Welcome to Episode 76 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 Geeta Bakshi, a former CIA counterterrorism officer and founder of Famil, a national nonprofit organization which provides support to Afghan allies, particularly members of the Zero Units, elite Afghan forces who were supported and trained by the CIA. Geeta is a 14-year veteran of the CIA, and spent several years of her career in Afghanistan.
Geeta discusses her career in Afghanistan and the deep trust it instilled for Afghan partners, including the Zero Units. She tells the story of her involvement post-withdrawal, and how she began creating Famil, which was quickly “adopted by” the Zero Units.
Geeta talks about the difficulties the Zero Units have faced, including large numbers of members separated from their families for more than three years following the withdrawal due to bureaucratic holdups that cause endless harm to Afghans and American volunteers. She discusses the mental health battles the Zero Units face as they assimilate into a new culture while watching their homeland fall to terrorism and about the hurdles faced by Zero Unit members who are amputees and require financing for prosthetics, medical equipment, and therapy.
Geeta also notes that the members of the Zero Units are already giving back to the communities across America that they have become part of.
Find Famil :
Website: https://www.familusa.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/familusa/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/famil.usa/
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.
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