Podcasts about Northern Alliance

After the Taliban took back control of Afghanistan, the National Resistance Front rose up to defy them. We spoke with their leader Ahmad Massoud, who has overseen hundreds of military and intelligence-gathering operations. He's following the footsteps of his father, who led his own resistance group, the Northern Alliance, until members of Al Qaeda assassinated him two days before they conducted the September 11 terrorist attacks. Fast forward to the mid-2000s, International Spy Museum executive director Chris Costa, then a human intelligence officer, worked with that group to develop intel on the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Now, in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal and Afghanistan's collapse, Costa says the U.S. is losing an opportunity to support Massoud and the National Resistance Front. If you liked this episode, check out these links: Spy Chat with Chris Costa | Guest: Ali Maisam Nazary Spy Chat with Chris Costa | Guest: Christine Abizaid Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories: https://sashaingber.substack.com/ And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic, you can reach us by E-mail at SpyCast@Spymuseum.org.  This show is brought to you from Goat Rodeo, Airwave, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's guest is David Tyson. David served in the U. S. Army first as an enlisted artilleryman and later as an intelligence officer. During his time in the Army, he discovered he had an affinity for learning languages, and after leaving the service, he began working towards a graduate degree, focusing his studies on Central Asia. He was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency in 1996, and five years later, was one of the first Americans to enter Afghanistan in November 2001.  David and the other members of his team worked side by side with members of the Northern Alliance as they fought their way through the country, culminating in the retaking of Kabul and a decisive battlefield victory over the Taliban within just a few weeks. Along the way, the team found themselves in serious danger, including the terrible and costly fight during the Kali Jangi prison uprising, which cost the life of Johnny Michael Spann, America's first casualty in Afghanistan.Connect with Spycraft 101:Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here.spycraft101.comIG: @spycraft101Shop: shop.spycraft101.comPatreon: Spycraft 101Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here.Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here.Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here.Support the show

A version of this essay was published by firstpost.com at https://www.firstpost.com/opinion/shadow-warrior-comrade-kirillov-and-the-art-of-whistleblowing-13846569.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialOne of the great Raja Rao's slighter works is called Comrade Kirillov: it is what Graham Greene would have called an ‘entertainment', as opposed to the ‘novels' he wrote on themes of some gravity. I was reminded of the title in an altogether inappropriate way when I read of the assassination of General Kirillov in Moscow, allegedly by Ukrainian secret agents.Then I read of the tragic suicide of Suchir Balaji, a whistleblower and former employee at OpenAI, surely the most glamorous company in Silicon Valley these days.There is a thread here: it is not good for your health if you expose certain people or certain companies. You will pay a price.You may just be minding your own business, but you happen to be in the way. This is what happened to Indian nuclear and space scientists over the last few decades. Homi Bhabha's plane crashed in the Swiss Alps. Vikram Sarabhai died mysteriously at Halcyon Castle, Trivandrum, close to the space center that now bears his name.Dozens of lesser-known Indian space and nuclear scientists and engineers died too, inexplicably. The same thing happened to Iranian nuclear scientists. Nambi Narayanan was lucky to escape with his life (“Who killed the ISRO's cryogenic engine?”), though his career and reputation were ruined.My friend Dewang Mehta of NASSCOM died quite suddenly too. I wrote a tribute to him years ago, “The man who knew marketing”. In hindsight, I think he was a friend, not just an acquaintance. I remember some very human details about him: eg. he asked a mutual friend to introduce eligible women to him, just as I did. But I digress: I believe Dewang was as important to the Indian IT story as Bhabha and Sarabhai to nuclear and space: they made us believe, and we rose to the occasion. Then there was Lal Bahadur Shastri. The circumstances of his sudden death remain murky.And Sunanda Pushkar, Shashi Tharoor's wife, whom I was following on Twitter in real time. One night, she promised to make some startling revelations the next morning, presumably about dubious dealings in Dubai by the D Company. And lo! she was dead the next morning.It is hard not to think that there is a pattern. Not only here, but in the trail of dead bodies that follows the Clinton dynasty around. The Obama chef who drowned. The whistleblowing CIA and FBI agents who… just died. The list is long. People who are inconvenient end up in body bags. I remember reading that when Sarabhai died, his family did not even ask for a post-mortem.There are two broad patterns: geo-political assassinations and those for commercial reasons.In Kirillov's case, it was probably both.General Kirillov claimed that there were bio-labs in Ukraine, etc. where the Deep State was cooking up banned biological weapons, in an eerie echo of Peter Daszcak's Ecohealth Alliance and Anthony Fauci's NIAID allegedly aiding and abetting prohibited gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. He claimed biological crises were manufactured on demand to generate profits and increase government control. Presumably he opened a can of worms that the Deep State and Big Pharma didn't want opened. Off with his head!There is the ‘conspiracy theory' that the entire COVID-19 circus was a bioweapons project that went awry. It was intended to depopulate the world, especially of black and brown people, to which the IITD paper (that was forcibly withdrawn) alludes: the genes that seemed to have been inserted into the original virus were from India, Southeast Asia, and Kenya, if I remember right. Of course, the powers that be do not want shocking stuff like this to come out.It is straightforward to make it a false-flag operation with the Ukrainian SBU secret service to provide plausible deniability: much like the bombing of the NordStream pipeline. So exit, stage left, for Kirillov. As Sherlock Holmes might have said, “Follow the money”, or words to that effect. Cui bono?I really don't mean to trivialize human suffering, but to focus on the shadowy forces that organize and execute targeted assassinations. In particular, decapitation strikes can be devastating. In our own history, the loss of Hemachandra Vikramaditya in the Second Battle of Panipat, in 1526, to a stray arrow that hit him in the eye, was a point of inflexion.Similarly, at the Battle of Talikota in 1565, the capture and beheading of the aged Ramaraya by his own troops that had gone rogue turned the winning position of the Vijayanagar Empire into a headlong rout and obliteration for the city-state.The assassination of Ahmed Shah Masoud, the Commander of the Northern Alliance, with a bomb hidden in a news camera, turned the tide in Afghanistan in 2001. The American assassination of Qasem Soleimani of Iran in 2020 led to a significant erosion of Iran's position, for example in Syria.The silencing of whistle-blowers has, alas, become all too common. There were the allegations about Karen Silkwood in 1974, who died in a mysterious car crash as she was driving to meet a NYTimes reporter regarding problems at a plutonium processing plant run by Kerr-McGhee in Oklahoma.In 2003, David Kelly, a British weapons inspector who claimed there were indeed no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, was found dead. The verdict was suicide.In 2015, Alberto Nisman, an Argentine prosecutor known for his work on terrorism cases, was found dead days after he accused Iran of involvement in a car-bombing on a Jewish center.In March 2024, John Barnett, a former Boeing employee, was found dead from a gunshot wound in his truck, just before he was scheduled to testify in a whistleblower lawsuit. There was also Joshua Dean, who died of a strange infection in May 2024, shortly after Barnett's death. He worked for a company supplying parts to Boeing.In November 2024, Suchir Balaji, all of 26 years old, was found dead in his San Francisco apartment. In October, he had made allegations about OpenAI violating copyright laws.The bottom line: if you know something, just keep quiet about it. If you are a person of substance, take no risks, and be paranoid about your security. It's a pretty nasty world out there.The AI-generated podcast about this essay courtesy Google NotebookLM: 1050 words, 19 Dec 2024 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rajeevsrinivasan.substack.com/subscribe

In October 2001, the United States began aerial bombing of Afghanistan in response to the terrorist group Al Queda's attacks of September 11th.  Special Forces followed up by teaming with the Taliban's opponents – the Northern Alliance – and by late November / early December 2001 the Taliban had been driven from power.  That didn't mean the Taliban and Al Queda had gone away or given up.  They had moved and gone underground.  One of the places they went to was Afghanistan's Shahikot Valley.  In March 2002, the U.S. conducted Operation Anaconda to root them out.  It was the first large scale ground operation of the war.  Sean Naylor tells the story of what happened in Not a Good Day to Die.

