1 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Tutor Dixon Podcast. I know you all 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:06,560 Speaker 1: have heard me talk about some of the things that 3 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: Kamala Harris has said in the past, and I think 4 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: in one of her last interviews, which was around April, 5 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: she was talking about the withdrawal from Afghanistan and she 6 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:19,440 Speaker 1: was asked by Dana Bash were you the last person 7 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: in the room? And she said yes, I was, And 8 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,439 Speaker 1: she said, and you're satisfied with the result, and she said, yes, 9 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: I am. And I think that most Americans feel like 10 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: Afghanistan was a betrayal to our troops and a betrayal 11 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: to the people that we had partnered with in Afghanistan 12 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: for so many years. And I know that the person 13 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 1: with me today also has many thoughts on the withdrawal 14 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: from Afghanistan, and that is Lieutenant General Sammy Sadat. He 15 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: was the last commander of the Afghan Army before the 16 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: country fell to the Taliban, and now he leads the 17 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: Afghan United Front from Afar in the United Kingdom after 18 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: he was forced to flee his home country. Sammy, thank 19 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: you so much for joining me. 20 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 2: I'm very happy to be in your show for today. 21 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: Well, I appreciate it. I know that you've recently written 22 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,479 Speaker 1: a book about your experience that's coming out, I believe 23 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 1: in September. I just want to talk to you a 24 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: little bit, even going back as far as Barack Obama. 25 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: Obviously this wasn't a surprise to you. The United States 26 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,679 Speaker 1: wanted to step away, or at least withdrawal draw to 27 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:30,040 Speaker 1: a certain point from Afghanistan. But tell us a little 28 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: bit about what you saw over the years before that. 29 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 2: Thank you, tutor. So the book is out. It was 30 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 2: initially planned for September, but then it got released on 31 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 2: the fifth of August. So oh wonderful. Okay, good, yeah, 32 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 2: thank you. In two thousand and one, the Taliban ruled 33 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 2: most of Afghanistan except for northern Afghanistan. Northeastern Afghanistan was 34 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 2: still controlled by the previous Afghanistan United Front from Badakshan, 35 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 2: whereby they were fighting as an opposition to the Taliban. 36 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 2: When nine to eleven happened, then the Americans came and 37 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 2: partnered with the Afghan United Front in the north and 38 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 2: started sweeping through the country. The Taliban fell very quickly. 39 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 2: There was very very limited collateral damage to the civilian 40 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 2: life and property, and the operation was very successful and 41 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 2: very quickly, Afghanistan changed from a very isolated, very difficult 42 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 2: and from an oppressive regime to an open regime to 43 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 2: a nation that started building itself, started healing itself, and 44 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 2: started connecting with the rest of the world. This was 45 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 2: an incredible journey. This was a transformation for our society 46 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 2: that is still very vivid and it's very clear not 47 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 2: only the infrastructure was rebuilt during the the twenty years, 48 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 2: but also the society has completely transformed into a new society. 49 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 2: That said, there were challenges. The war had continued to 50 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 2: be a challenge for the lives of the Afghan soldiers, 51 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:20,360 Speaker 2: the Americans and the rest of the coalition troops. However, 52 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 2: it never stopped us. We continued to build our country, 53 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:27,800 Speaker 2: We continue to invest on our society, and overall, in 54 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 2: the last twenty years, and new generation of Afghans came 55 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 2: to being. Afghans went around the world and tended some 56 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 2: of the best military, security, political science, and economic colleges. 57 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 2: They came back to their country and they started building 58 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 2: the society. One of the difficulties that we could never 59 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 2: solve was the political problem. Of course, after two thousand 60 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 2: and one, a new system of governance was adopted in Afghanistan, 61 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 2: and this was a very liberal democratic system, and in 62 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 2: many ways this was something after thirty years off war, 63 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:16,279 Speaker 2: so it was not very easy for warring parties different 64 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,280 Speaker 2: internal and external, to come together and work together. Nonetheless, 65 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 2: it had worked. However, there were constant political trouble which 66 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:32,720 Speaker 2: continued to keep the Afghan Republic weak internally but also 67 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 2: questionable externally. 68 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: So just to clarify, you still had people, there was 69 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: still conflict within the country, but the culture had really 70 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: changed to being more almost more toward the Western culture, 71 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: where women were allowed to attend school and women had 72 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 1: more rights. 73 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 2: It was just. 74 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 1: A it was I think that's what the American people 75 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: don't really understand. It went from being a very oppressive 76 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 1: rule to a little bit more Western. So would that 77 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 1: be accurate. 78 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 2: Oh, not a little bit, but just very open society. 