The Afghan Eye

In this compelling episode of the Afghan Eye Podcast, host Sangar Paykhar sits down with Mir-Ali Askerov, a political scientist from the Higher School of Economics in Saint Petersburg, to discuss the recent high-level Russian delegation visit to Kabul, led by Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of Russia's Security Council.Together, they dive deep into the historical context of Russia-Afghanistan relations, the implications of Shoigu's visit, and the broader geopolitical shifts at play. Key topics include:Russia's plans for economic cooperation with Afghanistan, including mineral extraction and the trans-Afghan railway.The legal and political significance of removing the Taliban from Russia's blacklist.The historical legacy of the Soviet-Afghan war and its influence on Russia's modern policy.Afghanistan's potential observer membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).Shoigu's sharp critique of U.S. policies, including the freezing of Afghan assets.This episode offers an in-depth analysis of Russia's strategic pivot to Afghanistan amidst increasing global tensions. Don't miss this insightful discussion that unpacks what Shoigu's visit means for Afghanistan, Russia, and the wider region.Support the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ X: https://X.com/AfgEye♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

In this episode of the Afghan Eye podcast, hosts Sangar Paykhar and Ahmed-Waleed Kakar dive into the implications of Afghanistan's attendance at the recent 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan. We discuss Afghanistan's potential strategic interests, regional cooperation, and the impact of BRICS on a multipolar world order. Amid ongoing economic sanctions, political isolation, and recent infrastructure developments with BRICS members, what could Afghanistan gain from aligning with BRICS countries? We'll also cover the summit's calls for peace, human rights, and the future of international relations. Join us as we explore Afghanistan's evolving role on the world stage.Support the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ X: https://X.com/AfgEye♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

 On 18th March 2024, Afghanistan's remote and southeastern Paktika province found itself subject to aerial bombardment. The airstrikes, carried out in the early hours of the morning, were conducted by Pakistani military planes from across the Durand Line. A statement soon released by Islamabad confirmed the airstrikes, claiming these were in response to a recent a deadly TTP attack in Mir Ali, South Waziristan, that had killed scored of Pakistani troops. The target of the airstrikes was reported to be Abdullah Shah: a commander in the TTP's Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction, rumoured to be hiding in Afghanistan. The airstrikes triggered a barrage of artillery fire from the Afghanistan side in response, whilst locals in Paktika Birmal said that the airstrikes had only killed civilians. Videos soon circulated on social media purportedly showing Abdullah Shah alive and in South Waziristan. In this episode, Sangar Paykhar hosts Ali Mustafa to discuss what the unexpected flare-up between the two neighbours means for their complex and difficult relationship, and what the attack reveals about the fragility of Pakistan's own domestic politics in the aftermath of a controversial election marred by allegations of fraud and rigging. Ali Mustafa is a Pakistani-Canadian journalist and a graduate from Columbia University's School of Journalism. He has produced content for Canadian Broadcasting' Corporation, Dawn News Network and CNBC as a producer, video-journalist and news-anchor, and later worked at TRT World as a correspondent in which he covered the Afghan peace process and the end of the US occupation in 2021. He supports the SAMRKAND initiative for better journalism in South Asia. Ali Mustafa's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Xnp1RiTRPCrtLsXZyqCYgSupport the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ X: https://X.com/AfgEye♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

