Sep 11, 2026 · 1h 15m

The war on terror reshaped America—and exposed its limits

Did We Win the War on Terror?

The panel weighs the security gains, human costs, strategic failures, and political consequences of the wars launched after 9/11.

3 key takeaways

1The attacks transformed careers, families, and institutions while creating a wartime mindset that lasted decades.
2Iraq and Afghanistan revealed how flawed assumptions, inadequate planning, and nation-building ambitions exceeded American power.
3Judging success depends on whether the measure is preventing another attack, winning wars, or preserving public trust.

Don't miss

David French explains why, despite being a 32-year-old lawyer with children, he chose to join the military and serve in Iraq.

The brief

Steve Hayes, Jonah Goldberg, Mike Nelson, and David French begin with where they were on 9/11, recalling the shock of an attack that reordered their work, families, and sense of national vulnerability.

David French’s decision to join the military at 32, with a wife and children, turns the abstract aftermath of 9/11 into a personal choice to serve in Iraq.

The panel separates counterterrorism’s record from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, arguing that “success” changes depending on whether the metric is security, cost, or political stability.

David French identifies insufficient forces, dissolving the Iraqi Army, and de-Baathification as major Iraq mistakes, while Mike Nelson challenges the idea that Afghanistan could be rapidly remade.

The closing argument is neither triumph nor total failure: 9/11’s legacy lies in lives saved, wars mishandled, institutions changed, and lessons America still struggles to preserve.

What was said on this episode

15 statements · 5 positive · 7 negative · 2 mixed · 1 neutral

Mike Nelsonon War in AfghanistanNegative39:56
The Afghanistan war ended in catastrophic defeat in 2021.
“ultimately, the war in Afghanistan resulted in a catastrophic defeat, you know, in 2021.”
Listen at 39:56
Mike Nelsonon War in AfghanistanPositive40:32
The decision to invade Afghanistan was correct.
“I think, you know, the decision to go to war in Afghanistan was the right one, obviously.”
Listen at 40:32
Mike Nelsonon Global war on terrorNeutral43:41
The global war on terror extended beyond Iraq and Afghanistan.
“the global war on terror was much more than those two conflicts.”
Listen at 43:41
Mike Nelsonon Major attacks against the U.S. homelandPositive43:53
The United States has avoided another major homeland attack since 2001.
“what we have not had since 2001 is a major large-scale attack against the U.S. homeland”
Listen at 43:53
Mike Nelsonon Global war on terrorPositive44:15
The global war on terror has succeeded in keeping America safe.
“as a whole, the global war on terror has been a success and that it has kept America safe.”
Listen at 44:15
David Frenchon Global war on terrorMixed46:03
The global war on terror remains a costly but continuing success.
“the global war on terrorism, is an ongoing success. A costly success, but an ongoing success”
Listen at 46:03
David Frenchon War in IraqMixed46:39
The Iraq war was a costly victory for the United States.
“the war in Iraq has been a costly victory. We won that.”
Listen at 46:39
David Frenchon Afghanistan transformation effortNegative47:03
The United States unequivocally lost its Afghanistan transformation effort.
“we unequivocally lost in our effort to fundamentally transform Afghanistan.”
Listen at 47:03
Jonah Goldbergon U.S. military performance in the war on terrorPositive54:53
The U.S. military deserves high marks for the war on terror.
“I think the military more or less gets not just passing grade, but high grades.”
Listen at 54:53
Jonah Goldbergon America's war-on-terror responseNegative55:12
America failed in multiple ways during the war on terror.
“America kind of failed in a lot of different ways and to a lot of different degrees.”
Listen at 55:12
David Frenchon U.S. invasion of IraqPositive1:05:31
The United States should have deployed more forces in Iraq.
“we should have gone in with more people.”
Listen at 1:05:31
David Frenchon Dissolution of the Iraqi ArmyNegative1:05:33
The United States should not have dissolved the Iraqi Army.
“I do not believe we should have dissolved the Iraqi Army.”
Listen at 1:05:33
David Frenchon De-BaathificationNegative1:05:35
De-Baathification disastrously stripped Iraq’s civil service.
“De-bathification turned out to be kind of a disaster because it stripped out the entire Iraqi civil service.”
Listen at 1:05:35
Mike Nelsonon U.S. Afghanistan policyNegative1:10:57
U.S. policy confused democracy with legitimacy in Afghanistan.
“we confused democracy with legitimacy and tried to impose a system that was foreign to them”
Listen at 1:10:57
Mike Nelsonon U.S. Afghanistan war effortNegative1:12:19
The United States tired, faltered, and failed in Afghanistan.
“We definitely tired and we definitely faltered. And in the case of Afghanistan specifically, we definitely failed.”
Listen at 1:12:19

Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.