79 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 2: I mean people who served in Afghanistan, traveled to Afghanistan 80 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 2: will attest to that. Democracy is not Western for us, 81 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 2: democracy is an indigenous tradition of our country since hundreds 82 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 2: of years ago. The trouble began in nineteen seventy nine 83 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 2: when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, whereby then there was 84 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 2: a leftist oppressive regime, the Communists. Then we hosted the 85 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 2: Communists again in partnership with the US, and after the 86 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 2: Communists the country was so racked that we could never 87 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 2: stand on our feet again because during the war with 88 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 2: the Russians in eight years, we lost two million people 89 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,919 Speaker 2: and six million Afghans left their country. So at the 90 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 2: time we had eighteen million population, so half of our 91 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 2: population were killed or displaced forcibly. The entire infrastructure was destroyed, 92 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 2: so coming back from that is very difficult. I don't 93 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 2: want to delve into that, but just want to give 94 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 2: you a perspective. 95 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: Well, when the Taliban came in, who was funding them? 96 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,360 Speaker 2: When the Taliban came in, there were two funding streams. 97 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 2: The first funding steam came from Pakistan. The government of 98 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 2: Pakistan wanted to topple the Mujahidin regime as we call it. 99 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 2: The other funding source was from the Arab countries, mostly 100 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 2: the Gulf countries, and notably one of the big donors 101 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 2: was probably the biggest donor, was al Qaeda. Osama bin 102 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 2: Laden joined them and then he poured a lot of 103 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 2: money into the Taliban. And remember Taliban or a group 104 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 2: that or only focused on their militancy. They don't deliver services, 105 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 2: they don't spend money on people or infrastructure or other matters. 106 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 2: Whatever money you gave them, they will just use it 107 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:04,279 Speaker 2: for buying web and then supporting their militancy. So it 108 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 2: was effective and it helped them quite a lot. However, 109 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 2: the Taliban never managed to conquer all of the country. 110 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 2: As I mentioned the norder of Afghanistan, there were small 111 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 2: pockets all over Afghanistan from south to west to east 112 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 2: where by resistance was gaining momentum in two thousand and 113 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 2: after that, in two thousand and one, my father fought 114 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 2: in the resistant and we were hopeful that he will 115 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 2: come back. However, when nine to eleven happened, then this 116 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 2: became a chance for Afghans to be released from this 117 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 2: thiss oppressive regime and that's how the Taliban were then 118 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 2: top alled. And so coming back to my point, there 119 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 2: was in the political problem Tudor. It was the Afghan 120 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 2: political problem, but also the US political problem. The US 121 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 2: political problem was that every president that changed every two 122 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:08,679 Speaker 2: three years, there was a new strategy, there was a review. 123 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 2: Then the whole of approach to Afghanistan would have changed. 124 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 2: So there was not a continuous set program fixed on 125 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 2: the outcome based approach instaate. It was sometimes it was sentimental, 126 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 2: other times it was between Republicans and Democrats. Other times 127 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 2: it was between say, oh, there's we have to shift 128 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 2: some assets to Iraq and we have to, you know, 129 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 2: be careful with our allies in the region not to 130 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 2: go into Pakistan and all that. So all of them 131 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:46,199 Speaker 2: actually opened them quite a big opportunity for terrorist groups 132 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 2: like Taliban and al Qaeda to expand and exist and 133 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 2: continue to resist the Afghan system. 134 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 1: It's very from our standpoint, it's been kind of hard 135 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:59,679 Speaker 1: to follow because you know, we know that we've always 136 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: sent people over there and that the goal was always 137 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 1: to come back. And you're right, we do hear the 138 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 1: different perspectives, the Republican and the Democrat perspective. I think 139 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: the overall was, you know, at some point we're going 140 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:17,959 Speaker 1: to withdraw. But the withdraw was a disaster, and people 141 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 1: here in the United States are still shocked by how 142 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: big of a disaster it was. But we wanted to 143 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: hear from your perspective what happened was that were you 144 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:31,439 Speaker 1: prepared at all for what Joe Biden did. 145 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 2: Not at all? The US withdrawal was something that we 146 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 2: didn't oppose. We ultimately wanted the US troops to either 147 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 2: be concised in their bases and background and Kandahar, or 148 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 2: you know, they're welcome to leave the country. 149 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: How because you felt that you were able, you were 150 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 1: going to be able to hold the line if it 151 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: was done the right way. 152 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 2: Absolutely, absolutely tutor. So from two thousand and three until 153 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 2: two thousand and four ten, there was an incredible new 154 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 2: Afghan army belt by the United States and Afghan Air Force. 