Afghans

For Afghan Development and Security Professionals

The Afghanistan War Commission invites Afghan professionals who lived and worked in Afghanistan during the 2001–2021 war to share their reflections on how Afghan, foreign, and international efforts shaped the country.

In particular, this portal is intended for those with experience in governance, development, and human rights, as well as in security institutions such as the ANA, ANP, NDS, or Air Force.

We recognize that many contributors may still face security risks. To protect your safety, you may remain anonymous, and any identifying information will be used only for internal analytical purposes.

Please note that the Commission does not have jurisdiction or authority over immigration, asylum, or relocation processes and cannot assist with individual cases related to those matters

Submissions via this website should not include any information the U.S. government deems classified or otherwise protected from disclosure.

Full Name (may use initials or pseudonym if preferring anonymity)

Email (for follow-up purposes only)

Year of Birth

Gender

General field of service in the period 2001-2021 (e.g., governance, economic development, justice/human rights, education/health, civil society, or security forces)

Years in service (for former members of Afghan military forces)

What did you understand to be your organization’s mandate and your own responsibility in your role?

To what extent were you able to fulfill that mandate, and what factors most helped or hindered you? (e.g., political will, security environment, resources, leadership, international coordination)

How did you understand the objectives and strategy of the Afghan government? In your view, were these strategies realistic and aligned with Afghan needs?

What decisions—by Afghan and US government leadership—had the most significant positive or negative impact on your work or mission? Please provide an example if possible.

From your vantage point, what did Afghan and US governments get right, and what did they get wrong in their partnership? (e.g., trust, coordination, capacity building, political interference)

If you could redesign one policy, command structure, or program that you worked under, what would you change, and why?

In your sector or unit, what internal challenges most undermined progress? (e.g., corruption, recruitment, chain of command, donor requirements, bureaucratic constraints)

Your submission will be used to enhance the Commission’s internal understanding of Afghan professionals’ experiences and perspectives from 2001–2021. We will not publicly associate your response with any identifying information or publish it without your explicit consent.

View the second public hearing April 11, 2025 here

For Afghan Development and Security Professionals