00:47,560 Today we are joined on the Federalist Radio Hour by 9 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:53,439 Lieutenant General Sammy Saddat, the Last Commander of the Afghan Army, 10 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:58,159 who's compelling new book, The Last Commander, The Once and 11 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:03,039 Future Battle for Afghanistan, offers a detailed look inside the 12 00:01:03,079 --> 00:01:07,680 war in Afghanistan and the United states disastrous withdrawal three 13 00:01:07,799 --> 00:01:11,239 years ago. Today, thank you so much for being here, Sir, 14 00:01:11,239 --> 00:01:12,519 I really appreciate your time. 15 00:01:13,719 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 2: Thank you, Matt. I'm very glad to join your show 16 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:16,799 for today. 17 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:22,599 Speaker 1: On August fifteenth, twenty twenty one, just two weeks before 18 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:27,280 US troops were set to officially withdraw from Afghanistan, Taliban 19 00:01:27,359 --> 00:01:31,920 leaders entered the capital city of Kabal and swept back 20 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:38,359 into power with little resistance. The Afghan government collapsed, the 21 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:46,079 country's president, Ashrafghani, fled, and many desperate Afghan civilians were 22 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,680 left behind. We're going to talk about that more, but 23 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,159 I want you to take us through those final days 24 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:57,840 before the Taliban swept back into the capital city. 25 00:01:59,359 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 2: Thank you, Matt. So we have to go a little 26 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:09,360 bit back to April one, where President Biden announced the 27 00:02:10,319 --> 00:02:13,800 go to zero order for all the US troops up 28 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:16,639 until that time. Of course, the Doha deal was bad. 29 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:19,159 We didn't like it, but we still have hoped that 30 00:02:19,199 --> 00:02:23,560 the US will reconsider as the situation continues to deteriorate. 31 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:28,199 But Present Biden, when he came to power, he disregarded 32 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:33,439 the recommendation by his generals, by the CIA, recommendation by 33 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:37,599 Partner Force, even by NATAL leaders who told him to 34 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:41,400 stay and continue to support the Afghan government. But he 35 00:02:41,479 --> 00:02:47,000 pulled out unconditionally, uncoordinated, and he had no regard for 36 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,800 the previous agreements that the African government have signed with 37 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:55,840 the United States. This put us on a very peculious situation. 38 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,479 As the US military pulled out, then the contractors were 39 00:02:59,479 --> 00:03:04,520 also you know, evacuated, the people who would maintain the 40 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,520 air force, the ground forces. Like this, we had some 41 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:11,560 somehow somewhat of a sophisticated technology, and there were all 42 00:03:11,759 --> 00:03:15,599 US technologies, so we couldn't hire contractors from elsewhere. This 43 00:03:15,719 --> 00:03:21,240 put a put a major challenge in our war fighting capability. 44 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,000 On the other side, the Talban got a free check. 45 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:27,240 The government of Qatar was paying them hundreds of millions 46 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,719 of dollars. Pakistan and Iran continued to train Talibans in 47 00:03:31,879 --> 00:03:35,479 large thousands uh and they continued to pour in as 48 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:39,280 we struggled on the ground without the an active Afghan 49 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:45,759 Air Force and the US Air Forces support. Furthermore, the 50 00:03:45,759 --> 00:03:49,680 the ammunition supply from the US completely dried up for 51 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,000 the Afghan forces. So we continued to fight, although we 52 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:55,520 were struggling, but we fought. You know, we didn't want to. 53 00:03:56,639 --> 00:03:59,759 We didn't want the Talban to take over. But what 54 00:04:00,159 --> 00:04:03,840 ammunition without the Afghan Air Force and without the US 55 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:07,680 Air Force's support, where by our opponent, the Taliban, had 56 00:04:07,719 --> 00:04:11,719 all the support in the world. Then you know, things 57 00:04:11,719 --> 00:04:15,319 started going very very bad, and districts started falling, and 58 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:19,759 then cities started falling, and ultimately Kobble fell on the 59 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:24,120 fifteenth of August. Because Cobble is no military guration Kabble 60 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,199 is the capital of Afghanistan, and there was no fortification 61 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:33,279 system for Kabble. As you know, nobody would want to 62 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:37,160 think that, you know, the war would arrive in Kobble. 63 00:04:38,079 --> 00:04:45,319 I think there is a strategic trouble that caused the 64 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:50,560 collapse was the agreement with the Taliban, but also the 65 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:55,800 mismanagement of Afghan leaders, particularly our president and our top 66 00:04:56,079 --> 00:05:00,720 brass political leaders inside Cobble, who were very divide at 67 00:05:00,759 --> 00:05:04,959 the end of the war, as well as the United 68 00:05:04,959 --> 00:05:08,680 States disregard to stand with us the middle of this 69 00:05:09,399 --> 00:05:10,040 vicious war. 70 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: I have my own opinions on this collapse, watching it 71 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,759 as I did from the safety of my home or 72 00:05:16,759 --> 00:05:23,319 office that day three years ago today. But let me 73 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:29,279 ask you, do you feel like what the Biden administration did, 74 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,519 What President Joe Biden did three years ago today and 75 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:38,079 actually leading up to that, was an absolute betrayal of 76 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:42,920 the Afghan Army, the Afghan people, and the cause of 77 00:05:44,199 --> 00:05:49,120 liberty from an absolute oppressive regime the Taliban. 