UPDATE (June 28, 2023) — This program has sold out. Tickets will not be available at the door.

Schedule

Wednesday, June 28, 2023
6 p.m. Reception
7 p.m. Program

After almost 20 years of conflict, the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan officially ended with a Taliban victory in August 2021. For nearly all of that time, Lt. General Khoshal Sadat and Lt. General Sami Sadat led the Afghan National Army in the brutal fight against the Taliban, working closely alongside U.S. and Coalition allies, in particular U.S. Special Forces operators.

Join Thomas Kasza and Lt. Generals Khosal Sadat and Sami Sadat (no relation) in conversation with Ronan O’Malley, World Affairs Council of Greater Houston Director of Programs, as they give firsthand accounts of the collapse of Afghanistan and share their personal experiences during the war and perspectives on the U.S. withdrawal from the country. The program also includes selections from Retrograde, the 2022 National Geographic documentary which chronicles the months before the fall of Afghanistan.

Free admission is available for Veterans, Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders, students, and educators. To receive free admission, please contact Rayen Torres, Business and Policy Programs Manager, at [email protected].

About the Speakers

Thomas Kasza is a Green Beret combat veteran and the Executive Director of the 1208 Foundation, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that provides advocacy and direct, life-saving aid for at-risk Afghan Special Operators. The 1208 Foundation has a special emphasis on the National Mine Reduction Group, Afghan citizens who were recruited to clear IEDs on behalf of US Special Forces.

Tom’s efforts have landed himself and 1208 on the front-page of The New York Times and into the depths of Congress. In addition to the humanitarian mission and his studies as a graduate student at Georgetown University, Tom has helped to develop the 1208 Foundation into the premiere veteran-run NGO focused on a proactive solution for Afghanistan. Concerning the outlook towards post-2021 Afghanistan, NGOs are the tip of the spear, and alongside LTG Sadat and BG Sadat, Tom has helped to begin the mobilization of America’s veteran-volunteer community.

Lt. General Khoshal Sadat served for 17 years in the Afghan Special Forces. During his distinguished career with the Afghan National Army, he held multiple positions, including the Head of Military Operations of the Afghan Intelligence Agency. He also served as Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister for Security, in command of over 115,000 police and security forces across the nation.

In 2010, General Sadat served as Aide-De-Camp to the Overall Commander of US & NATO forces in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal. He also worked closely with U.S. & NATO Commander for Afghanistan General Scott Miller. General Sadat is graduate of Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, United Kingdom and U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

Lt. General Sami Sadat is the former Commanding General of the Afghan National Special Operations Corps, where he commanded the Afghan National Army’s 215 Maiwand Corps in Southwestern Afghanistan and the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). He also served as a senior director in the Afghan Intelligence Services.

For the last months of the war, General Sadat was the Commander of Helmand Province, before being appointed Commander of Afghan Special Forces. He is a graduate of the Joint Services Command & Staff College at the Defence Academy of the U.K. and the NATO Military Academy in Munich, Germany.

About the Moderator 

Ronan O’Malley is the Director of Programs for the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston, where he oversees the large variety of speakers and events hosted by the Council. He also teaches continuing education classes at the Council on global affairs and U.S. foreign policy. He has a BA in International Studies and History, and an MBA in International Business. In his over ten years with the Council, he has had the privilege of interviewing a wide array of foreign policy leaders, decision-makers and authorities from the U.S. and other nations, including General Jim Mattis, 26th Secretary of Defense of the United States, Jake Sullivan, 28th (Current) United States National Security Advisor, and Susan Rice, 24th United States National Security Advisor & 27th U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.

Asia Society hosts today's leading voices, providing commentary on events in news, society, and culture. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect Asia Society views.

Business and Policy programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Bank of America, Muffet Blake, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and United Airlines. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, Nancy Pollok Guinee, and Mary Lawrence Porter, as well as The Brown Foundation, Inc. and Houston Endowment. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Asia Society Texas Center, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing the best in public programming.

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About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.