News & Insights
Post-Afghanistan, US Air Force Changes Jolly Green II Helicopter Purchase Plans
The U.S. Air Force wants to cut the total number of new combat rescue helicopters it plans to buy by one-third, a sign of how it is adjusting to a post-Afghanistan threat…
Between Then and Now, They Did Not Die in Vain
Army Capt. Dan Whitten was a young West Point officer serving in Afghanistan when I met him for the first time. One of his friends noted that he was outgoing…
Evacuating is the Most Demanding Mission of 20 Years in Afghanistan
The images of the last two weeks have been riveting to many Americans, but especially to the nearly 800,000 U.S. veterans and service members who served in Afghanistan. No one…
Amanpour and Company: Gen. Joseph Votel (Ret.) on Afghanistan Withdrawal
To understand how the U.S. withdrawal could have been handled differently, and what needs to happen most urgently to improve the situation on the ground, Bianna speaks with retired General…
From 300,000 to a Few Hundred: What Happened to Afghanistan’s Army
President Joe Biden told the American people on July 8 that the U.S. and its partners in Afghanistan had “trained and equipped nearly 300,000 current serving members of the military”…
Many Facets Contributed to the Taliban’s Takeover of Afghanistan
NPR’s A Martínez talks with former U.S. CENTCOM Commander Gen. Joseph Votel about the military failures that led to the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan. The Taliban’s blitz offensive…
The Painful Lessons of Afghanistan
The Cipher Brief: Did you ever envision that the U.S. would pull out so quickly or completely leaving the Afghan military on its own without U.S. air support? General Votel:…
Taliban Sweep in Afghanistan Follows Years of US Miscalculations
President Biden’s top advisers concede they were stunned by the rapid collapse of the Afghan army in the face of an aggressive, well-planned offensive by the Taliban that now threatens…