78 00:05:50,519 --> 00:05:54,439 Speaker 2: Absolutely. And as I watched when President Biden announced made 79 00:05:54,439 --> 00:05:58,399 the announcement, I was in Hellman Province fighting in southwestern Afghanistan. 80 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,079 As I watched the way he talked the way he 81 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,480 delivered that message that were leaving no matter what, he 82 00:06:04,639 --> 00:06:08,040 sounded like an absolute tyrant. He didn't sound like a 83 00:06:08,079 --> 00:06:10,800 friend or like a strategic ally and it was a 84 00:06:10,879 --> 00:06:15,240 blank check for the Taliban. President Biden not only betrayed US, 85 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:19,600 but the President Biden betrayed the American military. The single 86 00:06:19,759 --> 00:06:26,480 most strategic glow to the American military interventions globally aised 87 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,759 the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and it would never have happened 88 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:33,360 if the order didn't come from the White House. So 89 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:37,360 the White House single handedly not only defeated the Afghan military, 90 00:06:37,399 --> 00:06:41,839 but also defeated the US military in Afghanistan as well. 91 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 1: Let's examine the reality of the situation on the ground 92 00:06:45,759 --> 00:06:48,480 and what was happening, of course, in the hearts and 93 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:52,439 minds of US citizens when all of this started, and 94 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:56,800 you have to go back, you know, twenty years. This 95 00:06:56,879 --> 00:07:00,560 all started, of course because of what happened the events 96 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:05,959 of nine to eleven September eleven, twenty twenty one, and 97 00:07:06,319 --> 00:07:11,639 the fact that Afghanistan, through the Taliban, was harboring agents 98 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:17,399 of mass terrorism, and so the United States in October 99 00:07:18,519 --> 00:07:23,600 of two thousand and one declared war or went to war, 100 00:07:23,759 --> 00:07:28,560 I should say, with Afghanistan, the American people were totally 101 00:07:28,639 --> 00:07:33,399 behind that operation. That had changed over the years, of course, 102 00:07:33,439 --> 00:07:38,279 because the years mounted, the casualties mounted, and the resources mounted. 103 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:40,879 But there was still a good number of Americans who 104 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:47,480 understood that if you're going to eventually leave Afghanistan, you 105 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:51,639 have to leave the Afghan Army, the Afghan people, who 106 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:55,759 have now been under a generation of freedoms that they 107 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:59,319 had never experienced or had not experienced in a very 108 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:04,600 long time. You have to leave them with some sense 109 00:08:04,959 --> 00:08:09,519 of security. And that absolutely did not happen when the 110 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:15,639 Biden administration, i think, pushed by political polling, decided that 111 00:08:15,639 --> 00:08:20,120 that's it, We're out. Was there any communication to you? 112 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:24,199 How was the communication to you as an army officer 113 00:08:24,279 --> 00:08:27,079 to the Afghan Army when all of this was going down. 114 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 2: So we had communication with the US Army, But the 115 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:34,879 US Army was absolutely not ready for hearing this order 116 00:08:35,399 --> 00:08:39,240 because they knew that the Doha agreement was conditions based, 117 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:43,759 as President Trump mentioned at times and times again, and 118 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:47,679 the conditions have not changed, and the Taliban broke all 119 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:51,679 the articles of the Doha commitment to the US. So 120 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,240 we needed to go back to war and continue to fight. 121 00:08:55,639 --> 00:09:00,000 President Biden not only didn't coordinate or communicate or consult 122 00:09:00,159 --> 00:09:03,879 with US, but he also completely disregarded what Pentagon and 123 00:09:03,919 --> 00:09:08,559 the CIA was recommending. So it was just one sided, 124 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:11,919 very vindictive order, if I can put it this way, 125 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:17,039 to just pull out no matter what happens. I'm glad 126 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:21,120 you mentioned October two thousand and one, and remember Matt 127 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:26,200 when nine to eleven happened, the US, you know, announced 128 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:32,879 the war, and I still remember reading this President Bush's statement, 129 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:36,080 we will not waiver, we will not tire, we will 130 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:41,360 not falter, and we will not fail. Peace and freedom 131 00:09:41,399 --> 00:09:45,159 will prevail, you know. I mean we have grown up 132 00:09:45,159 --> 00:09:47,360 with that for the last twenty years, and the US 133 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:49,879 military belief that, we believe that that we will work 134 00:09:49,879 --> 00:09:55,159 together the Afghan the Afghans joined the US going after 135 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:58,519 al Qaeda. And remember, by the time the Taliban were 136 00:09:58,559 --> 00:10:01,799 posted out of power the there was around three hundred 137 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:06,399 US Special Forces and there was around one hundred thousand 138 00:10:06,519 --> 00:10:09,960 Afghan soldiers on the ground fighting on the side of 139 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:13,200 the Afghanistan United Front. At the time they joined the 140 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:16,559 US coalition and went after the Taliban. Of course, it 141 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:19,159 was in our best interest to get rid of the Taliban. 142 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:21,679 We wanted to do that anyway. We just found a friend. 143 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:24,480 But we went beyond that. We went after al Qaeda. 144 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:28,360 We went after every single entity, individual or country that 145 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:33,639 was fighting the United States at that corner of the world. 