Listen Live
Donate
 on air
    Schedule

    KCRW

    Read & Explore

    • News
    • Entertainment
    • Food
    • Culture
    • Events

    Listen

    • Live Radio
    • Music
    • Podcasts
    • Full Schedule

    Information

    • About
    • Careers
    • Help / FAQ
    • Newsletters
    • Contact

    Support

    • Become a Member
    • Become a VIP
    • Ways to Give
    • Shop
    • Member Perks

    Become a Member

    Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

    DonateGive Monthly

    Copyright 2026 KCRW. All rights reserved.

    Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
    Cookie Policy
    |FCC Public Files|

    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Post-Iraq Syndrome

    Defeat in war can have "unintended, seemingly inexplicable consequences." Upset defeats can be especially damaging to a nation's psyche. Thirty years ago, what came to be called Vietnam Syndrome has divided America for decades, with profound consequences for its politics and conduct of foreign policy.

    • rss
    • Share
    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    Defeat in war can have "unintended, seemingly inexplicable consequences." Upset defeats can be especially damaging to a nation's psyche. Thirty years ago, what came to be called Vietnam Syndrome has divided America for decades, with profound consequences for its politics and conduct of foreign policy. Will "Iraq Syndrome" have similar and longer-lasting consequences? What about US prestige and effectiveness in the rest of the world?

    The full episode

    1 of 2
    Should the US Get Ready for Post-Iraq Syndrome?
    1. 0:00Post-Iraq SyndromeYou’re reading this
    2. 0:00Two Palestines?
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Frances Anderton

      architecture critic and author

    • KCRW placeholder

      Christian Bordal

      Managing Producer, Greater LA

    • KCRW placeholder

      Katie Cooper

      Producer, 'One year Later'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Christopher Fettweis

      Assistant Professor ot National Security Affairs at the US Navel War College

    • KCRW placeholder

      Fouad Ajami

      Stanford University

    • KCRW placeholder

      Peter Galbraith

      gubernatorial candidate and former diplomat

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    1 of 2
    Should the US Get Ready for Post-Iraq Syndrome?
    1. 0:00Post-Iraq SyndromeYou’re reading this
    2. 0:00Two Palestines?
    Back to To the Point