155 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:10,560 Speaker 2: Our special forces were the best in that region. Tehwan 156 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:14,839 Speaker 2: Special Forces. We partnered with NATO, we partnered with Delta Force, 157 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 2: with Navy seals, with like Rangers, some of the best 158 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 2: in the world. And those guys liked us. They're like, yeah, 159 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 2: you're good. You know this is working. In twenty ten, 160 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 2: it was President Obama who announced the withdrawal. Basically he 161 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 2: put the calendar on ice saying that we are leaving. 162 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:38,680 Speaker 2: And so if you're the enemy and you already know 163 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 2: they're leaving no matter what, so you stop fighting, You're like, okay, 164 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 2: you can leave. And then but we prepared ourselves. We 165 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 2: had incredible level of casualties over twenty years we lost 166 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 2: two hundred thousand Afghan soldiers, seventy thousand of them were 167 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 2: only army soldiers, and then the police and other militia 168 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:03,479 Speaker 2: forces as well. Nonetheless, we held the line. We continued 169 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 2: to build and get better and better in the governors, 170 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 2: in the military, in the economics. The trouble began when 171 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 2: the American politicians stopped listening to Afghans and started negotiating 172 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 2: with the Taliban. Twenty eleven, President Obama basically closed Guantanamo 173 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 2: Bay and he took some of the detainees put them 174 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:34,440 Speaker 2: in Dohakatar, and the next day they started negotiating with 175 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 2: their own detainees. We were not happy about it, and 176 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:42,079 Speaker 2: in fact, our president Ahmed Karzai protested as strong as 177 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 2: he could. He's like, this is not right, this will 178 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:51,320 Speaker 2: be giving them lechitimacy. However, the process continued. Unfortunately, it 179 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:55,559 Speaker 2: never stopped, and during President Trump, Adoha Dil was signed 180 00:11:55,640 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 2: with the Taliban and the Taliban were given political village Timnessee, 181 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 2: and the deal effectively turned the United States from being 182 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 2: an effective partner to the Afghan forces into a passive 183 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 2: observer watching US and the Taliban. You know, do the 184 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 2: dog fight that was not a significant blow enough. Then 185 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 2: the ammunition shipments and support for Afghan Air Force has stopped, 186 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 2: and the contractors that maintained some of our sophisticated kit, 187 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:33,599 Speaker 2: which were American kids, also were ordered to leave Afghanistan 188 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 2: because this was a port of ada deal that the 189 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 2: Taliban demanded not only US soldiers but also contractors should leave. 190 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 2: And using American kit, we couldn't go to anywhere else 191 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 2: to get contractors or ammunition or new weaponry. It was 192 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 2: all Americans. 193 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 1: So I think that's something important for our listeners to understand, 194 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 1: is that this is the power that America has to 195 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 1: keep peace. And that's why we've said for so many 196 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: years it is peace through strength. It's not necessarily sending soldiers, 197 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 1: but it's making sure that the people on the ground 198 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 1: are prepared and the people on the ground are in control. 199 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on 200 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 1: the Tutor Dixon podcast. I think you mentioned something very 201 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:24,559 Speaker 1: interesting when you talk about the release of the prisoners 202 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 1: at Guantanamo Bay and the closure of that. I don't 203 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:31,960 Speaker 1: think people a lot of people understand that that legitimize 204 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 1: the Taliban, because then they started negotiating with the very 205 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: people that had been detained, So to negotiate with the 206 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:43,080 Speaker 1: people that have been detained that you said, these are 207 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 1: the bad guys, we're going to keep them. Then to 208 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: have Obama let them go and then have presidents from 209 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 1: then on negotiating with them. Suddenly the Taliban goes from 210 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: a terror organization to a government. In the minds of 211 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:56,559 Speaker 1: the people, that's a problem. 212 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 2: That is accurate tutor. And then towards the end of 213 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 2: President Trump's presidency a plan be emerged because President Trump 214 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 2: was adamant that this is a conditional based agreement and 215 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 2: if the Taliban reached the agreements, were going to come 216 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:20,120 Speaker 2: back after them. The Taliban reached every single though article agreement. 217 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 2: They said in the agreement that they won't attack major cities. 218 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 2: They did. They said they will cut their ties with 219 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 2: al Qaeda. They never cut their ties with Al Kaieda. 220 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 2: They said that they will work with Afghan government and 221 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 2: become part of the Afghan governments. They never did that. 222 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 2: They said they will be port, they will talk to 223 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 2: the Afghan government's negotiation team. They never actually talked to 224 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 2: our negotiation team. And they also promised that they're not 225 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 2: going to attack American soldiers. And now this last thing. 226 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 2: The American soldiers were in their basis, there was no 227 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 2: way that the Taliban could attack. And because before getting 228 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:03,840 Speaker 2: to the American base there was like seven layers of 229 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 2: Afghan security to begin with. And many people in the 230 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 2: US don't understand that. They think that the two thy 231 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 2: five hundred Americans were defending themselves. That is absolutely wrong. 232 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 2: It was the Afghan forces and these were these guys 233 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 2: were in safe bases. They were not in front lines, 234 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:26,120 Speaker 2: not in you know, in an harms way. Of course, 235 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 2: sometimes they were like indirect fire into the bases from 236 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 2: a far away which didn't have any casualties. So even 237 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 2: if the condition's based approach was still taken seriously, Afghanistan 238 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 2: would never fall into the Taliban. But when President Biden came, 239 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 2: he said, I don't care the consequence. I don't care 240 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 2: what happens. He stopped listening to his generals in Pentagon, 241 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:56,320 Speaker 2: he stopped listening to Cia Hill. He wouldn't even take 242 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,040 Speaker 2: the call from our president. So he just absolutely he 243 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 2: made his mind, and then he pulled the plag without 244 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 2: you know, giving us a warning, without you know, adhering 245 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 2: to the agreement that he said. He will adhere and 246 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 2: then Afghanistan rapidly started to be controlled by the Taliban. 247 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 2: In the middle of all of this, it is very 248 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 2: important that when the Taliban were legitimized through the Doha Deal, 249 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:32,680 Speaker 2: countries like Qatar started paying hundreds of millions of dollars 250 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 2: to the Taliban. Pakistan uh started training them in thousands. 251 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 2: Iran started giving them like rockets, artillery shells, artillery pieces, snipers, 252 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 2: and they also started training. 253 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:52,440 Speaker 1: Why what do they expect from the Taliban? I mean, 254 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: you you made the point that this is not a government, 255 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 1: this is a military group. They are solely focused on military, 256 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 1: not on people. I've taken over. I mean when you 257 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 1: talk about the takeover, this was a matter of days 258 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:09,199 Speaker 1: before they took over completely. And I I would like 259 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:11,919 Speaker 1: your opinion on that too, because I think that the 260 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:16,640 Speaker 1: Americans and even the soldiers that were there said, hey, 261 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:19,680 Speaker 1: we had this setup so that the Taliban couldn't come in, 262 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 1: But the way we left the forces in a situation 263 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 1: where you couldn't fight as well as we had thought. 264 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:29,760 Speaker 1: But maybe it was Maybe it was because there was 265 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:34,280 Speaker 1: so much money that had been sunken into the Taliban 266 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 1: army that we weren't aware of if that is coming 267 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,000 Speaker 1: from Pakistan, if that's coming from Iran, what is the 268 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 1: end goal giving them that much money and that much power. 269 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 2: That is a very good question. Iran always wanted to 270 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:52,720 Speaker 2: kick the Americans out of Afghanistan. Pakistan always wanted the 271 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 2: Americans out of Afghanistan, and in this they were united. 272 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:02,359 Speaker 2: Pakistan had always provided I Haven training and support to 273 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 2: the Taliban up until the fall of the Republic. When 274 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 2: the Americans made sure that they're leaving. The Afghan government 275 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 2: was seen as a legacy of the Americans, as a 276 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:19,119 Speaker 2: lynchpin connecting Washington. So Iran wanted to make sure that 277 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 2: this doesn't exist. Furthermore, one of the other things that 278 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 2: was horrifying for Iran was our governance system. This was 279 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 2: a liberal democracy. People could vote, women were free. It 280 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 2: was very different than Iran. So they got scared. And 281 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 2: Afghans have a huge influence in our region. Whatever happens 282 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 2: in Afghanistan, it affects Central Asia, it affects Iran, it 283 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 2: affects Pakistan. So they got scared. Is like, okay, this 284 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:50,320 Speaker 2: is inspiring our people to do the same. So it 285 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:53,160 Speaker 2: was a threat to their regime. 286 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:56,199 Speaker 1: Because I think people don't understand that Iran in the 287 00:18:56,240 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 1: seventies was very westernized. Women could go to school, women 288 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:03,439 Speaker 1: could wear whatever they wanted, They were very free to 289 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 1: do as they please and that and then you have 290 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 1: the Iranian regime who's there now, and they took over 291 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:14,400 Speaker 1: and changed completely, and so that's what they believe. Everybody 292 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: in the region should also then feel the same. Should 293 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 1: treat women the same, should treat people the same. I 294 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,880 Speaker 1: mean not obviously I'm focused on women, but the families 295 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,159 Speaker 1: are not treated well. This is not a regime for 296 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 1: the people, as you said, this is a military regime 297 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:30,919 Speaker 1: that likes to cause chaos and terror across the globe. 298 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 1: And so I think from the perspective of Americans, we've said, well, 299 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 1: what does this withdrawal look like for the face of terror? 300 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:44,640 Speaker 1: Because if the Taliban gains so much ground and they 301 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 1: have so much money, and they have now this land 302 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 1: in Afghanistan, do we go right back to where we 303 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: were on September tenth? You know, are we just being 304 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:55,920 Speaker 1: naive about the fact that we fought this for twenty 305 00:19:56,000 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: years and now this cat is out of the bag 306 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 1: again and they have total control. I think that's a 307 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: concern of the American people. And then you mentioned something 308 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:09,360 Speaker 1: else you said when Obama came out and said we're 309 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: going to withdraw, we want to get out of Afghanistan. 