Fred Smith is an Australian diplomat, author, singer and songwriter who served alongside Australian forces in Uruzgan, as well as in Kabul. He didn’t just take his diplomatic skills to the country, but his guitar too. He wrote songs and held concerts there. He has released two albums, Dust of Uruzgan and The Sparrows of Kabul, and two books of the same titles, which tell the stories behind his songs, as well as his personal memoirs and reflections.

In this interview, he shares his story and reflections on the complexities of Afghanistan, particularly Uruzgan — how he came to love the place despite his initial reservations about the campaign before accepting the assignment, and the grief he feels over what has happened to the country since.

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Producer | Host: Roh Yakobi

Assistant Producer/Researcher: Sa-aadat Yakobi

Music ©: Fred Smith & Dawood Sarkhosh

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