This week, AEI's scholars continued their in-depth analysis of the causes and consequences of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, and also engaged with major educational issues confronting parents and students across the country.

Hal Brand argues that the American military was "the crucial difference between an ugly but acceptable stalemate and a stunning collapse of the Afghan government." He warns that President Joe Biden's decision to leave may create "geopolitical aftershocks from Europe to South Asia and beyond" and cast a shadow on America's moral reputation and strategic abilities.

In The New York Times, Kori Schake condemns the "hubris and folly" of former President Donald Trump's deal with the Taliban. Calling it "one of the most disgraceful diplomatic bargains on record," she points to the agreement as an example of why Congress needs to play a more active role in crafting deals with foreign powers.

In time for the new school year, Frederick M. Hess argues that attacks on campus free speech and inquiry are real and increasing. He suggests that this surge demonstrates that Americans "need to be vigilant" in defending these core academic values; that includes university administrators, who are too willing to punish faculty for heterodox views.

Samuel J. Abrams turns his attention to high schools, where despite intense pressure "to create an academic monoculture," many teachers emphasize diversity of thought and opinion. This resilient cohort, he says, "should be lauded and supported" by the families and communities they strengthen and serve.

Finally, Brent Orrell argues that, given recent trends in artificial intelligence, politicians and policymakers should stop telling young people to "learn to code" and instead encourage them to develop skills applicable to "more creative, people-intensive, and harder-to-automate tasks" — abilities that are sharpened by studying the humanities.