Former CIA Officer Weighs In on Afghan Strategy

In this Reporter's Podcast, Sageman said the U.S. focus on Afghanistan is due to al-Qaida's attacks on the United States and its harboring of people involved in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, not trade or other strategic interests.

"Our only purpose for our stay in Afghanistan is really to prevent potential transnational threat to the U.S. homeland," and now that threat is no longer in Afghanistan, he said.

Hear his conversation with NewsHour deputy senior producer of foreign affairs Daniel Sagalyn:

View more Afghan conversations:

Rory Stewart, author who spent two years walking across Afghanistan

Bruce Riedel, former CIA officer and author

Ashraf Ghani, former Afghan finance minister and presidential candidate

-- Interview by Daniel Sagalyn of the NewsHour