146 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,600 So in a way, you know, we kind of feel 147 00:10:36,639 --> 00:10:40,559 like we were doing something good in that part of 148 00:10:41,039 --> 00:10:46,799 the world, preventing terrorism from coming back and heading not 149 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:49,679 only the United States but actually at the global stage. 150 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:52,519 And the US and Afghan military did a wonderful job 151 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:56,159 preventing terrorism and you know, putting Taliban and al Qaya 152 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:59,519 and other groups on their knees. And for twenty years 153 00:10:59,519 --> 00:11:03,039 there has been any significant terrorist rise in Middle East 154 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:06,960 and Africa, in Europe, or there not been any significant 155 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,639 attacks inside the United States. And this was all because 156 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,480 of the engagement in Afghanistan and South Asia. 157 00:11:14,759 --> 00:11:19,559 Speaker 1: Well, there certainly were a lot of Afghans who assisted 158 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:24,039 the United States, with the United States and the Afghan 159 00:11:24,159 --> 00:11:28,240 army working together to beat the forces of the Taliban, 160 00:11:28,399 --> 00:11:32,480 pushed them back, never beaten, certainly, but pushed them back 161 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,919 so they could not be in a position of power 162 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:41,600 and authority that obviously changed over the years and would 163 00:11:41,639 --> 00:11:46,960 EBB and flow. But I think about the people left behind, 164 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:52,240 tens of thousands upon thousands of people, people who assisted 165 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,519 the United States, you know, put their lives on the 166 00:11:54,519 --> 00:11:57,480 line for the United States. I was talking to you 167 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:03,720 before we began the podcast that you know, I have 168 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:11,039 have met a wonderful family from Afghanistan, assisted by someone 169 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:14,360 very close to me who works in pro bono service 170 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:21,399 to bring those Afghans who were so dedicated to the 171 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:25,440 cause of liberty in Afghanistan, worked alongside US nngos and 172 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:30,320 US governments. A family whose father you know, did just 173 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:35,000 that for years, and when everything collapsed, they were absolutely 174 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:40,840 left behind. They were terrorized and brutally tortured at times 175 00:12:40,879 --> 00:12:47,840 from Taliban agents. They spent their lives on the run. Ultimately, 176 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:51,279 in February of this year, they were able to get 177 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,720 to the United States after a lot of bureaucratic hurdles. 178 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:58,679 But it just all brings to mind this family is 179 00:12:58,799 --> 00:13:03,759 definitely not an s I mean, this family is among many, 180 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:08,399 but so tragically, so many are still behind enemy lines. 181 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:12,320 Speaker 2: That is so true, Matt. So after the folder has 182 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:16,879 been like three major fallouts of the collapse of the 183 00:13:16,919 --> 00:13:20,759 Afghan government and also the withdrawal of the US and 184 00:13:20,799 --> 00:13:24,759 troops is The first one is the mass migration of 185 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:28,440 the Afghans that are forced under the Taliban torture to 186 00:13:28,519 --> 00:13:31,879 leave the country and run away for their lives, especially 187 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:35,759 those who worked with the coalition forces and the US forces. 188 00:13:35,759 --> 00:13:38,759 They are absolutely number one target and they continue to 189 00:13:38,799 --> 00:13:42,720 die in high numbers. Even today, there's thirty thousand former 190 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:46,679 Afghan soldiers in the Taliban prisons. In thousands of women 191 00:13:46,759 --> 00:13:51,000 are being imprisoned, which is absolutely unpreced unprecedented in our history. 192 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:58,320 And there's other educated doctors, engineers, anyone who has been 193 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:01,879 to a proper college is the enemy because they don't 194 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:06,440 want the local people to get education, to learn about freedom, 195 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:10,639 to learn about, you know, life and prosperity in progress. 196 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:13,919 The second fallout really is the comeback of terrorism. You've 197 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:19,120 seen al Zawahiri being killed in Kabbal, the al Qaida's leader. Today, 198 00:14:19,159 --> 00:14:22,200 as I'm speaking to you, there is fifty thousand Al 199 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:25,600 Qaeda and al Qaida affiliate members in Afghanistan. These are 200 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:29,720 some of them are commanders, other sort of fighters training 201 00:14:29,759 --> 00:14:33,720 for overseas operations. They are done with Afghanistan. Now they 202 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:36,840 are taking the fight to the Middle East against the 203 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:41,039 US military basis, and they have had plans to blow 204 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:44,679 up the US embassies in Pakistan and in Saudi Arabia. 