Afghanistan: Getting Out

When America finally withdrew its troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, it was the culmination of almost 20 years of attempts to end the war. This series charts the long and troubled story of how what started as an attempt to capture Osama Bin Laden ended up with four presidents trying to find a way to end a war that killed tens of thousands of people.

Key players on all sides give a unique insight into the dramatic events behind the scenes that led to the fall of Kabul in 2021. President Trump came to power on a promise to bring all American troops back home. Having initially been persuaded by his chief of staff, general John Kelly, to reverse his position and deploy more troops to Afghanistan, Trump soon backtracks and decides again he wants troops out. Against the will of his national security advisor John Bolton, he appoints former ambassador Zalmay Khalizad to start direct negotiations with the Taliban. Determined to get a result, Khalizad cuts out President Ghani's government and agrees to a unilateral withdrawal. The Afghans are aghast.