In a comprehensive new examination of U.S. military involvement in the Middle East over the past 25 years, journalist Peter Bergen scrutinizes a series of strategic errors and failures across multiple presidential administrations. His work chronicles the trajectory from the early days of the post-9/11 “war on terror” to the ongoing conflict dynamics influencing the region today.

Bergen’s account begins with missed intelligence warnings prior to the September 11 attacks and follows the United States’ military responses, including the initial ousting of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and the subsequent invasion of Iraq. The book traces the rise of ISIS and the eventual return of the Taliban to power, capturing the complex and often chaotic evolution of U.S. policy in the region. He presents a critical view of the decision-making processes that led to costly missteps, highlighting how political considerations frequently undermined effective military strategy.

While the use of advanced drone technology allowed U.S. forces to eliminate high-profile terrorist leaders remotely and helped prevent further attacks on American soil, Bergen underscores the significant human and financial costs involved. Over the course of these conflicts, approximately 7,000 American service members lost their lives alongside hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and Afghan civilians. He notes that despite some tactical successes—such as improved counterinsurgency operations in Iraq—the broader goals of these interventions remain unfulfilled, with ongoing instability and violence persisting.

Among the administrations covered, Bergen offers a particularly critical assessment of George W. Bush’s efforts to justify and sustain the Iraq War, as well as the Donald Trump presidency’s inconsistent approach. He highlights Trump’s initial reliance on experienced military advisers before shifting toward decision-making driven more by personal instinct than coherent strategy. Bergen recounts episodes reflecting this approach, including an anecdote involving Melania Trump suggesting the president emphasize a military dog involved in a raid against ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to shape public perception.

Bergen also critiques Trump’s handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, emphasizing the consequences of negotiating with the Taliban while excluding the Afghan government. This approach, designed to facilitate a rapid troop pullout prior to the 2020 election, effectively handed the Taliban a strategic advantage, accelerating the collapse of the Afghan government. Bergen assigns responsibility to both Trump for initiating these terms and President Joe Biden for proceeding with the withdrawal without renegotiation, a sequence of events that he argues contributed to a diminished U.S. standing internationally and possibly emboldened other global actors such as Russia.

In contrast, Bergen offers a somewhat measured view of Barack Obama’s tenure, acknowledging his reliance on drone strikes that, while tactically effective, also resulted in civilian casualties and increased anti-American sentiment in the region.

The author concludes by noting the early stages of Trump’s later military actions against Iran, which at the time of his writing remained an unfolding situation. Bergen suggests that prior miscalculations—particularly the failure to adequately plan for the aftermath of military operations—continue to plague U.S. policy. He underscores the risks inherent in confronting a region with its own evolving technologies, such as Iran’s advancements in drone warfare, and predicts further challenges ahead.

Overall, Bergen’s narrative serves as a sober reflection on the costly lessons of recent American military engagements in the Middle East, emphasizing the need for careful strategy and comprehensive planning in future efforts.