Matthieu Aikins is a contributing writer at\xa0The New York Times Magazine\xa0who has reported on Afghanistan since 2008. His new book is\xa0The Naked Don\u2019t Fear the Water: An Underground Journey with Afghan Refugees.\n\u201cI think at some point you just say, screw it. I'm gonna act like a human being and help my friend. That's the most important thing. You actually realize, yeah, now that we're in it together, the only thing that matters is both of us staying alive and staying safe and getting where we need to go. And whatever I have to do to do that, I'm going to do.\u201d\n\nShow notes:\n\n@mattaikins\n\nmaikins.com\n\nAikins on Longform\n\nLongform Podcast #1: Matthieu Aikins\n\n08:00\xa0"The Master of Spin Boldak"\xa0(Harper's \u2022 Dec 2009)\n\n38:00\xa0Aikins on\xa0The Daily\xa0(New York Times \u2022 Sep 2021)\n\n39:00\xa0"Inside the Fall of Kabul"\xa0(New York Times Magazine \u2022 Dec 2021)\n\n\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices