#191: Last General Standing - Final Commander Of The Afghan National Army, General Haibatullah Alizai

#191: Last General Standing - Final Commander Of The Afghan National Army, General Haibatullah Alizai

From The Jedburgh Podcast by Fran Racioppi

March 20, 2026 · 1h 12m · Episode 191

About this episode

General Haibatullah Alizai shares his firsthand account of the final days of the Afghan National Army and the complexities of America's longest war.

In August 2021, the world watched in disbelief as Afghanistan collapsed, leaving two decades of sacrifice, hope, and war in question. America’s longest war, forged in the aftermath of 9/11 and costing thousands of lives and billions of dollars, ended in chaos, confusion, and the swift return of the Taliban. But what truly happened in those final, frantic days? Who held the line until the line was irrevocably gone? In this exclusive interview, host Fran Racioppi sat down with General Haibatullah Alizai , the final Chief of the Afghan National Army, now living in exile. General Alizai offers a raw, firsthand account of the challenges, the political decisions, and the human cost that led to the nation’s swift downfall. From the initial hope sparked by the post-9/11 intervention to the crushing weight of the Taliban's propaganda machine, he confronts the harsh realities faced by Afghan forces and the devastating decisions that altered the course of history. Discover the candid perspective of a warrior who fought for a country that no longer exists. General Alizai speaks on loyalty, the pervasive impact of corruption, the strategic failures that enabled the Taliban's resurgence, and…

People in this episode

Host: Fran Racioppi

Guest: General Haibatullah Alizai

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Taliban

Places: Afghanistan, America

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