America’s recent loss in Afghanistan is drawing understandable comparisons to Vietnam—two conflicts where the U.S. leadership supposedly never grasped the power of morale, the role of culture, or the reality on the ground. While these comparisons are inescapable, the United States has not always been so unsuccessful. There are valuable lessons in the U.S. approach to determining how the enemy thinks—from a war the United States won.

In this frank, no-holds-barred conversation, General H. R. McMaster and Victor Davis Hanson discuss the United States’ mission in Afghanistan: how it began, how it was conducted, and its ignominious end. 

The Sahel and the states bordering it are sites of significant jihadist activity that will derive considerable encouragement from the Taliban victory in Afghanistan: Islamism will be on the upswing everywhere. In the Sahel in particular, such violent extremism plays out against the backdrop of weak political structures, poor governance, intercommunal conflicts, and profound economic challenges. These are poor states with growing populations.

Join us for a discussion with Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), David Davenport (Research Fellow, Stanford University's Hoover Institution), and Matt Sandgren (Executive Director, Orrin G. Hatch Foundation) on civic education and safeguarding America's institutions.