I listen to a lot of ongoing podcasts, but this was short-run, 7-episode series. ALLIES is “A podcast about America’s eyes and ears during 20 years of war in Afghanistan.” And I think everyone in America needs to listen to this podcast. Every American should be aware, our ideals and our realities… we need to see it. Or hear it in this case.
It actually took me awhile to get through these 7 episodes. Not because they are long, but because of my own emotional reactions. I sometimes had to paused between episodes and mentally chew on what I had heard. It was incredible to hear these heroes, both American and Afghani, talk about their experiences.
So firstly, I cannot say enough how well done this podcast is. And I say that with a heightened appreciation how this kind of “story” only works with this audio format. You could possibly add video, but I don’t think the visual would add that much. It is the voices. It is the love and hope and fear and sadness…. it’s in the voice.
The series itself is also well structured. Introducing just a handful of people (2 or 3 generally) in each episode and exploring the questions on how we failed our Allies in Afghanistan using these individual stories and then data like “on this date, President Obama/Trump/Biden announced blah blah blah” and then talk to someone who either fought for something or was impacted by that announcement or law or whatever.
It was really very well done. And covered some things that I know I only knew in a very periferal way. I cannot say it enough that you should go listen to this one.
Dream by Day 