He previously served with the Voice of America[7] for over 20 years covering Afghanistan, South and Central Asia, and the Middle East, including assignments as Director of the Afghan Radio Network Project and chief of the Dari and Pashto services.

During his military service in Afghanistan army (1961–81), Jalali served in command, staff and educational posts with a final rank of colonel.

[8] In January 2009 an article by Ahmad Majidyar of the American Enterprise Institute included Jalali on a list of fifteen possible candidates in the 2009 Afghan Presidential election.

A published writer in three languages (English, Pashto, Dari), Jalali is the author of numerous books and articles on political, military and security issues in Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia including topics related to Islamic movements in the region.

His most recent book, The Other Side of the Mountain (2002), co-authored with Lester Grau, is an analytical review of the Mujahedin war with the Soviet forces in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989.

Jalali wrote an influential critique in the spring of 2002 of the U.S. military role in Afghanistan, arguing that the way the United States used local chieftains in the War on Terrorism "enhanced the power of the warlords and encouraged them to defy the central authorities."

Jalali's articles and comments are also published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor and many other major U.S. and European papers.