The U.S. Retreat from Afghanistan: 5 Years On

About On August 26, an ISIS-K suicide bomber killed 13 American service members and roughly 170 Afghans at Abbey Gate, one of the entrances to Kabul airport. Four days after that, the last U.S. service member left Afghanistan. Then, on Sept. 7, 2021, the Taliban declared the restoration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. These anniversaries have not sparked much media interest. One notable exception: A new documentary film from Wall Street Journal Opinion: “The Path to Zero: The Withdrawal From Afghanistan,” looks at President Biden’s April 14, 2021 order to draw American troop levels down to zero, and traces what followed. The film’s producer and director, Michael Pack, talks with host Cliff May about what happened back then and the lessons we should have learned by now. Relevant articles: WSJ Opinion: The Path to Zero and The Path to Zero: The Withdrawal From Afghanistan Watch