The Producers' Podcast | Nick, Lachie and Alicia wrap up the last couple of days of ALS. Alicia's Northern Alliance continues to grow, Nick's foray into influencer territory as found Susie's limit and Lachie is heading back to the streetsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The strategic location of Gilgal served as a pivotal base for the Israelites during their conquest of Canaan under Joshua's leadership. Situated east of Jericho, Gilgal became the central camp where the Israelites would regroup after each military campaign. It provided a secure position backed by territories already conquered by the two-and-a-half tribes of Israel east of the Jordan River. This setup allowed for swift military operations without the concern of attacks from the east. Additionally, Gilgal housed the families and belongings of the Israelites while they engaged in battles throughout Canaan, ensuring their safety and stability. From Gilgal, Joshua orchestrated key campaigns, including the decisive victory over the Northern Alliance at the Waters of Merom, further solidifying Gilgal's strategic importance in the Israelites' conquest narrative.   Here's a link to a map of the Northern battle.  https://www.esv.org/resources/esv-global-study-bible/map-06-06/   Gilgal, Israelites, conquest of Canaan, Joshua, Northern Alliance, Waters of Merom, strategic location, ancient military campaigns, two-and-a-half tribes, ancient Israel.   If you'd like to support "The History of the Bible" podcast, visit our Patreon Page at https://patreon.com/TheHistoryoftheBible. Your feedback is valuable to us! Share your thoughts and insights via our feedback form at https://forms.gle/AtzUReJ8gLuFYPaP8. Let us know how our podcast has impacted you or someone you know by filling out our impact form at https://forms.gle/jr4EdGsqCaFk4qZm8. If you have concerns about any information presented, please inform us via our correction form at https://forms.gle/PiMMkPnJFaa4j5p37.  

In ancient Canaan, King Jabin of Hazor learns of the southern campaign of the Israelites. Determined not to fall to their conquests, he sends messengers far and wide to gather a formidable alliance of northern kings and city-states. From the rugged mountains to the fertile plains, they heed his call, assembling a vast army likened to the sands of the seashore. Led by Hazor, a prosperous city on a crucial trade route, the coalition prepares for battle at the Waters of Merom, their chariots symbolizing both their military prowess and economic might. This tale unfolds against the backdrop of ancient geopolitics, where alliances, technology, and strategic positioning shape the fate of nations.   We will cover part of chapter 11 in the Book of Joshua in this episode.  Hazor, Northern Campaign, Israelites, Joshua, Ancient Canaan, King Jabin, Alliance of Kings, Waters of Merom, Chariots in Ancient Warfare, Trade Routes in Canaan, Geopolitics of Ancient Near East   If you'd like to support "The History of the Bible" podcast, visit our Patreon Page at https://patreon.com/TheHistoryoftheBible. Your feedback is valuable to us! Share your thoughts and insights via our feedback form at https://forms.gle/AtzUReJ8gLuFYPaP8. Let us know how our podcast has impacted you or someone you know by filling out our impact form at https://forms.gle/jr4EdGsqCaFk4qZm8. If you have concerns about any information presented, please inform us via our correction form at https://forms.gle/PiMMkPnJFaa4j5p37. "The History of the Bible" podcast is edited and produced by Nikao Productions. Explore more shows from Nikao Productions on your preferred podcast platform and follow them on Instagram @Nikaoproductions.

Chris lights the signal fire, and is joined by Peter, Danny and Bob to talk all things pelts. Thanks to Mantic Games. Our Podcast is 100 percent unofficial. Please tell your friends, give us a 5 star review, where you are listening to this! and apparently writing a written review helps with the almighty algorithm. Contact us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠manticuniversepodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook Group - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/1427435774358022⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Discord server: https://discord.gg/EBhU6Pr5ZA Command protocols FAQ: https://www.manticgames.com/firefight/command-protocols-faq-and-errata/ Cool discounts for our listeners Mantic Webstore discount: UNIVERSE15  and FASTMUP15 ; one per customer, so fill your basket! Gamemat EU 11 percent MUP11 Baron of Dice ManticUniverse for 5% off on the webstore Corvus Terrain Code MUPodcast15 to give you 15 percent off your order - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://corvusgamesterrain.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  mcdougalldesigns3d@gmail.com Helpful Links  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.manticgames.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/user/manticgames⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://companion.manticgames.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://vault.manticgames.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kowforum.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by our friend and editor Fred! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wingedhussarpublishing.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all your lore readings Dan Coolledge has made some awesome, and free Deadzone terrain STLS! Check them out via our FB group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thingiverse.com/danbatch/designs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@paletteofwar⁠ by our friend Scott Our theme song is NULLSLEEP GALAXY TONITE (from the Free Music Archive) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠NULLSLEEP // GALAXY TONITE [DMG VERSION]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mantic-universe-pod/message

Within weeks of the 9/11 attacks, Air Force Combat Controller Joe O'Keefe was in Afghanistan working with the CIA and other special operations units. Joe and his small team made their way into the mountains of Tora Bora with the help of the Northern Alliance. Armed with the element of surprise, he was able to […]

