The Empire Files

Rory Stewart tells the story of foreign intervention in Afghanistan from the 19th century to the present day.

From the streets of Afghanistan comes an all-new series profiling the U.S. military's most dangerous job. The first of its kind, Bomb Patrol Afghanistan is a groundbreaking docu-series giving viewers an unprecedented first person view of one of the most dangerous jobs in the world in one of the most dangerous places on earth. G4 embeds viewers within the U.S. Navy E.O.D. (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Unit as it trains state-side prior to deployment. Outside the wire in war-torn Afghanistan, helmet and body mounted cameras and state-of-the-art robotics bring you a never before seen look at the intensity of war. Viewers will witness as the elite team searches out, disarms and destroys an array of deadly explosives with one goal: to save civilian and military lives and return home safely. This is war like you've never seen before.

While Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda become a global threat, the rivalry between the CIA and FBI inadvertently sets the stage for the tragedy of 9/11 and the Iraq War.

Three iconic adventurers - newsman John Simpson, polar explorer Ranulph Fiennes and solo yachtsman Robin Knox-Johnston - go on a newsgathering trip to war-torn Afghanistan, attempt to sail around the most notorious of all maritime landmarks, Cape Horn, situated at the southernmost tip of South America, and man-haul sledges across the frozen sea ice of the Canadian Arctic.

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, reshaped the world far beyond the day itself. The ensuing “War on Terror” transformed warfare and intelligence operations, expanded surveillance and the use of drones, and raised fundamental questions about torture, human rights and the rule of law. At the same time, 9/11 fuelled racism, radicalisation and conspiracy theories, while contributing to growing distrust in political institutions and the media. From the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and Guantánamo to the rise of right-wing populism and increasing political and social division, the long-term consequences of 9/11 continue to shape global politics and society today.