Journey into the heart of one of history's most misunderstood conflicts as we explore Adam Curtis's powerful documentary "Bitter Lake." This episode unravels the tangled web of Western involvement in Afghanistan - a story of good intentions, devastating consequences, and shattered illusions.

From America's ambitious modernization projects of the mid-20th century to the devastating "War on Terror," discover how Afghanistan became the graveyard of Western narratives. We'll examine how Cold War rivalries transformed the country into an ideological battleground, how Saudi Wahhabism fueled radical Islam, and how the West's support for mujahideen fighters against the Soviets planted the seeds for future conflict.

This episode challenges our understanding of international intervention, revealing how oversimplified Western narratives have failed to capture Afghanistan's complex realities. Through Curtis's unflinching lens, we confront uncomfortable truths about how our attempts to reshape other societies often undermine our own values and leave behind legacies of distrust and chaos.

A thought-provoking exploration of how grand narratives collapse when they collide with the messy complexities of human societies and the unintended consequences that follow.