1 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: Lute. If it doesn't work, you're just not using enough. 2 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:25,959 Speaker 1: You're listening to soft Reap Radio, special operations, military news 3 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:36,199 Speaker 1: and straight talk with the guys in the community. Welcome 4 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: to another edition of soft Rep Radio. I'm your host, 5 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 1: rad and I'm coming to you from Salt Lake City 6 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:44,479 Speaker 1: today and I have a very special guest all the 7 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: way from the United Kingdom in England. I have Anthony 8 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 1: Stephen Malone former Para Regiment, which is a parachute regiment, 9 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: and those guys were created I think what about eighty 10 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: years ago by Winston Churchill to be what are called 11 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: shock troops. Yeah, that's about right. Yeah, well yeah, I 12 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: served in the Pouchier Regiment, served in full battalion when 13 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: I was seventeen years old, Night and eight. Then in 14 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: the early nineties went to depul Power again don't be 15 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:17,959 Speaker 1: company for the second Sound Bust when the three Power 16 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: spent about three and a half years in Free Power 17 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:23,120 Speaker 1: as well. Then I was fortunate enough to be able 18 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 1: to tut was in all over the world vegetate and 19 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: on the show too in Northern Ireland. We don't can years. 20 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 1: Cy was obviously in floor Powder, spent time in Germany. 21 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,839 Speaker 1: Then came out and as a proud Vetlan started doing 22 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 1: a lot of work in the veteran community. Yeah, it's 23 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 1: needed over there. You guys as a veteran community get 24 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:46,200 Speaker 1: together with a lot of different charities to make it 25 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: happen for veterans who are not able to afford things 26 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: and take care of it. It's a really prideful thing. 27 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 1: When I've gone over to visit, I just want to say, 28 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: you know, a plot to you for dedication. It's actually 29 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: good to see a lot of different companies and private organizations, 30 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: a lot of small group and see here that's exactly 31 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: the same as what you've got over in and how 32 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: we got a lot of vetmans get together and help 33 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:14,519 Speaker 1: the vetans other veterans that are not as fortunate as 34 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: some of us. Yeah. Correct. Now, you being a veteran, 35 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: you've jumped out of an airplane. Have you ever had 36 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: any type of crazy incident jumping out of an airplane? 37 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 1: Being in the parachute regiment and jumping did you ever 38 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: have an issue where you're like, oh what do I 39 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: do right here? Um? Yeah? I think pretty much everyone 40 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: who's ever jumped as always had one one or two 41 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:40,399 Speaker 1: near This is unfortunate a lot. If I've done over 42 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: a hundred study clinging jumps only had one really bad 43 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:46,639 Speaker 1: one that was in four power in Germany when out 44 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: they started to see one third year hercules end up 45 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 1: going through someone's rigging lines. Came down upside down with 46 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 1: a container that was actually struck to my legs. It's 47 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: a manage you managed to in the container get myself 48 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,519 Speaker 1: square the way you managed to come down fate first, 49 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 1: just in time, Just in time. Wow. Harrowing story right there. 50 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: And I know you have so many and it's my 51 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,359 Speaker 1: my duty to to ask you these questions and get 52 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: you to tell me some stories. And I know that 53 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 1: there's something that's really being talked about right now that 54 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: has a lot of You've been all over the circuits. 55 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,520 Speaker 1: You've been talking about how you were captured in Afghanistan 56 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: by the Taliban for a period of time. You know 57 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:32,640 Speaker 1: a lot of my listeners may not realize that you 58 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: are a former CIA operator. You're you know, British soldier, 59 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: American ally and here you are in Afghanistan, boots on 60 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: the ground. Take me there. Yeah, Well I was. I was. 61 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 1: I was the same as a lot of veterans across 62 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 1: America and the United Kingdom and obviously the world. About 63 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 1: a year ago, eighteen months ago, we started seeing everything 64 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: on bold in Afghanistan. Well point out at this point 65 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 1: I was retired to about ten ten years or what 66 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: I was out with the military, out of intelligence services. 67 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: I was enjoying my my nice and peace and quay 68 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: evill life with my family and just purely do it 69 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: work to help the vetments now, Like a lot of veterans, 70 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: I said, across American Britain, we saw the events on 71 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: Holding and it didn't sit well with a lot of us. 72 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 1: A lot of people have their opinions about this. I'm 73 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:33,159 Speaker 1: going to keep this fairly politically correct. We started to 74 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 1: help a lot of the former members of the Afghan 75 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: Army that had supported and helped the British forces and 76 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:45,279 Speaker 1: had worked very closely with the American forces, some of 77 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: them for twenty plus years as well, and they were 78 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: stuck in Afghanistan. Now. I started receiving telephone calls for 79 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: some people who had actually kept in touch with on 80 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:04,359 Speaker 1: a personal basis. These included generals, colonel's senior agents that 81 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 1: were working. These are people who are African passionals that 82 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,359 Speaker 1: were working with our coalition forces. Now I actually know 83 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:14,479 Speaker 1: some of these people are They have my very close 84 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: friends and all the families and I all the children, 85 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 1: the amount of desperation I could hear. You know, these 86 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:25,600 Speaker 1: are very professional individuals as well. They were stranded Stoke 87 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:29,480 Speaker 1: couldn't get out of Afghanistan, and I thought, you know something, 88 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: We tried doing it by remore control. We got some 89 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:37,240 Speaker 1: people out before you even set foot in Afghanistan by 90 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 1: using my old the old network which a lot of 91 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:43,040 Speaker 1: Vegmans did, or we did, was we picked up the 92 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 1: s satellite borns around the old colleagues in about intelligence 93 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 1: of every committing the military, in the British Special Forces 94 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,479 Speaker 1: as well. A said, right, gentlemen, we have a problem here. 95 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: We have people. Can anyone help us here? It was 96 00:05:55,640 --> 00:06:00,719 Speaker 1: literally as when you're your when you're you're as well more. 97 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:05,799 Speaker 1: It was the call went out to Batman's. So basically 98 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: