Author(s): Fred Smith

Military

When the US announced their intention to pull out of Afghanistan by September 2021, few anticipated how quickly the Taliban would overrun the Afghan National Security Forces. As Kabul fell two weeks before the deadline, those with reason to fear the new regime rushed to the airport desperate to find a way out. Seasoned Australian diplomat, Fred Smith, who like many had acquired a passion for the Afghan people, was sent to Kabul airport to help co-ordinate the evacuation of Australian citizens and the many Afghans who had worked for Australia. This is his first-hand account of the evacuation effort, a deeply personal view of a complex mission doomed from the outset to be a partial success. As honest as it is passionate, it's an important record of a moment when Australia's soldiers and diplomats did what they could in difficult circumstances. “In Fred Smith's hands, this insider account of the evacuation of Kabul is a rare bird; viscerally honest, packed with self-doubt, suffering and grace. Not just the facts but the feelings as the mission saved many but failed others. Profoundly moving.” – Hugh Riminton