The Longest War

The makers of the American TV thriller Homeland have teamed up with director Greg Barker for this sobering documentary about America’s presence in Afghanistan, an involvement that spans decades and numerous presidencies. Seven to be precise.

Although told comprehensively and chronologically, this isn’t a statistics-and-facts-heavy chronicle of events and geopolitical issues. Witnesses including US intelligence operatives such as recently retired CIA “targetter” officer Lisa Maddox (who bears a startling resemblance to Homeland’s Carrie Mathison), soldiers, journalists and Afghan officials describe their experiences of the war. “My head hurts for the [Afghan] people because I just don’t see how this ends,” says Maddox with a note of despair.