National Security

Afghan soldiers stand guard after the American military left the Bagram Airfield, north of Kabul, on July 5. While the U.S. military is now largely gone from Afghanistan, the CIA is still monitoring the Taliban and developments in the country, though unde

With The U.S. Military Gone, The CIA Faces Tough Challenges In Afghanistan

9:44am July 12, 2021

by Greg Myre

The CIA and the military depend on each other in war zones like Afghanistan. Now that U.S. forces have pulled out almost entirely, the spy agency will have a harder time keeping tabs on the Taliban.

National

As U.S. Troops Withdraw, A Map Shows The Taliban Control Much Of Afghanistan

7:14am July 12, 2021

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to journalist Bilal Sarwary, who's based in the Afghan capital Kabul, about the unstable security situation in Afghanistan as U.S. troops leave the country.

National

News Brief: Taliban Challenges, Cuban Demonstrations, Assassination Probe

7:14am July 12, 2021

The Taliban expand their territorial control in Afghanistan. Demonstrators in Cuba protest shortages and rising prices. The U.S. sends investigators to Haiti after the president's assassination.

Razor wire and a guard tower stands at a closed section of the U.S. prison at Guantánamo Bay on Oct. 22, 2016.

What Might Happen To Guantánamo Now That U.S. Troops Are Leaving Afghanistan

5:42pm July 10, 2021

by Sacha Pfeiffer

The U.S. military prison in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, was created to hold people captured in Afghanistan and the broader war on terror. As the U.S. pulls out of Afghanistan, what happens to its detainees?

The Taliban's Resurgence In Afghanistan Has Regional Security Implications

12:53pm July 10, 2021

Scott Simon speaks to Ahmad Shuja Jamal, head of international affairs at Afghanistan's National Security Council, about regional security issues in the event of a Taliban takeover.

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Army Brig. Gen. Mark Martins, Guantánamo's chief prosecutor, addresses the media on Oct. 19, 2012, at the end of a week of pretrial hearings for the five alleged architects of the 9/11 attacks. Martins announced his retirement this week.

Chief Guantánamo Prosecutor Announces Surprise Retirement Before 9/11 Trial Starts

10:39am July 10, 2021

by Sacha Pfeiffer

As the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks nears, the case's chief prosecutor has announced his surprise retirement. No clear reason was given for Brig. Gen. Mark Martins' early exit from Guantánamo.

'There Is Not Unlimited Patience': U.S. Ambassador To Russia Discusses Cyberattacks

4:24pm July 09, 2021

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with U.S. Ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, about his departure from Moscow, relations after the Geneva summit and pressure on Putin regarding recent cyberattacks.

National

Russian Cyberattacks Present Serious Threat To U.S.

8:39am July 09, 2021

by Lucian Kim

Russia's cyberwarfare activity was a focus of President Biden's meeting with President Vladimir Putin last month. Analysts say it is the great leveler when it comes to Russia-U.S. competition.

National

Internal Records From Killing Of Oscar Grant Show Lack Of Police Accountability

5:04pm July 08, 2021

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks to KQED's Sukey Lewis about the final episode of the podcast On Our Watch, which examines recently-released internal police records of the killing of Oscar Grant in 2009.

National

The Pentagon Plans To Support Afghan Forces After U.S. Troops Withdraw

7:16am July 08, 2021

NPR's Noel King talks to Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Bush and Obama, about what's ahead as the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is nearly complete.