Inside the Cover: How America Lost Its Nerve

Much as Baghdad once did, Kabul, Afghanistan feels like an outpost of American imperialism. There's the familiar "green zone," the checkpoints you have to zigzag through, the armored convoys roaring by in clouds of dust, their IED jammers poking up like peacock tails.

But all of this vast presence is focused on one task: getting out.

In this week's National Journal cover story, Michael Hirsh takes on how America lost its nerve. In the video above, get inside the story with the author himself.