twenty four hours of that we had the tickets booked 99 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: and we were on the route into Afghanistan when everyone 100 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: else was trying to get out of Afghanistan. We went 101 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 1: into Afghanistan. Yeah, and it was powering time at that 102 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:22,840 Speaker 1: point because nobody knew what was going on. Absolute chaos, 103 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,720 Speaker 1: tens of thousands of people trying to get evacuated out 104 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 1: the airport. We had the anniversary yesterday of the suicide 105 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: attack at the airport where a lot a lot of 106 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: brave soldiers and civilians died in that attack and a 107 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 1: lot of people just know yeah yeah, well a lot 108 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 1: of got got out to Bodyana went in there to 109 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 1: try and make a difference. The Shian numbers that we 110 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 1: found on arriving in country were staggering. When in at 111 00:06:56,360 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: one meeting in in Julalabad to basically identified four British 112 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:07,280 Speaker 1: nationals that may and ended up being seventy four British 113 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: nationals and more identified. We got boof of life, got 114 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: them to the British transport. Take a photograph of that. 115 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 1: The numbers were staggling. And we are not an organization, 116 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 1: we are not an intelligence agency. All the phone office 117 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: we couldn't move everybody, but we moved at a lot 118 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 1: of people to Taliban checkpoints, to Taliban van avenues as well. 119 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 1: We got them to safe hours as amazing mat sure 120 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: they were safe as possible. Yeah, that's amazing. Now when 121 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 1: you went over there was that already was the chaos 122 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 1: already kind of unfolding. Were you there was did you 123 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: mention you were there just prior to the suicide attack? 124 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 1: And we all saw the images of like you know, 125 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 1: the C five or whatever, the Galaxy aircraft taking off, 126 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,040 Speaker 1: everybody's clung to the landing gear. Right, were you there 127 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:01,559 Speaker 1: before that or you are right around that same time frame? 128 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: But that was actually there just after. But we were 129 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 1: making our most to get people out, not in Kabul. 130 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 1: I was getting people out away from Kabulk seemed to 131 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 1: be everyone all the focus was on Kabul. Now, well 132 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 1: that was happen. Then an opportunity of rules that we 133 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: might be able to get some people out quietly, like 134 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: other vetom groups did, all working together for the greater good, 135 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:32,080 Speaker 1: get people out. But everyone was watching the news. They 136 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: saw the absolute carnage and desperation unfolding accable in the 137 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 1: actual airport, sir. And that went on for a period 138 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 1: of time. But what people don't realize is when the 139 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 1: TV cameras left and the official evacuation had ended, it's 140 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: still continued. The vetroom groups stayed their boots on the ground, 141 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:59,559 Speaker 1: risking their lives to help as many people get out 142 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: of possible. Yeah, it's a selfless act. You just seem 143 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 1: to be in that game. You're dedicated to that type 144 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: of mission with your mindset, and I think that you 145 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: have a pretty positive mindset to say, hey, I can 146 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:12,920 Speaker 1: go over here and do this. You know, you're not 147 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 1: saying this is a hurdle. You're saying how do I 148 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 1: get over that hurdle? And you're trying to help these 149 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 1: people in there. You're a hand reaching down right like 150 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,199 Speaker 1: trying to help them up. I think it was important 151 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 1: because a lot of the vet WANs, all of us, 152 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 1: will exactly the same. It didn't fit well. It's the 153 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:33,679 Speaker 1: oldest one in history. You don't leave a man behind 154 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:36,960 Speaker 1: on your honor the pledge when you say you're going 155 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:39,959 Speaker 1: to help somebody, you will look your slaves and you 156 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 1: do whatever has to be doing to help them. Now, 157 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 1: sometimes politics can get in the way of that. Fortunately, 158 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:53,680 Speaker 1: vet WANs, we don't have to advide by the political spectrum. 159 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: For one of the web made. My first opinion is 160 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 1: probably get invold of the politics. I've never never let 161 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 1: politics stand in a way of me saving anybody's life. 162 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,599 Speaker 1: I'll deal with that afterwards. And a lot of that 163 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: resilment preadness same as well. Yeah, that's what it takes. 164 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: You know that that mentality. And so when you get 165 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,320 Speaker 1: over to Afghanistan, is this the same time frame that 166 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: they had snatched you up and tried to hold you 167 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 1: for so long? Had they did they know your resume? No? 168 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 1: This was this is when things got into after being 169 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: in Afghanistan for three months and literally a couple of 170 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 1: days later, I was meant to leave Afghanistan when I 171 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:45,439 Speaker 1: was looking at a house to rent, which was the 172 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:50,560 Speaker 1: former British and ambassador's president in Kabul. I was going 173 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 1: to rent from the Afghana Wounds it and we were 174 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 1: going to use that as a kind of office stoke, 175 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 1: kind of guest house led space camp. Yeah. Now we 176 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: had all the right identification. We had entry stamps in 177 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:10,320 Speaker 1: our passports, I had, I had a letter of the 178 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: Chambers of Commerce. I still have that that particular letter 179 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 1: as well. Now we were there cleanly, we weren't working 180 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:22,840 Speaker 1: anything majorly collvertly. We were there was dressed as an Afghan. 181 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 1: I had had meetings with senior members of the Taliban. 182 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: I had meetings in the Presidential Palace with senior members 183 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 1: of the Taliban and also members of the atany the 184 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 1: network as well that I've known for over like twelve 185 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 1: two years anyway, so people knew we were there and 186 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: they knew we weren't there to be against Afghanistan. I 187 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,680 Speaker 1: am not for Taliban at or anyone who knows me 188 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: will know all that well. I am for Afghanistan. I 189 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 1: think the people of Afghanistan could do with a bit 190 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: of a break, given the fact that that country is 191 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: norn war for two years. So if you think about that, 192 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 1: any kids or people who were under forty, I've never 193 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 1: known a day of face. So hopefully camping heads now 194 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 1: were available. I'm not going to get into the politics 195 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: at all it We went in there to help vulnerable people. 