Qatar again has served as the location for Afghanistan-centred gatherings. As a UN-convened conference kicked off, representatives from different countries, international bodies as well as Afghan civil society gathered in Doha as part of what was supposed to be a discussion on how to transition Afghanistan out of its state of diplomatic and legal isolation following the Taliban's takeover in 2021. More important than those who attended, as events transpired, were those who were absent. Following a series of diplomatic breakthroughs, and amidst expectations that it too would attend, the Taliban-led government announced abruptly that it would not be attending the conference. Its conditions to attend the meeting, per its spokesman, had not been met. Kabul's conditions, UN Secretary General António Guterres later claimed, essentially amounted to a demand for full recognition of the Taliban-led government as the legitimate representative of the Afghan state.Elsewhere, controversy in Pakistan continues. After weeks of instability following controversial elections, a coalition government was formed between the parties that came second and third in recent elections was formed. Independents affiliated with now jailed ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan remain excluded. The new Prime Minister is Shahbaz Sharif: a former Prime Minister and brother of two-time ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Asif Ali Zardari: former President, husband of ex-PM Benazir Bhutto and father of Bilawal Bhutto (leader of the Pakistan People's Party), is to serve as new President.As fragile coalitions are formed and widespread allegations of election rigging, Pakistan's powerful military continues to crack down on social media and supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Amidst Pakistan' persistent political instability, Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar discuss whether and how the South Asian country's woes will impact Afghanistan.Links/references:Chinese envoy 'regrets' Taliban absence at Doha conference:https://www.khaama.com/china-regrets-the-un-doha-meetings-failure-to-engage-in-dialogue-with-taliban/US Special Envoy Thomas West's reflections on Doha Conference: https://twitter.com/US4AfghanPeace/status/1760815035419381856UN Secretary General: 'We want a peaceful Afghanistan': https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/02/1146657Pakistan's dire economic situation: https://www.ft.com/content/fbdf57c2-cce4-4c35-827a-1528899f5fb7Mawlana Fazlur Rahman on his links to Afghanistan: https://x.com/adilkha89345692/status/1757789279839797482?s=46Mawlana Fazlur Rahman on Imran Khan's ouster:https://www.dawn.com/news/1814484Pakistan's new coalition government: https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2024/2/21/pakistan-parties-agree-deal-to-form-coalition-governmentSupport the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ X: https://X.com/AfgEye♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

Pakistan concluding fiercely contested elections amidst turmoil and mass claims of irregularities is only the latest development in an eventful 2024. The year has been similarly eventful for Afghanistan's foreign relations. On 29th January, the Taliban-led Afghan government organised an unprecedented conference in Kabul attended by the representatives of neighbouring and regional countries. These included India, Russia, Kazakhstan and China. Meanwhile, an interview of Pakistani interim Prime Minister Anwar ul-Haq Kakar seemed to indicate a shifting attitude toward Afghanistan from trouble South-Asian country, whilst the Afghan embassy in Uzbekistan was handed over to diplomats of the Taliban-led government in Kabul.Those developments, however, were shadowed by the events of 30th January. At a ceremony in Beijing attended by the diplomats of over 40 countries, Afghan ambassador-designate Bilal Karimi was formally received and accepted by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Karimi had previously been received by officials at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, (covered in S.2 E.4) but his reception by the Chinese President was unparalleled as far as Kabul's quest for diplomatic recognition is concerned. International media quickly reported the meeting's significance, whilst the US State Department publicly called on China for 'clarity' on whether the reception constituted its formal recognition of the Taliban's government.Speaking amongst themselves as well as to experts, Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar discuss whether the events mark the beginning of greater overseas legitimacy of the post-2021 Taliban-led government, the effects of these developments, and what they reveal about Kabul's diplomatic priorities.Support the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ X: https://X.com/AfgEye♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

Amidst deteriorating relations between Kabul and Islamabad, news emerged on 18th December. The Afghan ambassador to Pakistan confirmed that an invitation had been extended to Pakistani politician Maulana Fazlur Rahman to visit Kabul. The visit, according to many sources, was intended to defuse tensions between the neighbours; Fazlur Rahman, an influential politician and religious scholar, could mediate between the two.In Episode 5 of Season Two of The Afghan Eye podcast, Ahmed-Waleed Kakar discusses Maulana Fazlur Rahman: who is he, what is his background, and why is he important enough to serve as a mediator between Afghanistan and Pakistan? Ahmed-Waleed Kakar also asks experts about their views on the prospects of any mediation being successful.Fazlur Rahman invited to visit Kabul:https://tribune.com.pk/story/2450369/fazl-invited-to-kabul-amid-rising-tensionsFazlur Rahman to visit Kabul on Wednesday: https://www.ariananews.af/maulana-fazal-ur-rehman-to-visit-kabul-on-wednesday/Fazlur Rahman interview with BBC Pashto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldg-oLctJ2MUS sanctions on two Taliban leaders:https://www.state.gov/promoting-accountability-in-support-of-the-75th-anniversary-of-the-universal-declaration-of-human-rights/Support the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ X: https://X.com/AfgEye♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

