In December 2019, the Washington Post's Craig Whitlock published a trove of confidential government documents on the conduct of the Afghan war over the preceding 18 years. ‘The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War’ revealed a pattern in Washington of hiding the truth and presenting overly optimistic assessments about the war that were detached from reality on the ground in Afghanistan. The magnitude of the attempts to cover-up a failing war effort and rampant corruption in the reconstruction effort sent shockwaves through the media. Join us for a discussion of the impact of the Afghanistan Papers a year later. How were the documents uncovered, and what did they reveal — both about Afghanistan, but also about U.S. foreign policymaking and congressional and executive oversight? QI's Adam Weinstein will moderate.

Candidate Joe Biden was fiercely critical of Donald Trump's breach of the Iran Nuclear Deal and pledged to return to it once elected president. But since taking office, Biden appears not to be in a rush, insisting that Iran must take the first step towards returning to compliance. This demand has created a deadlock as Iran inches towards its presidential election season, rendering diplomacy even more difficult. What is motivating Biden's approach? And will it pay off, or does it risk losing the nuclear deal altogether? QI will host a panel discussion featuring Atlantic Council's Emma Ashford, Johns Hopkins' Vali Nasr, and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Aaron David Miller. QI's Trita Parsi will moderate.