A soldier's view of the fall of Afghanistan

Plus: the golden rules of midlife fitness, going undercover in the incel community, and how one of TV's best shows was rescued from obscurity [View in browser]( Monday August 16 2021 [The Telegraph]( By Chris Evans, EDITOR Dear Reader, The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has raised some important questions for the West. Violent, religious zealots in power anywhere breeds extremism and danger, writes Nick Timothy, but permanent or semi-permanent occupation – like what we’ve seen in Afghanistan – comes at a steep price, and represents a kind of imperialism America has rejected. Is now the time for a [full reassessment of our strategic capabilities]( There has also been criticism about the manner of our withdrawal, with many concerned that the British Government appears to be dragging its feet in coming to the aid of the Afghans who helped our forces. Female soldiers in particular have been left in a perilous situation, [as we report here](. Our defence and security correspondent and former soldier, Dominic Nicholls, warns that the way we exit this war may already be [setting the conditions for failure in the next](. (For more on the latest stories around the world from our award-winning foreign correspondents, [sign up to our Dispatches newsletter]( The whole country has been rocked by the shooting in Plymouth last week, which has reopened the discussion around “involuntary celibates”. In this fascinating piece, [Laura Bates reveals what she learned]( when spending two years undercover researching incel online communities and how we can tackle them. Exercise and a good diet are the obvious answers to leading a healthy life in middle age, but even those of us with the best intentions can sometimes slip up. It’s never too late to make a change, however. These are the [golden rules for keeping fit in midlife]( and what you still might be getting wrong, according to experts and celebrity trainers. Chris PS: Enjoy more of The Telegraph's unbeatable journalism with our summer sale. For just £1, get three months of unlimited access to the website and app. [Start your free trial here.]( My Choices [Joe Biden]( 'America’s rejection of its imperial burden leaves Britain vulnerable.' The humiliating defeat in Afghanistan means [we must reassess our policies]( writes Nick Timothy. [Dom Nicholls with a friend when serving on Operation Herrick 13]( What I tell my family as a former soldier watching Afghanistan fall to the Taliban: Dominic Nicholls [warns of the dangers in how the West exits this war](. [Illustration of silhouette of head with mouse cursors on it]( 'I went undercover in the incel community to try to understand men like Jake Davison.' [Find out what Laura Bates discovered.]( [Celebrity trainer Monique Eastwood]( The golden rules of midlife fitness and all the things you’re probably getting wrong. It's never too late to make a change to your fitness regime – [here's how](. [Sydney Opera House with person going by in mask]( Zero-Covid ‘hermit economies’ are heading for catastrophe: Matthew Lynn explains why countries [cutting themselves off from the world isn't the answer](. (Free to read) [Rupert Davies as the eponymous Patron of the Police Judiciaire in the celebrated Sixties series Maigret]( Rescued from obscurity: One of TV's greatest ever detective series. This is how the BBC's Maigret, starring the legendary Rupert Davies, [made such a lasting impact](. (Free to read) What did you think? Let us know how we're doing using the feedback button below or tweet me [@chrisevans1](. Although I am unable to respond individually to all the emails I receive, I am grateful to you for sending them to me. [Send feedback](mailto:Totheeditor@telegraph.co.uk) We hope you enjoyed our newsletter. If you have questions or feedback, please visit our [help page](. If you have questions about your Telegraph subscription, including delivery issues or technical ones, [please visit this page]( and contact us that way. If you would like a letter to the Editor published in The Telegraph, email it to [dtletters@telegraph.co.uk.](mailto:dtletters@telegraph.co.uk) Please include name, address, work and home telephone numbers. See more Telegraph newsletters [News Headlines]( | [Cookbook]( | [Cars]( | [Good News]( We have sent you this email because you have either asked us to or because we think it will interest you. [Unsubscribe]( | [Update your preferences]( For any other questions, please visit our help page [here](. Any offers included in this email come with their own Terms and Conditions, which you can see by clicking on the offer link. We may withdraw offers without notice. Telegraph Media Group Limited or its group companies - 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT. Registered in England under No 451593.