On 1st December 2023, the Taliban's ambassador was greeted by an official at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bilal Karimi formally presented his credentials to and was received by Hong Lei: the Director General of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Protocol Department.The picture was shared triumphantly by the Taliban on X (formerly known as Twitter) and thereafter quickly circulated across social media as it was reported by various global outlets. Analysts and commentators quickly jumped onto the discussion, debating whether the meeting and reception of the Taliban's ambassador constituted Beijing's official recognition, by extension, of the Taliban's government. If so, it would make China the first country to recognise the Taliban, and would mark a huge victory for the group in their hitherto unsuccessful quest for international acceptance.In this episode, Ahmed-Waleed Kakar examines the meeting and the underlying context behind the widely perceived official recognition of the Taliban by China. Did this meeting really mean the official recognition of the Taliban and if so, what did it mean for Afghanistan and the region? What was the larger context of the Taliban's control over foreign embassies staffed by the previous regime's diplomats? What is the nature of the bilateral relationship between the Taliban and Beijing, and the various factors and common interests influencing these?Links/references:China formally receives Afghan (Taliban) ambassador: https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-say-afghan-embassy-in-india-set-to-resume-operations-soon/7377115.htmlTaliban 'handed keys' to embassy in India: https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/afghan-embassy-delhi-taliban-zakia-wardak-b2456762.htmlTrilateral summit statement: https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202305/t20230509_11073522.htmlTaliban open to joining the Belt and Road Initiative: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taliban-says-plans-formally-join-chinas-belt-road-initiative-2023-10-19/Taliban sign mining contracts: https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-taliban-mining-contract-dfd109247a44e46a9d41d8e1db76e541Mullah Hassan welcomes newly appointed Chinese ambassador: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/13/taliban-gives-a-warm-welcome-to-chinas-new-ambassador-to-afghanistanSupport the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ X: https://X.com/AfgEye♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

On 24th November 2023, a conference was convened in the Russian capital of Moscow. Attendees included Russian politicians and an Iranian government representative. The conference was also attended by a number of exiled Afghan politicians: Shukria Barakzai, Fawzia Koofi, Muhammad Muhaqqiq, Ahmad Wali Massoud, and Ahmad Massoud.The event follows months of conflicting statements made by Russian officials about Afghanistan. In particular, Russian Special Envoy to Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov has repeatedly reprimanded the Afghan government and highlighted its lack of ethnopolitical inclusivity. At the same time, Kabulov has stressed the need for engagement with Kabul and praised its counter-narcotics efforts as well as its ongoing campaign against Daesh (ISKP).What is driving Russia's seemingly mixed signals to Kabul? Ahmed-Waleed Kakar examines the conferences, and assesses what it reveals and signifies about Russo-Afghan relations.Links/references:Massoud's speech at the Moscow Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsUL230Px3c&t=4sKabulov: The Afghan government is currently not inclusive. Link: https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-183805Kabulov: The Taliban must ensure ethnopolitical inclusivity for recognition. https://tass.com/politics/1681639?Kazan Declaration: https://mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/1906997/Kabulov: Ethnic minorities are over half of the Afghan population.https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/ties-with-afghanistan-should-not-be-hostage-to-taliban-recognition-russian-president-s-envoy/3017031#Russian Ambassador meets Afghan Foreign Minister. https://twitter.com/HafizZiaAhmad/status/1728399725706281378Support the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfgEye ♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

