Veteran CIA Officer Duane Evans’ unexpected journey from the pristine halls of Langley to the badlands of southern Afghanistan began within hours of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. His personal quest to become part of the U.S. response against al-Qa’ida took him first to Pakistan where, as part of CIA’s Echo team, he worked with Hamid Karzai. Then, as leader of the Foxtrot team, he campaigned across the southern Afghanistan desert to Kandahar city – crown jewel of the Taliban movement and ground zero for al-Qa’ida, ultimately capturing the city on December 7, 2001. Evans will share his experiences, along with perspectives on why we became involved in what is now America’s longest war and lost opportunities in the years since his time in Afghanistan.