The Afghanistan Papers Summary
Craig Whitlock

The Afghanistan Papers Overview

An extended reflection on the longest war in U.S. history, Craig Whitlock’s The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War recapitulates the perspectives of the politicians, diplomats, administrators, and military figures who shaped the Afghanistan War from 2001 to 2021. Whitlock mobilizes a wide array of reportage and compiles testimonies to try to explain how the war was conceived by its architects. He provides a complete picture of the war as it progressed through various stages and across four different presidential administrations. The book develops the themes of militarism, occupation, and the political complexities of twenty-first century combat.