FRONT BURNER – National Guard Shooting and the CIA’s Secret Afghan Army

CBC, Hosted by Jayme Poisson
Date: December 3, 2025
Guest: Kevin Maurer, Bestselling Author and Reporter

Episode Overview

This episode examines the recent shooting involving two U.S. National Guard soldiers in Washington D.C. by Ramanula Lackenwal, an Afghan national and former member of the CIA-backed “Zero Units.” Host Jayme Poisson and journalist Kevin Maurer explore Lackenwal’s background, the role and legacy of the Zero Units, the trauma and challenges faced by resettled Afghan veterans, and what this incident reveals about the US’s legacy in Afghanistan and ongoing struggles faced by allies resettled in America.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The D.C. National Guard Shooting: Who was the Suspect?

• Incident Recap: Two National Guard soldiers were shot near the White House (00:22–00:37). One died, the other remains in serious condition.
• The Suspect: Ramanula Lackenwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national and ex-Zero Unit member, faces murder charges. He was shot and remains hospitalized (00:37).
• Profile: Lackenwal is described as isolated, “deeply troubled,” struggling to support his wife and five sons after resettling in the US (00:58).
• Reporter Insight: “The picture coming out about Lackenwal is of an isolated, deeply troubled man struggling to support his wife and five sons.” — Jayme Poisson (01:00)

2. The CIA’s Secret Afghan Army: The Zero Units

• Clandestine Nature: The Zero Units were elite Afghan paramilitary forces, recruited, financed, and trained by the CIA, working alongside US special operations (02:00–03:33).
  • “They were ghosts. They were people I saw but couldn't report on…a fascinating unit…really only operated at night.” — Kevin Maurer (02:12)
• Role and Missions:
  • “They were going after the most dangerous targets, the highest priority folks on the CIA list, mostly working at night, killer capture missions, tracking terrorists…” — Maurer (03:10)
• Why Use Afghans?
  • Deep knowledge of local culture, language, and geography made them uniquely effective in counterterrorism (03:33).
  • “I don't trust any Westerner who says they know Afghanistan... Same with the Afghans...they were fighting for their country, but they also know their country much better…” — Maurer (03:46)
• Extreme Combat Exposure:
  • Zero Unit members were in active combat for “15, even 20 years,” unlike US soldiers’ more limited deployments (04:16).

3. Recruitment and Vetting for the Zero Units

• Entry Process:
  • Entry was referral-based and selective; most were vetted rigorously, referred by family, then underwent probation (05:27–05:39).
  • “You couldn't just join the Zero Unit. Most—all—of the guys were referred…It was a difficult unit to get into, which is why it was so well paid and such a coveted spot.” — Maurer (05:39)
• Motivations:
  • “Most of them are true believers. Most…believed in creating a better Afghanistan...Their equipment was good, they were well paid.” — Maurer (05:10)

4. Allegations of War Crimes & Civilian Harm

• Accusations:
  • Human Rights Watch and media outlets (ProPublica, NYT) reported civilian deaths, especially in night raids (06:33–07:05).
  • “There's been some amazing reporting...the CIA…couldn't fight that propaganda campaign because they were a clandestine unit. There's some truth to that. There's also some truth to the fact that…it's dangerous” — Maurer (07:05)
• The Problem of Secrecy:
  • The Zero Units’ clandestine status impeded both accountability and oversight (08:24).
  • “It's a shadow that hangs over these units…as with all war, it's gray and gross and hard to parse out that easily.” — Maurer (08:57)

5. The Fall of Kabul, Evacuation, and Resettlement in the US

• Evacuation Role:
  • Zero Units helped secure Kabul airport for evacuation, then left Afghanistan with other at-risk Afghans (10:16–11:24).
• Resettlement Challenges:
  • “Because they were a clandestine unit, they had trouble getting paperwork to prove that they were actually employed by the CIA.” — Maurer (11:24)
• Culture Shock and Barriers:
  • Language, employment, paperwork, and trauma were significant obstacles (11:24–12:11).
• Desire to Remain in Afghanistan:
  • “All of them would tell you they'd stay…Most…would go back in a heartbeat to continue the fight for Afghanistan.” — Maurer (12:15)

6. Lackenwal’s Struggles and Mental Health

• Isolation and Downward Spiral:
  • “He was deeply depressed…He lost his job over some immigration paperwork…starting to break down.” — Maurer (14:40–15:17)
• Failed Support Structures:
  • Reached out to CIA veterans’ support group: “He had reached out for help on that program and hadn’t really received the support he needed…[he] slipped through the cracks.” — Maurer (15:46)
• Family and Community Impact:
  • Reports of neglect at home, social withdrawal, and failed attempts to relocate to a more supportive community (16:21–16:29).