310 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:16,640 Speaker 1: Is that when Iran and Pakistan started to say, okay, 311 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:19,359 Speaker 1: we're going to send tens of millions of dollars to 312 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 1: the Taliban to train them. 313 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 2: So has it been to Washington. Policy always played a 314 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:28,640 Speaker 2: role in how Iran and Pakistan and other countries would 315 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 2: behave in Afghanistan. The strategic deterrence was removed by President 316 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:37,879 Speaker 2: Bobama when he said we're leaving. So Pakistan and Iran 317 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,120 Speaker 2: saw and opportunities like, oh wow, if they're leaving, then 318 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:43,639 Speaker 2: of course they're going to leave a government behind. There 319 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,879 Speaker 2: will be Afghan government, and you know, we need to 320 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 2: give them a leadinos as they walk out, and also 321 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 2: make sure that the next regime that comes in is 322 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 2: friendly to us. If you see today, compare the Taliban 323 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 2: and Iran, there is incredible resemblance. The Taliban have a 324 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 2: supreme leader, Iran has a supreme leader. Taliban rule through 325 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 2: fanatical religious perspective. Iran rules through fanatical religious perspective. Taliban 326 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 2: think they're the center of gravity for Sunni Muslim and terrorism, 327 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:26,359 Speaker 2: and Iran claims that they're the center of gravity for 328 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 2: Shia fanatical terrorism. And Iran's policy is to spread Shiaism, 329 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:39,639 Speaker 2: their sect of you know, Islamic thinking, into the world. 330 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 2: The Taliban's foreign policy is to export Sunni fanatical terrorism 331 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 2: into the rest of the world through al Qaeda, through 332 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 2: other organizations that you see. So these are these are 333 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:58,439 Speaker 2: the same in many ways, and they would like to 334 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 2: work together. Be because the Taliban today or part of 335 00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 2: the Iran's access of resistance against the US, al Qaeda 336 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 2: is training in Afghanistan, and Iran is using al Qaeda 337 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 2: against the US basis in Middle East and in Africa. 338 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 2: And in fact, one of the things that occurred was 339 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 2: an incredible thing is when Talban took over Afghanistan. Iranians 340 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 2: had reevaluated their policy towards Al Kaida before they had 341 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 2: liison and coordination with al Qaeda, but they took it 342 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:33,480 Speaker 2: elevated to the next level. They offered al Kaieda say, 343 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:37,159 Speaker 2: we will pay for your training and money if you 344 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:40,199 Speaker 2: join us in the fight in the Middle East. And 345 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 2: Iran then offered the Taliban and al Qaeda an opportunity. 346 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:46,880 Speaker 2: They said as we you know, kick the Americans out 347 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 2: of Afghanistan, Let's go after them in the Middle East. 348 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 2: And you know, if we put enough pressure and bring 349 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:57,159 Speaker 2: enough casualty to them, they will leave Middle East. So 350 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:00,439 Speaker 2: if you see after the fall of Afghanistan, the number 351 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 2: of attacks in Iraq, in Syria, in Jordan and elsewhere 352 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:11,400 Speaker 2: has dramatically increased. So this was this was an effort 353 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 2: that was fought in Afghanistan and kept on their knees. 354 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 2: And now you know they have an open hand. Now 355 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:22,880 Speaker 2: Iranians al Kaieda and you know in Taliban can choose 356 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 2: where to attack. The US forces in Africa, Indian Ocean, 357 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:31,399 Speaker 2: in Arab countries, they can choose wherever they want. So 358 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:35,040 Speaker 2: the keeping forces in Afghanistan, with the amount of money 359 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 2: spent in Afghanistan was a peanut compared to what the 360 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:44,200 Speaker 2: US is spending today against terrorism, and what the US 361 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 2: is spending today against terrorism will be a peanut. What 362 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:51,119 Speaker 2: is about to come and where the US would then 363 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,400 Speaker 2: would would then't have to engage in a match larger 364 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:59,399 Speaker 2: scale if the US wants to stop major attacks like 365 00:23:59,480 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 2: nine eleven. 366 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 1: I think it's very hard for Americans to see this 367 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:05,959 Speaker 1: until they have an attack like nine to eleven, and 368 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 1: you know, the generation now, the newest generation hasn't seen that, 369 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 1: as the newest generation of Afghans have not seen what 370 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 1: they're now living as a lifestyle in Afghanistan. And I 371 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:22,719 Speaker 1: think that's also something critical for especially liberal Americans to understand. 