On 6th November 2023, senior and former American diplomat Annie Pforzheimer wrote an article for World Politics Review. In the article, Pforzheimer, who has previously worked extensively as an American diplomat in Afghanistan, highlighted the signs that the Biden Administration was mulling widening and upgrading its ties with the Taliban, now the government of Afghanistan. Pforzheimer argued that, based on lingering concerns regarding human rights as well as the Taliban's perceived ties to terrorist organisations, that Washington ought to desist from improving its ties with the Taliban.In the second episode of Season 2 of The Afghan Eye Podcast, Ahmed-Waleed Kakar dissects Pforzheimer's article, the references it sources, and the arguments presented within it.Are improved American-Afghan relations really on the horizon?  What does this mean for Afghanistan?(Thumbnail photo of Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani by AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN/AFP via Getty Images. Instagram @a.sahel_arman)Articles referenced:The article: https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/us-afghanistan-taliban/Annie Pforzheimer's biography: https://www.csis.org/people/annie-pforzheimerCSIS' funding and donors: https://www.csis.org/about/financial-informationThe UN's 2023 report: https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N23/125/36/PDF/N2312536.pdf?OpenElementThe UN's 2022 report:  https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N22/333/77/PDF/N2233377.pdf?OpenElementThe Doha Agreement: https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Agreement-For-Bringing-Peace-to-Afghanistan-02.29.20.pdfAfghan Ministerial Visit to Islamabad: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/14/taliban-minister-raised-refugee-assets-issue-during-pakistan-visit-embassyAfghan goods held in Karachi: https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2387031/pakistanPeace in Afghanistan a 'nightmare': https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-185983Regional recognition of Taliban to be 'simultaneous': https://www.voanews.com/a/regional-countries-mulling-simultaneous-taliban-recognition-pakistani-envoy-says/7357983.htmlSupport the show!Support the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfgEye ♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

On 2nd October 2023, Pakistan's Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti announced that illegal immigrants residing in the country would be given  one month to return to their home countries.  Whilst not explicitly aimed at Afghans, the majority of projected deportees, roughly numbering 1.73 million, would be Afghans. Since 1st November, with the passage of a month's deadline, deportations have been carried out in earnest. Disturbing reports have surfaced; Afghans have been subject to physical abuse in addition to having their wealth seized by Pakistani police at border crossings. Afghans legally registered and residing in Pakistan have also reported harassment from the country's notorious security apparatus.Pakistani Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul-Haq Kakar on 8th November stated that the deportations were down to Kabul's refusal to cooperate with Islamabad on curtailing the increased activity of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), widely considered to be under Kabul's influence. Afghan refugees, Kakar also claimed, were largely responsible for Pakistan's perilous security situation.Ahmed-Waleed Kakar analyses the motivations behind the drastic decision by Islamabad, explaining the larger context of Afghan-Pakistani relations since 2021 and what effects could be expected going forth.Articles referenced:Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistan-pm-says-expulsion-afghans-response-taliban-non-cooperation-2023-11-08/Al Jazeera English: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/3/pakistan-wants-undocumented-migrants-to-leave-by-november-1-or-get-deportedAl Jazeera English: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/2/7/afghan-refugees-status-extended-until-end-of-yearSupport the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfgEye ♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

In the beginning of April 2023, the Taliban notified the United Nation mission in Afghanistan that Afghan women are no longer permitted to work for the U.N. There are approximately 400 Afghan women who work for the U.N mission in Afghanistan. This decision was condemned by the international community and the U.N. is currently assessing whether to continue or halt all aid activities in Afghanistan.In this episode, Sangar is joined by seasoned conultant and academic Sepi Azarbaijani-Moghaddam. She was one of the foreign aidworkers in Kabul when the Taliban took over the country in the 1990's. Sepi has in total, more 29 years of experience in conflict and post-conflict countries, especially in Afghanistan. Support the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfgEye ♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

