Lynne O'Donnell talks Afghan war journalism, Taliban arrest - The Afghanistan Project Podcast Ep. 71

The Afghanistan Project Podcast

Welcome to Episode 71 of The Afghanistan Project, where we cover all topics related to two decades of war in Afghanistan, and the fallout of our Afghanistan withdrawal.

Today’s guest is the journalist and author Lynne O’Donnell, who has been fearlessly covering Afghanistan since shortly after September 11, 2001 and continues to document the atrocities of the de facto government today. Lynne has been a senior correspondent for Reuters, and worked as the Kabul Bureau Chief for the AFP and the AP between 2009 and 2017. Lynne has also worked in strategic communications, and now is a columnist for Foreign Policy. She also hosts a weekly podcast for 8AM Media, which many viewers here know is an excellent place to find the ground truth of what is happening in the Taliban’s Afghanistan.

Lynne discusses the highlights of her years of war coverage in Afghanistan leading up to the U.S. withdrawal from the country. We also cover her incredible coverage of the withdrawal, and of the past three plus years. We also discuss in depth her return to the country in summer 2022, and her arrest by the Taliban, who forced her to publicly denounce her journalism in a manner that, as she warned the authorities who forced her confession, made them look silly.

Follow Lynne on Twitter: https://x.com/lynnekodonnell

Follow Lynne’s podcast with 8AM Media, “Insights,” here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/insights/id1752507469

Find Lynne’s book, "High Tea in Mosul," mentioned in the episode, here: https://www.amazon.com/High-Tea-Mosul-Englishwomen-War-torn/dp/1905736096/

About the host:

Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram or X ⁠@BWBailey85⁠.

For Afghan listeners:

If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, [e-mail]. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.