Afghanistan – Withdrawal, Collapse, and the End of America’s Longest War

This episode examines the final years of the Afghanistan War, including Obama’s surge and drawdown, the 2020 Doha Agreement, and the Biden administration’s withdrawal in 2021.The rapid collapse of the Afghan government, the chaotic fall of Kabul, and the deadly airport evacuation marked a bitter end. The war left over 2,400 Americans and 170,000 Afghans dead, millions displaced, and the Taliban restored to power.The episode reflects on the war’s consequences: the limits of nation-building, the fragility of imposed democracies, and the enduring human cost of America’s longest war.