205 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,679 I believe the Saudi Arabian plan is still on and 206 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:51,320 they're continuing to figure it out. They have joint forces 207 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:55,120 with Iran, so there is the triangle of terrorism between Iran, 208 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:59,960 Taliban and Al Kaida. We're working together to you know, 209 00:15:00,159 --> 00:15:03,000 push the US out of the Middle East and control 210 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:06,519 the trading routes and the energy hubs and also top 211 00:15:06,519 --> 00:15:11,480 all the Arab monarchy regimes that they believe or the 212 00:15:11,519 --> 00:15:18,200 pro Western governments in the Middle East. And this is significant, 213 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:21,879 This is serious. This will have strategic impact on everybody 214 00:15:21,919 --> 00:15:25,519 on global earth, if not in a deadly way, but 215 00:15:25,639 --> 00:15:28,559 definitely it will affect the economy, it will affect the 216 00:15:28,759 --> 00:15:32,399 energy flow, and it will bring you a clash of 217 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:36,559 different civilizations. As we can see, the classes have already 218 00:15:36,559 --> 00:15:40,519 the increase. And the third one really is the you know, 219 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:43,919 the comeback of China and Russia. As the US left. 220 00:15:44,799 --> 00:15:48,519 China has now signed contracts worth of twenty billion dollars 221 00:15:48,879 --> 00:15:52,200 with the Taliban to get minerals from Afghanistan. And what 222 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:56,960 does China do with these minerals. They develop rockets, supersonic rockets, 223 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:00,879 defense technology to compete with the United States in any event, 224 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:04,000 in any way you want to measure this. This is 225 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:08,279 absolutely against the interest of the United States. It's absolutely 226 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:13,039 against the global security and stability. 227 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:17,879 Speaker 1: Well, you mentioned that the Taliban could not have done 228 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:22,360 what they did on August fifteenth, twenty twenty one alone. 229 00:16:23,039 --> 00:16:26,720 They had lots of support from some of the world's 230 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:38,399 biggest terrorist actors, Iran in specifically, how significant a role 231 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:46,440 do these terrorist activist active nations continue to play in 232 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:47,799 Afghanistan today. 233 00:16:48,759 --> 00:16:53,279 Speaker 2: So Taliban have joined in the access of resistance as 234 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:56,279 you're on call it. So, in an event of war 235 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:59,279 with the US or in the Middle East against Israel, 236 00:16:59,399 --> 00:17:02,799 the Taliban agreed to send thousands of their suicide bombers 237 00:17:02,799 --> 00:17:07,279 and forces in support of and al Qaeda has already 238 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,039 al Qaida's leadership is in Iran right now, and they 239 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:16,519 have joined forces with Iran. Al Qaeda and the pro 240 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:19,920 Iranian terrorist groups in the Middle East broker the piece. 241 00:17:20,319 --> 00:17:24,559 So all of them are now working under the Iranian 242 00:17:24,599 --> 00:17:28,200 regime under the direction to say from the houties to 243 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:32,200 you know, Alcaida members in Syria, to Hesbela and Lebanon, 244 00:17:32,279 --> 00:17:36,480 and to other like little terrorist groups in Iraq. All 245 00:17:36,519 --> 00:17:39,039 of them are now working together as you can see. 246 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:43,680 You know, their footprint has significantly increased after the fall 247 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:47,240 of Afghanistan because one of the things that happened is 248 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:53,599 the Taliban victory in Afghanistan provided motivation and also inspiration 249 00:17:53,759 --> 00:17:57,599 for many other terrorist groups saying that we continue to fight. 250 00:17:58,039 --> 00:18:00,240 The US is gonna leave and we will take our 251 00:18:00,319 --> 00:18:03,559 countries and control the power and the resources. 252 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:08,400 Speaker 1: You were a very young man at the time of 253 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:14,799 the September eleven, twenty twenty one attacks on America, and 254 00:18:14,839 --> 00:18:19,359 you still cite and I'm hearing it, you cite this 255 00:18:19,519 --> 00:18:23,119 from your heart, from memory. You know what the call 256 00:18:23,559 --> 00:18:27,240 was at that time to take on the forces of evil, 257 00:18:27,319 --> 00:18:34,079 the terrorist forces, the extremist Islamic forces that had gripped 258 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:39,240 Afghanistan for years, and then you know, we're involved in 259 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:45,400 horrific terrorist activities. What was it like being a young 260 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:51,519 man and then obviously you got involved militarily at that time? 261 00:18:51,559 --> 00:18:56,279 What was it like at that point after the attack 262 00:18:56,359 --> 00:19:00,920 on America and the game chain. 263 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:05,160 Speaker 2: So when America was attacked, I didn't know where America was. 264 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:09,240 I thought New York was America and it was a country. 265 00:19:09,839 --> 00:19:12,599 I had no idea it was a town in America 266 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:19,680 and thought like and I really didn't. And my father 267 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:24,359 was fighting against the Taliban and the resistance, and he 268 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:26,559 called me in Cobbol. At the time, we didn't have 269 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:30,160 telephone lines. We were using satellite phones in the public 270 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:32,920 call offices. So I went there and I spoke to 271 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:35,400 my dad. We didn't know what was happening. So he said, 272 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:39,839 my son, something incredible is going to happen in Afghanistan. 