196 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 1: Two or three people ended up being twentie thirty. We 197 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 1: ended up moving around over four hundred families getting them 198 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:27,240 Speaker 1: the safety. It wasn't a job to me, and some 199 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 1: of the lads who I was with, we wonder me 200 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 1: it was actually our duty as well as that once 201 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 1: said as a veteran, when our governments dropped the ball, 202 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:42,160 Speaker 1: the veteran community picked up the ball ran ran with 203 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:45,440 Speaker 1: it because if they didn't and the veterans in America, 204 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 1: particularly American Britain, if they hadn't have done what they did, 205 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:55,440 Speaker 1: there will be thousands of the dead Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, right, 206 00:12:55,559 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 1: So it's so important that people realize if the vet 207 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: community have done what they did at that point, it 208 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: would have went very, very wrong. So credit due way, 209 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 1: credit is due, and I would say a massive than 210 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: about there to the vetman community. Of course the United 211 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: States and great but in other countries as well, like 212 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: cand in Australia. Everyone got together and it helps did 213 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:23,679 Speaker 1: whatever that they we do. Forget what regiment you were in, 214 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 1: what country, they worked together for the greade of good. 215 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:29,560 Speaker 1: And there's a lot of young people, a lot of 216 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:32,560 Speaker 1: children out there now in safe countries that would not 217 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: be there if it was not for like the vetmans 218 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 1: out there. Hu, that's a that's commendable. You know, here 219 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 1: in a Salt Lake city, I own a tactical supply 220 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:46,679 Speaker 1: store and we saw you know, combat veast plate carriers, 221 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 1: gloves and he pas accessories for all of that, and 222 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 1: all of a sudden this was kicking off. I started 223 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 1: getting a couple of new customers who were like, Hey, 224 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: we just want these. He just took all my plate 225 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 1: carriers and I just good luck and I already knew, 226 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 1: and I knew, and he kind of let me know, 227 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: and I just said, good luck, good luck with everything, 228 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:13,560 Speaker 1: because they got homies, friends, comrades who were living okay 229 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: until that whole tornado of evacuation and politics happened to 230 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: Afghanistan all of a sudden, you know. And and then 231 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: as we're sitting here having our t it's just coiling 232 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: up and you're just like, wait, this isn't right. You know, 233 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: there's a shift in the force. Luke, something's not right, 234 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: and so off you you know, have to go and upset, 235 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: you know, up yourself and your veterans are uprooting themselves 236 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:39,359 Speaker 1: and their lives, of their families, and they're the breadwinners 237 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: or they're making you know, they're the ones that fixed 238 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: the house up when you know they have to at home. 239 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 1: And now they're pulling themselves out again from that normalcy, 240 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 1: you know. And so it wasn't just Afghanistan, it was 241 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: everyone is Afghanistan. That's my opinion. Everyone should say we 242 00:14:55,440 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 1: are all Afghanistan. We shouldn't be at Afghanistan's throw Afghanist 243 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 1: and has nothing to be at our throats about. We 244 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 1: should just be one people. Yeah, it was. It was amazing. 245 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: It's say so many different people, men and women from 246 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: all over the place coming together to the great of good. 247 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: And I think now it is officially the the biggest 248 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 1: civilian evacuation since World Water and the veterans. If you 249 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 1: think about how many veterans went out there and the 250 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 1: amount of experience and knowledge they were, networks that they have. 251 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:38,359 Speaker 1: You put all that together, it's a it's something very unusual. 252 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: Hopefully we'll never see anything like I have to be 253 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 1: put back together again, but it was something to say, 254 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: and it was so proud of the Air to be 255 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 1: a little part of that as well. Obviously I got 256 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 1: pulled off the Taliban. We pushed it a little bit 257 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 1: too much. We were helping maybe too many people, and 258 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 1: I gotn't pay it with some other British nationals and 259 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 1: an American because elements within the Taliban were targetting that 260 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 1: much the people who were leaving, they were targing the 261 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 1: people who were helping them to leave. I thought that 262 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 1: that was quite interesting. Now we did get some support 263 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:22,720 Speaker 1: from within the Taliban because in their in their eyes, 264 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 1: they didn't want all these people to actually die or 265 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: be killing Afghanistan. It would have made them look bad. 266 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 1: So it was in their interests really, if you think 267 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 1: about it, for them to get these people out. But 268 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 1: there was an element, and there still is an element 269 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 1: in Afghanistan which is the extreme mis element or the 270 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 1: extreme or the extreme who are targetting a lot of individuals. 271 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 1: And that was one of the fortunate ones. Yeah, I 272 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 1: got picked up a hundred ninety days, six months, kept 273 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 1: in the Taliban underground interrogation Center in Kobe. Yeah, I 274 00:16:55,880 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 1: was given him, had signfig got whipped. I ended up 275 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 1: getting a six peraption ribs concussion hit with a wooden slat, 276 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 1: cold water over me. It's one of those things. It happens. 277 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: Big boys wolves. You're gonna play and playground with a 278 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:16,399 Speaker 1: big boys. You've got to be willing to take the 279 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 1: hits if the gun. I don't have any regrets at 280 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:23,120 Speaker 1: all did what happened to be doing. I'm here now. 281 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 1: I'm still helping people over there in a human amount 282 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:30,120 Speaker 1: to manage Serbian context, as a lot of people are. 283 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 1: But I thought it was interesting because when I was 284 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:37,679 Speaker 1: in the underground interrogation center, I've got the talk of 285 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 1: a lot of a lot of the Taliban. There was 286 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 1: a few that weren't very good. The interrogator was a 287 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,680 Speaker 1: young guy. I'm not going to mention his name at 288 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,959 Speaker 1: the moment, but he was a young guy, very experienced, 289 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 1: as in he thought he was experienced. In reality he 290 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: ali had any experience. That it's a couple of words 291 00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 1: of English. But the problem was years a goal he 292 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 1: had had a running British Marines in the south of Afghanistan. 