The Fifth Act: America’s End in Afghanistan

This is a virtual event

October 4th from 12-1 pm 

Days after the United States’ abrupt withdrawal from its “forever war” in Afghanistan, the Taliban returned to power. A year later, Afghanistan faces a grim and uncertain future. What have been the war’s consequences and what has U.S. withdrawal meant for Afghanistan and the United States?

The World Affairs Council invites you to join a conversation reflecting on U.S. efforts and their legacy in Afghanistan and assess what the future might hold with Elliot Ackerman, author and former Marine Corps Special Operations Team Leader.

Ackerman left the U.S. military ten years ago, but five tours in Afghanistan and Iraq with the Marines and his time later as a CIA paramilitary officer marked him indelibly. The Fifth Act, his latest book, is a recollection of his service in Afghanistan and an examination of America’s 20-year involvement in Afghanistan’s conflict. Ackerman shares a personal history of the war’s long progression, beginning with the initial invasion in the months after 9/11 through the fall of Kabul last August. The five acts serve as a prelude to Afghanistan’s dark future, a recognition of the peace that Afghan people have rarely enjoyed, and a look at the failings of U.S. intervention.

Elliot Ackerman is a writer, journalist, former White House Fellow, and decorated
veteran. His books have been nominated for the National Book Award, the Andrew
Carnegie Medal in both fiction and nonfiction, and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. A
former Marine, he served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he received
the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart. As a prominent figure in
the veteran community and a regular contributor to TIME and CNN, Ackerman uses his
platform to speak about his time serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, his perspective on
current international relations in the Middle East, and how he turned to writing—both
fiction and nonfiction—to chronicle America’s struggles