logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2021
23m 36s

America’s Final Hours in Afghanistan

The New York Times
About this episode

On Monday night, after a 20-year war that claimed 170,000 lives, cost over $2 trillion and did not defeat the Taliban, the United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan. 

As the last of the American forces left under the cover of darkness, there was celebratory gunfire from the Taliban. The moment of exit, a day earlier than expected, was both historic and anticlimactic.

We explore what happened in the last few hours and days of the American occupation, and look at what it leaves behind. 

Guest: Eric Schmitt, a senior writer covering terrorism and national security for The New York Times. 

Sign up here to get The Daily in your inbox each morning. And for an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter

Background reading: 

For more information on today’s episode, visit 

nytimes.com/thedaily

. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Up next
Today
Inside the A.I. Talent Wars
The race to dominate artificial intelligence has become a scramble for talent, with tech companies offering pay packages of $250 million and poaching their competitors’ best employees.Mike Isaac, who covers the tech sector for The Times, explains why all the hype is raising fears ... Show More
26 m
Yesterday
‘Modern Love’: Bridget Everett Says A Best Friend Can Be Your Greatest Love
Stories of romantic love are everywhere, but the actor, singer and comedian Bridget Everett says that friendships deserve our attention, too. Onscreen and in everyday life.Last Fall, Everett appeared on Modern Love to talk about her HBO Original series “Somebody Somewhere,” which ... Show More
38m 49s
Aug 23
'The Interview': Jen Hatmaker's Life Exploded in Middle Age. So She Built a Better One.
The former evangelical star on waking up halfway through her life. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 
45m 43s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2021
The deal that set the stage for a Taliban victory
Every Monday this August, we're looking back at some of the stories from the past year that have stuck with us.With the Taliban now in control of Afghanistan, we return to the agreement between the US and the Taliban last February that sowed the seeds for what followed. Today we  ... Show More
29m 5s
Aug 2022
A GPS Special: The Fall of Kabul, One Year Later
As the one-year anniversary of the chaotic Taliban takeover of Kabul approaches, Fareed has an exclusive interview with the former president of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, about why he fled the country, if he feels betrayed by the U.S., and whether the rumors are true that he esca ... Show More
39m 48s
Sep 2021
Afghanistan : après 20 ans de guerre, le fiasco de Kaboul vu de Washington
Le 30 août, le dernier avion des forces américaines décolle du tarmac de l’aéroport de Kaboul. Épilogue de deux décennies de présence militaire sur le sol afghan. Le président américain Joe Biden a tenu sa promesse : les Etats-Unis mettent fin à leur plus longue guerre, entamée a ... Show More
26m 2s