#29 Carter Malkasian: How the Taliban Won (and America Lost)

Why did the United States lose the war in Afghanistan? Why did the Taliban ultimately return to power? And what lessons should policymakers take from America's longest war?In this episode of The Next Best, Marcel Dirsus sits down with Carter Malkasian — former adviser to the U.S. military and author of The American War in Afghanistan—to explore the origins of the Taliban, the failures of nation-building, the 2021 withdrawal, and the enduring lessons of the conflict.