372 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:26,760 Speaker 1: What happened has taken away the rights of so many people, 373 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 1: the rights that we take advantage of, that we just 374 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:32,879 Speaker 1: take for granted that we believe that is central to 375 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: everyone's life. Those were just removed. And the insult of 376 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:41,160 Speaker 1: Joe Biden saying to the Taliban will have every last 377 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 1: soldier out by September eleventh, I mean, what was that 378 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 1: that to me? You are insulting the families that lost 379 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 1: people that day. You are insulting every soldier who was 380 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:57,880 Speaker 1: injured or gave his life and their families who survived 381 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 1: without them to fight this war for twenty years. I mean, 382 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:05,160 Speaker 1: it's just shocking to me. I know, for a long 383 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:09,400 Speaker 1: time people have questioned the motives of Barack Obama and said, 384 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:13,120 Speaker 1: you know, why did he even do all this? Why 385 00:25:13,119 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 1: has he seemed to be a champion of this side. 386 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: But Joe Biden to do this on September eleventh. It's 387 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:21,879 Speaker 1: just so sick. 388 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:25,679 Speaker 2: It is it is. I don't understand the tutor and 389 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 2: I was shocked when I heard it, and I was like, 390 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 2: did is this what ben Laden wants? Or is this 391 00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:37,879 Speaker 2: what Biden wants? Because I'm confused ben Laden wants to 392 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:43,920 Speaker 2: celebrate this state double double impact basically nine to eleven, 393 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:48,439 Speaker 2: twenty years after another victory. I mean, I don't know 394 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:53,119 Speaker 2: who who came up with this idea, but most definitely 395 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 2: this was something that ben Laden and mul Omar would 396 00:25:56,359 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 2: be celebrating in their graves when they heard it. It's like, okay, 397 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:03,119 Speaker 2: have another nine to eleven, and this is also a 398 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 2: victory for US. There are many things I don't understand. 399 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:09,919 Speaker 2: One of the other things to door I don't understand 400 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 2: is President Biden's very vindictive agenda to ours Afghanistan. He 401 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:20,920 Speaker 2: hates Afghanistan, he hates Afghans. I don't know why we 402 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:24,879 Speaker 2: didn't do anything to him. We partnered with US military 403 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 2: and we partnered with the Americans. We took himend's pride, 404 00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 2: and we paid a minis price for being the US partners. 405 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 2: Why Iran and Pakistan and other countries would support our 406 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 2: opposition is because of our partnership with the Americans, and 407 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:43,840 Speaker 2: so we continue to pay a major price in our 408 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 2: region because of being partners with Americans. Personally, I'm paying 409 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:51,359 Speaker 2: a price. Every soldier is paying a price. 410 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:54,359 Speaker 1: Stay tuned for more of my interview with Lieutenant General 411 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 1: Sammy Saddat, but first I want to take a moment 412 00:26:57,080 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 1: to tell you more about my partners at IFCJ. 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It's really truly amazing. 427 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:55,000 Speaker 1: So we're looking for five hundred of you to join us, 428 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:58,399 Speaker 1: to join the Fellowship in me by donating one hundred 429 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 1: and fifty dollars to meet the urgent security needs of 430 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: the Israelis, and thanks to a generous IFCJ supporter, your 431 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:09,440 Speaker 1: gift will be matched, doubling your impact in the Holy Land. 432 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 1: Call to make your gift right now. It's eight eight 433 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:16,320 Speaker 1: eight four eight eight IFCJ that's eight eight eight four 434 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:19,640 Speaker 1: eight eight four three two five, or you can go online. 435 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 1: It's SUPPORTIFCJ dot org to give again. That's one word, 436 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:28,600 Speaker 1: it's support. IFCJ dot org. Israel needs your support now, 437 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:32,280 Speaker 1: stay tuned. We've got more with Sammy Saddat. After this, 438 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 1: a lot of our military members and servicemen have tried 439 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:42,080 Speaker 1: to bring people with them back to the United States 440 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 1: to keep them safe. You had to leave Afghanistan, and 441 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:47,440 Speaker 1: I know that that's devastating to you, to leave your 442 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 1: home country. That's not what you wanted, certainly, it's not you. 443 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 1: You continue to fight from the sidelines to say we're 444 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:56,000 Speaker 1: going to take it back. We're going to take our 445 00:28:56,040 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 1: country back. Tell us a little bit about the price 446 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: that you and your servicemen paid, so we're paying. 447 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:11,040 Speaker 2: In Iran, the Afghan security forces or on the only basis, tortured, imprisoned, 448 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 2: deported back into the hands of the Taliban where they 449 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 2: will be shot on the border. In hundreds, in large 450 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 2: numbers in Turkey, the Afghan security forces are arrested and 451 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:25,520 Speaker 2: sent back to Afghanistan to the Taliban where they're shot, 452 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:32,000 Speaker 2: tortured and disabled by the Taliban. Politically, when we started 453 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:40,120 Speaker 2: our effort to mobilize Afghans Afghanistan United Front, mem and 454 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 2: my team members would travel a lot, went to Zbakistan 455 00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 2: and they would welcome you, they will talk to you 456 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:48,800 Speaker 2: a little bit, and suddenly they will say like, oh, 457 00:29:48,840 --> 00:29:51,360 Speaker 2: we know you are very close to the Americans, so 458 00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 2: we have some concerns and you know, how's your relationship 459 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 2: with the CIA. So they immediately think that I just 460 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:02,480 Speaker 2: came from Langley and I have this nefarious agenda for 461 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:07,320 Speaker 2: so they don't trust us. And you know, most definitely 462 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:12,360 Speaker 2: Iranians don't trust those Afghan security forces and politicians that 463 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 2: worked with with Americans. Pakistanis don't trust him. Central Asians, 464 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 2: other Russians obviously, wherever they are, they don't trust him. 465 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 2: I was in Turkey and we started talking to some 466 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:28,800 Speaker 2: of our friends. I got an office, I got some 467 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 2: of my soldiers like, you know, we need to prepare 468 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 2: and go back and free our country. And a couple 469 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 2: of months after I was deported from Turkey, I was 470 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:45,560 Speaker 2: detained and then deported back into Switzerland, where like where 471 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:50,440 Speaker 2: I you know I came from, so in other countries, 472 00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:53,760 Speaker 2: as soon as we land, you know, there will be 473 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:56,920 Speaker 2: intelligence officers waiting at the airport and then you know, 474 00:30:57,040 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 2: taking us on the side, like let's have a coffee, 475 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 2: and then discussion would come back to our relationship with 476 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 2: the Americans, and their concern is very vivid. We come 477 00:31:07,040 --> 00:31:11,240 Speaker 2: to America, President Biden doesn't want to talk about Afghanistan. 