7. Misconceptions Around Vetting

• Political Blame Game:
  • Politicians blamed lax vetting, but Maurer refutes this (17:31).
  • “He was vetted by the administration. One. He was vetted by the CIA to join…He was vetted multiple times before he received asylum...this narrative that somehow he...was unvetted...is just not accurate. It's propaganda…” — Maurer (17:31)

8. Broader Pattern of Trauma Among Resettled Afghan Allies

• Another Example:
  • Jamal Wally, an Afghan interpreter, killed after an altercation with police, went on record about his struggles:
  • "You people brought me to this goddamn country and I'm dying every single day, and I have four children." — Jamal Wally (body cam, 19:25)
• Degree of Risk:
  • Maurer stresses these are exceptions, not the rule, but the isolation and lack of support are real threats (19:52).

9. Policy Backlash: Immigration and Visa Restrictions

• New Restrictions:
  • In response to the shooting, new immigration restrictions, tougher vetting, and visa freezes have been introduced (20:41–21:23).
• Consequences for Allies:
  • Slower, more arduous process for Afghans awaiting visas and increased scrutiny even for vetted refugees (21:23–22:05).
• Stigma and Resentment:
  • “...painting everybody with a pretty broad brush and putting them all under scrutiny that they probably don't deserve...” — Maurer (22:16)

10. The Legacy of the War on Terror at Home

• America’s History with Allies:
  • “We have a long history in the United States of abandoning allies. As I wrote, it feels to me like American loyalty has an expiration date…It's a tragedy in a 20 year war that ended in tragedy.” — Maurer (22:51)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Zero Units' Clandestine Reality:

  “They were ghosts. They were people I saw but couldn’t report on.” — Kevin Maurer (02:12)

• On Afghan Knowledge vs. Westerners:

  “I don’t trust any Westerner who says they know Afghanistan...Afghans…know their country much better than any kind of American transplant.” — Maurer (03:46)

• On Combat Exposure:

  “Almost all of them have been wounded. Almost all of them have lost…not just unit mates, but their actual brothers.” — Maurer (04:30)

• On Trauma and Regret:

  “They all have the Afghan…flag up in their apartments. A lot…tattooed on their bodies, and it's a flag that doesn't exist...regret and guilt…is palpable.” — Maurer (13:37)

• On Vetting and Political Rhetoric:

  “It’s propaganda...using terms like animal...It’s demeaning and it’s not true. They know they vetted him.” — Maurer (17:31)

• On Abandonment and the Legacy:

  “We have a long history in the United States of abandoning allies...it feels...like American loyalty has an expiration date…It’s a tragedy.” — Maurer (22:51)

Key Timed Segments

• The Shooting and Zero Units Intro: 00:22–01:58
• Zero Units: Secrecy and Operations: 02:00–03:33
• Allegations and War Trauma: 06:33–09:46
• Afghan Evacuation & Resettlement: 10:16–12:11
• Lackenwal’s Struggles: 14:13–16:21
• Political Debate on Vetting: 16:21–17:31
• Immigration Policy Backlash: 20:41–22:16
• Concluding Reflection on War Legacy: 22:33–23:39

Conclusion

The episode situates the D.C. shooting within the broader, “gray and gross” legacy of America’s war on terror—from the moral ambiguity of night raids and their civilian cost to the deep trauma of its Afghan allies abandoned by U.S. policy and now struggling in exile. Maurer and Poisson push back against narratives that scapegoat refugees, instead highlighting the personal and systemic failures that leave war's most loyal partners lost and unsupported.