This episode explores the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq in 2011, the fragility of the Iraqi government, and the sectarian divisions that paved the way for ISIS. After the U.S. left, Iraq spiraled into instability, and by 2014, ISIS captured vast territory, declaring a “caliphate.”

The U.S. was forced to return with airstrikes and advisors, fighting a new war without large ground forces. The episode highlights the human cost of withdrawal and the enduring challenge of building peace after military victory.