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The Resource Charlie Wilson's war : the extraordinary story of the largest covert operation in history, George Crile

Charlie Wilson's war : the extraordinary story of the largest covert operation in history, George Crile

Creator
Summary
In a little over a decade, two events have transformed the world: the collapse of the Soviet Union and the rise of militant Islam. This book is the story behind the last battle of the Cold War and how it fueled the new jihad. The author tells how Charlie Wilson, a maverick congressman from east Texas, conspired with a rogue CIA operative to launch the biggest, meanest, and most successful covert operation in the Agency's history. In the early 1980s, after a Houston socialite turned Wilson's attention to the ragged band of Afghan 'freedom fighters' who continued, despite overwhelming odds, to fight the Soviet invaders, the congressman became passionate about their cause. At a time when Ronald Reagan faced a total cutoff of funding for the Contra war, Wilson, who sat on the all-powerful House Appropriations Committee, managed to procure hundreds of millions of dollars to support the mujahideen. The arms were secretly procured and distributed with the aid of an out-of-favor CIA operative, Gust Avrakotos, whose working-class Greek-American background made him an anomaly among the Ivy League world of American spies. Nicknamed 'Dr. Dirty, ' the blue-collar James Bond was an aggressive agent who served on the front lines of the Cold War where he learned how to stretch the Agency's rules to the breaking point
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
x, 550 pages
Note
Includes index
Contents
  • Introduction : A strange award at Langley
  • A hot tub in Las Vegas
  • Defender of Trinity
  • A rogue elephant in the Agency woods
  • A Texas bombshell
  • The secret life of Charlie Wilson
  • The curse of Aliquippa
  • How the Israelis broke the Congressman's heart and he fell for the Muj
  • The station chief
  • Cocaine Charlie
  • The Congressman takes his belly dancer to the Jihad
  • The rebirth of Gust Avrakotos
  • The United States v. Charles Wilson
  • The seduction of Doc Long
  • Gust's secret
  • The opening salvo
  • Howard of Afghanistan
  • Cogan's last stand
  • The birth of a conspiracy
  • The recruitment
  • No Wasps need apply
  • Man of destiny
  • Mohammed's arms bazar
  • The Senator and his even crazier right-wing friends
  • Techno holy warriors
  • 'The noblest smuggling operation is history'
  • Dr. Doom declares Charlie dead
  • Charlie's irregulars
  • The silver bullet
  • The other silver bullet
  • The brown bomber
  • 'It's my war, goddamn it'
  • A jihad to remember
  • The price of glory
  • 'Here's to you, you motherfucker'
  • Epilogue : unintended consequences
Isbn
9780871138514
Instance
Label
Charlie Wilson's war : the extraordinary story of the largest covert operation in history
Title
Charlie Wilson's war
Title remainder
the extraordinary story of the largest covert operation in history
Statement of responsibility
George Crile
Title variation
Charlie Wilsons war
Title variation remainder
the extraordinary story of the largest covert operation in history
Creator
Subject
Genre
Language
eng
Summary
In a little over a decade, two events have transformed the world: the collapse of the Soviet Union and the rise of militant Islam. This book is the story behind the last battle of the Cold War and how it fueled the new jihad. The author tells how Charlie Wilson, a maverick congressman from east Texas, conspired with a rogue CIA operative to launch the biggest, meanest, and most successful covert operation in the Agency's history. In the early 1980s, after a Houston socialite turned Wilson's attention to the ragged band of Afghan 'freedom fighters' who continued, despite overwhelming odds, to fight the Soviet invaders, the congressman became passionate about their cause. At a time when Ronald Reagan faced a total cutoff of funding for the Contra war, Wilson, who sat on the all-powerful House Appropriations Committee, managed to procure hundreds of millions of dollars to support the mujahideen. The arms were secretly procured and distributed with the aid of an out-of-favor CIA operative, Gust Avrakotos, whose working-class Greek-American background made him an anomaly among the Ivy League world of American spies. Nicknamed 'Dr. Dirty, ' the blue-collar James Bond was an aggressive agent who served on the front lines of the Cold War where he learned how to stretch the Agency's rules to the breaking point