A flurry of diplomatic activity over the past months has seen Afghan embassies and consulates in Iran and the UAE handed over to the new Afghan Taliban government. As this diplomatic momentum increases, reports circulate that Tajikistan, initially hostile to the Taliban government, is poised to follow suit and submit control of Afghan consular premises to the Taliban.What does this mean for the new Afghan government and its lack of recognition so far? What does it mean for Afghanistan? What opportunities do a greater diplomatic presence overseas present for Kabul?In this episode of The Afghan Eye podcast, Sangar Paykhar hosts Afghan political analyst and scholar in international relations, Abdul Hai Qanit, to dissect these questions further. Abdul Hai Qanit on Twitter: @AQanitSupport the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfgEye ♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

In this episode of The Afghan Eye podcast, Sangar hosts Jeff Rigsby. Jeff Rigsby was a US military contractor and aid worker during the occupation who is currently living in Afghanistan. Jeff sheds light in the lack of transparency in the Western NGO industry and details his experiences as an American living in the new, post-occupation, and Taliban-governed Afghanistan. Jeff Rigsby on Twitter: @JeffRigsby2Support the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfgEye ♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

What is liberalism? What makes liberalism an aggressive ideology that motivates the militarism of Western states? How can dissecting liberalism help us understand the American occupation of Afghanistan?To answer these questions further, Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar dive into The Great Delusion by the renowned political scientist Dr. John J. Mearsheimer.Support the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfgEye ♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

The Afghan Eye is back!In 2023's first episode, Sangar interviews Ahmed-Waleed on his recent article on the history and legacy of politicised education in Afghanistan. Amidst increasing Taliban restrictions on Afghan women's right to work and a ban on female secondary and university education, the duo discuss predictions for the directions that could be taken by Afghanistan under the Taliban's government.The article: https://afghaneye.org/2022/12/21/afghanistan-girls-education/Support the show♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/afghaneye ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afghaneyeinsta/ ♦ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfgEye ♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast

This episode of The Afghan Brief focuses on the three day long 'Scholar's Conference' gathered by the Taliban in Kabul and its 11-point Declaration. Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar discuss the assembly's Declaration, its lack of political inclusivity and the Declaration's reference to women's rights and modern education. and analyse why it wasn't labelled, as per national custom, a 'jirga'.Support the show

Who is to blame for the current diplomatic deadlock between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the West? Have the Taliban really changed?Is there such thing as Taliban 2.0? If so, how and why is it different from Taliban 1.0?To discuss these questions and more, Ahmed-Waleed Kakar hosts former humanitarian aid worker Cathal Ó Gabhann (@AnOGabhannOg) to discuss his latest oped for the National Interest: 'The West is Getting Afghanistan Wrong, Again'. Cathal Ó Gabhann has spent four years working in Afghanistan, in which he dealt with the Taliban on a daily basis, and has spent the past fourteen years interacting with armed insurgent groups throughout Asia, as well as with prisoners of war and victims of alleged war crimes. Support the show

In the third episode of The Afghan Brief, the latest issue of national significance from Afghanistan is discussed. Sangar and Ahmed-Waleed dissect the convening of a grand assembly of three thousand religious scholars and tribal elders from across Afghanistan. They analyse the name given to the gathering, the ambiguity surrounding its stated purpose, the lack of female participation and its potential effects on the Afghan government and Afghanistan going forth.Support the show

 In the second episode of The Afghan Brief, Sangar and Ahmed-Waleed discuss ongoing rescue efforts by the Afghan government and the international reaction to a devastating earthquake in Afghanistan's southeast Loya Paktia region. They also discuss the crippling constraints posed by continued US sanctions on Afghanistan, as well as the earthquake's potentially accelerating pre-existing geopolitical and regional trends. Support the show

On the first ever episode of The Afghan Brief, Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar cover the latest news coming out of Afghanistan, including a travel ban on two officials of the Afghan government. They also discuss signs of seemingly warming ties between Westminster and Kabul.Support the show

