Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times

Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times
by George Crile

Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times
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Book Summary Information

Author: George Crile
Edition: Paperback
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2007-11-06
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 560
Publisher: Grove Press

Book Reviews of Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times

Book Review: Warning: Do Not Read This Book If You Are Allergic To Facts!
Summary: 5 Stars

This book is to put it simply brilliant. The author manages to create a compelling and balanced story about one of the most significant chapters in recent history. Throughout the whole book I was torn. Mr. Wilson's inherent likeability comes through very clearly, as does the rough charm of his CIA cohort Gust Avrakatos. And yet at the same time these men and many others, broke, bent, skirted and ignored a large number of laws and procedures all in the name of ideology. And the net result while it may have dealt a significant blow to the then Soviets, it ultimately wound up damaging us as well. Frankly I think that Mr. Wilson and company should have been given a ticker tape parade down Main Street, and then locked up in prison for a number of years.

I feel that the author did a very credible job of reporting all the facts of the situation without trying to steer the reader towards one conclusion over another. Given how much, now more than ever good incisive investigation into recent actions by politicians is needed I mourn the authors recent passing.

Summary of Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times

A gripping and vibrant book soon to be released as a major motion picture starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts and directed by Mike Nichols, Charlie Wilson?s War was a New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times best seller when it was published in 2003. Crile?s book is the true story of how a Texas Congressman and a rogue CIA agent conspired to launch the biggest, meanest, and most successful CIA campaign ever ? the operation to fund the mujahideen in their fight against the Soviet army that had invaded Afghanistan. Moving from the back rooms of the Capitol to secret chambers at Langley, from arms dealers? conventions to the Khyber Pass, Charlie Wilson?s War presents an astonishing chapter of our recent past, and the key to understanding what helped trigger the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union and ultimately led to the emergence of a brand-new foe in the form of radical Islam.

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