273 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:42,720 You need to buy a lot of food at least 274 00:19:42,759 --> 00:19:46,480 for three months, and make sure you guys have medicine, 275 00:19:47,039 --> 00:19:53,559 food and lumber because the winter was coming. So I said, Dad, 276 00:19:53,599 --> 00:19:56,359 what happened? He said, my son, I don't know how 277 00:19:56,400 --> 00:20:01,480 to explain it to you, but the alban has awakened 278 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:06,160 a mega power that will swallow the Taliban and I 279 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:10,119 will see you soon. So I had no ideas, you know, 280 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,000 I had these you know images in my head. And 281 00:20:13,039 --> 00:20:15,839 once we saw the fifty two's coming and these you 282 00:20:15,839 --> 00:20:20,640 know wave and wave off after the fifteen's and if 283 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:23,759 fourteen's coming and bombing the Taliban, then I kind of 284 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:25,880 kind of made sense for me, it's like, oh, yeah, 285 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:30,160 that is a mega power beating the Taliban. We were 286 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,440 very happy, and initially we got very scared. We were 287 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:36,920 living in cobble. No, it was like these bombings. Usually 288 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:40,720 when there was war and bombing in Afghanistan, civilians got killed, 289 00:20:40,759 --> 00:20:43,799 but this time around, there was zero civilian casualties. They 290 00:20:43,799 --> 00:20:48,279 would come and directly hit the Taliban vehicles, the Taliban headquarters, 291 00:20:48,759 --> 00:20:52,640 and very soon it became like our little how do 292 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:55,960 you say, gladiators show, So we'd just go on the 293 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,400 top or stand somewhere and see these be fifty twos 294 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:02,519 and American bombers come and bomb the Taliban positions to 295 00:21:02,759 --> 00:21:05,519 take joy at It's like, yeah, you know, keep hitting 296 00:21:05,839 --> 00:21:10,759 so and very soon, after a month and a half, 297 00:21:11,079 --> 00:21:13,440 my father arrived with a very large army. They have 298 00:21:13,559 --> 00:21:18,039 laborated Cobble with his you know, other friends and commanders, 299 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:21,720 and life has completely changed. We went to the best 300 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:24,400 schools in the world. We have seen the rest of 301 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:27,720 the world. We have worked with the American military, with 302 00:21:28,039 --> 00:21:33,359 European militaries, and very quickly prosperity came to Afghanistan. There 303 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:38,319 was this incredible transformation of our infrastructure. But also throughout 304 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:41,920 the year mat an incredible transformation of our society. If 305 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:46,200 you meet an Afghan today and you equally meet somebody 306 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:50,759 else like an Iranian and somebody from Uzbekistan or from Pakistan, 307 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:54,839 I bet Afghans are very different. You would you would 308 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:57,359 see the difference. You would see the way they think, 309 00:21:57,400 --> 00:21:59,880 the way they work, the way they you know, cherish 310 00:22:00,039 --> 00:22:03,440 our values is very very different. And it's because of 311 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:06,920 this transformation in the past twenty years. That was the 312 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:12,240 freedom that was provided for afghan So we want to 313 00:22:12,279 --> 00:22:14,880 have that again. We don't like the Taliban. We don't 314 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:18,759 want the Taliban to be our rulers. And today the 315 00:22:18,799 --> 00:22:22,559 Afghan people absolutely refuse to accept the Taliban. According to 316 00:22:22,599 --> 00:22:27,480 the United Nations, ninety five percent of the Afghans inside 317 00:22:27,519 --> 00:22:30,799 Afghanistan do not want the Taliban, and this survey is 318 00:22:30,799 --> 00:22:35,720 conducted inside Afghanistan. So although people are afraid of the Taliban, 319 00:22:35,799 --> 00:22:39,240 but they have said it to the servioers that they 320 00:22:39,279 --> 00:22:43,079 don't want the Taliban government. 321 00:22:44,319 --> 00:22:47,319 Speaker 1: Our guest today on the Federalist Radio Hour, Lieutenant General 322 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:52,000 Sammy Saddan, the last Commander of the Afghan Army compelling 323 00:22:52,079 --> 00:22:55,720 new book. The last Commander, the once in future. Battle 324 00:22:55,759 --> 00:23:00,200 for Afghanistan offers a detailed look inside the war in 325 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:06,039 Afghanistan and the United states disastrous withdrawal three years ago today, 326 00:23:06,519 --> 00:23:11,000 and therein lies the tragedy general. I'm thinking about a 327 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:15,960 generation of people who grew up with hope, with freedom, 328 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:22,240 with a chance, and just overnight it was automatically wiped 329 00:23:22,279 --> 00:23:26,240 away from them. I think about those images, and there's 330 00:23:26,279 --> 00:23:30,160 one story in particular that comes to my mind over 331 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:34,599 and over again. It's a young man, a teenager. I 332 00:23:34,599 --> 00:23:38,759 don't know, maybe he's sixteen, seventeen years old. He is. 333 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:43,160 He has enjoyed the freedom and the passion of his 334 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:48,920 favorite game, soccer, for all of his life. He's known 335 00:23:49,079 --> 00:23:56,160 only freedom, basically all of his life. And when Cobble collapses, 336 00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:01,880 he is so desperate to continue his life and freedom 337 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:05,000 and his passion for soccer. As I understand the story, 338 00:24:05,839 --> 00:24:10,599 that he ends up sneaking into the wheel well of 339 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:15,680 a plane departing Afghanistan, and there are images of him 340 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:19,880 and others falling from that plane to their deaths. They 341 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:25,279 were so determined to keep their freedom. That's heartbreaking, and 342 00:24:25,319 --> 00:24:29,000 it's just one of many myriad stories on that front. 