What the Afghan national identity? Where does nationalism and ethno-nationalism come from? How should we interpret the call for partition by some fringe groups online? In this episode, host Sangar Paykhar and Historian Ahmed-Waleed Kakar attempt to answer all these questions. Support the show

Gulmakai Saleh: https://gulmakai.com/https://twitter.com/GulmakaiSalehhttps://www.youtube.com/user/gulmakaihttps://www.instagram.com/gulmakaisaleh/https://www.linkedin.com/in/gulmakai-saleh-937a82a3/https://www.facebook.com/GulmakaiSaleh/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

After the fall of the previous regime on 15 August, the Taliban are now the de facto government of Afghanistan. Sangar Paykhar spoke to professor Ashok Swain about the prospects of a government led by the Taliban. Ashok Swain is a Professor of Peace and Conflict Research, UNESCO Chair of International Water Cooperation, and the Director of Research School of International Water Cooperation at Uppsala University. He has been a Mac Arthur Visiting Fellow at the University of Chicago, Fellow at UNRISD, Geneva; and visiting professor at University of British Columbia, University of Maryland, Stanford University, McGill University, Tufts University and University of Natural Sciences and Life Sciences, Vienna.E-mail: Ashok.Swain@pcr.uu.seTwitter: @ashoswaiSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

Ahmed-Waleed Kakar & Sangar Paykhar discuss the subsequent fall of provincial capitals in Northern Afghanistan, the UN Security Council discussion about Aghanistan, the demand from Kabul to sanction Pakistan and Sun Tzu's the Art of War's application to current situation in Afghanistan. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

 Habib Wardak is a political analyst who graduated with an MA in Defence and Strategic Studies from the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies in the University of Pune. He worked as a lecturer at Kardan University's Department of International Relations and has extensive experience working with the international community in Afghanistan. Most recently, he worked as a senior official at the Afghan Ministry of Defence; a job he left for ethical reasons. In this episode, Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar host Habib. They quiz him on his family's political background, their association with figures like Professor Burhan ud-Din Rabbani, Pir Sayyid Ahmad Gilani, Ahmad Shah Massoud, Mawlawi Jalal ud-Din Haqqani and Mullah Omar. Habib dissects his experience working with the international community and the Afghan Ministry of Defence, whilst retelling the harrowing details of his family being the target of a night raid by US forces, as well as being interrogated by the notorious NDS: Afghanistan's intelligence agency.Habib Wardak on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HabibWardak Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

 In the 25th episode of The Afghan Eye Podcast, Sangar and Ahmed-Waleed host Fatima Ayub: a senior political analyst with over two decades of experience working on Afghanistan in organisations like Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group and the European Council for Foreign Relations. Sangar asks Fatima about what drove her, as an Afghan woman, to study about Afghanistan, as well as the fallacies Fatima encountered when working within international organisations with regard to Afghanistan. Finally, Sangar and Fatima exchange views regarding the role of Afghan diaspora in the future of the country. Fatima Ayub on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecynicist Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

 On April 28th 1978, Afghanistan witnessed the Saur Revolution. The Saur Revolution was the name given to the communist coup d'etat launched against Afghanistan's first President: Sardar Muhammad Daud Khan, who was killed alongside 20 of his family members. The Saur Revolution inaugurated a dark period of Afghan history, plunging the country into a war from which it is yet to recover.On the 43rd anniversary of the Saur Revolution, by popular demand, Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar dissect and evaluate Daud Khan. They discuss his early life, his education and the beginnings of his political career. They also examine his ideological convictions, including his nationalism and heavy emphasis on state-driven modernisation, all of which culminated in his bloody removal from power in the Saur Revolution. Support the show

