To Lose a War: Afghanistan Five Years On

Five years after the chaotic withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan, the Taliban remain firmly in power. After two decades of war against the Taliban, the Afghan government and security forces built and supported by the West collapsed within days, and many of the promises made after 2001, particularly to Afghan women and girls, have been reversed.

How did a twenty-year military and political intervention end this way? Bringing together decades of reporting from Afghanistan with experience at the highest levels of British military leadership, the discussion will examine the expectations of 2001, the decisions and misjudgements that shaped the war, the withdrawal and its consequences, and what Britain and its allies should have learned.

Five years on, what does Afghanistan tell us about the limits of military power and Britain’s military capacity today? And with women and girls systematically excluded from education, employment and public life under Taliban rule, what responsibility does the international community still have towards Afghanistan?

The event will include audience Q&A.

6.30pm: Pre-event socialising and networking

7pm: Event begins

8.30pm: Event ends

Post-event socialising, networking and book-signing.

Jon Lee Anderson is a staff writer at The New Yorker and one of the world’s most experienced foreign correspondents. He has reported from Afghanistan since the late 1980s and covered conflicts across the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. His latest book, To Lose a War: The Fall and Rise of the Taliban, draws on almost twenty-five years of reporting from Afghanistan.

General Lord Richard Dannatt served as Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, from 2006 to 2009, during a critical period of Britain’s campaign in Afghanistan. Since leaving the Army, he has remained a prominent voice on defence, security and Britain’s military capabilities.

This event launches a new Norwich series from On Front Line, co-curated with Jacki Forsyth.

On Front Line brings leading journalists, writers and world experts into live conversation about the major issues shaping international affairs. Having established its programme in London, the Norwich series will bring the same calibre of speakers and informed public discussion to the city, connecting global events with audiences here in Norfolk.

Founded and produced by Pranvera Shema Smith.