This is the web version of Foreign Exchanges, but did you know you can get it delivered right to your inbox? Sign up today:Friends, for family reasons and also because of my own mental exhaustion I will be taking a longer than usual break from the newsletter for this year's Thanksgiving holiday. The newsletter will be going quiet following Thursday's roundup and will return to our regular schedule on Tuesday, November 28. As I've written before here I can always tell when it's time for me to take a bit of a break from the newsletter and the truth is we probably passed that point around three or four weeks ago so I'm running on fumes. Thanks for reading and for supporting this venture!TODAY IN HISTORYNovember 14, 1965: The Battle of Ia Drang, the first major engagement between the United States and the North Vietnamese Army, begins. It ended on November 18 with both sides claiming victory, though the NVA's ability to fight the much better armed US Army to a draw was a boost to their morale and probably the battle's most important effect.November 14, 2001: Fighters with the Northern Alliance rebel coalition enter and occupy the city of Kabul, marking the end of the US war in Afghanista—just kidding. I had you going there for a second, didn't I?INTERNATIONALWith deaths due to “extreme heat” projected to increase five-fold by 2050, according to The Lancet Countdown, you'll no doubt be pleasantly surprised to learn that an AP investigative report shows that the “green transition plans” being formulated by most major fossil fuel companies are not green, not transitional, and not even really plans. Without any serious government pressure to force them to invest in genuinely renewable technologies, these firms are able to do things like, say, classify natural gas development as a “green” investment. That's absurd, of course, but who's counting?The main problem with these plans has long been, and continues to be, the fact that fossil fuel companies exempt the products they sell when assessing their progress toward “net zero” carbon emissions. Firms only account for “Scope 1” emissions, which are their direct carbon outputs, and “Scope 2” emissions, the indirect output that results from their production process. The emissions that ensue when people burn the products they sell are considered “Scope 3” and energy firms disavow any responsibility for them. Like tobacco companies, they argue that what the customer does with their products is the customer's business, not theirs. Maybe people just want to buy a barrel of oil and place it in their foyer as a conversation piece or put it to some other use that doesn't emit carbon. Who's to say?MIDDLE EASTISRAEL-PALESTINEEarly Wednesday morning Israeli forces began what they called “a precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area in the Shifa hospital” involving “medical teams and Arabic speakers, who have undergone specified training to prepare for this complex and sensitive environment, with the intent that no harm is caused to the civilians.” There are hundreds of patients and thousands of other people who have been trapped in the hospital by the IDF and the chances that “no harm” will come to any of them in the next several hours are probably slim. Israeli officials have been insisting that Hamas's lair is located underneath the hospital but at this point it's too soon to know if that's the target or if this is a more limited operation. This is a developing story so there's not much more I can say about it at this time.What I can say is that the Biden administration gave a green light to this operation earlier in the day, when White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that the administration has “independent intelligence” (which is code for “we didn't get this from the IDF”) that “Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad use some hospitals in the Gaza Strip — including Al-Shifa — and tunnels underneath them to conceal and to support their military operations and to hold hostages.” According to Kirby this intelligence shows that the militant groups have a “command and control” center in Shifa and “have stored weapons there.” Kirby insisted that that the administration was not endorsing an Israeli attack on the hospital, but anybody with ears to hear or eyes to read what he said should have no doubt as to what the intent was.I wrote everything below prior to news of the Israeli assault breaking so some of it might no longer be relevant but I think most of it still is:Gazan health authorities said on Tuesday that some 40 patients at Shifa—three of them babies—have died since that facility ran out of generator fuel on Saturday. Without electricity the hospital cannot maintain its incubator units and so there are now 36 newborns who are at critical risk. With the IDF surrounding the hospital it's also become impossible to transfer the dead to a cemetery, so personnel are planning to bury some 120 bodies in a mass grave on site. Gazan officials have proposed evacuating the facility under the auspices of the Red Cross/Red Crescent and sending its remaining patients to Egypt but there had been no movement on that front at time of writing. The Israeli government has apparently offered to send the hospitals more incubators, a fascinating attempt at a humanitarian gesture that would be completely pointless because the problem isn't the incubators, it's the electricity.In other news:* David Ignatius at The Washington Post reported (I use that term loosely) on Monday that “Israel and Hamas are close to a hostage deal.” With the caveat that if David Ignatius told me the sky was blue I'd glance out the window to double check, the terms he reported are that Hamas would release (or facilitate the release) of the women and children that it and other Gazan militant groups took hostage during their October 7 rampage through southern Israel. This would be done in stages and be matched by the release of Palestinian women and children being held by Israeli authorities. It would also involve a ceasefire of unspecified duration but “perhaps five days” according to Ignatius. The ceasefire could allow some time to address humanitarian issues in Gaza though I don't know what that would entail and whatever it was would almost certainly be inadequate.* Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen met with International Committee of the Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger on Tuesday and later told reporters that the ICRC has had no access to the aforementioned hostages. It's highly unlikely that the Israelis would agree to anything involving hostages without at least proof of life, so this could be a big sticking point with respect to the potential prisoner deal outlined above. Families of the hostages, meanwhile, are marching from Tel Aviv to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem to pressure him to take some action to secure the hostages' release.* Israeli occupation forces killed at least eight Palestinians in the West Bank on Tuesday, seven of them in Tulkarm. The IDF carried out a drone strike in that city, an occurrence that's still relatively rare in the West Bank though it's certainly become more common over the past year and in particular the past month.* Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich issued a statement on Tuesday endorsing what he laughably termed the “voluntary emigration of Gaza Arabs to countries around the world.” I guess “leave or die” is a choice, right? A couple of Israeli politicians floated this idea on Monday in a Wall Street Journal editorial that was less a serious proposal than a written middle finger to Western critics of the Israeli military campaign. That piece didn't go into extensive detail about what a mass relocation would look like—again, it wasn't meant as a serious proposal—but Smotrich's intent is much easier to guess, and that's the permanent ethnic cleansing of Gaza and the relocation of its population as far away from Israel as possible. Smotrich, whose ministerial brief also includes running the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories office, isn't part of Netanyahu's “war cabinet” but that doesn't mean he's completely lacking in influence.* The US and UK governments on Tuesday announced new sanctions targeting Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad members along with a Lebanese entity that allegedly facilitates money transfers from Iran to Gazan militant groups. This is the third round of sanctions the Biden administration has imposed since October 7. Also on Tuesday, over 400 employees of the Biden administration sent a joint letter to their boss, Joe Biden, expressing opposition to the administration's approach to the Gaza conflict.YEMENHouthi rebels say they fired another barrage of missiles toward Israel on Tuesday. There's no confirmation of this, though the IDF did say that its air defenses downed a single missile near Eilat that we can probably assume was of Houthi provenance. The leader of Yemen's Houthi movement, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, delivered a speech on Tuesday pledging that his rebel fighters would continue attacking Israel. In particular, Houthi suggested that they could target Israeli commercial vessels in the Red Sea, which would certainly be an easier target for them than Israel itself.IRAQA Turkish drone strike killed two people, both allegedly members of the Sinjar Resistance Units militia, in northern Iraq's Nineveh province on Monday evening. The Sinjar militia was formed in 2014 with assistance from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and is still allied with that group, which makes its personnel potential targets for the Turkish military.Elsewhere, the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court removed two members of the Iraqi parliament on Tuesday, one of whom just happened to be speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi. It's not clear why, though another MP named Laith al-Dulaimi had reportedly sued Halbusi alleging that the speaker forged Dulaimi's name on a resignation letter. Dulaimi was, as it happens, the other MP who had his term ended by the court (I assume that's not a coincidence). The ruling created a potential political crisis for Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaʿ al-Sudani. As speaker, Halbusi was Iraq's leading Sunni Arab politician, and his support was important to Sudani's government. Three members of his Progress Party quit their cabinet posts after the court ruling and it remains to be seen how that will impact Sudani's position.ASIAAFGHANISTANAfghan Commerce Minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi apparently visited Pakistan this week, where—according to the Afghan government—he pressed Pakistani Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on the issue of all those Afghan migrants the Pakistani government is presently deporting. Specifically it sounds like Azizi raised the issue of allowing deportees to at least take some of their money and/or possessions to Afghanistan with them. Deportees are currently arriving with nothing and are being housed in what are effectively refugee camps—leaving aside the incongruity of being a “refugee” in one's home country—on the Afghan side of the border.MYANMARReports on Monday only hinted at some new fighting in western Myanmar's Chin state, but as more details are emerging the situation there sounds pretty serious. According to the Chin National Front, rebel fighters had by the end of the day seized two Myanmar military outposts and were working to seize control of the Myanmar-Indian border. According to Indian media the fighting has sent some 2000 people streaming across that border to escape. In neighboring Rakhine state, the rebel Arakan Army has also been seizing military outposts and authorities have imposed a curfew in the state capital, Sittwe, as a result. Rebel factions across Myanmar have launched new offensives in recent weeks, starting with the “1027” (for October 27) operations by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army in Shan state. Myanmar's ruling junta is clearly struggling to mount a response.CHINAJoe Biden told reporters on Tuesday that his main goal in meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco this week is to restore “normal” communications between their governments. In particular this would involve a return to regular military-to-military contacts, something Beijing ended in the wake of former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan last year. Any prospect of resuming those contacts was complicated by the fact that former Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu was under US sanction. But as he's no longer defense minister that complication is no longer an issue.AFRICALIBERIALiberian voters turned out on Tuesday for the second round of that country's presidential election, pitting incumbent George Weah against Joseph Boakai. Both candidates finished with just under 44 percent of the vote in last month's first round. Such a close finish might augur poorly for the incumbent in a head to head matchup, though that's just one of many factors that could sway this vote in either direction. Polls have closed in that contest but I have yet to see anything by way of preliminary or partial results.MALIMali's ruling junta says its security forces have seized control over the northern town of Kidal after battling with rebels in that region for several days. The Malian military and mercenary auxiliaries marched on Kidal after United Nations peacekeepers vacated the region as part of their ongoing withdrawal from Mali. Kidal has been a rebel stronghold since the initial northern Mali uprising in 2012 and government control there has been nebulous at best since then. There's been no comment as far as I know from the rebels and it's unclear what their disposition is at this point.ETHIOPIAAccording to Addis Standard, Fano militia fighters attacked a predominantly Oromo community in Ethiopia's Amhara region last week, killing at least 25 people and displacing some 3000 into the Oromia region. The Fano militia is still battling the Ethiopian government but Amhara paramilitary groups have also made a pastime of preying on ethnic Oromo communities (likewise, Oromo militias have preyed on ethnic Amhara). In this case they apparently demanded grain from the community and attacked after residents refused to comply.On a more upbeat note, the US Agency for International Development is reportedly planning to resume food distribution across Ethiopia next month under a “one-year trial period.” The agency suspended its Ethiopian food program earlier this year amid allegations that the aid was being diverted. It resumed providing food aid to Ethiopian refugees last month and is now planning to spend the next year testing whether procedural changes adopted by aid groups and the Ethiopian government are enough to stop that alleged diversion. Solid data is hard to come by but it's possible that hundreds or thousands of Ethiopians have died because of the decision (which the UN World Food Program joined) to suspend food aid.DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGOThe death toll from Sunday's Allied Democratic Forces attack on a village in the eastern DRC's North Kivu province has risen to 33, according to provincial officials. ADF fighters are also believed to have been responsible for attacking a village in neighboring Ituri province on Tuesday, killing at least 11 people.EUROPERUSSIAVladimir Putin signed a new law on Tuesday that permits elections to be held even in parts of Russia that are under martial law. This apparently clears the way for the portions of Ukraine that Moscow claims to have annexed to participate in next year's presidential election. The effect will be to try to stitch those regions a little more tightly to Russia and complicate any possible return to Ukrainian authority.UKRAINEThe European Union promised back in March to supply the Ukrainian military with 1 million 155 mm artillery shells within 12 months. You'll never guess how that went. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told a meeting of EU defense ministers on Tuesday that the bloc isn't going to fulfill its commitment and even went so far as to criticize the fact that it was made in the first place. The will was apparently there, but EU member states still don't have the collective capacity to churn out that many shells that quickly. The effort has apparently sparked a boost in production capacity but not enough to meet the 12 month deadline.SWEDENSweden's NATO accession may be moving slightly forward, as the Turkish parliament's foreign affairs committee will take up the issue on Thursday. It's been about three weeks since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan submitted Sweden's accession to parliament and it should be clear by now that the folks in Ankara are in no particular hurry to work their way through that process. There may be some impetus on the part of other NATO members to have the issue resolved in time for the alliance foreign ministers summit on November 28, but Erdoğan has proven himself to be fairly impervious to that sort of pressure in the past.AMERICASUNITED STATESFinally, TomDispatch's William Hartung wonders whether the “Arsenal of Democracy” really cares all that much about the “democracy” part:The list of major human rights abusers that receive U.S.-supplied weaponry is long and includes (but isn't faintly limited to) Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Turkey, Nigeria, and the Philippines. Such sales can have devastating human consequences. They also support regimes that all too often destabilize their regions and risk embroiling the United States directly in conflicts.U.S.-supplied arms also far too regularly fall into the hands of Washington's adversaries. As an example consider the way the UAE transferred small arms and armored vehicles produced by American weapons makers to extremist militias in Yemen, with no apparent consequences, even though such acts clearly violated American arms export laws. Sometimes, recipients of such weaponry even end up fighting each other, as when Turkey used U.S.-supplied F-16s in 2019 to bomb U.S.-backed Syrian forces involved in the fight against Islamic State terrorists.Such examples underscore the need to scrutinize U.S. arms exports far more carefully. Instead, the arms industry has promoted an increasingly “streamlined” process of approval of such weapons sales, campaigning for numerous measures that would make it even easier to arm foreign regimes regardless of their human-rights records or support for the interests Washington theoretically promotes. These have included an “Export Control Reform Initiative” heavily promoted by the industry during the Obama and Trump administrations that ended up ensuring a further relaxation of scrutiny over firearms exports. It has, in fact, eased the way for sales that, in the future, could put U.S.-produced weaponry in the hands of tyrants, terrorists, and criminal organizations.Now, the industry is promoting efforts to get weapons out the door ever more quickly through “reforms” to the Foreign Military Sales program in which the Pentagon essentially serves as an arms broker between those weapons corporations and foreign governments.Thanks for reading! Foreign Exchanges is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.foreignexchanges.news/subscribe