293 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:10,679 Speaker 1: Me being a former British military vetment, I got the 294 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 1: brunt of that, so that made it interesting. But I'm 295 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:17,720 Speaker 1: pleased to say, yeah, he thought you me. He gave 296 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 1: me an hard time, but I gave him just as 297 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 1: much attitude. Back end off. I'm not one of these 298 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 1: guys was gonna sit in the corner and cry. Ain't 299 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:29,480 Speaker 1: gonna happen. So I did actually give him a lot 300 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:32,159 Speaker 1: of crap, which really I shouldn't have, and I have 301 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: got a couple of beat into calling him a bit 302 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:36,480 Speaker 1: of an idiot. But hey, it's one of those things. 303 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:39,160 Speaker 1: In it sometimes you've got to stand up, You draw 304 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 1: a line in the stand and that's it. That's that's 305 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 1: just the way it is. The actual afternoon before I 306 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:49,640 Speaker 1: got released your bearisable thing. It's one's an absolute blinder. 307 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:51,639 Speaker 1: Tell you I didn't know what I was going to 308 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:55,159 Speaker 1: get going to get released. Everyone else was told I 309 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:59,439 Speaker 1: get pulled upstairs. He starts off the conversation instead of 310 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 1: telling me fell away, it's a good news. Now you're 311 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:05,440 Speaker 1: getting related, You're going the battle England. It's not a problem. 312 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:08,919 Speaker 1: He didn't do that. He started the conversation off with 313 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 1: having a go at me, having a go at mility 314 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: of Evans and having to go out of my country. 315 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 1: Huge mistake. So then I just ripped straight into him 316 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:20,399 Speaker 1: and it went a bit wrong. At that point, I 317 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 1: through all the glasses, stop off the table. It's smath. 318 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:25,919 Speaker 1: He started going into a round. Since the festo, I've 319 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 1: ever done it. They actually squared up to me interrogate 320 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 1: the nose to nose, and I thought, you know something, mate, 321 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:35,439 Speaker 1: Oh your ah, your guys are gonna beat me again, 322 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:42,720 Speaker 1: but I'm gonna nail you. But I didn't sat down. 323 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:45,199 Speaker 1: His body guy got me a glass of water. At 324 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 1: the kind of there was it. Then at the end 325 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 1: of the conversation says, you weren't gonna be released tomorrow 326 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:55,680 Speaker 1: by all your friends are, but you're not. You're staying 327 00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 1: instead of antagonizing it even more. ID said. I stood 328 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:03,920 Speaker 1: up and I said, thank you so much for letting 329 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: the rest of the guys go. It's a good thing 330 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:09,879 Speaker 1: and I look forward to spending some quality down with 331 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,160 Speaker 1: you in the future. At this point, the guy went MADDI, 332 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 1: his head came, came, came off, tell you. I stood 333 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 1: up and locked out the room. I haven't seen him since. 334 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:21,720 Speaker 1: It was just one of those things in the you 335 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 1: treat people as you expect to be treated. It wasn't 336 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 1: a nice kind of guy. It's one of those things 337 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 1: that happens. But like I said, nobody regrets job done. 338 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:37,439 Speaker 1: Life safe. Yeah, right, and you know that's exactly what 339 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:45,920 Speaker 1: you did. Man, It's amazing. Um speechless, Yes, drink. What's 340 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:49,400 Speaker 1: going on in Afghanistan? Now? Everyone thinks the Taliban government 341 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:53,440 Speaker 1: is a core cohesive government. It's not. It's gone back 342 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: to what I saw back in like the later ninety 343 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:02,159 Speaker 1: when it was literally a lot of little groups coming 344 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 1: together the networks under the umbrella of the Taliban. So 345 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:10,640 Speaker 1: everyone thinks that Taliban is one cohesive government, it's not. 346 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: In the building example, in the building that we were 347 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 1: in was a three story building. There was a different 348 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:21,719 Speaker 1: tribe and ethnic group of the Taliban on each of 349 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:25,119 Speaker 1: those flaws. That's just the buildings that I was in. 350 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:30,200 Speaker 1: You imagine that across Coball. Then across the whole of Afghanistan. 351 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 1: We witnessed so much infighting, unbelievable different people. They were 352 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 1: literally fighting each other. The reason why a lot of 353 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:42,399 Speaker 1: the Talibs are carrying all the heavy weapons all the 354 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:47,159 Speaker 1: time is to defend themselves against other Taliban group groups 355 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:50,720 Speaker 1: as well. It's definitely it's just like the game Wars. 356 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:55,920 Speaker 1: Game Wars, yeah, it is yet Taliban game Wars. It is. 357 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:57,479 Speaker 1: It's just all in the name of the Taliban. They 358 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:00,840 Speaker 1: don't have a cohesive leadership there. I'll just like Lord 359 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:02,359 Speaker 1: of the Flies under the name of the Taliban, and 360 00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:04,560 Speaker 1: there are all these little pods trying to keep their 361 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:06,640 Speaker 1: fire going, and it's like, oh, you've got the fire starter, 362 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 1: We're gonna get it from you. You know. It's like Lord, Yeah, 363 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 1: that's what I'm that's what you're That's what it seems like. 364 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:15,320 Speaker 1: And I want to see the women go to school 365 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:18,119 Speaker 1: and have to be able to not march down the 366 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:20,640 Speaker 1: streets for their rights, to be able to be themselves 367 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 1: and not have to you know, and they are. Those 368 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: women are powerful and what are we going to realize 369 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:28,720 Speaker 1: that as humans, that the women are the most powerful 370 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 1: people in this world. Maybe that's what scared people. People 371 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:36,399 Speaker 1: remember that the women, the young girls in Afghanistan and 372 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:39,880 Speaker 1: the young men. Most of these people and now educated. 373 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 1: They all have phones, smartphones, Internet. They don't want to 374 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:47,880 Speaker 1: go back to them even in the dark ages. They 375 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:52,720 Speaker 1: want to regress, They want to better themselves. Young girls 376 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:55,480 Speaker 1: want to go to school, want to go to university. 