A Conversation With an Afghan General

This episode contains strong language.

Brig. Gen. Khoshal Sadat, a former Afghan deputy minister for security, has held some of the highest ranks in the Afghan security forces and government. 

From the moment Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, the United States has put much of the blame of Afghan security forces — a force that President Biden said gave up without a fight.

“The reality is that we’re not cowards,” said General Sadat. “We did not lay our arms, we would not lay our arms based on military pressure.”

We speak to General Sadat about growing up under the Taliban, his career in the military and the future of Afghanistan. 

Guest: Brig. Gen. Khoshal Sadat, a former Afghan deputy minister for security.

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Background reading: 

When General Sadat became the highest-ranking police official in Afghanistan, he tried to overhaul the country’s police with the American way of war. Read a profile of him from 2019. 

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.