Exciting podcast with Steve Kofron. Steve is one of the 12 Horse Soldiers from Special Forces ODA 595 that fought the Taliban on horseback just 40 days after 9/11. His 12 man team lived in some very brutal conditions and fought alongside the Northern Alliance with General Dostum. Currently Steve works for Horse Soldier Bourbon. It was a pleasure to have him and Kody on to talk about the company, his military service, and giving back to our Veteran community. The Movie 12 Strong depicts their mission.

Local news-Nway Oo Mai "A thousand days of the People's Spring Revolution and a candle lit Thidingyut speech: U Soe Thura Tun, Union Minister" Statement to The Voice of Spring on the current situation regarding the Northern Alliance's 1027 operation: Ko Htet Myat (CDM Capt.) Weekly Ethnic language p....This item belongs to: audio/opensource_audio.This item has files of the following types: Archive BitTorrent, Item Tile, Metadata, PNG, Spectrogram, VBR MP3

Brrr... It's cold in here. There must be some Northern Alliance updates in the atmosphere!* Yes, that's right. The new Northern Alliance changes have dropped and we're here to go over each and every change. Here's hoping you've stocked up on frozen tokens; you're going to need them. Not only that, we take a look at the winning US Masters list, isolated from the pilot in control of the thing. The lads also attended a two day tournament "Convic 2023" and break down their failing and successes.  Enjoy! *It's unlikely that the Northern Alliance are the reason for the downshift in temperature and more the fact that it is Winter in this part of the world. 

In the wake of the September 11 attacks, Captain Mitch Nelson leads a US Special Forces team into Afghanistan for an extremely dangerous mission. Once there, the soldiers develop an uneasy partnership with the Northern Alliance to take down the Taliban and its al-Qaida allies. Outgunned and outnumbered, Nelson and his forces face overwhelming odds in a fight against a ruthless enemy that takes no prisoners. The Movies Show YouTube Channel

Join Matt and Rob you Faithful Manticans and listen to their opinions on the new Nightstalker and Northern Alliance changes and what this means for the game.

Join Matt and Rob you Faithful Manticans and listen to their opinions on the new Nightstalker and Northern Alliance changes and what this means for the game.

A Councillor from the Northern Alliance party, Gary van Niekerk, has been elected as the new executive mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality. Van Niekerk replaces the Democratic Alliance (DA)'s Retief Odendaal, who was removed YESTERDAY through a motion of no confidence. He becomes the third mayor of the Eastern Cape metro since the 2021 local government elections. The speaker, deputy mayor and chief whip positions were also replaced by ANC Councillors, Eugene Johnson,  Babalwa Liboshe and Wandilisile Jikeka.  The new mayor has put good governance at the centre of his administration.  We also spoke to Andrew Whitfield, DA leader in the Eastern Cape and  Lindokuhle Vellem,  Research and Advocacy analyst at the Public Service Accountability Monitor  

In this ‘double feature' discussion, the moral challenges of the Afghan war are explored. How does The Outpost portray the tactically perilous position of the outpost, and the costs associated for the men? How do the two films portray the difficulties involved in attempting to convince local elders to not cooperate with the Taliban? How does the film portray the endemic nature of corruption, drug use, pedophilia, and what strain does this place on Americans trying to provide security and training for Afghan police forces? How does the case of Major Bill Steuber (USMC) illustrate the risks of moral injury that are taken on by American personnel tasked with such intractable missions involving corrupt, uncooperative and recalcitrant locals? What lessons are to be learned from the Afghan and Iraq wars with regard to attempts at state building? What comparisons can be made between these two wars and the US war in Vietnam? What hope, if any, can be distilled from the case of Hamid Kahn, the ANA commander and Northern Alliance aligned military leader presented in the film?