343 00:24:30,519 --> 00:24:32,799 Speaker 2: That's true and this is all, you know, we should 344 00:24:32,839 --> 00:24:36,240 remember this is all a man made disaster and it 345 00:24:36,279 --> 00:24:40,160 couldn't have happened if you know politicians both in Washington 346 00:24:40,279 --> 00:24:43,480 and in Kobble didn't make the mistakes they did. I mean, 347 00:24:43,559 --> 00:24:48,440 the US and Afghan military fought courageously and bravely, but 348 00:24:48,519 --> 00:24:52,079 we lost politically. Politically, we were defeated. And it was 349 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:55,519 our masters that you know, stabbed this from our behind, 350 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:59,519 and political masters that you know put us to where 351 00:25:00,079 --> 00:25:03,440 where we are. But because it was a man made disaster, 352 00:25:03,559 --> 00:25:07,000 it could be repaired and fixed. And we're dedicated now 353 00:25:07,039 --> 00:25:11,440 and me and a couple of my friends, patriot generals, 354 00:25:11,559 --> 00:25:16,039 general officers, governors, diplomats, we have established an organization known 355 00:25:16,079 --> 00:25:19,559 as Afghanistan United Front, and we're working day and night 356 00:25:19,759 --> 00:25:24,119 to mobilize our people, you know, get some political recognition 357 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:27,640 and legitimacy, and then go after the Taliban and fight 358 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,359 them and defeat them, so making the Taliban period a 359 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:36,240 brief interruption in our history. The Taliban will not remain 360 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:39,440 in power for too long, and they should not remain 361 00:25:39,519 --> 00:25:42,279 in power for too long. We don't want the US 362 00:25:42,319 --> 00:25:44,799 soldiers to come back and fight for us. We will 363 00:25:44,799 --> 00:25:48,880 do the fighting ourselves. But what we want is political 364 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:53,880 and technical support. I think we can we can have 365 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:57,680 this much, you know, whiles stay in the US to 366 00:25:57,799 --> 00:26:01,799 ask for that because of our previous you know, partnerships, 367 00:26:01,839 --> 00:26:04,759 and also for because of the future. You know, things 368 00:26:04,799 --> 00:26:09,319 are going very bad in the global South against Americans, 369 00:26:09,319 --> 00:26:12,559 and it will be a good idea for America to 370 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:16,839 have a friendly government in Cobble that you know works 371 00:26:17,279 --> 00:26:21,119 with American does not produce terrorists every day to go 372 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:25,480 after American diplomats and soldiers in the Middle East and 373 00:26:25,559 --> 00:26:28,519 Europe and also come to America to attack Americans. 374 00:26:29,279 --> 00:26:34,599 Speaker 1: But you must know that Americans are fatigued dwarf fatigue Afghanistans, 375 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:38,880 the involvement, the commitment there for twenty years, many many 376 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:43,279 years in Iraq, that that's not over by any stretch 377 00:26:43,279 --> 00:26:48,440 of the imagination. In our involvement now in Ukraine and 378 00:26:48,559 --> 00:26:52,400 the hundreds and hundreds of billions of dollars there. You know, 379 00:26:52,519 --> 00:26:57,119 it's a matter of treasure, certainly, But there is concern 380 00:26:57,279 --> 00:27:02,079 that as the world becomes more and more inflamed, and 381 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:05,160 I believe the world becomes more and more inflamed because 382 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:10,279 of horrible leadership in Washington, DC, right now. But that 383 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:17,559 whole disastrous series of events that in many ways began 384 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:23,920 in August of twenty twenty one, playing out worldwide, and 385 00:27:24,039 --> 00:27:31,240 Americans are absolutely concerned but fatigued about US involvement. Are 386 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:35,599 you concerned that there is not the will in America 387 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:38,920 to do what you just mentioned there is. 388 00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 2: We have great friends and as you mentioned, like the 389 00:27:42,759 --> 00:27:46,440 lawyers that are supporting the Afghan people. We're grateful to 390 00:27:46,519 --> 00:27:50,400 the American people who stood by Afghans at a disaster 391 00:27:51,519 --> 00:27:55,000 in August twenty twenty one. Some still continue to support 392 00:27:55,039 --> 00:27:58,079 the Afghans. I am really grateful and we will never 393 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:02,599 forget that war is not a choice. Mat war will 394 00:28:02,599 --> 00:28:05,680 come to you if you don't go, you know, go 395 00:28:05,799 --> 00:28:08,839 back to it. Do you want us to go fight 396 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:13,119 the Taliban in kobbl and in Kandahar and defeat Al 397 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:15,599 Kaito over there, or do you want to wait for 398 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:18,680 them to arrive here and in the Middle East and 399 00:28:18,759 --> 00:28:23,599 to fight your soldiers again? Fatigue, yes, fatigue or not? 400 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:27,240 This is a war. It's not over. The threat has 401 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:31,240 increased and they're coming after you. So you gotta even 402 00:28:31,279 --> 00:28:35,160 if you're fatigued or tired or exhausted, you want to 403 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:38,599 be defending yourself actively. If you wait for them to 404 00:28:38,799 --> 00:28:43,160 arrive and you think you're fatigued, you know, then you 405 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:46,200 know it will translate absolutely against you. 406 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:49,519 Speaker 1: Well, I think about the fatigue in America versus the 407 00:28:49,519 --> 00:28:51,640 fatigue that's on the ground in Afghanistan. 408 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:53,839 Speaker 2: For that's right, let's compare that. 409 00:28:54,039 --> 00:28:59,759 Speaker 1: Right, And I certainly understand, don't don't confuse my political 410 00:29:00,559 --> 00:29:04,160 realities on the ground here with what is actually happening 411 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:07,000 in Afghanistan. And I know you're right. And beyond that, 412 00:29:07,599 --> 00:29:10,759 I also know what you're saying is absolutely correct that 413 00:29:11,599 --> 00:29:15,160 the war is in many ways coming to America. It's 414 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:19,119 again coming to America because of disastrous border policies here 415 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:26,680 and the terrorists that we're bunking in Pakistan, Afghanistan and 416 00:29:26,759 --> 00:29:30,559 other parts of the world and the Middle East are 417 00:29:30,599 --> 00:29:35,920 now and have in perhaps significant numbers enter the United States. 