Why the Afghanistan War Was Always Doomed; a Fatal Accident Upends South Dakota Politics; the OnlyFans Hustle

Plus: The Conspiracies of Spike Lee’s 9/11 Doc [View in your browser]( | [Update your preferences](newsletter=vf) [Vanity Fair Weekly]( A SPECIAL EDITION OF COCKTAIL HOUR August 26, 2021 [REPEATING HISTORY]( [Four U.S. Presidents and the Afghan Quagmire]( By Chris Whipple [As diplomat Richard Holbrooke once said about Afghanistan—and Vietnam: “How can we lose when we’re so sincere?”]( [Read More]( If someone forwarded you this email, [sign up for “Cocktail Hour” here](. [AMERICAN GOTHIC]( [A Republican Rising Star’s Deadly Scandal]( [As South Dakota attorney general Jason Ravnsborg goes to trial, he has refused calls to step down over a fatal car accident that has confounded residents, split his party, and left a grieving family divided in its pursuit of justice.]( By Tom Kludt [Read More]( [TRUTHINESS]( [The Conspiratorial First Cut of Spike Lee’s 9/11 Doc]( By Jordan Hoffman [A rundown of what exactly NYC Epicenters 9/11 → 2021 ½ contained before Lee decided to reedit it.]( [Read More]( [THE BUYLINE]( [Meet the After-Sun Essentials That Will Help Skin Recover Fast]( By Deanna Pai [From next-gen aloe to antioxidant-boosted serums, here are the skin-soothing formulas for the home stretch of summer.]( [Read More]( [DISCONTENTS]( [OnlyFans and the Myth of Owning Your Hustle]( By Delia Cai [The platform’s betrayal of sex workers reveals hard truths about the greater creator economy at large.]( [Read More]( [HOLLYWOOD]( [Candyman Comes for the Privileged]( By Anthony Breznican [Once, he killed indiscriminately. In Nia DaCosta’s new film, the horror legend born from Black trauma seeks messy justice.]( [Read More]( [FROM THE MAGAZINE]( [Gawker Stalker: Charting the Site’s Media Takeover]( By Michael Calderone [From the New York Times newsroom to the Succession writers room, the kids once shooting spitballs at the establishment now have seats at the table. As a new Gawker gets going, here’s how the spirit of the site—and siblings like Jezebel and Deadspin—has spread.]( [Read More]( [Vanity Fair]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( This e-mail was sent to you by VANITY FAIR. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, vanityfair@newsletter.vf.com, to your address book. View our [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe]( Copyright © Condé Nast 2021. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.