In Sha Allah, If God Wills It: The Real-Life Story of an Afghan Combat Interpreter

“Abdul Atah’s service and sacrifice for America makes a moving and meaningful story. His dedication to our nation―its ideals of freedom and justice―should reaffirm our own.” ― United States Senator Richard BlumenthalWounded twice in service to America, Afghan combat interpreter Abdul Atah Wahedi is one of America’s unknown heroes, but to the Taliban, he is considered the “Voice of the Infidel.” As America began to exit Afghanistan, Abdul, hunted by the Taliban, must flee with his wife and family, but his escape is blunted by the closure of the American Embassy in Kabul during COVID. With less than a handful of days before his Special Immigration Visa (SIV) and the visas of his family are about to expire, the mother of Abdul’s former commanding officer intervenes. Working with an American senator and an American SIV coordinator from Keeping Our Promise, she orchestrates Abdul’s escape to America with his wife and children, getting them out with only hours to spare.Born as his family returned to their ancestral village following years living as nomads in the caves of the Hindu Kush mountains during the Russian invasion, the story begins in the centuries-old village of Mata in the Panjshir Valley, and chronicles Abdul’s life from his earliest memories, the drowning of his older brother in the Panjshir River, his education, life on the battlefield, his marriage, the births of his children, and finally his escape to America.Table of ContentsForeword by Brian ChapmanNotes from the AuthorGlossary of TermsIntroductionA Message of GratitudePreludePART I1 Up on the Roof2 The Caves3 The River4 Coming of Age5 The Americans Are ComingPART II6 The Perfect Plan7 Becoming a Bad Ass8 Becoming the Voice and Ears of the Infidel 9 Wounded in Action10 Three DreamsPART III11 Rogue Attack12 Recuperation13 Safoora14 The Return15 A Family of His Own16 Taking a Break from the Battlefield17 Going BackPART IV18 Rumors and Fear19 The Hunt for the Voice of the Infidel20 Fried Chicken21 Escape to America22 The Long Journey23 A New Country, a New LifeEpilogueAfterword Read more