Episode #158—Mark Nutsch—12 Strong, Horse Soldier Bourbon  Mark Nutsch served in the Army as a Ranger and Special Forces officer, deploying on multiple combat tours. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, he led one of the first Special Forces teams into northern Afghanistan. There, he advised the resistance leadership, helping to unite the disparate forces against the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Fighting on horseback much of the time, Nutsch and his team spearheaded the unconventional warfare operations that liberated the country. Featured in multiple books and films, Nutsch is a sought-after speaker, lecturing often on leadership and military topics. Horse Soldier Bourbon: Much of our brotherhood was forged in fire during the first days after the 9/11 attacks. Immediately following this affront on our nation, the USA responded with a daring insertion of small teams of Green Berets into northern Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance successfully overthrew Mazar-i-Sharif, a Taliban stronghold, with the support of these brave men. This region's inhospitable, mountainous terrain made efforts and enemy engagements on wild Afghan horses a necessity for one Special Operations team (ODA595). Nicknamed the “Horse Soldiers”, all these brave men are honored today by America's Response Monument overlooking “Ground Zero” in New York City. We make history and continue to live legendary lives by instilling family values, adventurous spirits, and pride into Horse Soldier Bourbon Whiskey. Join the guys for another episode of Cross The Line 1524! Recorded with a Live Audience at “The Rusted Nail Speakeasy”! Thank You for listening to Cross The Line1524 Check out our web site at: www.crosstheline1524.com Facebook: Cross The Line 15/24 You Tube: Cross The Line 1524 Email us : podcast@crosstheline1524.com Take a listen to one of America's fastest growing new podcasts! Please take time to leave us a 5 star rating to help us promote our podcast. #horsesoldierbourbon #12strong #marknutsch

In this episode of Bourbon With Friends, the team sits down with President of Horse Soldier Bourbon Scott Neil. Scott was also a part of the 12 Strong, The Horse Soldier Green Beret team that was one of the first sent into Afghanistan after 9/11. Scott, a retired Master Sargent, talks his love of bourbon and gives us an inside story of the real 12 Strong story you would not have seen depicted by Chris Hemsworth in the movie. About Horse Soldier Bourbon:Much of our brotherhood was forged in fire during the first days after the 9/11 attacks. Immediately following this affront on our nation, the USA responded with a daring insertion of small teams of Green Berets into northern Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance successfully overthrew Mazar-i-Sharif, a Taliban stronghold, with the support of these brave men. This region's inhospitable, mountainous terrain made efforts and enemy engagements on wild Afghan horses a necessity for one Special Operations team (ODA595). Nicknamed the “Horse Soldiers”, all these brave men are honored today by America's Response Monument overlooking “Ground Zero” in New York City.We make history and continue to live legendary lives by instilling family values, adventurous spirits, and pride into Horse Soldier Bourbon Whiskey.The New York City Port Authority has donated to our team steel recovered from the World Trade Center after 9/11. Each bottle of Horse Soldier is formed in molds of this steel to honor the spirit of resilience and service that arose after the attack on our nation.Check out our sponsors!Kentucky Eagle INC. - Kentucky Eagle is growing and in need of talented people with a passion for wine and spirits. We are looking for sales positions and operational roles. We are a family owned and operated company that offers above industry average compensation, up to 7.5% 401K match, health-life-dental-vision-life insurance, car allowance, and cell allowance. Positions are available in markets around Kentucky. Please visit kyeagle.netcareers to apply.Check out their website - www.kyeagle.netBlind Barrels - Blind Whiskey Tasting Kit that was born to disrupt the whiskey industry by showcasing American craft whiskey that don't make their way to liquor store shelves due to distribution limitations. Blind tastings are all about discovery, education, and removing brand bias, and Blind Barrels hits home with whiskey communities by supporting the very best in smaller distillers who are making the most amazing, innovative, and delicious products that you can't get at your liquor store.Instagram - blindbarrelswww.blindbarrels.comFollow us on Instagram @bwfpodcast

The boys talk weird tattoo spots, Northern Alliance, Old kids game shows, and Serg ruins the podcast.....again. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/strawberrydeathmachine/support

The Gqeberha High Court is expected to make a ruling on the application filed by the Northern Alliance councillors for a review against the IEC to amend the party's PR List. The three councillors names were removed on the list after the City Manager declare a vacancy on their names in council, on the instruction of the party's Secretary. The councillors were granted an interim order to participate in council activities pending the outcome of this review. Yesterday the municipality appealed the interim order against the councillors which led to the adjournment of the council meeting. The meeting was going to debate a motion of no confidence against the Mayor Eugene Johnson. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter Mcebisi Mngqina

SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of the Revenue Builders podcast, our hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan talk to Afghan freedom fighter, poet, and diplomat, Ambassador Massoud Khalili. By all counts, Masood has lived a life in service of his people and country. In this episode, Masood talks about his experiences of war and its aftermath. He also shares the many lessons that he learned from his time in the resistance against the Soviets and the Taliban, specifically those he learned his father, the great Persian poet and diplomat Ustad Khalilullah Khalili and from his friend, the late Ahmad Shah Massoud, also known as the Lion of Panjshir.  Additional Resources:Get Masood's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Whispers-War-Freedom-Fighters-Invasion/dp/9386062771Website: https://www.masoodkhalili.com/Improve Forecasting by Helping Your Salespeople Prioritize the Right Opportunities: https://forc.mx/3QDTn4v  Listen to More Revenue Builders: https://forc.mx/3bfW5Od HIGHLIGHTSHow Masood Khalili became a freedom fighter for his countryMeeting the Lion of Panjshir and fighting for love of countryIf you win the war but lose peace, you lose bothRemembering Ahmad Shah Massoud and the assassination How 'Whispers of War' came to be GUEST BIOMassoud Khalili is the son of the famous Dari language and Afghan poet laureate, Ustad Khalilullah Khalili.  He studied BA and MA in Political Science in New Delhi University at Kirorimal University, India.  In the war against the Soviets from 1980 to 1990, he was the political head of the Jamiat-i-Islami Party of Afghanistan and close advisor to Commander Ahmad Shah Masood.  In the internal conflict that followed, he chose to be the Special Envoy in Pakistan to President Burhannudin Rabbani. Deported from the same country for his high rank in the Northern Alliance, he went to New Delhi in 1996 as the Ambassador of the Afghanistan (Anti-Taliban) where he stayed for many years. He was non-resident Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Nepal at the same time.  On September 9th, 2001, Ambassador Khalili was sitting next to the hero of Afghanistan, Commander Massoud, when two men posing as journlists set off a bomb placed in their camera. Commander Massoud was assasinated and Ambassador Khalili survived. Two days later, Al Qaeda Attacked America.  After his recovery, he was made the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Turkey and he is currently the first Afghan Ambassador to Spain.  QUOTESMasood's conversation with his father at the start of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan: "He said, 'Go to Afghanistan, son. The war has started.' And I said, 'What about my PhD?' He said, 'Take your PhD from the mountains of your country, from the university of your people who are fighting for their freedom.'" Masood on why you need vision to retain peace after war: "When we were fighting against the Soviets, we did not have the vision to see when we reached Kabul what we would do and what would happen. We reached Kabul and we won the war. People applauded, people appreciated. People were happy. But we lost peace. And until now, we have lost that peace." Masood on the need for international solidarity: "We are all one body. If a part of the body is painful, the other parts feel it too. I'm in California but I think of Kabul. I think of Africa." Check out John McMahon's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Qualified-Sales-Leader-Proven-Lessons/dp/0578895064

