Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History
by George Crile III
book data
1,553 ratings,
3.93
average rating, 360 reviews
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published
October 2003
by Blackstone Audiobooks
(first published 2003)
details
Audio Cassette
isbn
0786125462
(isbn13: 9780786125463)
description
This New York Times best-seller is the untold story behind the last battle of the Cold War, the rise of militant Islam, and of a colorful congressman …more
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avg 3.93
editions: all | this edition
editions: all | this edition
Read in January, 2008
This book was too long and poorly written. It repeated itself and skipped around quite a bit. It took me a very long time to get through this, despite being interested in the material. The author would have done better with a condensed book that flowed better. The story is over dramatized and extrodinarily biased. I'd like to hear from Casey, George, and others who were denigrated in this book. I think this is overinflated and a very egotistical version of an important turning point in US Hi...more
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Bear and I watched this movie last night and while on one hand I have to say it earned its "R" rating and then some, due to nudity, excessive profanity and immorality, it is nevertheless the incredible story of an unknown second-district Texas Congressman playboy who almost single-handedly procures millions of dollars (which were then matched by the Saudis) to support the Afghani mujahideen in their fight against the Soviet Union during the 1980s. Of course you know the outcome. What...more
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Read in April, 2008
I stumbled across a copy of this book while on vacation. I haven't seen the film version as of yet, but I always prefer to read the book if given the choice between the two.
This book is an astonishingly well-written report of how easily one man, in the right position, can circumvent due process and the rule of law. Everyone involved in the events described here seems to think of the incidents reported here as a great patriotic endeavor. I think it's a tremendous primer on the use of ...more
This book is an astonishingly well-written report of how easily one man, in the right position, can circumvent due process and the rule of law. Everyone involved in the events described here seems to think of the incidents reported here as a great patriotic endeavor. I think it's a tremendous primer on the use of ...more
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Read in January, 2005
A tremendously fun read and how many books on the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the jihad against the Soviets can you say that about? I'd give it 5 stars, if I felt I could trust it completely, but if it isn't entirely true, you'd want it to be. An alcholic dissolute Congressman brings down the Soviet Union, working with renegade CIA agents, right wing Christain fundamentalists aligned with fundalmentalist Muslims in Pakistan and Afghanistan. How can you not like this story? It's a bit lik...more
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recommended to Naeem by:
Christine Kosmicki
This is a popular book which will soon be a film. But more goes on here than meets the eye. On the face of things, it seems like a book about the heroic efforts of a one man to help the Afghan Mujahideen take on the Soviets.
But the author is actually telling three stories. The second on is about the journey to find meaningful desire. Charlie Wilson is a wreck of a human who moves from false desire to false desire until he gets to the Mujahideen.
The question is: d...more
But the author is actually telling three stories. The second on is about the journey to find meaningful desire. Charlie Wilson is a wreck of a human who moves from false desire to false desire until he gets to the Mujahideen.
The question is: d...more
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I guess now that Tom Hanks starred in a movie based on this book, I'm obligated to write a review. If you're into politics , intrigue, and war stories, this will be your favorite book. It's a completely true story, yet it reads like the best fiction in the genre. The movie covered a lot, but of course, a lot was left out, like Charlie's short marriage and long decline into alcoholism, which was only symbolized in the movie.
Charlie Wilson was a Democrat hawk who saved freedom for t...more
Charlie Wilson was a Democrat hawk who saved freedom for t...more
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Read in April, 2008
Charlie Wilson is a bit like everyone - a good side and a bad side. His "public" persona displayed a lot of what many would think is bad. His personal mission as a congressman from Texas was to help the Afghans who were being invaded by Russia in the 1980's. He did this through funding and close work with the CIA. His problems with alcohol will strike a chord with any recovering or former drinker.
It is an intriguing book, and somewhat scary that one man could wield this...more
It is an intriguing book, and somewhat scary that one man could wield this...more
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Read in January, 2008
This book is overly long and unnecessarily repetitive, and constantly displays a dumpy fratboy's hero-worship of dudes who get chicks, but if you want to understand how and why the United States government and its surrogates established the Afghani terror schools that trained people like Osama bin Laden, Crile is your man. He's not exactly what I'd call writerly, but the coda about the war's aftermath among Soviet soldiers is beautiful, and for you wonks at the Central Asia desk, he calls Flashm...more
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Read in October, 2008
There are many and complex aspects of Afghanistan's war with Russia (e.g., Saudi weapons improved by Israeli technological adjustments delivered to Pakistan for transfer to the mujahideen to fight the Russians). The author points out that an unintended consequence of this "just war" initiated by a rogue congressman and rogue CIA agent was to replace the mujahideen with the taliban. Was the not-so-covert op worth it? Wilson argues it was because it brought down the Berlin wall. Guess ...more
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Read in May, 1998
An incredibly entertaining history of Amercia's most successful covert war via proxy. When the Soviets went into Afghanistan, Congressman Charlie Wilson pushed to support the mujaheddin.