377 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 1: It's in Afghanistan's interests if they let the girls be educated, 378 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:06,080 Speaker 1: because they will need female doctors, nurses, they'll need all yours, 379 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:09,639 Speaker 1: They'll need all these people. So there's actually I've seen it, 380 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: there's an element within the Taliban. They were fighting, the 381 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 1: extremest element in the Taliban to let the girls school 382 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:20,200 Speaker 1: to school. We've got that. It needs to be a 383 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:24,119 Speaker 1: Knogan solution to a n Afghan problem. We in the 384 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:27,120 Speaker 1: West could not get involved in this. Agree they need 385 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 1: to do with this, and hopefully they've been seated and 386 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:33,679 Speaker 1: nurtured for I know it's been a wartime for the 387 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:36,400 Speaker 1: last twenty years over there, right especially you know with 388 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:39,600 Speaker 1: the nine eleven kicking off and everybody focusing on the 389 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:42,080 Speaker 1: Tora Bora mountains and everything. And then you have these 390 00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:43,879 Speaker 1: young girls who have grown up in that culture, who 391 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:47,359 Speaker 1: have been able though to go to school, to be themselves, 392 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:52,200 Speaker 1: to experience life, not under that oppressive thumb so much, 393 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:55,959 Speaker 1: but go to school and work, you know, and not 394 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: just be in the house per se. And so these 395 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:02,679 Speaker 1: girls with our phones are smart. These girls with smartphones 396 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:09,960 Speaker 1: will be doctors, politicians, lawyers, advocates, humanitarians. You know, it's 397 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: what Afghanistan needs, is what America needs, It's what England needs. 398 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 1: We all need powerful women in powerful positions, like you know, 399 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 1: truly to absolutely, I think they've got an untapped reserve 400 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:29,480 Speaker 1: of experience, of knowledge. The young people in Afghanistan are 401 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 1: making the older tribal leaders now feel very uncomfortable because 402 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:38,120 Speaker 1: these young people have educated and the Yeah, they are 403 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:42,240 Speaker 1: literally the future of Afghanistan. The question is are the 404 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:46,600 Speaker 1: older ones gonna let the younger ones move up the 405 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:50,879 Speaker 1: apter exchain because the doors make mine. The West won't 406 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 1: have to win the ving here. The younger generation Afghanistan 407 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 1: will to be very interested in the next correct six 408 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:02,240 Speaker 1: months from now. I think the next six months will 409 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 1: be very very important for the people of Afghanistan, and 410 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 1: I hope they picked the right way. It's at of 411 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:14,399 Speaker 1: cross roads now and if they get it wrong, it 412 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 1: will end up in civil war and a massive and 413 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:24,680 Speaker 1: resistance movement, which is not good for Afghanistan. Have been 414 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,640 Speaker 1: through all this in the past, whichion is now are 415 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 1: they going to learn there is an opportunity here as 416 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:36,680 Speaker 1: well or the West? Two. I understand that people don't 417 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:39,879 Speaker 1: want to recognize the Taliban as a government. I get it. 418 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 1: I'm not eating all about that. That's real. Well, there's 419 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:48,920 Speaker 1: an opportunity here to sit down with certain key members 420 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:52,359 Speaker 1: and all of them key members that could be identified 421 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:58,720 Speaker 1: that not extremists, and they can have a conversation. Most 422 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:02,960 Speaker 1: of the of the Taliban, he can't even the leadership, 423 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 1: by the sports and two understand and speak perfect English, 424 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:12,360 Speaker 1: and I mean perfect they don't need in purposes, okay, 425 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:15,439 Speaker 1: and they understand the English language. Most people have been 426 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 1: educated in Western countries. A lot of people don't even 427 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:23,919 Speaker 1: realize that, okay. And then is nightier than the sword? 428 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:29,199 Speaker 1: Because can we afford not to talk to these people 429 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:32,199 Speaker 1: and try and deal with the extremism. That's what we 430 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:34,159 Speaker 1: have to think about because the last thing that anyone 431 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:38,119 Speaker 1: wants to see in the year's time is Americ no 432 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 1: British roots on the ground again in Afghanistan. We don't 433 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:46,639 Speaker 1: want that, and the people do need to take action 434 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:49,200 Speaker 1: on themselves. It's been said from a lot of political 435 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:52,399 Speaker 1: you know heads out there that have said, you know 436 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:55,199 Speaker 1: that around countries, you know, we want to let Afghanistan 437 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:57,639 Speaker 1: trying to figure itself out, ring itself out. If we 438 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 1: can empower the people to be power for than the 439 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: people can be you know, their own everything. And so 440 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:09,399 Speaker 1: I wish the best for Afghanistan, I really do. I 441 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:11,280 Speaker 1: think there's a lot of a lot of people out 442 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:15,480 Speaker 1: there who are watching this very carefully. Now. The politicians 443 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 1: need just to listen to former military commanders. An example, 444 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:28,560 Speaker 1: David portrayus he knows what he's talking about. It doesn't 445 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:31,439 Speaker 1: just right mept he's been saying it got the T 446 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:35,560 Speaker 1: shirt people of that ilk. The politicians need to be 447 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:41,640 Speaker 1: as their advance of Yeah, yeah, but people they need 448 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:45,400 Speaker 1: to be pristen to because they can get it back. 449 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:48,920 Speaker 1: And yeah, so I think it'll be interesting. I think 450 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:52,439 Speaker 1: the politicians have just got on this occasion, don't do 451 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:55,119 Speaker 1: what they would normally do. And just say what is 452 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 1: the correct thing to say at that time because of politics, 453 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:01,680 Speaker 1: they need to look at the city suation. And if 454 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:05,159 Speaker 1: we don't help or get involved in some way to 455 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:10,360 Speaker 1: either mentor or talk to some element within the Afghan government, 456 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:14,600 Speaker 1: it's gonna go very bad over there. The warning signs 457 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:18,440 Speaker 1: are there, but it hasn't crossed the pointing nor return yet. 458 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 1: But within six months, if this isn't dealt with by 459 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 1: the beginning of next year, it allowed the stuff doing 460 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 1: well or it will start looking like a civil ball again. 461 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:38,120 Speaker 1: So I decided to say that about changed it because 462 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: I thought it was It is totally appropriate. It's like 463 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 1: he went to the concert. He got the shirt at 464 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 1: the concert you're talking about General David Petrea's here, you know, 465 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:49,200 Speaker 1: the guy went to the show and he got the shirt. 466 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 1: I think that's the best reference I've ever heard on 467 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 1: this entire podcast I've been doing this. He got the shirt. 