 Sangar and Ahmed-Waleed host Dr. William Ruger: Research Fellow at the Cato Institute and Vice President for Research and Policy at the Charles Koch Institute. Dr. Ruger was President Trump's nominee for US Ambassador to Afghanistan and was also recently published in NYT with an op-ed titled ‘Why President Biden Must Withdraw From Afghanistan'. Dr. William Ruger's Twitter handle: @WillRuger Some of the topics Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar quiz Dr. Ruger are: 1) Dr. Ruger's experience serving in Afghanistan 2) Why he has been so opposed to war in Afghanistan 3) The fundamental mistakes made by the US in Afghanistan 4) Realist foreign policy 5) The US' moral responsibility toward promoting liberal values in Afghanistan and 'nation building' 6) American-Afghan relations following a US withdrawal, and following a peace deal 7) The spoilers of a peace deal 8) Afghanistan's natural resources, rugs, and trade. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

The founder of the Afghan Eye: Ahmed-Waleed Kakar, recently published his seminal article on the Durand Line. Within just a week, the article became the most read article on The Afghan Eye website, receiving widespread praise from all quarters and from all around the world. In this episode, Sangar hosts Ahmed-Waleed, asking about some of the criticism his article received, and Ahmed-Waleed expands on issues surrounding the Durand Line. Link: https://afghaneye.org/2021/03/28/the-durand-line/Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

On 3rd February 2021, the Afghanistan Study Group published a report recommending the Biden administration to keep US troops in Afghanistan past the May deadline. This will effectively violate the US-Taliban Agreement signed in February 2020. Ahmed-Waleed Kakar and Sangar Paykhar scrutinize the report, its key arguments, the implications of its suggested courses of action, and the motivation of its authors. Link to the report: https://www.usip.org/publications/2021/02/afghanistan-study-group-final-report-pathway-peace-afghanistanSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

Afghan photographer and journalist Lynzy Billing reports from Afghanistan and Iraq. Her most recent scoop was about a Taliban attack on Camp Chapman, a CIA base in Khost province of Afghanistan. Lynzy, Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar discuss the way Afghanistan is being covered by local and international news organizations, the role of Afghan women in media portrayals of Afghanistan and the Afghan peace process. You can follow Lynzy's work here: https://www.instagram.com/lynzybilling/https://twitter.com/LynzyBillingSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

In this episode, we are reviewing Barnett Rubin's latest book. Our guest is Suzanne Schroeder, an independent researcher on Afghanistan.Dr. Barnett R. Rubin's book is titled: ‘Afghanistan: What Everyone Needs to Know'. This episode contains a song based on Quincy Jones titled 'Back on the block'. UMG (on behalf of Universal Music Enterprises); Warner Chappell, ASCAP, ARESA, CMRRA, LatinAutorPerf, Abramus Digital, LatinAutor - PeerMusic, BMG Rights Management (US), LLC, and 3 music rights societies♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afgeyeinsta/ ♦ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfgEye ♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast ♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/AfgEye Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

Hamid Helmandi, a specialist in urban development and agriculture, was the cofounder of the First Afghanistan Construction Company along with the family members of former president Hamid Karzai. Helmandi tells his story of being involved in a state of the art urban development project called Ayno Mina in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province.  Below are links to Hamid Helmandi, his current position and news articles related to his story.   Abdul Hamid Helmandi, senior advisor of Afghan president Ashraf Ghani: https://aop.gov.af/dr/advisor_details/284Hamid Helmandi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HamidHelmandiAccording to several AFCO partners, Shah Wali Karzai had transferred about $55 million. “He simply opened another company, and put the money in that company,” Mahmoud Karzai said in an interview: https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/world/asia/karzai-family-moves-to-protect-its-privilege.htmlUS Prosecutors probe Karzai's brother: https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704760704575516052903781616Bank Fraud case of Mahmoud Karzai: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/elaborate-ruse-behind-vast-kabul-bank-fraud/2011/06/30/AGL3bmsH_story.htmlAfghan president appoints Mahmoud Karzai as acting minister for Urban Development: https://twitter.com/TOLOnews/status/1267492683939012626?s=20Afghan Wind Solar: http://www.afghanwindsolar.com/index.php/about-usNPR 2008 Interview with Helmandi about Ayno Mina: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87858936&t=1603724723154Pajhwok news item about Afghanistan Construction Company in 2018: https://www.pajhwok.com/en/2018/07/28/afco-licence-expires-main-shareholders-loggerheads   Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

