The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War

Published: Aug. 24, 2021, 10:34 p.m.

Today on the RealClearDefense podcast "Hot Wash," host John Sorensen and RealClearDefense Editor David Craig speak with Craig Whitlock, Investigative Journalist at the Washington Post and author of "The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War." Based in part on confidential Pentagon interviews obtained through two Freedom of Information lawsuits, the book reveals the doubts policymakers and military leaders were sharing in private throughout the war in stark contrast to their optimistic assessments in public. We are also joined by Steve Liewer, who covers the military for the Omaha World-Herald, and previously wrote for Stars and Stripes. Most recently he has been reporting on how Gold Star families and veterans are dealing with the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. What can we learn from looking back over the past 20 years to the internal criticisms expressed by those fighting the war? And how is that affecting today’s veterans? Subscribe to the Morning Recon newsletter at https://www.realcleardefense.com/daily_newsletters/ for a daily roundup of news and opinion on the issues that matter for military, defense, veteran affairs, and national security. Be sure to subscribe to Hot Wash on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/realclear-defense-presents-hot-wash/id1575373700