468 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 1: It's like everybody's got clusters, bro, everybody's got metals, but 469 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:02,600 Speaker 1: he got the shirt. I love it. I love it, 470 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:05,680 Speaker 1: And I love your positivity to and and it's really 471 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,760 Speaker 1: you're breeding that to me about Afghanistan. I want to 472 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:11,200 Speaker 1: be positive as well. About it, you know. And I 473 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 1: know that they have strife. I know they get their 474 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 1: flat tires. I know that they have to get out 475 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 1: and change that stuff, just like we do over here 476 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 1: in America or in England. We all have things that 477 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:21,000 Speaker 1: make our country like you know, have to pull over 478 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 1: and fix itself. Okay, so now is the time to 479 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 1: fix yourself. You don't want to destroy your infrastructure. You 480 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:29,680 Speaker 1: don't want to destroy any type of one to three 481 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:31,600 Speaker 1: G that you have four or five G coming. You 482 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 1: don't want to destroy any of that you want to 483 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 1: That's why I'd imagine even the younger Taliban dudes, you know, 484 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:38,960 Speaker 1: like in their twenties thirties, they've got to also be 485 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:42,479 Speaker 1: of that same nomenclature, that same like we want the internet, 486 00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 1: we want to have that attitude because they're using it too. 487 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 1: Oh the yeah. I think one of the one of 488 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 1: the major fums at the moment is and the talentban 489 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:53,520 Speaker 1: don't know how to deal with this, is they is 490 00:29:53,560 --> 00:30:00,120 Speaker 1: an exodus of young educated people leaving Afghani steps. That 491 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:04,520 Speaker 1: is not good. But the great raining on this and 492 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:08,480 Speaker 1: I act this spontment to some people who have been 493 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: relocated to America and the United Kingdom. And these are 494 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:16,840 Speaker 1: Afghans who were brought out Juni evacuation and they are 495 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:20,960 Speaker 1: watching very carefully what what happens because they would love 496 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:26,280 Speaker 1: to return to Afghanistan in the future. No one who 497 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:29,960 Speaker 1: has mentioned this or spoken about this, and it's a 498 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:34,840 Speaker 1: very important point because Afghans are very proud that they 499 00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 1: were very proud people. They are worrying patients. It's the 500 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:42,440 Speaker 1: way they are from Alexander the Great until now. A 501 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:44,480 Speaker 1: lot of them want to go back. They need to 502 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 1: feel safe, secure and the one in future in their 503 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:52,120 Speaker 1: own country. So instead of able thinking, right, can we 504 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:55,640 Speaker 1: get another hundred and fifty thousand people out of Afghanistan? 505 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:58,719 Speaker 1: Why are people asking the question, well, how can we 506 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:02,200 Speaker 1: get under the fifty thous and people back to Afghanistan? 507 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 1: Then you wouldn't have to take any So yeah, twenty 508 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:14,000 Speaker 1: steps ahead. There's been a problem. It's happened the Taliban 509 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:16,960 Speaker 1: and in power. Nothing we can do about any of that. 510 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:23,280 Speaker 1: Can we help influence how they govern their people? That 511 00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:27,600 Speaker 1: is the thing. We can't putting them or use military action, 512 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 1: it doesn't work. Can we influence? Can we show them 513 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 1: the way for us, the better way? Because we don't 514 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:39,200 Speaker 1: they get like, yeah, I've supported to the head. I've 515 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:41,320 Speaker 1: sat and had a cup of tea with the head 516 00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:45,000 Speaker 1: of Afghan Intelligence and senior members of the government. And 517 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:48,480 Speaker 1: the questions that they were were asking me over the 518 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:52,160 Speaker 1: tea they were this was after the whole interrogation thing, 519 00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:54,600 Speaker 1: and they knew that we were going to be released 520 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:58,840 Speaker 1: at some point. They were asking how what can they do? 521 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:03,240 Speaker 1: What can they do to talk to Western countries. I 522 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:06,240 Speaker 1: think the problem of mids the Taliban leadership, a lot 523 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:09,840 Speaker 1: of them don't know how to They've gone from an 524 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:16,840 Speaker 1: insurgency to im governments very quickly, and they haven't quite 525 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:23,600 Speaker 1: made the transposition mindset from an insurgency to a ruling government. 526 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:27,880 Speaker 1: They are responsible now for the people of Afghanistan, all 527 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:31,280 Speaker 1: of them, all the tribal systems, all of them. Okay, 528 00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:35,120 Speaker 1: that is that is the bit that they are really 529 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:39,240 Speaker 1: struggling with at the moment. So be in them with 530 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:44,560 Speaker 1: a stick isn't gonna work. A carrot might How can 531 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:47,360 Speaker 1: we help because if we don't and we get this, 532 00:32:47,560 --> 00:32:52,360 Speaker 1: we show them exactly exactly, how can we show them? 533 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:56,160 Speaker 1: Can we mentor them? One of the questions I was asked, 534 00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:58,640 Speaker 1: and you could have picked off the floor on this 535 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:02,520 Speaker 1: one was city members of the Afghan government Taliban asking me, 536 00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:06,240 Speaker 1: do you think it would be possible to get some 537 00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:09,640 Speaker 1: people from the West to come in and help mentor 538 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:13,720 Speaker 1: I was asked that, all right, no one's even thought 539 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 1: about that, okay, And these were very serious individuals as well. 540 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:21,520 Speaker 1: They need a little bit of help because if we 541 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 1: get this wrong and there's a civil war, iron conflict 542 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:31,800 Speaker 1: and it spills over into neighboring countries Pakistan to Jekistan, Yabekistan, right, 543 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,960 Speaker 1: it ain't good for anybody. There's a little opportunity here. 544 00:33:35,320 --> 00:33:40,920 Speaker 1: Cooler heads have to pre don't get I'm the same 545 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:43,480 Speaker 1: as a lot of vans out there. I've lost a 546 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:46,960 Speaker 1: lot of friends in Afghanistan. It would be nice to 547 00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:50,000 Speaker 1: see the country do a little bit of return for 548 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:53,240 Speaker 1: the unusual and actually start to stand on its own 549 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:55,880 Speaker 1: two feet. There's gonna be people out there that we're 550 00:33:55,920 --> 00:33:59,440 Speaker 1: gonna disagree. From the gun to have is do we 551 00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:03,000 Speaker 1: want to Afghanistan as a wolve zone for the next 552 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:06,800 Speaker 1: twenty years? Again? Do we want to see it count down? 553 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:09,279 Speaker 1: Then it won't be at much of a threat to 554 00:34:09,480 --> 00:34:12,960 Speaker 1: wars in the West. So people have got to take 555 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:15,879 Speaker 1: a step back at you another thing about that one. 556 00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:20,719 Speaker 1: Do you think that Afghanistan can become a tourist destination 557 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:23,440 Speaker 1: one day? Do you think that the possibilities of what 558 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:25,720 Speaker 1: we're talking about could be Hey, you know, I'm gonna 559 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:29,279 Speaker 1: go check out some of Afghanistan on a level where 560 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:32,120 Speaker 1: I don't have to fear by going to Afghanistan and 561 00:34:32,200 --> 00:34:36,920 Speaker 1: bringing that revenue. Right. Yeah, I was a good hope. 562 00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:40,600 Speaker 1: A lot of people will be amazed if they do 563 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:47,960 Speaker 1: a Google search on Afghanistan nineteen sixteen, seventeens, look at 564 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 1: the photographs. It was a tourist destination, very westernized. It's 565 00:34:55,239 --> 00:34:59,040 Speaker 1: done it once. My opinion, I'm gonna go against a 566 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:02,000 Speaker 1: lot of people about and it's it could happen again. 