Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History

by George Crile

Book Overview

From an award-winning 60 Minutes reporter comes the extraordinary story of the largest and most successful CIA operation in history-the arming of the Mujahideen in Afghanistan. After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, pressure mounted for the Americans to support the Afghan resistance. Charlie Wilson, a maverick congressman from East Texas who sat on the powerful House Defense Appropriations Committee, persuaded his colleagues to allocate...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0871138549
• ISBN13: 9780871138545
• Release Date: April 2003
• Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 2.02 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Charlie Wilson's War & the Implications

The book was excellent and I highly recommend it. Having seen the initial "60 Minutes" program, I was vaguely familar with the book's subject matter, however, the detailed description contained within the book is exceptional.Although I highly recommend the book, I find the description of Charlie Wilson, his activities and the government bureaucracy disappointing. Descriptions of Congress funding hundreds of millions of dollars for programs, as a "favor" to a peer, lower my respect for the government and our elected representatives.Having recently read "All the Shah's Men", a description of the CIA's overthrow of the Iranian government in the 1950's, the book reminds me of the law of "unintended consequences".Charlie Wilson illegally diverted hundreds of millions of dollars to fund arms for Islamic armies to battle the Soviets. Major efforts were spent to provide the Afghans with a ground-to-air missle to shoot down Soviet helicopters.Today, Americans have to worry that the "Stinger" missles, provided by Charlie Wilson to the Afghans, are not used by Islamic militants to bring down American passenger planes.Although I believe the book rates "five stars", I am depressed by the description of our government in action.

Fantastic Summer Read

"Charlie Wilson's War" is the unbelievable yet true story of the covert CIA operation to support the Afghan rebels who so courageously resisted Soviet occupation in the 1980's. It is also the story of two extraordinary men, Congressman Charles Wilson and CIA operative Gust Avrokotos, whose guile, determination, and utter disregard for the rules made this quixotic undertaking a reality. This book is about impossible personalities prevailing against impossible odds to defeat an impossible foe. It is also impossible to put down. The prose is quick and engaging. George Crile and his crack team drop you immediately into the action, creating a close bond with the book's main protagonists. However, Wilson and Avrokotos are not allowed to completely overshadow the action. Crile brings his expert eye to this historic tale, forged after almost two decades of service as an executive producer at "Sixty Minutes". The result is an easy to follow, orderly read- despite the utter chaos of the region's history, politics, and religious, ethnic, and territorial turmoil. What makes this book all the more fascinating is the direct connections Crile ties to our present day difficulties with Afghanistan and the larger Islamic world, not to mention the final days of the Soviet empire. For the first time since 9/11, one source ties together the complicated web of covert operations, David and Goliath type odds, and the final missed opportunities into a coherent story. A story that is an object lesson into our current relationships in the Middle East. "Charlie Wilson's War" is proof once again that truth is far stranger than fiction, for throughout this story you will be struck time and time again by the sheer magnitude of the undertaking, the force of the personalities, and the effect they have on the entire world. This book caries my highest recommendation. Whether you like fiction or non fiction, history, spy novels, or fantasy, this saga has something for every reader. Go buy this book, and buy it for a friend!!!!

Smart, engaging, cogent read

Crile has really accomplished something here - telling a very unique, heretofore untold story of one of the most important secret missions of the last half-century with wit, vigor and distinction. I could not believe all that Charlie Wilson was able to accomplish and what a fascinating life he led; Crile does just as good of a job at explaining Wilson's life and war as Wilson did living and fighting it. Highly recommended.

A great read!

I could not put this book down -- just a great read. In the dangerous times that we now live in, it is amazing to read a book that finally explains the rise of militant Islam but is more entertaining than any spy novel. Belly dancers, beauty queens, rogue CIA agents and rugged mujahideen warriors this book is truth that fact is far stranger than fictionCharlie Wilson is a great American and one who has, somehow, been all but forgotten by history. This book explains how one American patriot can secretly change the world.In the post 9/11 era, this book is of enormous importance to every American. I recommend it highly.