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Elliot Ackerman, author of The Fifth Act: America's End in Afghanistan and 2034: A Novel of the Next World War, returns to The Realignment near the first anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Kabul to discuss how the war reshaped American society, the pivot to Great Power competition, and his service during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as a Marine/CIA officer.


0:00 - Introduction
1:33 - Is the U.S. in a better position after leaving Afghanistan
9:03 - Elliot’s position on the Afghan war
19:26 - Main lesson from Afghan war
31:14 - Should we reinstate the draft?
39:04 - Domestic discussion around wars
46:55 - How Elliot is thinking about Taiwan and Ukraine
51:02 - How can U.S. institutions regain trust?