Sandy and Sandra's guest this episode is Phil Reilly, a former CIA paramilitary officer who was the first American on the ground in Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. Phil starts by explaining a little about the history and organization of the CIA and how the paramilitary fits into it. He also talks about the tough vetting process to get into the CIA and how recruits are analyzed to determine which area they'll be placed in. Phil then shares his own journey to the CIA, including his time on a HALO team as a Green Beret, his choice between the Navy or the Agency, and his paramilitary and operational training. He also shares some details of his experiences in Central America in the 80s and with operating under an alias persona, something that would likely not be possible in our age of ubiquitous technical surveillance and global connectivity. Next, Sandy asks Phil to discuss his experience on the ground in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks. Phil explains that he was chosen to be on the Jawbreaker team that was picked just two or three days after the attacks and discusses the team's mission to prepare the way for US military boots on the ground. He also talks about some of the risks and concerns they had to deal with and his personal feelings on responding to a direct attack on US soil. Then he discusses how the environment changed after he returned as the Chief of Station of Kabul, especially in relation to the Afghan people and their relationship with the US troops, before addressing his feelings on how the US military's presence in Afghanistan ended. And finally, Phil points out some of the benefits of a career in the CIA, including having a real mission and getting to see the world. The Finer Details of this Episode: The paramilitary's role in the CIA Military experience and CIA training Phil's experiences in Central America The post-9/11 mission in Afghanistan The benefits of a career in the CIA Quotes: “If you go down to a JSOC unit, a special mission unit of the United States Government today and put a hundred guys in a room and say, ‘Who here's been in CIA?' you may not get a hand raised. But if you go to ground branch, and you ask how many people served in the US military, a hundred percent of the hands will be raised.” “You're going to also get the operational training as a case officer, as a collector of intelligence, of being able to go out and spot assess, develop, and recruit foreign sources for CIA, so you are dual-hatted. Paramilitary may be your primary focus, but you also have the case officer skills, so that is all trained, and you're provided that training at the farm.” “The mission was straightforward. Get to the Northern Alliance, bring them to our side, and prepare the way for the introduction of US military boots on the ground, as well as collect intelligence on Al-Qaeda, the perpetrators of the events of 9/11.” “I tell people, young people, that you're never going to be a millionaire working for the United States Government, regardless of what branch you go to. But if you want to see the world, you want to have a real mission, be able to go do a lot of different things, then join CIA.” Links: The Adrenaline Zone Homepage The Adrenaline Zone on Instagram The Adrenaline Zone on Twitter The Adrenaline Zone on TikTok   Freedom Consulting Group

Thanks for checking out the Neanderthal Society Podcast. Today we're trying something different… on this episode we'll be covering the current status of the Northern California Hardcore scene and sharing some news and updates from all of your favorite Bay Area bands. We'll also be talking about some recent releases, new bands to look out for, as well as some upcoming shows in the Bay Area, future plans and tours, Northern Alliance fest, new demos, some exciting vinyl reissues and much more… Thanks for listening, enjoy the episode and please remember to follow us on Instagram. Hardcore lives.-Nathan neanderthal-society.cominstagram.com/neanderthalsocietyinstagram.com/neanderthalsocietypresents depop.com/neanderthalsociety 

Spencer Pries of Scoped Exposure / End Game joins us to chat about his new plans coming up for his various projects.Many topics were covered including New Friends Fest, H3 Podcast, Boss-Fighting Music, Scoped Five Year, Hold Your Ground Fest, Northern Alliance, Act Like You Know, Snow and Flurry, Halo and a bunch of Canada stuff like Breakfest poutine.I Hate Sex, Scowl, Strife, Means, Trench, False Body, Set It Straight, Never Ending Game, Spirit World, Mindforce, Comeback Kid, Jesus Piece, Code Orange, Ingrown, Prowl, NF, and so many more.

Today's guests: Salena Zito, columnist, New York Post/Washington Examiner. Francis Rocca, Wall Street Journal Vatican correspondent. King Banaian, economist, radio host, Northern Alliance blogger. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Subconscious Realms Episode 31 - WAR - Unspeakable Truth-Cast - Dusty. Ladies & Gentlemen, prepare to have you mind blown repeatedly. We have a true Honour & Privilege of a US ARMY VETERAN, served In Combat in Iraq & Afghanistan, Dusty! The Host & Creator of The Unspeakable Truth-Cast. In October 2002, Congress granted President Bush the power to decide whether to launch any military attack in Iraq.The Iraq War began on 20 March 2003,when the US, joined by the UK, Australia, and Poland launched a "shock and awe" bombing campaign. Iraqi forces were quickly overwhelmed as coalition forces swept through the country. The invasion led to the collapse of the Ba'athist government; Saddam Hussein was captured during Operation Red Dawn in December of that same year and executed three years later. The power vacuum following Saddam's demise and mismanagement by the Coalition Provisional Authority led to widespread civil war between Shias and Sunnis, as well as a lengthy insurgency against coalition forces. Many of the violent insurgent groups were supported by Iran or al-Qaeda in Iraq, with Iran giving support for predominantly Shia militias battling Al-Qaeda and other Sunni groups. The United States responded with a build-up of 170,000 troops in 2007.This build-up gave greater control to Iraq's government and military, and was judged a success by many.[62] In 2008, President Bush agreed to a withdrawal of all US combat troops from Iraq. The withdrawal was completed under President Barack Obama in December 2011.Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, then-US President George W. Bush demanded that the Taliban, then-de facto ruling Afghanistan, extradite Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the attacks and who was, until then, freely operating within the country. The Taliban's refusal to do so led to the invasion of the country; the Taliban and their al-Qaeda allies were mostly defeated and expelled from major population centers by US-led forces and the Northern Alliance. Despite failing to find bin Laden after his escape to Pakistan, the US and a coalition of over 40 countries (including all NATO members) remained in the country and formed a UN sanctioned security mission called International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to consolidate a new democratic authority in the country and prevent the return of the Taliban and al-Qaeda to power.[77] At the Bonn Conference, new Afghan interim authorities (mostly from the Northern Alliance) elected Hamid Karzai to head the Afghan Interim Administration. A rebuilding effort across the country was also made following the expulsion of the Taliban.*Apple Podcast: Unspeakable Truth-Cast Google Podcast: The Unspeakable Truth Facebook: The Unspeakable Truth Podcast Twitter: @Utruthcast The Unspeakable Truth* *Email - subconsciousrealms@gmail.com Twitter # @SubconRealms33 Instagram # @subconscious_realms33 https://anchor.fm/subconscious-realms/subscribe *https://subconscious-realms.teemill.com/search/?search-term=Subconscious%20Realms%20

Toby Harnden's latest book is https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RYQY1KQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 (First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11). He is a winner of the Orwell Prize for Books. A former foreign correspondent for the Sunday Times of London and the Daily Telegraph who reported from thirty-three countries, Toby specializes in terrorism and war. Born in Portsmouth, England, Harnden was imprisoned in Zimbabwe, prosecuted in Britain for protecting confidential sources, and vindicated by a $23 million public inquiry in Ireland. A dual British and US citizen, he spent a decade as a Royal Navy officer before becoming a journalist. He holds a First Class degree in modern history from Oxford and is the author of https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0340717378/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2 (Bandit Country: The IRA & South Armagh) and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J1K3TR6/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1 (Dead Men Risen: An Epic Story of War and Heroism in Afghanistan). Previously based in London, Belfast, Jerusalem, Baghdad, and Washington, DC, he lives in Virginia. After two hours, we had covered a lot about First Casualty, a little about Toby and we left a lot on the table for next time. As I said on the episode, First Casualty had the emotional impact to me of reading an old high school yearbook and remembering when I first heard about Mike Spann or ODAs on the ground partnering with the Northern Alliance. Even the memory of how America was in 2001 seems so dated. Toby captures it well and seeing the impact the next 20 years have had on some of the key players in post-9/11 Afgahnistan is instructive and moving. Toby's a great talker and I was struck by the similarities between soldiering and journalists when it comes to FOMO and the need to be where the action is. Considering how restricted US movement was in late 2020, I was feeling a little FOMO at hearing his account as the last western journalist to talk with General Dostum. Can't wait for his next adventures... Follow Toby on https://www.instagram.com/tobyharnden1/ (Instagram) and https://twitter.com/tobyharnden (Twitter) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RYQY1KQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 (First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11) by Toby Harnden https://www.amazon.com/Toby-Harnden/e/B0034OLKZI?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000 (Toby Harnden author page on Amazon)