478 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 2: The administration is completely deaf and blind about what is 479 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:19,880 Speaker 2: happening there. So it is very, very tough. We are 480 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:24,560 Speaker 2: grateful to the American people. We're grateful to the service members. 481 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 2: We are grateful to all those volunteers that stood up 482 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:32,560 Speaker 2: by Afghans on a very very dark day, on a 483 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:36,640 Speaker 2: very difficult day. We saw that and we remain grateful forever. 484 00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 2: We're a loyal nation. We're a grateful nation when we 485 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 2: will never forget that. The reason why we want to 486 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:45,640 Speaker 2: work with America is because of those great men and 487 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 2: women who stood by Afghans. If America was only about 488 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:54,000 Speaker 2: President Biden, if America was only how this administration sees us, 489 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:56,480 Speaker 2: we would never be here. We would never talk to 490 00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:59,520 Speaker 2: you again even But it's about the American people, It's 491 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:03,280 Speaker 2: about the Afghan people. They're very close. They have a 492 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:06,040 Speaker 2: lot of respect for each other, especially in the military. 493 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:09,239 Speaker 2: We have respect for US military, they have respect for 494 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:13,080 Speaker 2: us and for us. We lost our home. You know, 495 00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:16,800 Speaker 2: my soul is still somewhere in Kabul. I'm just a 496 00:32:16,880 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 2: vessel walking around and trying to find the means to 497 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:24,440 Speaker 2: reconnect with my soul. And for many Afghan young men 498 00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:27,800 Speaker 2: and woman, it's true and it's the same. You know, 499 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:31,280 Speaker 2: these are beautiful countries America, Europe, but these are not 500 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:36,000 Speaker 2: our countries. Our countries oppressed. They're under a tyrannical regime 501 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:39,440 Speaker 2: and tyranny must be rejected and tyranny must be fought. 502 00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 1: What does that look like to you for the future, 503 00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:45,640 Speaker 1: I mean, you talk about you can't work with di 504 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 1: Biden administration. I assume that that will be the same 505 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:52,680 Speaker 1: if there were a Harris administration. What would you like 506 00:32:52,760 --> 00:32:54,080 Speaker 1: to see in the future. 507 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:58,520 Speaker 2: Tudor realready got myself in a lot of trouble by 508 00:32:58,560 --> 00:33:04,360 Speaker 2: bashing President Biden. I hope Harras changes if she wents, 509 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:09,440 Speaker 2: and I definitely hope that President Trump changes the policy. 510 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:14,480 Speaker 2: We have a political organization, Afghanistan United Front. We got 511 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 2: a number of Afghan young general officers, young diplomats, governors, 512 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:25,320 Speaker 2: and civil society activists, tribal leaders and others, and we 513 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:29,320 Speaker 2: created a platform whereby this energy could be used collectively 514 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:32,760 Speaker 2: to free our country. Our legal basis for this is 515 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 2: the Constitution of Afghanistan, which was adopted in two thousand 516 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:40,720 Speaker 2: and four, and this is one of the best constitutions 517 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:43,920 Speaker 2: we ever had in our history. We want to bring 518 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:48,200 Speaker 2: back constitutional order in Afghanistan. We want to change the 519 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:50,840 Speaker 2: Taliban regime. We want to kick al Kaeda out of 520 00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:54,800 Speaker 2: our country. We don't want Al Qaeda guests. These are 521 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:58,160 Speaker 2: bad people. These are awful people. They have that done 522 00:33:58,160 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 2: horrendous things in our country and other other countries. We 523 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:06,560 Speaker 2: are gearing up and we're preparing to go and fight. 524 00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:10,279 Speaker 2: Right now, we are working on a political legitimacy, which 525 00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:12,680 Speaker 2: we have a little bit of political edge intimacy now 526 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:16,720 Speaker 2: that we have Spook spoke around the US and Europe 527 00:34:16,719 --> 00:34:21,040 Speaker 2: and other countries. We are looking for technical support and 528 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:24,120 Speaker 2: we have soldiers. We don't need U as soldiers. We 529 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:29,160 Speaker 2: don't want boots on the ground. We need technical and 530 00:34:29,239 --> 00:34:35,439 Speaker 2: political support later, after God willing, Afghanistan is free. If 531 00:34:35,480 --> 00:34:38,680 Speaker 2: the United States want to take a base two basis, 532 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:43,759 Speaker 2: we are good. We can negotiate and they're welcome to 533 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:46,360 Speaker 2: stay in the basis, but we don't want them to 534 00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:50,160 Speaker 2: fight again on the battlefields. If they want to come 535 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:56,000 Speaker 2: for strategic deterrence for China, Iran al Qaeda, I don't know. 536 00:34:56,040 --> 00:34:59,000 Speaker 2: I mean, those guys are our enemies as well. I'd 537 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:03,880 Speaker 2: be you would be happy to restart a partnership, But 538 00:35:04,040 --> 00:35:07,400 Speaker 2: right now we're looking at a partnership whereby the Afghans 539 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:11,560 Speaker 2: would go and do the fighting and Americans provides support 540 00:35:12,239 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 2: and we will take care of the American interests. As 541 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:18,040 Speaker 2: I said, we're not ungrateful people. 