Tone
Writing style
Award
New York Times Notable Book, 2003
http://library.link/vocab/ext/novelist/bookUI
158590
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Crile, George
Dewey number
958.104/5
Illustrations
illustrations
Index
index present
LC call number
DS371.2
LC item number
.C75 2003
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/resourcePreferred
True
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Wilson, Charles
  • United States
  • Wilson, Charles
  • United States
  • Afghanistan
  • Military assistance, American
  • Afghanistan
  • Military assistance, American
  • Secret service
  • Afghanistan
http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/titleRemainder
the extraordinary story of the largest covert operation in history
Label
Charlie Wilson's war : the extraordinary story of the largest covert operation in history, George Crile
Instantiates
Publication
Note
Includes index
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Introduction : A strange award at Langley -- A hot tub in Las Vegas -- Defender of Trinity -- A rogue elephant in the Agency woods -- A Texas bombshell -- The secret life of Charlie Wilson -- The curse of Aliquippa -- How the Israelis broke the Congressman's heart and he fell for the Muj -- The station chief -- Cocaine Charlie -- The Congressman takes his belly dancer to the Jihad -- The rebirth of Gust Avrakotos -- The United States v. Charles Wilson -- The seduction of Doc Long -- Gust's secret -- The opening salvo -- Howard of Afghanistan -- Cogan's last stand -- The birth of a conspiracy -- The recruitment -- No Wasps need apply -- Man of destiny -- Mohammed's arms bazar -- The Senator and his even crazier right-wing friends -- Techno holy warriors -- 'The noblest smuggling operation is history' -- Dr. Doom declares Charlie dead -- Charlie's irregulars -- The silver bullet -- The other silver bullet -- The brown bomber -- 'It's my war, goddamn it' -- A jihad to remember -- The price of glory -- 'Here's to you, you motherfucker' -- Epilogue : unintended consequences
Control code
ocm48942498
Dimensions
24 cm
Extent
x, 550 pages
Isbn
9780871138514
Lccn
2002019074
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other control number
9780871138545
Other physical details
illustrations
Specific material designation
regular print
System control number
(OCoLC)48942498
Label
Charlie Wilson's war : the extraordinary story of the largest covert operation in history, George Crile
Publication
Note
Includes index
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Introduction : A strange award at Langley -- A hot tub in Las Vegas -- Defender of Trinity -- A rogue elephant in the Agency woods -- A Texas bombshell -- The secret life of Charlie Wilson -- The curse of Aliquippa -- How the Israelis broke the Congressman's heart and he fell for the Muj -- The station chief -- Cocaine Charlie -- The Congressman takes his belly dancer to the Jihad -- The rebirth of Gust Avrakotos -- The United States v. Charles Wilson -- The seduction of Doc Long -- Gust's secret -- The opening salvo -- Howard of Afghanistan -- Cogan's last stand -- The birth of a conspiracy -- The recruitment -- No Wasps need apply -- Man of destiny -- Mohammed's arms bazar -- The Senator and his even crazier right-wing friends -- Techno holy warriors -- 'The noblest smuggling operation is history' -- Dr. Doom declares Charlie dead -- Charlie's irregulars -- The silver bullet -- The other silver bullet -- The brown bomber -- 'It's my war, goddamn it' -- A jihad to remember -- The price of glory -- 'Here's to you, you motherfucker' -- Epilogue : unintended consequences
Control code
ocm48942498
Dimensions
24 cm
Extent
x, 550 pages
Isbn
9780871138514
Lccn
2002019074
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other control number
9780871138545
Other physical details
illustrations
Specific material designation
regular print
System control number
(OCoLC)48942498

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