The Taliban victory in Afghanistan raises profound questions about U.S. foreign policy. Some of those questions are retrospective: What were the causes of the shocking and swift defeat of the Afghan government by the Taliban? What decisions — starting with President George W. Bush and ending with President Joe Biden — shaped the role of the U.S. in Afghanistan over the course of 20 years? Was the war ever winnable?
At this member-exclusive event, Bonner Means Baker Fellow Joe Barnes and Roundtable Young Professionals chair Winston Elliott, a major in the Army Reserve and a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, explored these questions as well as what the future might hold. Looking forward, what can the people of Afghanistan anticipate under Taliban rule, and what can the United States do to help those Afghans who stood with us during the conflict? What can the international community do to address refugee flows? Finally, what impact will our defeat in Afghanistan have on our international credibility with partners and opponents alike?
Roundtable Dialogues are informal, member-exclusive discussions with Baker Institute experts on current events, politics and policy. These thought-provoking conversations provide insights into issues that affect policy at local, national and global levels.
To attend future Roundtable Dialogues and other member-exclusive events, please join one of our premier membership forums today. Contact Rachel Smith at rachel.smith@rice.edu or 713.348.4945 for more information on the benefits of joining the Baker Institute Roundtable or Morgan Garvey at morgan.garvey@rice.edu or 713.348.8087 to join the Roundtable Young Professionals.
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Registration
This webinar was free and open to members of the Roundtable and Roundtable Young Professionals through the link included in their email invitation. For more information about our premier membership forums, please contact Rachel Smith at rachel.smith@rice.edu or Morgan Garvey at morgan.garvey@rice.edu.
Agenda
12:30 p.m. — Presentation
1:30 p.m. — Q&A
Featured Speaker
Maj. Winston Elliott is the chair of the Roundtable Young Professionals Advisory Committee as well as a major in the United States Army Reserve. He served as a platoon leader with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division in Operation Enduring Freedom XII in Afghanistan.
Moderator
Joe Barnes
Bonner Means Baker Fellow, Baker Institute
