Choosing Defeat

The first comprehensive narrative of the American war in Afghanistan drawn from the own words of policymakers.

A unique history of presidential decision-making during the war in Afghanistan from George W. Bush to Joe Biden. Choosing Defeat will appeal to military history enthusiasts, readers interested in 9/11 and its aftermath, IR students, as well as veterans, journalists, and public servants involved in national security.A truly unique all-embracing narrative of the American war in Afghanistan from the own words of its architects. Choosing Defeat takes an unparalleled inside look at America's longest war, pulling back the curtain on the inner deliberations behind the scenes. The author combines his own extensive experience in the Army, the CIA, and the White House, with interviews from policymakers within the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations, to produce a groundbreaking study of how American leaders make wartime decisions. Transporting you inside the White House Situation Room, every key strategic debate over twenty years – from the immediate aftermath of 9/11, to Obama's surge and withdrawal, to Trump's negotiations with the Taliban, and Biden's final pullout is carefully reconstructed. Paul D. Miller identifies issues in US leadership, governance, military strategy, and policymaking that extend beyond the war in Afghanistan and highlight the existence of deeper problems in American foreign policy.