07.12.21. Afghanistan: Leaving the Forever War

As the United States makes its exit from the "Forever War" in Afghanistan, we look at the problems the country may face, and why history shows that choosing to leave is both the "least worst" and the only right choice. 

Protest erupted over the weekend in Cuba on a scale that hasn't been seen in the country in nearly three decades, as people lined the streets in many of the country's major cities airing grievances about the economy and the pandemic. Meanwhile, the strange circumstances surrounding the assassination of the Haitian president continue to unfold as the story grows more complex by the day.

Then, shifting our attention over to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, we examine the current situation, the Afghani government's responses, and the encroachment of the Taliban throughout the country. Although there are many who see President Biden's choice to withdraw at the current time problematic, history shows why past attempts at "Nation Building" in the country have been unsuccessful, and that there is no "right time" to exit. The only sensible option is to leave... although doing so will present its own problems. We look at all of this, and more on this week's installment of Middle Theory. 

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SHOW NOTES

* CUBA: Cubans Denounce 'Misery' in Biggest Protests in Decades 

* 'We are no longer afraid': Thousands of Cubans protest against conditions on island 

* FLASHBACK: Uprising on Havana’s Malecón 20 years ago set off exodus 

* Demonstrations break out in Miami as protestors march against government in Cuba 

* PLOT: Mystery Surrounds Suspected Mastermind in Haiti Presidential Assassination Plot 

* Explained: The assassination of Jovenel Moise, Haiti's President 

* EXIT STRATEGY: Top US commander to exit Afghanistan amid Taliban surge 

* REED: <a href="https://thehill.