PAHNA — Sacramento
Nisar Ahmad Samadi, a former Afghan interpreter who worked alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan, unveiled his first book, TRAP, on Saturday, August 15, at an event attended by U.S. military personnel and veterans, former Afghan interpreters, and members of the Afghan immigrant community in California.
The event provided an opportunity to reflect on the experiences of Afghan interpreters who worked with U.S. forces during the Afghanistan mission and on the challenges many of them and their families have faced since the mission ended.
During the program, Samadi spoke about his years working alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan and the motivation behind writing a book documenting the experiences and stories of Afghan interpreters.
Other speakers, including Colonel Packin, Colonel Miller, and Anna Lloyd, a retired U.S. Navy service member and CEO of Task Force Argo, discussed the contributions of Afghan interpreters and other Afghan partners who worked with U.S. forces during the Afghanistan mission.
Speakers also emphasized the importance of documenting these experiences and preserving the personal stories of Afghans who supported the U.S. mission.
Discussion on the Situation of Afghan Interpreters
A separate discussion, moderated by Baktash Samadi, a former Afghan interpreter, focused on the circumstances facing Afghan interpreters and other Afghan partners following the conclusion of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan.
Participants raised concerns about interpreters and other former Afghan partners who remain in Afghanistan, as well as families and individuals who are currently living in third countries while separated from relatives.
The discussion also highlighted continued calls for support for Afghans who worked alongside U.S. forces and remain affected by the consequences of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Congressional Recognition
The Sacramento book-launch event also included recognition of Samadi’s service at the U.S. congressional level.
U.S. Representative Zach Nunn of Iowa and Representative Doris Matsui of California presented Samadi with honorary certificates recognizing his service and his efforts to document and bring attention to the experiences of Afghan interpreters.
Nunn has also spoken on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives about Samadi’s experience and the contributions of Afghan interpreters who served alongside American forces in Afghanistan.
The congressional recognition added a national dimension to an event that was primarily focused on the experiences of Afghan interpreters and their communities.
A Community Conversation Beyond a Book Launch
For Sacramento’s Afghan community, the event represented more than the introduction of a new book.
The gathering created a space for former interpreters, veterans, community members, and others connected to the Afghanistan mission to discuss the experiences of Afghans who worked alongside U.S. forces.
Participants also discussed the continuing challenges facing former Afghan partners, including those who remain in Afghanistan and families who continue to live apart across different countries.
Samadi’s TRAP seeks to preserve part of that history through the personal experiences of an Afghan interpreter who worked with U.S. forces during the Afghanistan mission.
The Sacramento unveiling brought together members of two communities whose experiences became closely connected during the war in Afghanistan: Afghan interpreters and their families, and the American military personnel they served alongside.
For many attendees, the event served as both a book launch and an opportunity to keep the experiences of Afghan interpreters in public discussion.
PAHNA — Sacramento