In this episode of the RealClearDefense podcast “Hot Wash”, host John Sorensen and RCD contributor John Waters speak with journalist and author Toby Harnden about his new book, “First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11.”Based on original interviews with CIA officers, paramilitary and special forces members of the small team inserted into Afghanistan after 9/11, Harnden tells the riveting story of the amazing individuals who allied with the Northern Alliance to take Mazar-i-Sharif and ultimately topple the Taliban in the early days of the war. It is also the story of the death of Mike Spann, the CIA officer who would become the first American casualty of a 20 year war. Subscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletterfor a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security.

In this episode of the RealClearDefense podcast “Hot Wash”, host John Sorensen and RCD contributor John Waters speak with journalist and author Toby Harnden about his new book, “First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11."Based on original interviews with CIA officers, paramilitary and special forces members of the small team inserted into Afghanistan after 9/11, Harnden tells the riveting story of the amazing individuals who allied with the Northern Alliance to take Mazar-i-Sharif and ultimately topple the Taliban in the early days of the war. It is also the story of the death of Mike Spann, the CIA officer who would become the first American casualty of a 20 year war.Subscribe to the RealClearDefense Podcast "Hot Wash"Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletter for a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security. 

 2000 - 2001While planning 9/11 and running Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden somehow finds time to marry a new bride, and his other wives aren't happy about it. As 9/11 approaches, his family life begins to fall apart, and eventually he is forced to make a choice.  In Washington, George W. Bush is sworn in as president several months after a closely contested election. His government is filled with experienced Republican public servants, particularly on the foreign policy and national security side.  What did or didn't they do about Al Qaeda during his first eight months in office?  Meanwhile, as the terrorist chatter increases in the months before the attacks, intelligence and law enforcement officials miss crucial warning signs that don't make sense until after the attacks.  Two days before 9/11 and half a world away, Ahmed Shah Massoud, a war hero in the fight against the Soviets and leader of the Northern Alliance, is assassinated by two Al Qaeda operatives posing as journalists.  Less than twenty-four hours before the attacks, all nineteen hijackers are in position, wrapping up loose ends, and waiting.  

Real heroes are all around us. Some of you might have seen the Chris Hemsworth movie, 12 Strong, about the Army Special Forces sent to Afghanistan after 9/11, the first in who worked with the Northern Alliance to overthrow the Taliban, from horseback! This week in Texas I was honored to have one of the 12 in a class I was teaching and it reminded me of the heroes all around us. Remember them all, especially on this Veterans Day.

What is the NAVB? Who takes part? How can you become a member? We took away wins and losses, we took away a year end tournament...what did we replace it with? Axe...and you shall receive.

Toby Harnden is an awarded journalist, foreign correspondent and former bureau chief of the Sunday Times.  His most recent book is  First Casualty: The untold story of he CIA mission to avenge 911.  After numerous interviews with key players and having visited Afganistan several times over the last decades, Toby documents the unconventional success story of CIA's Team Alpha from their insertion into the Darya Suf Valley, coordination with Special Forces ODA 595, link-up and cooperation with Northern Alliance commander Abdul Rashid Dostum - leading to the fall of the Taliban at the end of 2001. Toby brings his well-informed insights about some of these initial players: Including David Tyson, JR Seeger, Alex Hernandez and their ride on horseback North with Dostum to Mazar I Sharif, along with the first casualty, Johnny Michael Spann and the events at the Qala-I Jangi fort complex.  We discuss the complexity and the accomplishment of how those few intrepid officers and operators transcended traditions, tribes, allegiances and history in an operation that holds clues to the future of Afghan resistance to the Taliban.  More about the author at:  Tobyharnden.comI hope you've enjoyed listening to this episode. I could use your help to make more...I like to keep the track clean of ads, and sales pitches. As such, meeting costs and finding time to produce this podcast is a challenge, so any support is appreciated. If you would like to help make Season Three operational, please consider a one time donation of any amount right here ---> https://www.paypal.me/thelivedropOr alternatively,  join The Live Drop Patreon community for exclusive commentary and content starting with a $5 monthly donation ---> https://www.patreon.com/thelivedropAs always, please rate and review the show on iTunes. Your input is appreciated. Thank you for listening and your support,Mark ValleyCreator/Hostthelivedrop.com Get bonus content on Patreon Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://afghannewswire.com/2021/09/30/northern-alliance-tank-getting-ready-to-take-on-taliban-fighters%f0%9f%91%8a/

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://afghannewswire.com/2021/09/30/northern-alliance-special-forces-message-to-taliban/

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://afghannewswire.com/2021/09/22/video-northern-alliance-commander-hasib-in-panjshir/

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://afghannewswire.com/2021/09/22/northern-alliance-commander-hasib-in-panjshir/

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://afghannewswire.com/2021/09/22/northern-alliance-commander-hasib-in-panjshir/

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://afghannewswire.com/2021/09/19/india-helping-northern-alliance-via-tajikistan/

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://afghannewswire.com/2021/09/17/pakistani-chopper-bombed-northern-alliance/

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://afghannewswire.com/2021/09/12/report-russia-supports-northern-alliance/

Today on "Hot Wash," host John Sorensen and RealClearDefense Editor David Craig speak with Kamal Alam, a nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council's South Asia Center and advisor to Ahmad Massoud who is opposing the Taliban from the Panjshir valley. In 1992, following the defeat of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, a loose alliance of mujahideen militias assaulted Kabul, toppling the Communist government. One of those militias was led by the charismatic commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, the “lion of the Panjshir.” Massoud's Tajik forces joined with Uzbek and Hazara factions to form the Northern Alliance. Massoud's home and nearly impenetrable fortress was the Panjshir valley, roughly 70 miles north of Kabul, from which he defied repeated assaults by the Soviets and then later the Taliban in the Civil War that followed the Communist collapse. During the rise of the Taliban in the 1990s, Massoud became the eyes and ears for western intelligence, prophetically warning about the rise of foreign fighters that became Al Qaeda. Ultimately, he was assassinated by Al Qaeda just two days before the September 11 attacks on the US. But, Massoud's Northern Alliance proved essential in early US victories over the Taliban. 20 years later, in the wake of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the rapid collapse of the Afghan National Army, some Afghans are still resisting the Taliban takeover. One of those groups is led by Massoud's 32-year old son Ahmed Massoud, who has returned to the Panjshir valley that proved so defensible for his father. Calling themselves the National Resistance Front or NRF, the small group of Tajiks and former ANA commandos, have vowed to oppose the Taliban and even claim to have recently secured three districts neighboring the Panjshir. Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletter at https://www.realcleardefense.com/daily_newsletters/ for a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security. Be sure to subscribe to Hot Wash on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/realclear-defense-presents-hot-wash/id1575373700