418 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:40,519 And the question is how long before another nine to 419 00:29:40,519 --> 00:29:46,839 eleven hits here and then what happens. Afghanistan plays I 420 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:48,680 think a central role in all of that. 421 00:29:48,759 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 2: Yet today absolutely absolutely I agree. I think there is 422 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:57,400 a mistake map and the way the administration sometimes explained 423 00:29:57,599 --> 00:30:01,960 is absolutely misleading because they say, oh, the al Qaida 424 00:30:02,039 --> 00:30:05,519 doesn't have the capability to conduct large scale attacks in 425 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:10,319 mainland US. US is a superpower. US is not only 426 00:30:10,359 --> 00:30:13,599 in the mainland US. You have prisons in UAE, in 427 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:19,240 Saudi Arabia, in Africa, Indian Ocean. They can absolutely hit 428 00:30:19,279 --> 00:30:22,799 that and they're hitting your soldiers every single day. Are 429 00:30:22,799 --> 00:30:26,880 you telling me that those lives don't matter and only 430 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:29,960 if Americans are in the mainland then they matter. Are 431 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:32,759 you telling me that energy and global trade will not 432 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:38,240 affect the US superiority over other, you know, competitors. I 433 00:30:38,279 --> 00:30:41,559 think this is very misleading. And al Qaida absolutely has 434 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:45,319 the power to challenge the I mean absolutely, al Qaida 435 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:48,359 and Iran right now has challenged the presence and the 436 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:53,839 influence of the United States in Iraq, in they god Yamen, 437 00:30:54,599 --> 00:30:58,440 in Saudi Arabia and also across Africa. So you know 438 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:01,920 where do you think it will end? It started from Afghanistan, 439 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,559 you retreated. Now it's in the Middle East, and you 440 00:31:04,599 --> 00:31:08,400 know if you keep retreating, then you know they will 441 00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:09,440 be here very soon. 442 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:14,480 Speaker 1: So what is life like for the resistance? The people 443 00:31:15,039 --> 00:31:19,880 like yourselves who are and you're not you know, we're 444 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:23,160 not talking to you from Afghanistan? Obviously there's a reason 445 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:25,359 for that. You had you had to get out of there, 446 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:27,880 your life was on the line. But I know that 447 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:31,119 there is as you mentioned before, there is a movement, 448 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:35,400 there is a resistance, but where does it stand right 449 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:39,680 now in terms of viably taking on the Taliban. 450 00:31:40,519 --> 00:31:44,359 Speaker 2: So there is absolutely will to take on the Taliban 451 00:31:44,519 --> 00:31:48,200 and defeat them. We have a lot of trouble politically 452 00:31:48,359 --> 00:31:52,680 in the West because we get continuous pressure from Western 453 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:57,039 governments that we don't They tell us that we don't 454 00:31:57,079 --> 00:32:00,559 want to support military action against the Taliban, although if 455 00:32:00,599 --> 00:32:06,279 it's only the Afghanist themselves. And also in terms of politics, 456 00:32:06,319 --> 00:32:09,119 they make it extremely difficult for some of our leaders 457 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:13,039 to move around and travel and conduct conferences and all that. 458 00:32:13,119 --> 00:32:15,519 The United States is much better, and this is why 459 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:19,119 we have our political office here. So we are grateful 460 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:23,759 for that. We have safe and an open space here 461 00:32:23,799 --> 00:32:26,799 to debate and discuss the future of our countries, but 462 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:30,680 other countries have been more and more difficult. We are 463 00:32:30,759 --> 00:32:35,079 right now working on mobilizing assets and resources to go 464 00:32:35,119 --> 00:32:38,799 after the Taliban. That's depending matter for us, and it's 465 00:32:38,799 --> 00:32:41,720 absolutely a homework. But we're working day and night to 466 00:32:41,759 --> 00:32:44,759 make sure we get assets and go back and fight 467 00:32:44,799 --> 00:32:48,119 the Taliban. We wish that the United States support us 468 00:32:48,519 --> 00:32:53,599 technically and politically. If not, then we will take on 469 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:58,759 the Taliban ourselves. Life for us has one purpose and 470 00:32:58,839 --> 00:33:02,759 one meaning, particularly for myself, is to go back and 471 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:06,039 free our people. The US is a beautiful country, and 472 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:10,640 Europe is nice and people are friendly. There's absolutely peace, 473 00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:14,319 and you can work and you can educate your kids. 474 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:18,039 But my country is Afghanistan. There's millions of people that 475 00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:21,079 does not have the chances that my kids have, and 476 00:33:21,119 --> 00:33:24,400 I want them to have the same chances. So the 477 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:27,039 way for that is to go and fight our way 478 00:33:27,799 --> 00:33:30,000 into the freedom. And that's what we will do. 479 00:33:30,759 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 1: Are you concerned that the US and it's involvement in Ukraine, 480 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:40,559 the war between Russia and Ukraine, what is going on 481 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:45,799 in Israel, the Middle East? Always the threat of China, 482 00:33:46,119 --> 00:33:51,759 particularly in Taiwan, other areas of the world, that the 483 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:56,599 US has so many financial and military commitments, but that 484 00:33:56,799 --> 00:34:00,720 is ultimately going to continue to over share and take 485 00:34:00,759 --> 00:34:03,880 away opportunities for the Afghan resistance. 486 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:09,760 Speaker 2: It actually did and practically Ukraine has caused a significant 487 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:15,320 shadow over the matter of Afghanistan. Ukraine actually covered up 488 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:19,239 the matter of international terrorism, and it, I mean international 489 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:22,960 terrorism is very happy that the United States is busy 490 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:25,920 in Ukraine and Russia is busy in Ukraine. So they're 491 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:29,559 you know, increasing their power. They're training in high numbers, 492 00:34:29,559 --> 00:34:33,320 they're buying weapons, and they are recruiting all across the 493 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:37,239 world to increase their force because there is no surveillance 494 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:40,199 on the terrorist groups by the US. There is no 495 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:45,519 surveillance by Russia against terrorists, which you know, Russia used 496 00:34:45,519 --> 00:34:48,159 to be an ally of the United States against the terrorists. 