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A US veteran on the “betrayal” of leaving Afghans behind
Former US Army Captain Matt Zeller owes his life to an Afghan interpreter and resents what he sees as the Biden administration's decision to let the Taliban dictate the terms of the withdrawal. He asks Americans to think about all the Afghans who got left behind despite risking their own lives to help US forces. "Put yourself in their shoes," urges Zeller, who has a sobering message for America after leaving Afghanistan: "We're now going to carry a moral injury that will never abate. A scar that will never disappear." Watch his visceral testimonial on this episode of GZERO World with Ian Bremmer.
Watch the episode: Afghanistan, 2021: Afghan & US military perspectives as the last soldier leaves
Afghan activist: Taliban don’t have a plan to run Afghanistan
The Taliban have taken over Afghanistan militarily, but they have yet to show they can also govern — perhaps because they don't have a plan. "Military men can never do public policy. We all know this," says Pashtana Durrani, an Afghan teacher and women's rights activist who's in hiding and moving around the country because she wants to stay to resist Taliban rule. Watch her full interview with GZERO World's Ian Bremmer.
Watch the full interview: Afghan activist: Taliban won't make us change our way of life
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Afghan activist: Taliban won’t make us change our way of life
While many Afghans are trying to flee the country, others have gone into hiding, moving around to escape the Taliban but doing their part to stand up to Afghanistan's new rulers. One of them is teacher and women's rights activist Pashtana Durrani. In a wide-ranging interview with GZERO World's Ian Bremmer, Durrani tackles several hot topics, like what's next for Afghan girls, whether the Taliban can actually govern, and how they'll behave after all Americans are out. "Just because a few men in Kabul, in the Presidential Palace, have changed, that doesn't justify the fact that we have to change our way of life for them." She also pushes back against the Biden administration's claim that the Afghan army didn't want to fight the Taliban, and shares her feelings about the US after 20 years of occupation and war.
Don't blame Afghan army for Taliban rout, Afghan activist tells Biden
After Joe Biden questioned the Afghan army's willingness to confront the Taliban offensive, Afghan teacher and human rights activist Pashtana Durrani — currently in hiding for her safety — has a message for the US president: "Let's not dishonor the Afghan army." They were willing to combat the Taliban, she says, and now is not the time to blame soldiers for what corrupt politicians decided. "Let me assure you that Afghans wanted to fight for themselves." Watch a clip from her interview with Ian Bremmer in an upcoming episode of GZERO World.
- What does a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan actually mean ... ›
- The Graphic Truth: How opium kept the Taliban going - GZERO Media ›
- Would you recognize the Taliban? - GZERO Media ›
- Afghan activist: Taliban don’t have a plan to run Afghanistan - GZERO Media ›
- Biden alone on Afghanistan? 5 key reasons - GZERO Media ›
- Hasty US pullout led to Afghan government collapse, says exiled official - GZERO Media ›
- Afghan carnage - GZERO Media ›
- Taliban, Afghan people face economic collapse, says former central bank chief - GZERO Media ›
- Why should the UN listen to the private sector? - GZERO Media ›
- The Graphic Truth: Opium keeps the Taliban going - GZERO Media ›