This event kicks off Hindsight Up Front, the Wilson Center’s new Afghanistan initiative, featuring a discussion with Gen. David Petraeus and Sir John Scarlett, co-chairs of the Wilson Center’s Global Advisory Council and two of the world’s foremost public intellectuals. Their conversation—moderated by Wilson Center President, Director, and CEO Mark Green—focuses on the implications of the withdrawal for Afghanistan and the world.
They examine 20 years of U.S.-led war, consider what has and has not been achieved, and assess President Joe Biden’s withdrawal decision. They discuss the withdrawal’s potential impacts, including for terrorism risks and refugee flows. They weigh in on global reactions to the withdrawal—including from U.S. adversaries like China. They also offer insights on what U.S. policy should be in Afghanistan moving forward, and they detail what they would tell President Biden if he sought their advice.
