211 - Naweed Kawusi

In this episode of Crossing Faiths, John Pinna speaks with Naweed Kawusi, a former Colonel in the Afghan National Army and author of The Bleeding Nation, about his harrowing escape from Afghanistan during the 2021 collapse and his transition to life in Brazil. The conversation delves into the complex history of foreign intervention in Afghanistan, with Kawusi arguing that the nation’s "Gordian knot" of problems stems from a cycle of ethnic grievances and reliance on external benefactors rather than internal accountability. They explore the failures of the previous Republic, the self-interested legacy of Afghan warlords, and the strategic nature of the current Taliban regime. Ultimately, Kawusi emphasizes that long-term stability requires a shift away from "quick wins" and toward grassroots education and a unified Afghan identity that transcends historical divisions and foreign agendas.

Naweed is former colonel with the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces starting off with the Afghan Commandos in 2002. Before the fall of Kabul in 2021, he was responsible for overseeing support and outreach to over 130 thousand police families across the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. He’s currently a Board Member of the Policing Center, an international policing and law enforcement think tank that focuses on conflict zone and post-conflict policing across the world. He has been the lead researcher and author for two policy briefs on Afghanistan. He’s an occasional contributor to Unpolitically Correct, a newsletter focused on the conflict, geopolitics and study of war survivors in South Central Asia and the region. He currently leads the offshore wind and fossil fuel phase out programs for EOPA as a Program Director.

The Bleeding Nation on Barnes & Noble
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-bleeding-nation-naweed-kawusi/1150738508?ean=9786597649006