542 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:21,879 Speaker 1: So you still have troops on the ground in Afghanistan. 543 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:27,800 Speaker 2: We have hundreds of thousands of people who will fight 544 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:31,839 Speaker 2: on our behalf, so we don't have lack of lack of. 545 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:36,839 Speaker 1: Well, we are following your story closely, and I want 546 00:35:37,200 --> 00:35:40,279 Speaker 1: I think a lot of people don't understand. I think 547 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:43,879 Speaker 1: we watched this from the sidelines. You know, we were 548 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:48,319 Speaker 1: so shocked by September eleventh here in this country, and 549 00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:52,920 Speaker 1: we watched George Bush say that we would fight this, 550 00:35:53,200 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 1: and we sent and it was amazing how immediately people said, 551 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:01,720 Speaker 1: sign me up, I'm going I want to protect our country, 552 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:05,800 Speaker 1: and it really changed. I think the way we viewed 553 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:09,919 Speaker 1: protecting our country for so many years, and we've had 554 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:14,160 Speaker 1: kind of a I guess, a shattered political viewpoint in 555 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:16,680 Speaker 1: the United States. We have two parties that are very 556 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:20,200 Speaker 1: much on edge on a daily basis now, But we 557 00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:23,360 Speaker 1: watch this and we don't fully understand what it means 558 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:27,640 Speaker 1: to be controlled by a terrorist regime. And that's why 559 00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:31,480 Speaker 1: I find your story so valuable to the American people 560 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:34,200 Speaker 1: to hear your side of it. And I'd like you 561 00:36:34,239 --> 00:36:35,719 Speaker 1: to tell us a little bit about your book and 562 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:38,160 Speaker 1: where people can get it so they can understand even more. 563 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:41,560 Speaker 2: Thank you, tutor. So, my book, The Last Commander, you 564 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:45,759 Speaker 2: can get it on Amazon, and it is about the 565 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:55,080 Speaker 2: twenty years of Afghanistan, the war and partners partnerships between 566 00:36:55,280 --> 00:36:59,680 Speaker 2: US and Afghan military. I work with CIA for a period. 567 00:36:59,719 --> 00:37:03,919 Speaker 2: The spy stories, there is covert operations, there is all 568 00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:08,360 Speaker 2: of this is packed up in a simple story narrative. 569 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:10,760 Speaker 2: As I'm speaking to you. I didn't want to write 570 00:37:10,760 --> 00:37:14,759 Speaker 2: the conceptual book. I wanted to write a story of 571 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:18,400 Speaker 2: what happened, why it happened, some of the great things 572 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:21,319 Speaker 2: we did, some of the complex operations, the role of 573 00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:25,319 Speaker 2: intelligence and how you know intelligence was good, how the 574 00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:29,040 Speaker 2: regional countries were getting involved, how we came up with, 575 00:37:29,440 --> 00:37:32,920 Speaker 2: you know, different plans and programs, and some of the 576 00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:36,800 Speaker 2: success stories that we had of taking out some senior 577 00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:40,960 Speaker 2: Al Qaida members, taking out senior terrorists. So anyone in 578 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:45,440 Speaker 2: the military, in the business industry, in the intelligence and 579 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:50,160 Speaker 2: security and if you know they're adventurous young people, they're 580 00:37:50,239 --> 00:37:56,480 Speaker 2: starting a new leadership role, they will find this book interesting. 581 00:37:56,600 --> 00:38:00,480 Speaker 2: And there's I'm told that there's money less since that 582 00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:03,320 Speaker 2: young men and woman that read the book are drawn 583 00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:07,359 Speaker 2: and they liked it. I don't want to sound like 584 00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:09,399 Speaker 2: someone who's celebrating himself, but. 585 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:13,960 Speaker 1: No, you should advertise your progress there. Go ahead, it's fine, 586 00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:15,120 Speaker 1: tell us we want to hear. 587 00:38:15,239 --> 00:38:19,759 Speaker 2: Yeah, I got good feedback. They could really really say 588 00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:23,000 Speaker 2: this is something that they can use in their life 589 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:27,000 Speaker 2: as they're managing or leading, or you know, they're going 590 00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:30,279 Speaker 2: through a period that they're not sure what is how 591 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:33,520 Speaker 2: to make decisions and all that so kind of puts 592 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:35,319 Speaker 2: things on a perspective. 593 00:38:36,200 --> 00:38:38,360 Speaker 1: Well, that's what I think we need right now because 594 00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:41,120 Speaker 1: we're seeing what's happening in Israel and we know that 595 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:45,840 Speaker 1: the Taliban will also form against Israel. We know that 596 00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:50,200 Speaker 1: these are all connected. These terror organizations are all connected, 597 00:38:50,239 --> 00:38:52,920 Speaker 1: and that ultimately comes back to us, you know, and 598 00:38:53,400 --> 00:38:56,800 Speaker 1: they I think the part that Americans haven't realized is 599 00:38:56,840 --> 00:38:59,839 Speaker 1: this ultimately doesn't go away for America. Just walking away 600 00:38:59,880 --> 00:39:03,480 Speaker 1: from from Afghanistan doesn't make the Taliban out of sight, 601 00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:06,680 Speaker 1: out of minds. That's the mistake we made on September tenth. 602 00:39:06,719 --> 00:39:09,560 Speaker 1: And I think we need to recognize that you have 603 00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:12,120 Speaker 1: to be aware of where all of these organizations are 604 00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:14,920 Speaker 1: at once. But as we're kind of navigating as a country, 605 00:39:14,920 --> 00:39:17,279 Speaker 1: what does Ukraine look like? What does Israel look like? 606 00:39:17,719 --> 00:39:21,160 Speaker 1: And it gets good to read about another historical battle, 607 00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:23,479 Speaker 1: and so I appreciate the fact that you were willing 608 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:26,120 Speaker 1: to come on today, and I encourage people to get 609 00:39:26,120 --> 00:39:28,680 Speaker 1: the book. It's called The Last Commander, The Once in 610 00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:32,160 Speaker 1: Future Battle for Afghanistan, and we just so appreciate you 611 00:39:32,239 --> 00:39:35,359 Speaker 1: coming on. Lieutenant General Sammy Sadat, thank you so. 612 00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:38,319 Speaker 2: Much, Thank you, ma'am. I have a great day. 613 00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:41,160 Speaker 1: Absolutely, you two, and thank you all for joining us 614 00:39:41,239 --> 00:39:43,960 Speaker 1: on the Tutor Dixon Podcast. For this episode and others, 615 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:47,399 Speaker 1: go to Tutor dixonpodcast dot com or the iHeartRadio app, 616 00:39:47,400 --> 00:39:50,640 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and join 617 00:39:50,719 --> 00:39:52,319 Speaker 1: us next time. Have a blessed day.