Intelligence Squared

The New Yorker’s Jon Lee Anderson on Afghanistan: An American Catastrophe (Part One)

February 22, 2026

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  • Afghanistan's identity is shaped by conflict, where peace has historically resulted from total war and the vanquishing of an enemy, rather than purely diplomatic negotiation. 
  • The initial US invasion in 2001 was characterized by hubris and aggressive behavior from special forces, who relied on untrustworthy, thuggish warlords, leading to early strategic missteps. 
  • The US-backed government in Kabul quickly became a 'shit show' characterized by poorly advised leadership, high-paid foreign 'shadow ministers,' and the turning of a blind eye to corruption and drug trafficking among necessary local allies. 

Segments

Introduction and Guest Context
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(00:00:46)
  • Key Takeaway: Jon Lee Anderson is featured on Intelligence Squared to discuss his decades of reporting on the US-led war in Afghanistan.
  • Summary: The episode of Intelligence Squared features Jon Lee Anderson reflecting on his career covering Afghanistan, from the US-backed Mujahideen to the post-9/11 invasion. The discussion centers on his book, To Lose a War, which examines the conflict’s evolution into a major foreign policy failure. The event was recorded live at the Kiln Theatre and Anderson was in conversation with Clarissa Ward.
Afghanistan: Battlefield of History
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(00:03:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Afghanistan functions more as a ‘battleground of history’ than a cohesive nation, where peace is imposed through bloodshed and the vanquishing of enemies.
  • Summary: Anderson reframes the adage of Afghanistan as the ‘graveyard of empires,’ noting its historical role as a Silk Road passage for conquerors like Alexander the Great. The rugged, uncompromising landscape necessitates tough inhabitants who are warriors by necessity. In this society, peace often follows total war, contrasting with the Western diplomatic fiction that peace always arises from negotiation.
Shifting Allegiances in Conflict
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(00:07:46)
  • Key Takeaway: Combatant allegiances in Afghan conflict are fluid, driven by pragmatic calculations of power and survival rather than strict ideology.
  • Summary: Anderson observed enemies switching sides on the battlefield based on who was prevailing, citing Machiavellian principles where victory dictates alignment. For example, Taliban fighters would join the Northern Alliance if they calculated they could not win against them supported by American B-52s. This pragmatic switching allowed forces to quickly meld into the new amorphous powers post-Taliban takeover.
Early US Military Conduct
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(00:12:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Early US special forces operated aggressively like ‘cowboys,’ often exhibiting poor judgment and aggressive encounters that alienated locals and journalists.
  • Summary: Anderson noted a general lack of understanding among Americans regarding Afghan subtleties, exemplified by special forces acting aggressively with small interpreter teams. He recounted an incident where wounded journalists were denied entry to a US fortress during Operation Anaconda, highlighting a ‘force protection’ mentality akin to current ICE behavior. Thousands of CIA paramilitaries were also operating outside legal countenance, conducting raids and killings not covered by mainstream journalists.
The Rise of New Warlords and Corruption
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(00:17:44)
  • Key Takeaway: The immediate post-Taliban influx of US money created rapid, often illicit, wealth for local hustlers and warlords who became the new interfaces for American objectives.
  • Summary: Anderson detailed the story of Kais, who turned $1,000 into $30,000 by correctly predicting currency shifts due to CIA money dumping, and his neighbor who became a millionaire by selling his family home to the US military for a fortress. For about six years, the Americans knowingly overlooked the drug trafficking activities of these new power brokers because they were needed for national security.
Kabul’s Diplomatic Farce
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(00:26:21)
  • Key Takeaway: The US-installed government in Kabul was undermined by the presence of highly paid, unqualified foreign ‘shadow ministers’ who held more sway than actual Afghan officials.
  • Summary: Anderson described the acting ambassador as a ‘beach bum’ earning $350,000 a year, and noted the presence of the British official responsible for the Iraq WMD dossier acting as the shadow interior minister. Actual Afghan ministers earned a fraction of these salaries, leading to humiliation and driving provincial leaders to cut deals with the resurging Taliban.
Taliban Resurgence and Inevitable Fall
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(00:32:03)
  • Key Takeaway: By 2005, the Taliban were clearly resurging, and by 2009-2010, their shadow government was recognized, making the eventual collapse predictable a decade prior.
  • Summary: The rebuilding of Afghanistan’s ring road became dangerous as the Taliban returned to decapitate engineers working on it, mirroring the security deterioration seen in Iraq. The Taliban systematically targeted low-hanging fruit like women’s rights activists before launching audacious attacks. By the time Osama bin Laden was killed, the Taliban shadow government was firmly established, indicating the ultimate failure of the international mission.