#1438 Afghanistan: Where We Go From Here
Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
Jay Tomlinson
4.5 • 3.4K Ratings
🗓️ 28 August 2021
⏱️ 66 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Air Date 8/28/2021
Today we take a look at our departure from Afghanistan, how the decisions were made to leave in this fashion and what we should go going forward to prevent similar foreign escapades in the future
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SHOW NOTES
Ch. 1: Afghans Try to Flee U.S.-Caused Crisis Part 1 - The Intercept - Air Date 8-18-21
The Taliban have taken over Afghanistan, forcing the U.S.-backed Afghan government out. The Intercept Vanessa Gezari, who also reported from Afghanistan for years after the U.S. war began, breaks down the historical trajectory that led to this moment.
Ch. 2: Phyllis Bennis on Afghanistan Withdrawal - CounterSpin - Air Date 8-20-21
We’ll prepare ourselves with insights on Afghanistan from Phyllis Bennis, director of the New Internationalism Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, and from Matthew Hoh, senior fellow with the Center for International Policy.
Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief, talks about the latest in national politics, including the Afghanistan withdrawal and the infrastructure and budget bills in the House.
Ch. 4: Afghans Try to Flee U.S.-Caused Crisis Part 2 - The Intercept - Air Date 8-18-21
Ch. 5: America's Failed Mission In Afghanistan Intentions & Mistakes - Fresh Air - Air Date 8-19-21
The stunning collapse of the government of Afghanistan following President Biden's decision to remove U.S. troops from the country has led to chaotic scenes in Afghanistan, including at the airport in Kabul. Guest: New Yorker' staff writer Steve Coll.
Ch. 6: When We Leave Afghanistan Tomorrow and Forever. - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 8-21-21
Today’s episode explores our national amnesia, examines the Vietnam comparison, talks about what happens when our occupations end and questions the continuation of a wartime military budget.
We look at the situation in Afghanistan, and pressure on Biden to stay longer, with CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin, who for years has called for an end to the longest war in U.S. history.
MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)
Ch. 8: America's Failed Mission In Afghanistan Intentions & Mistakes Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 8-19-21
The death toll from twin suicide bomb attack outside the airport has topped 110 people, including 13 U.S. troops.
VOICEMAILS
Ch. 11: Term limits, revolving door and inexperience - Bud from Boise
Ch. 12: Individual, collective, ceremony and thanks - Jeff from the Mountains of California
FINAL COMMENTS
Ch. 13: Final comments on the ups and downs of term limits and the benefits of a ceremony mindset
MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
- Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr
- Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
- Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world)
- Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
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Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | During today's episode, I'm going to be telling you about a podcast I think you should |
| 0:06.8 | be checking out. |
| 0:07.8 | It's called Uneffing the Republic, and you'll even get to hear a clip of the show. |
| 0:12.6 | So keep an ear out mid-episode when I tell you all about it. |
| 0:16.0 | And now, welcome to this episode of the award-winning The Best of Left Podcast in which we shall |
| 0:20.8 | take a look at our departure from Afghanistan, how the decisions were made to leave in this |
| 0:26.0 | fashion and what we should do going forward to prevent similar foreign excavates in the |
| 0:31.6 | future. |
| 0:32.6 | Clips today are from the Intercept, Counter-Spin, the Brian Lerishow, Fresh Air, Uneffing |
| 0:39.1 | the Republic, Democracy Now, and the Majority Report. |
| 0:43.9 | It's about 1 a.m. on the 17th of August, 36 hours since the Taliban took control of |
| 0:56.0 | the Afghan capital, Kabul, in a surprisingly peaceful transition of power with the Afghan |
| 1:03.4 | government led by Ashraf Ghani. |
| 1:05.6 | That's Andrew Quilty, a photographer and writer of Beast in Kabul. |
| 1:09.2 | The remaining 15 or so provincial capitals fell to the Taliban in a matter of days, bringing |
| 1:16.4 | the then-insurgent group to the gates of Kabul late on the night of the 14th of August. |
| 1:24.4 | It was a sleepless night, that night, for Kabul's residents who were anticipating the next |
| 1:30.4 | day to begin violently. |
| 1:35.1 | It was only a hastily cobbled together agreement between the government and the Taliban that |
| 1:42.9 | would see a peaceful transition of power. |
| 1:46.4 | In just a short time, we saw the Taliban take over Afghanistan. |
| 1:49.9 | The Taliban, seizing back power nearly two decades after 9-11, taking over the capital |
... |
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