What happens when America never learns the lessons of its longest wars? Former Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John Sopko joins Shane Smith for a brutally honest conversation about Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Ukraine, corruption, contractors, the military-industrial complex, and the trillion-dollar cycle of endless war. After overseeing more than 700 investigations into waste, fraud, and abuse during the 20-year war in Afghanistan, Sopko explains how America spent trillions, empowered corruption, radicalized populations, and repeated the same mistakes over and over again — while contractors, bureaucracies, and political interests kept the machine running. The conversation dives into: - The real legacy of Afghanistan - Why “nation building” failed - How war spending fuels the contractor economy - Why Iran could become another endless conflict - The “Iron Triangle” between Congress, the Pentagon, and defense contractors - Ukraine, Gaza, AI warfare, and drones - ...