567 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:07,960 Speaker 1: The natural resources in Afghanistan a struggling It can stand 568 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:11,920 Speaker 1: on its own to faith, so it needs help. Now. 569 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:15,680 Speaker 1: If we don't help them, someone else will and it 570 00:35:15,719 --> 00:35:20,759 Speaker 1: will most probably be people who will see the West, yes, 571 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:24,160 Speaker 1: and to see you know, any good happen. They would 572 00:35:24,239 --> 00:35:27,560 Speaker 1: rather see good for them happen and their agenda and uh, 573 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:30,080 Speaker 1: it's not so much an agenda for me. I just 574 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:31,600 Speaker 1: want to say I would like to just see the 575 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:35,000 Speaker 1: people of Afghanistan, you know, become entrepreneurs of their own 576 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:38,960 Speaker 1: properties and you know, create their own amusement facilities that 577 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:42,200 Speaker 1: they like to do, and you know, grow that from 578 00:35:42,239 --> 00:35:46,120 Speaker 1: their culture to make it, you know, sought after. And 579 00:35:46,160 --> 00:35:49,279 Speaker 1: I want to go there and experience that culture. You know, 580 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:53,759 Speaker 1: and you know one humanity. I know there's bad actors 581 00:35:54,239 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 1: and me everywhere ky in America. You've got people that 582 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:01,480 Speaker 1: are doing bad things. You've got people in all different 583 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:03,800 Speaker 1: places doing bad things. And if we continue to focus 584 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:07,480 Speaker 1: on that, that is what the brand becomes of that environment. 585 00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:10,880 Speaker 1: And if we can show the positives that are also happening, 586 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:14,160 Speaker 1: we can show that brand change. We can change it. 587 00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:16,200 Speaker 1: It's all this narrative that's being put out there. It's 588 00:36:16,239 --> 00:36:18,080 Speaker 1: like you want to show you want to see bad things. 589 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:20,480 Speaker 1: You go looking for bad things, You're gonna find bad things. 590 00:36:20,719 --> 00:36:22,879 Speaker 1: But if you can look for something good, you might 591 00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:28,319 Speaker 1: just you might find something good. Now overybody or in 592 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:33,200 Speaker 1: the ninety days gone, you can center. Technically, I should 593 00:36:33,239 --> 00:36:37,320 Speaker 1: have the right home with the way I was treated. 594 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:40,279 Speaker 1: Sometimes I have a bad day, I go to home 595 00:36:40,640 --> 00:36:42,560 Speaker 1: ninety nine the center of the time, But don't the 596 00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:45,280 Speaker 1: way I look at it was a couple of people 597 00:36:45,560 --> 00:36:50,480 Speaker 1: overstep them. I would say, if you pay, it's hit outlets. 598 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:53,239 Speaker 1: I'm a big boy, I look beyond that. I'm not 599 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:56,920 Speaker 1: gonna george your country or the government based on a 600 00:36:56,960 --> 00:37:02,160 Speaker 1: few individuals. So if I can do that, politicians should 601 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:05,360 Speaker 1: pull the finger out, get to the table with a 602 00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:09,319 Speaker 1: pen and have a chat with these guys, because we 603 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:14,960 Speaker 1: don't have anything to lose by talking to certain an 604 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:18,560 Speaker 1: element within the Afghan government. At the moment, we have 605 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:21,919 Speaker 1: nothun toil those at all. We do have a lot 606 00:37:22,040 --> 00:37:26,480 Speaker 1: to gain them because we actually the actual Western politicians 607 00:37:27,160 --> 00:37:31,239 Speaker 1: made a right mess of Afghanistan. That's basically it. But 608 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:34,279 Speaker 1: how can they put that right now? All right? So 609 00:37:34,520 --> 00:37:37,000 Speaker 1: I said, everyone wants to get people out of Afghanistan, 610 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:39,680 Speaker 1: why not help the government a little bit there in 611 00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:42,200 Speaker 1: mentorship or in some way. I don't know how it 612 00:37:42,280 --> 00:37:45,239 Speaker 1: can be done. Done that and people can re say 613 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:49,400 Speaker 1: and not stay in Afghanistan we need Putting pressure doesn't 614 00:37:49,440 --> 00:37:52,600 Speaker 1: work on Afghans. Ever. I've been in and out of 615 00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:56,719 Speaker 1: Afghanistan for over twenty two years. Colleague who I was 616 00:37:56,760 --> 00:38:00,200 Speaker 1: with has been there for forty five years. That's over 617 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:04,719 Speaker 1: sixty years experience in Afghani's done. Just two of us. Okay, 618 00:38:04,880 --> 00:38:10,000 Speaker 1: now we know what were talking about. So talking and say, well, 619 00:38:10,880 --> 00:38:13,719 Speaker 1: you know yourself, you sit down with enough gha, you 620 00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:18,640 Speaker 1: drink a lot of cha end up, that's one of 621 00:38:18,680 --> 00:38:25,360 Speaker 1: those things. Yeah, right here, that's right here. Just yes, exactly, 622 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:28,920 Speaker 1: And everybody wants to have a nice cup of tea. Yeah, 623 00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:31,560 Speaker 1: you know, leadership above us tell us what to do, 624 00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:35,520 Speaker 1: right They like leadership comes in and says you're gonna 625 00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:39,360 Speaker 1: now fight these people. Yeah, that's what leadership does. It 626 00:38:39,920 --> 00:38:42,640 Speaker 1: just turns you into that you can think about it. 627 00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:44,040 Speaker 1: I don't know. I don't know what to say. I'm 628 00:38:44,040 --> 00:38:45,880 Speaker 1: not trying to say that I can solve all the 629 00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:48,040 Speaker 1: world's problems in the snap of a finger on the 630 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:50,319 Speaker 1: Soft Reap radio episode. But I'll tell you what if 631 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:52,480 Speaker 1: it works and we can all just get along and 632 00:38:52,520 --> 00:38:53,960 Speaker 1: then what the hell do you? Let's have a cup 633 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:56,359 Speaker 1: of tea together, all right, because I'm done with that 634 00:38:58,200 --> 00:39:01,000 Speaker 1: now it's good too. I think people have got the 635 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:04,640 Speaker 1: look at this now, twenty steps ahead. How can we 636 00:39:05,480 --> 00:39:10,440 Speaker 1: help resolve it? It's the year anniversary. Too much blood 637 00:39:10,760 --> 00:39:14,920 Speaker 1: and in kink has been spelt on Afghanistan. What we 638 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:16,680 Speaker 1: want to look at now, where do we want to 639 00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:21,480 Speaker 1: be with this in ten years twenty years time. Let's 640 00:39:21,560 --> 00:39:26,560 Speaker 1: turning negative into a positive. The world's press has got 641 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:30,520 Speaker 1: to take responsibility here as well. They very rarely put 642 00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:35,280 Speaker 1: a positive story out on anything to do with Afghanistan. 643 00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:40,560 Speaker 1: The women have children doing anything right. It's always negative, negative, negative. 644 00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:46,000 Speaker 1: They are feeding the havative. Okay, there's some journalists need 645 00:39:46,040 --> 00:39:49,480 Speaker 1: to go back to school and do some proper journalism 646 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:54,360 Speaker 1: for once. All right, They is positive out there finding 647 00:39:54,880 --> 00:39:57,680 Speaker 1: all right, it's possible. There are some good journals out 648 00:39:57,680 --> 00:39:59,840 Speaker 1: there as well. I'm actually friends with a few of 649 00:39:59,840 --> 00:40:05,120 Speaker 1: them in Afghanistan. They actually stayed okay with stay, life 650 00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:08,839 Speaker 1: to stay, and now they're getting some good stories out there. 