Remarks
What the U.S. Has Learned About Fighting Terror Since Sept. 11
Boots on the ground cannot transform a society.
U.S. soldiers stand guard behind barbed wire as Afghans hoping to flee the country sit on a roadside near the military part of the airport in Kabul on Aug. 20.
Photographer: Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Washington is experiencing an uncharacteristic bout of humility about the uses of military power.
In recent weeks, our screens have been dominated by images of the rushed U.S. withdrawal and the scramble to relocate Afghans who assisted with the war effort, along with reports that women’s rights are already backsliding across the country. The scenes raise the question: What if anything did America learn from two decades of conflict across the greater Middle East? Five tentative lessons stand out.