“Bodyguard of Lies”: A Documentary Exposing Deception, War, and the Fall of Afghanistan

Kokcha News Agency: Bodyguard of Lies*, a documentary directed by Dan Krauss and based on The Washington Post’s investigative reporting, premiered on Paramount+ on September 23, 2025. The film’s title is inspired by a famous quote from Winston Churchill: “In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies.”

The documentary exposes how, during the two-decade-long U.S. war in Afghanistan, truth was not only scarce but also the primary casualty. The film is an adaptation of the 2019 investigation known as the Afghanistan Papers, which compiled hundreds of firsthand accounts from generals, diplomats, and government officials. These accounts often starkly contradicted the public statements made by the same officials, revealing decades of deliberate deception.

In an interview with *The Washington Post*, Krauss explained that his goal was not to focus on the war itself but rather on the words and the gap between official rhetoric and hidden reality. To achieve this, he turned to individuals who had rarely been featured in the media. One of the central figures in the film is General David McKiernan, who was dismissed during the Obama administration. In the documentary, McKiernan candidly admits to his role in presenting an overly optimistic picture of the war and expresses regret for it. McKiernan was one of the few who emphasized that the solution in Afghanistan was political, not military.

The Afghanistan Papers are reminiscent of the Pentagon Papers and Daniel Ellsberg’s revelations during the Vietnam War. Just as truth was distorted in Vietnam, U.S. political and military leaders in Afghanistan repeatedly made statements they knew to be false. Some of these lies stemmed from American self-deception and the “can-do” optimism—the belief that simply saying “we will win” or “democracy will be established in Afghanistan” could make it a reality. This approach placed immense pressure on commanders and ground forces.

The film also delves into the roles of the Trump and Biden administrations in ending the war. The Trump administration secretly negotiated with the Taliban without consulting Congress or the Afghan government. Biden inherited this agreement and implemented the troop withdrawal during his first year in office. Krauss notes that while there is much debate about the manner of the withdrawal, it’s important to remember that the groundwork was laid during the Trump era. The chaotic and costly end to the war makes it difficult to credit anyone with its conclusion. The film aims to clarify that the decision to withdraw cannot be attributed solely to Biden.

This documentary could serve as the first serious introduction to the Afghanistan War for a younger generation, showing how lies dragged the country into an endless war and how those same lies justified its continuation. John F. Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, warns in the film that the U.S. must learn from this experience to avoid falling for the promise of “a small, glorious war” again. The film also carries an important message for the media: Pentagon reporters were often chastised for questioning military operations or forced to pledge not to seek unauthorized information. Krauss sees this trend as a sign that the lessons of the war have yet to be learned and that conditions for journalists have become even tougher than before.

Bodyguard of Lies is a shocking account of America’s longest war and the lies that shaped it. The film warns that truth is often the first casualty in war and that a society that fails to demand transparency from its leaders is doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past.