497 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:51,400 China has no interest on the terrorists because China thinks 498 00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:57,079 that and terrorists soonly target the Western world and other places. 499 00:34:57,119 --> 00:35:01,519 So it is a concern, but I think strategically it's 500 00:35:01,519 --> 00:35:06,159 a mistake to let the terrorists rise into you know, 501 00:35:06,199 --> 00:35:09,920 a level that will be very very difficult to stop, 502 00:35:10,079 --> 00:35:13,119 you know, as soon as we start, and the better 503 00:35:14,039 --> 00:35:17,159 it is. Look what happens in Africa. You've maybe seen 504 00:35:17,199 --> 00:35:22,079 the news in Mali and Burkina Faso. Last year ka 505 00:35:22,719 --> 00:35:27,400 appointed Abu Muhammad eal miicity al Kaeda's leader for Afghanistan 506 00:35:27,559 --> 00:35:30,119 was reappointed in Africa, and as soon as he arrived 507 00:35:30,159 --> 00:35:32,880 in Africa, we see like a large number of soldiers 508 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:37,519 dying in Mali, Burkina, Faso, in Nigeri, in Togo and 509 00:35:37,599 --> 00:35:41,480 other places. And their leadership is in Afghanistan. They're supporting that. 510 00:35:41,599 --> 00:35:45,119 So what happened as a flip side and reaction to 511 00:35:45,159 --> 00:35:49,199 al Kaieda's rising in Africa, because the US is busy 512 00:35:49,239 --> 00:35:53,519 in Ukraine, the Russians offered to help, you know, African 513 00:35:53,519 --> 00:35:56,760 militaries and African countries. So right now you see increased 514 00:35:56,800 --> 00:36:02,800 presence of Russia in Africa because of the opportunity that 515 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:06,599 is provided to help the local government. So it also 516 00:36:06,639 --> 00:36:10,719 diminished the US influence and it forced the US out 517 00:36:10,719 --> 00:36:15,199 of Niger already. And so these are all, you know, interconnected, 518 00:36:15,679 --> 00:36:20,480 but somehow it gets left out or the administration absolutely 519 00:36:20,559 --> 00:36:24,320 covers it up, and it's a little chance for people 520 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:26,800 like me to come into the media and explain like, hey, 521 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:30,119 wait a minute, wait a minute, this is absolutely the 522 00:36:30,159 --> 00:36:34,079 wrong direction, and you know you need to redirect and 523 00:36:34,239 --> 00:36:39,480 reevaluate where you are and who your opponent really is. Strategically, 524 00:36:39,599 --> 00:36:43,639 China is your competitor in Global South, and in terms 525 00:36:43,679 --> 00:36:50,159 of security, the security immediate, direct and strategic challenge for 526 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:55,119 the global West is absolutely terrorism. There is nothing more 527 00:36:55,199 --> 00:36:59,239 dangerous for global West and than the matter of terrorism. 528 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:03,000 Speaker 1: Final question for even very generous with your time, I 529 00:37:03,119 --> 00:37:07,000 very much appreciate it, and it is this. You know, 530 00:37:07,079 --> 00:37:11,960 when you're fighting tyrants, there is always today, but it 531 00:37:12,039 --> 00:37:17,280 is tomorrow that you are ultimately focused on, and tomorrow 532 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:21,480 can be a long time in fighting tyrants. What does 533 00:37:21,719 --> 00:37:30,719 Afghanistan look like realistically in your vision ten years from today? 534 00:37:32,159 --> 00:37:36,480 Speaker 2: So we have in our campaign. We have basically two 535 00:37:36,519 --> 00:37:39,039 phases in the campaign. The first phase is the war 536 00:37:39,119 --> 00:37:43,159 fighting phase to defeat the Taliban and get rid of them. 537 00:37:43,199 --> 00:37:50,039 The second phase is basically the reconstruction and development and 538 00:37:50,119 --> 00:37:55,920 consolidation of the Afghan powers. Ten years from now, Afghanistan 539 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:58,320 will be a free country. People will be able to 540 00:37:58,440 --> 00:38:04,280 vote end their leaders. There will be prosperity, job opportunities, infrastructure, 541 00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:06,840 so young men and woman does not have to flee 542 00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:10,119 the country and get drowned in Europe and get stopped 543 00:38:10,159 --> 00:38:15,280 in the borders, and you know, so we can live 544 00:38:15,559 --> 00:38:18,400 at peace in our own country and the new generations 545 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:22,280 grow up as good global citizens instead of turning into 546 00:38:23,119 --> 00:38:26,119 terrorists who would like to go out and kill the 547 00:38:26,159 --> 00:38:30,119 Afghans and the rest of the world. It is all 548 00:38:30,199 --> 00:38:34,119 possible if we stand united and if we continue to 549 00:38:34,159 --> 00:38:37,840 focus on the task. It will not be possible. If 550 00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:42,320 governments like the US government, European governments and others continue 551 00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:46,079 to support the Taliban and continue to isolate and prevent 552 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:51,239 the opposition from standing up and mobilizing against against the 553 00:38:51,320 --> 00:38:56,239 groups like the Taliban, it will be extremely dangerous. Then 554 00:38:56,280 --> 00:39:00,920 you will have a terrorist super state joined with Iran, 555 00:39:01,039 --> 00:39:05,599 al Qaeda and with other nefarious nations that is absolutely 556 00:39:05,880 --> 00:39:08,679 fighting everything and anything you believe. 557 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:15,039 Speaker 1: And in terms of your values, God willing, a free 558 00:39:15,079 --> 00:39:21,239 Afghanistan that you envision is in the future, in the 559 00:39:21,280 --> 00:39:25,960 immediate future, more immediate future, Yes, if at all possible. 560 00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:30,480 The work, the work is daunting, I understand, but I 561 00:39:30,599 --> 00:39:34,119 certainly understand your passion as well for that. Thanks to 562 00:39:34,159 --> 00:39:39,199 my guest today, Lieutenant General Sammy Saddat, The Last Commander 563 00:39:39,239 --> 00:39:42,840 of the Afghan Army, is compelling new book, The Last Commander, 564 00:39:43,360 --> 00:39:47,320 The Once in Future Battle for Afghanistan. You've been listening 565 00:39:47,320 --> 00:39:50,760 to another edition of The Federalist Radio Hour. I'm Matt Kittle, 566 00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:54,679 senior correspondent at The Federalist. We'll be back soon with more. 567 00:39:55,239 --> 00:39:59,400 Until then, stay lovers of freedom. I'm anxious for the frame. 568 00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:11,360 I heard the fame, voice the reason, and then it 569 00:40:11,559 --> 00:40:17,079 faded away. M hm