This week we go back to the 1970's and explain the creation of the Mujahideen in direct response to the communist takeover and Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, and how the United States came to arm them. We talk about the origin, rise, and death of Ahmad Shah Massoud, the Lion of Panjshir, and the Northern Alliance, a conglomerate of fighters from northern Afghanistan that resisted the Taliban in the 1990s. And with the Taliban today firmly in control of 33 out of 34 provinces, we discuss the resistance that has been created in the one province that has held out, Panjshir, led by Ahmad Massoud, the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud. T-Shirts and koozies in support of World Relief Seattle can be purchased at: https://bit.ly/3BfoJ9KTo donate directly to World Relief Seattle: https://worldrelief.org/seattle/get-involved/afghan-allies/#giveTo donate directly to World Relief: https://bit.ly/3krJGHrFor more information on how you can help our Afghan Allies: https://bit.ly/3muYOXn_________________________________________ Where to Listen:Apple: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkapple Spotify: https://bit.ly/theboardwalkspotify Pandora: https://bit.ly/3xZ8bk9 Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3gbZ6ya Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/37UuZXQ Stitcher: https://bit.ly/3AQNadj  iHeart Radio: https://bit.ly/3y0Vfdw TuneIn: https://bit.ly/2W1VEPN Buzzsprout: https://bit.ly/37PIdoy  Be sure to like, follow, subscribe, rate, review, and share wherever you listen to our podcast. New episodes of The Boardwalk are published every Saturday morning.  Our Social Media Sites:Instagram: @theboardwalkpodcast Facebook: @TheBoardwalkPodcastTwitter: @theboardwalkpod You can also reach us by email at: theboardwalkpodcast@gmail.com  The views expressed by the hosts and guests of this podcast do not represent the views of the United States Government or the United States Department of Defense. 

A version of this essay was published by rediff.com at https://www.rediff.com/news/column/rajeev-srinivasan-pakistan-will-soon-control-all-of-afghanistan/20210714.htmIndian geo-strategists are rightly worrying about the fallout on India from the Afghan situation and America’s comprehensive defeat there. The specter of Saigon 1975, with the last helicopter leaving from the Embassy, and desperate people hanging on to it, haunts those Afghans who will be seen as collaborators with the Americans. After consecutive defeats of two superpowers -- the Soviet Union and the US -- the Afghan Taliban and their sponsors the Pakistanis must be feeling their oats. Pakistan now has the ‘strategic depth’ they have long craved; and they will redirect their pious holy warriors (after all, many Taliban have been ISI in beards and baggy pants) towards India. We can expect a long hot summer of discontent.Even the Economist magazine, a known cheer-leader for the Deep State, and which I recall was enthusiastic when the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001, is now backpedaling furiously.The US, in general, acts like a gigantic baby. It latches on to a shiny new toy, spends a lot of time and energy on it, then tires of it, and discards it. That’s what’s happened to Afghanistan: the US basically got tired of spending time and money on ‘democratizing’ the country, so they just took their ball and went home, leaving Afghans worse off than they were before 2001. Vietnam recovered from the US dhritarashtra alinganam, but it took them 40 years. Therein lies a lesson for India: you depend on American attention, and friendship, at your peril. Kissinger once said memorably, “it is dangerous to be America’s enemy, but it is fatal to be America’s friend”. This is why India has long been suspicious of close ties with the US (although clearly Pakistan, a US ‘ally’, has successfully navigated these turbulent waters).Nevertheless, India has come around to the idea that the Quad is beneficial. Certainly, Japan is as committed as India, because they too face an existential threat from China. India is the only one that has a land border with Chinese-occupied Tibet and Chinese-occupied Xinjiang. Australia and the US, separated by oceans from China, are only mildly involved.There is an amusing metaphor about a ham and eggs breakfast to show the difference between ‘involvement’ and ‘commitment’. The chicken is involved, but the pig is committed. India, and Japan, are committed. The siege of Kunduz in 2001 was a point of inflexion The real problem is that the US Deep State has, for unfathomable reasons, been enamored of Pakistan. They have encouraged Pakistan to play a clever game of running with the hares and hunting with the hounds. This has enriched the ruling class in that country, which consists of the Army and the infamous 24 families that run the show. It has done little for the public.There is some version of the Great Game between Russia and the British Indian empire that the US Deep State has been playing since independence. The Anglosphere wanted to have a foothold in the region to keep an eye on the Soviet Union and to deny it access to the warm water ports of the Indian Ocean. In addition, there were some absurd ideas about accessing the mineral wealth, especially oil, of the Central Asian ‘stans. This made Pakistan seem strategic to the Deep State, and they made them a treaty ally in the old CENTO days.The sad fact is that any utility Pakistan may have had for US strategic interests has long been superseded by its nuisance value as a nation that uses terror as an instrument of state policy. There is a Pakistani manual of war (The Quranic Concept of War by Brig Gen S K Malik) that offers a pithy definition: “Terror is not a means of imposing [a] decision on the enemy; it is the decision we wish to impose [on the enemy].” They have practised precisely this. Yet the Deep State’s fascination with the Pakistani Army persists, even after Osama bin Laden was discovered comfortably ensconced in a garrison town. Observers have long pointed out that this would not end well. The point of inflexion was the siege of Kunduz in November 2001. The Northern Alliance had surrounded most of the Taliban top brass (which were basically mid-level Pak Army and ISI officers) and was on the verge of massacring them. But the CIA colluded with the ISI  to airlift hundreds of them out to Pakistan. I noted then (The Siege of Kunduz https://in.rediff.com/news/2001/nov/30rajeev.htm) that it was a peculiar and unfathomable thing for the US to do, when the Taliban were about to be wiped out. The Northern Alliance, which later formed the core of the Afghan national government, was never able to gain the same leverage over the Taliban again. Graveyard of empires?The British were never really able to control Afghan tribes. And now the tribes have defeated both the Soviets and the Americans. So a certain mythology has grown up around the invincibility of the lawless Afghans. Perhaps the US Deep State has a secret plan? Can they quietly turn the fierce Afghans against the Chinese, by supporting the Taliban to foment civil war in Chinese-occupied Xinjiang (CoX)? The oppression of Muslim Uyghurs there continues. This is a good theory, but there are flaws on both counts. One, the Afghans are not superhuman. Maharaja Ranjit Singh did defeat the Afghans and keep them under his control for some years. Two, unless they are doing taqiya, both the Taliban and Pakistan, despite avowed support for Muslims, have been deathly silent about the Uyghurs. A more likely scenario is that China will have untrammeled access to $3 trillion worth of Afghan minerals. That part is speculative, but there are real losers. India is one: the billions India invested in dams, schools, etc. will be gone. The Hindu and Sikh population of Afghanistan has already shrunk from some 200,000 to about 500 (CAA, anyone?). The Durand Line has been erased, but instead of Pashtuns uniting on both sides, Pakistan will soon control all of Afghanistan. Of course, the biggest loser is the Afghan population. For them, and for us, it is an unmitigated disaster. 1056 words, 12 Jul 2021 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rajeevsrinivasan.substack.com

We sit down with the committee of the Northern Alliance of Vintage Ballists to get their take on the current state of vintage base ball. With matches and larger events being canceled how are these gentlemen and their clubs adjusting to 2020?

What really happened at the battle of Mazar I Sharif? Using footage of combat never seen before, award-winning filmmaker Paul Yule chronicles an extraordinary ten days in November 2001 that involved the US Armed Forces, the CIA, the British SAS, the Taliban, al Qaeda, the warlords of the Northern Alliance, the Red Cross and the western media. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thehistoryexpress/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I've been wanting to talk to Bart for a long time.  He and his Special Operations team were some of the first men inserted into Afghanistan after 9/11.  They were covert operators named Task Force Dagger that joined up with the Northern Alliance to defeat the Taliban. They rode on horseback to capture the city […] The post Episode 008 – Bart Decker, Air Force CCT (ret), original Horse Soldier in Afghanistan appeared first on .