Its true that this eventually turned against us, providing the training that militarized those who would eventually become terrorists, but those dots couldn't be connected until many years later. At the time, it would have seemed just as plausible that Afghanistan would be solidly a U.S. partisan.
...more
Its true that this eventually turned against us, providing the training that militarized those who would eventually become terrorists, but those dots couldn't be connected until many years later. At the time, it would have seemed just as plausible that Afghanistan would be solidly a U.S. partisan.
...more
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Read in November, 2008
This was a fantastic history of the Afghan/Russian war of the late 70s-80s. There were quite a few things that struck me as ironic while reading this. First off, the Mujahideen that the US CIA were funding to fight the invading Russians with both weapons and money were called "Freedom Fighters" by Americans. These same people we would, in 2003-?, call terrorists when fighting us in Iraq.
I find it ironic that we pumped this area with billions of dollars for weapons annually...more
I find it ironic that we pumped this area with billions of dollars for weapons annually...more
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recommends it for:
Anyone who interested in political intrigue, CIA, Cold War, or James Bond.
If US Congressman Charles Nesbitt Wilson didn't watch Nightline that night in Caesar Palace, the history of Cold War will be different. Ted Koppel had opened his Nightline broadcast with a disturbing refrain: "Good evening. Tonight is the two hundred and thirty-seventh night of captivity for the hostages in Tehran. The United States with its $200 billion annual defense budget couldn't even force a taunting Third World nation to turn over fifty hostages." That news opened Charlie eyes a...more
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Read in July, 2008
Eye opening book about a subject that not very many people know about but should know about. It chronicles the millions of dollars the government, via the CIA and thanks to Charlie Wilson, gave to the mujahideen in Afghanistan during the years they were fighting the Russians. The funniest thing about this book is that Mr Wilson has no regrets.
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Read in September, 2007
recommends it for:
lay reader
Introduces the reader to Charlie Wilson, a former Texas representative, and his involvement in the covert support provided to the mujihadeen. Loose on facts and long on speculation. The book does not provide a thorough history of US involvement nor does it attempt to. If it reads like fiction, a large of it may very well be just that.
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Read in May, 2009
Considering the mess we're in right now in Afghanistan, this is a pretty interesting read. Charlie Wilson is a TX congressman who gets pulled into the plight of the Afghans when they are invaded in the 80's by the Soviet Union. Due to his position on the Ways and Means Committee, he has the ability to help fund the Afghans in their attempt to conquer if not wear down the Soviets and convince them to go home. As he hooks up with CIA agents and others championing the cause of these underdogs, he c...more
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Read in June, 2005
This is a book that I purchased when it first went into paperback, several years before the film came out. I could not get into it at first and didn't pick it back up for about a year. Thankfully when I did pick it back up it turned into such a page-turner that I nearly kicked myself for ever putting it down. While I'm sure that plenty of hyperbole and exaggeration are involved with some of the tales, sometimes real life is just better than fiction. Alternating between Charlie and Gust's sto...more
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Read in August, 2005
Terribly patronizing and gross--realist politics are nasty. I can't get behind them.
I suppose the national security establishment didn't think arming the mujahideen might result in the civil war of 1992-6 and the rise of the Taliban? Or does it even matter for them?
I suppose the national security establishment didn't think arming the mujahideen might result in the civil war of 1992-6 and the rise of the Taliban? Or does it even matter for them?
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I found the story of this book fascinating, not least because one of the major themes was government funding, and how Charlie Wilson almost effortlessly diverted it to fund what he saw as a "righteous cause". It was a really interesting look at what the Cold War mindset was like for some people, and also a great story (from one perspective) about what happened in Afghanistan in the 1980s. I recommend it with caveats: the main CIA character has a very foul mouth. VERY FOUL. Also the...more
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Read in November, 2009
A very interesting read. It's a bit slow at times but if you are at all interested in how the US got into it's current situation in Afghanistan after 8 years of "supporting" that country against the former Soviet Union, this book will explain it all and it's in a way that a person with limited international policy knowledge will still understand. I also found it completely amazing that billions of dollars in US money and weapons were being sent to Afghanistan to fight against communism...more
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Read in May, 2009
Invasi Uni Soviet ke Afghanistan, membuat gerah AS. Maklum, saat itu dunia seolah terbelah dua ideologi antara komunis dengan motor Uni Soviet dan demokrasi versi AS. Lewat tangan pejuang Mujahidin, AS banyak memberi bantuan terutama bantuan militer. AS banyak mengirim Stinger dan senjata anti tank, yang banyak dimanfaatkan oleh pejuang untuk menghancurkan kendaraan dan helikopter Uni Soviet. Salah satu tokoh yang andil dalam memberi bantuan senjata ke Afghanistan adalah Charlie Wilson, pria seg...more
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