King Amanullah Khan is hailed by many for his reforms and his progressiveness. Ahmed-Waleed Kakar and Sangar Paykhar take a closer look at Amanullah Khan's reforms and how they have led to the downfall of his reign in 1929. ♦ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afgeyeinsta/ ♦ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfgEye ♦ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afgeyeFB/ ♦ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz7bh ♦ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycjlytsz ♦ Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y5qsvqq2 ♦ Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/the-afghan-eye-podcast ♦ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye ♦ Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/AfgEye Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

In this episode of the Afghan Eye Podcast, Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar comment on president Ashraf Ghani's announcement of holding a Consultative Loya Jirga to discuss the issue of the last 400 Talib prisoners pending release as per US-Taliban Peace Agreement.   They firstly break down what a Jirga actually is, the role it has played in the evolution of Afghan society and how Afghan governments since the 18th century have saught to use the legitimacy of the Jirga as an institution for their own ends. In the context of Ashraf Ghani's recent announcement they deliberate upon why Kabul has chosen its stated course of action.   Our T-shirts are available here:  Black- https://tspr.ng/c/black-large-circle-eco-t-shirt White- https://tspr.ng/c/afgeye-white-t-shirt  Paypal: www.paypal.me/afgeyeSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

In this episode, Ahmed-Waleed Kakar and Sangar Paykhar are hosting Amina Khan. She is the Director Centre for Middle East & Africa (CMEA) at the Institute of Strategic Studies (ISSI), Islamabad, where she oversees research and advocacy-related work on all facets of CMEA. Prior to this, she served as a Research Fellow and a Senior Research Fellow at the ISSI, focusing on Afghanistan and FATA. Amina Khan has a Masters degree in Democracy, Politics and Governance (DPG) from Royal Holloway University of London. She also has a Masters degree in Defense and Strategic Studies (DSS) from the Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad (2005). She has been a Visiting Fellow at the SWP Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik – German Institute for International and Security Affairs (2011). Currently she is pursuing her doctoral degree from Quaid-e-Azam University.Publications:http://issi.org.pk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/IB_Amina_June_17_2020.pdfhttp://issi.org.pk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IB_Amina_Feb_4_2020.pdf aminakhan@issi.org.pkhttps://twitter.com/aminabmSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

Our guest in this episode is Nikko Norte. He a former member of the Dutch Commando Corps served in Afghanistan as part of the Dutch mission in Uruzgan province. Nikko Norte has recently published a book in Dutch about his experience in Afghanistan titled 'Onvoorspelbaar Verleden'. The title translated into English is 'Unpredictable Past'. Nikko Norte's website: https://en.nikkonorte.com/Nikko Norte's publisher: https://webwinkel.uitgeverijprometheus.nl/book/nikko-norteNikko Norte's Twitter: https://twitter.com/NikkoNorteSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

Sangar and Ahmed-Waleed host an American war veteran who was deployed to Afghanistan. He has recently published his first book titled: 'Un-American: A Soldier's Reckoning of Our Longest War'. For more information, please visit Edstrom's website: https://www.enedstrom.com/Please support consider supporting the Afghan Eye. Visit our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/posts/afghaneye-to-37388126Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

John Bolton, former National Security Advisor of Donald Trump has written a book title'The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir'. Ahmed-Waleed Kakar and Sangar Paykhar review the book and focus on what John Bolton has written about Afghanistan. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Afgeye)

In this episode, Ahmed-Waleed and Sangar discuss the recent assassinations of two very prominent imams in Kabul. Ayaz Niazi of Wazir Akbar Khan Masjid and Azizullah Mufleh of Sher Shah Suri Masjid were both assassinated inside their masjids. Sangar and Ahmed-Waleed also reflect on the first 10 episodes and discuss what they have learned from our previous guests. At the end of the show, there is a big announcement but since you are reading this, it means you already know what they're going to say. :)Support the show