651 00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:12,560 Speaker 1: Both the major networks jump on it. As soon as 652 00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:16,359 Speaker 1: something negative happens, they jump on it. I hear. Think 653 00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:19,040 Speaker 1: about this, when was our last time you actually saw 654 00:40:19,160 --> 00:40:24,040 Speaker 1: a positive story on Afghanistan. You'd be very hard dumb 655 00:40:24,080 --> 00:40:28,399 Speaker 1: by the thing about I'm trying to create it. Yeah, 656 00:40:28,680 --> 00:40:32,319 Speaker 1: I am right now. This is me with my microphone 657 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:34,680 Speaker 1: and with you to be able to say, you know, 658 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:38,160 Speaker 1: if anybody respects your opinion and is listening to this, 659 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:41,239 Speaker 1: and Senior leadership positions and they're like, how come rat 660 00:40:41,360 --> 00:40:44,359 Speaker 1: at Anthony or having this conversation. I'm cool with it. 661 00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:47,600 Speaker 1: Then maybe they should hit you up. I'm sure somebody's 662 00:40:47,640 --> 00:40:49,440 Speaker 1: got your phone number and they can give you a 663 00:40:49,480 --> 00:40:53,759 Speaker 1: call and say, Anthony, let's get this going. It would 664 00:40:53,800 --> 00:40:56,759 Speaker 1: not be difficult. I'm not saying it that I am 665 00:40:56,840 --> 00:41:03,319 Speaker 1: doing this, but hypothetically to some of the leadership in 666 00:41:03,360 --> 00:41:06,959 Speaker 1: Afghanistan now a right it wouldn't be had to get 667 00:41:07,000 --> 00:41:11,040 Speaker 1: two sets of people together in a mutual country to 668 00:41:11,160 --> 00:41:15,440 Speaker 1: have a conversation. Some some of it may already be happening, 669 00:41:15,880 --> 00:41:19,320 Speaker 1: some good work that's been done right by Western countries, 670 00:41:19,360 --> 00:41:24,279 Speaker 1: America and the United Kingdom and European countries, but more 671 00:41:24,719 --> 00:41:28,200 Speaker 1: can be done and needs to be done because every 672 00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:32,040 Speaker 1: effort we make now we might not see the foot 673 00:41:32,080 --> 00:41:34,719 Speaker 1: of that effort right away, but we will see the 674 00:41:34,800 --> 00:41:38,759 Speaker 1: positivity coming out of this in months and years to 675 00:41:38,880 --> 00:41:42,680 Speaker 1: come as well. And we need to extend the side 676 00:41:43,000 --> 00:41:47,719 Speaker 1: of bad bad press. Let's start looking at the positive. 677 00:41:48,000 --> 00:41:50,120 Speaker 1: How can we do this, How can we get people 678 00:41:50,200 --> 00:41:53,439 Speaker 1: back to Afghanistan because we really don't want to see 679 00:41:53,560 --> 00:41:56,399 Speaker 1: British and American troops back on the good ground again 680 00:41:56,440 --> 00:42:00,239 Speaker 1: now and that's my opinion. You know, it's it and 681 00:42:00,280 --> 00:42:04,399 Speaker 1: that's what I want, is your specific opinion. Sixty five 682 00:42:04,480 --> 00:42:06,360 Speaker 1: years between the two of you and your friend is 683 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:10,200 Speaker 1: a lot of experience in Afghanistan. You have been through, 684 00:42:10,680 --> 00:42:15,160 Speaker 1: you have been outside the wire. You you know what's 685 00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:18,520 Speaker 1: going on there. It's just and I'm sure that there's 686 00:42:18,560 --> 00:42:22,080 Speaker 1: things that you are privy to that are happening that 687 00:42:22,200 --> 00:42:24,120 Speaker 1: I hope is for the best for Afghanistan that I 688 00:42:24,160 --> 00:42:32,040 Speaker 1: don't know about. You know, IM, Yeah, that's awesome, that's awesome. 689 00:42:32,080 --> 00:42:34,560 Speaker 1: Now you and I go back. We met years ago 690 00:42:34,640 --> 00:42:37,960 Speaker 1: at the remembrance rumble with Big Phil at the boxing 691 00:42:38,040 --> 00:42:41,800 Speaker 1: match for veterans again talking about veterans getting together for veterans. 692 00:42:41,840 --> 00:42:44,520 Speaker 1: You know, everybody from all of the world came to 693 00:42:45,120 --> 00:42:48,680 Speaker 1: the UK to do those boxing matches, Navy Seals versus 694 00:42:48,800 --> 00:42:52,600 Speaker 1: s A S. And the Paris Roger hilden Right, I 695 00:42:52,640 --> 00:42:55,480 Speaker 1: think he was a captain in the Paris at one point. Roger, 696 00:42:55,640 --> 00:42:58,240 Speaker 1: I gotta give him a shout out and his kids. 697 00:42:58,560 --> 00:43:02,760 Speaker 1: Always a great guy. You know. I'm thankful for these relationships. 698 00:43:02,760 --> 00:43:05,160 Speaker 1: And if anybody realizes that you're a dad and a 699 00:43:05,239 --> 00:43:07,680 Speaker 1: neighbor a guy that will shovel the sidewalk of your 700 00:43:07,719 --> 00:43:10,759 Speaker 1: neighborhood with snow if yours is done, and then you 701 00:43:10,840 --> 00:43:13,719 Speaker 1: go and do this right. I talked about how the 702 00:43:13,760 --> 00:43:16,800 Speaker 1: soccer dad here in the States is your National Guard 703 00:43:16,840 --> 00:43:19,239 Speaker 1: military member, and you just look at the soccer dad 704 00:43:19,320 --> 00:43:25,080 Speaker 1: and he's gonna go be a Green Beret. Now, okay, 705 00:43:27,200 --> 00:43:31,920 Speaker 1: you know, um, get a big shout out to Phil campeon. 706 00:43:33,160 --> 00:43:35,879 Speaker 1: I don't know win. The next one is what we 707 00:43:36,200 --> 00:43:40,920 Speaker 1: need one because it's great getting the Americans the bitch together. Excellent, excellent, 708 00:43:41,160 --> 00:43:44,840 Speaker 1: all right, sure, yeah, it was proper. It's a legend. 709 00:43:44,960 --> 00:43:48,000 Speaker 1: It's legendary. It's like, you know, big Phil in there 710 00:43:48,040 --> 00:43:52,279 Speaker 1: with you know, oh, just everybody like Hellier, Matt Hellier 711 00:43:52,320 --> 00:43:54,359 Speaker 1: and you know all the guys that were fighting. It's 712 00:43:54,400 --> 00:43:57,680 Speaker 1: such a cool experience. And I gotta meet Ben parks in. 713 00:43:58,239 --> 00:44:02,440 Speaker 1: You know who was there, the wounded Soldier of of England, 714 00:44:02,760 --> 00:44:05,480 Speaker 1: you know, the most wounded soldier right and uh, I 715 00:44:05,560 --> 00:44:12,319 Speaker 1: drink out of someone's leg. But it was one of 716 00:44:12,360 --> 00:44:18,240 Speaker 1: those events that is positive everything about positive entertaining. Evening, 717 00:44:18,600 --> 00:44:22,919 Speaker 1: the boys are moving maxim respect for anybody who's got 718 00:44:22,960 --> 00:44:25,760 Speaker 1: the balls. They get on the pebber Wolves and getting 719 00:44:25,960 --> 00:44:34,319 Speaker 1: moving and anyone who got the most end story. Yeah, 720 00:44:34,600 --> 00:44:37,920 Speaker 1: so awesome. Now, now, do you have some mentions that 721 00:44:37,960 --> 00:44:39,319 Speaker 1: you want to talk about before I let you go? 722 00:44:39,400 --> 00:44:41,000 Speaker 1: I know I've had you for so long. Do you 723 00:44:41,000 --> 00:44:43,120 Speaker 1: have like your articles, your books or your websites that 724 00:44:43,160 --> 00:44:44,640 Speaker 1: you want to shout out and then we'll make sure 725 00:44:44,640 --> 00:44:48,000 Speaker 1: it gets posted up when it's written out on the website. Yeah, 726 00:44:48,040 --> 00:44:50,440 Speaker 1: anyone who wants to add knowing about me. If you 727 00:44:50,560 --> 00:44:54,840 Speaker 1: tried Anthony Stephen Malone into Google, I'm all over the 728 00:44:54,960 --> 00:44:58,840 Speaker 1: website Anthony mlon dot me dot uk. It's got me 729 00:44:59,000 --> 00:45:02,560 Speaker 1: bookl links now on there. I've done five books at 730 00:45:02,640 --> 00:45:04,880 Speaker 1: the moment. One of those books was when I was 731 00:45:04,920 --> 00:45:08,360 Speaker 1: an embedded combat photographer with hundred first Airborne Division in 732 00:45:08,440 --> 00:45:12,000 Speaker 1: Iraq under David betray Us. That's why I've got Screaming 733 00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:15,839 Speaker 1: Eagle behind me and I speak about a lot of things. 734 00:45:16,400 --> 00:45:19,239 Speaker 1: I've got a new book coming out the eighth September 735 00:45:19,719 --> 00:45:26,359 Speaker 1: called Hostage Evacuation about Afghanistan, about the the evacuation of veterans. 736 00:45:26,400 --> 00:45:28,320 Speaker 1: It's not the kind of book people are going to 737 00:45:28,360 --> 00:45:31,880 Speaker 1: be expecting. It's not an action book. It is very 738 00:45:32,040 --> 00:45:36,560 Speaker 1: to to the point about as I actually talked. I've 739 00:45:36,560 --> 00:45:39,759 Speaker 1: written it, meet meself. It's not polished. The people who 740 00:45:39,800 --> 00:45:41,800 Speaker 1: have actually read it up to now, the advanced copies 741 00:45:41,800 --> 00:45:44,120 Speaker 1: have said it's it's pretty good. They've learned a lot 742 00:45:44,200 --> 00:45:46,960 Speaker 1: from it. It gives a massive shout out to the 743 00:45:47,080 --> 00:45:51,239 Speaker 1: veteran community as well, because there there's some good work 744 00:45:51,320 --> 00:45:54,759 Speaker 1: being done both here and America as well. One of 745 00:45:54,800 --> 00:45:57,000 Speaker 1: the most important things I would have to say if 746 00:45:57,040 --> 00:45:59,840 Speaker 1: I'm allowed to win, if you're a veteran out the 747 00:46:00,760 --> 00:46:04,440 Speaker 1: struggling at the moment, all right, we all go through 748 00:46:04,800 --> 00:46:08,040 Speaker 1: bad days. I get them. Brad gets them. We all do. 749 00:46:08,400 --> 00:46:10,920 Speaker 1: All right, You having about day? You you've had a 750 00:46:10,960 --> 00:46:14,240 Speaker 1: couple of beers, a couple of drinks, pick up the phone, 751 00:46:14,640 --> 00:46:17,719 Speaker 1: speak to on the old colleagues for a friend. You're 752 00:46:17,760 --> 00:46:21,960 Speaker 1: not alone out there, remember that, Okay, We've we've all 753 00:46:22,000 --> 00:46:25,239 Speaker 1: lost a lot of friends. Rad. You know a couple 754 00:46:25,280 --> 00:46:27,719 Speaker 1: of the guys I know in America who who have 755 00:46:27,760 --> 00:46:31,560 Speaker 1: passed away as well. All right, you're not alone. Got 756 00:46:31,600 --> 00:46:35,000 Speaker 1: the dog and I mean that, okay, And that's all 757 00:46:35,000 --> 00:46:39,360 Speaker 1: I've got to say. Everyone say, Brad, it's been emotional 758 00:46:39,680 --> 00:46:42,759 Speaker 1: and it's been a pleasure as always. Right, Hey, I 759 00:46:42,880 --> 00:46:45,000 Speaker 1: look forward to okay when I come back over. I 760 00:46:45,040 --> 00:46:46,840 Speaker 1: just got back from London. I hung out with Phil, 761 00:46:47,200 --> 00:46:49,120 Speaker 1: you know, Big Phil. He took me over to Portsmith 762 00:46:49,160 --> 00:46:51,319 Speaker 1: and I gotta see Gary Weaving and everything down there. 763 00:46:51,600 --> 00:46:54,080 Speaker 1: So next time I'll put you on the calendar and 764 00:46:54,120 --> 00:46:56,799 Speaker 1: we'll link up and we'll also go to like Clergees 765 00:46:56,840 --> 00:47:02,520 Speaker 1: and have a nice tea party exactly going toe alright, bro, 766 00:47:02,600 --> 00:47:04,920 Speaker 1: I appreciate it. Well. With that said, thank you for 767 00:47:04,960 --> 00:47:07,399 Speaker 1: listening to SOFTWAREP Radio. I just want to say shout 768 00:47:07,400 --> 00:47:09,440 Speaker 1: out to Brandon Webb for giving me the opportunity to 769 00:47:09,440 --> 00:47:11,480 Speaker 1: host this each and every week. I want to thank 770 00:47:11,520 --> 00:47:14,600 Speaker 1: my guest Anthony Stephen Malone and all of the veterans 771 00:47:14,600 --> 00:47:17,880 Speaker 1: out there. Stay strong, stay sharp, and if you need something, 772 00:47:18,040 --> 00:47:19,640 Speaker 1: slide into my d M S and I'll talk you 773 00:47:19,680 --> 00:47:22,120 Speaker 1: through it. Okay, don't freak out and we'll talk to 774 00:47:22,160 --> 00:47:32,280 Speaker 1: you later. Piece you've been listening to Self Rep Radio.