This book is a very personality-centered look at the U.S. response to the Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Don't expect to find any elucidation on the political turmoil in Afghanistan in the 70s' that may lend understanding to the Russian's actions; don't expect to find much consideration of the broad geopolitical thinking at the highest levels of the U.S. government and how the Afghanistan situation fit at the time. It seems scarcely possible that a relatively unimportant congressman could almost independently drive U.S. policy in an area with obvious risk implications for the U.S. Viewed from today's perspective, the ramifications of that knee-jerk reaction to Afghanistan in the 1980s has been quite severe.

Charlie Wilson, a gregarious sort and womanizer extraordinaire, was a populist U.S. Congressman from Texas, who was pro-military and fervently anti-Communist. He apparently fell under the spell of Houston socialite Joanne Herring, a member of various right-wing organizations, to address the plight of Afghan refugees and fighters. As a member of a House subcommittee responsible for funding covert operations, Wilson was able to repeatedly increase appropriations to fund the Afghan mujahideen in their resistance to the occupying Soviets. He later operated in concert with Gust Avrakotos, a crusty CIA agent with extensive knowledge of the Near East. Other key personalities were Mike Vickers, a CIA logistics expert and unheralded facilitator of the Afghan response, and Zia al Huq, the Pakistani dictator, who was concerned with being squeezed by the Russians and India and welcomed Charlie Wilson with open arms.

The book provides some insight into the conservative, containment thinking of the CIA. The CIA was conceived of as an elitist organization with definite protocols, where boat-rocking was frowned upon. Wilson and Avrakotos, a Greek ethnic, working-class Pennsylvanian and always an outsider at the CIA, challenged the CIA strategy of supplying the Afghans with antiquated rifles to simply be a thorn in the side of the Russians. The CIA leadership had to be dragged into accepting the arming of the mujahideen with rocket launchers to shoot down Soviet Hind helicopters, which ultimately resulted in the Soviet withdrawal.

It is disconcerting that the U.S. Congress seems to operate on the back-scratching principle, though the author was rather accepting of that mode of operation. Wilson was able to persuade others to increase funding by the judicious use of taxpayer-funded junkets and calling in stored IOUs. Though perhaps admirable from one perspective, Wilson was also able to navigate the tricky waters of involving both the Israelis and the Egyptians in possible arms sales to aid the Muslim Afghans, but he definitely was operating outside the bounds of U.S. policy if not legalities.

The book is long and repetitious with Wilson's every trip to Pakistan and elsewhere described in detail, not to mention his latest girlfriend who then simply disappears - what was the point? The author seems to rely greatly on the remembrances of Wilson and Avrakotos, including exact conversations of twenty years ago, many of which seem exaggerated and/or self-promoting. The book is not really satisfactory as biography, nor as broader commentary on U.S. foreign policies and operations, except in an inadvertent sense. Is this really how we operate? One would have expected greater condemnation from the author.

Comment on the movie: It captures the flavor of the book, but, due to time constraints, is very fragmentary. Without having read the book, most viewers would have to be utterly lost, as most actions and conversations have little or no context. Roberts and Hoffman are slightly miscast. Movie not recommended.

When Charlie Wilson first learned that the Afganistan soldiers, couragous fighters, were dying in large numbers and losing the war due to lack of an anti-aircraft gun which would shoot down the Hind helicopter, Charlie Wilson made it his goal and mission to supply these courageous warriors with such a weapon. The book does a superb job of detailing how this U.S. Senator became friends with powerful Israeli allies, Egyptian arms dealers, Pakestani President Zia al Huq who secretly helped the Afghanistan warriors, and with Gust Avrakotos, a C.I.A. agent with a checkered past who became the acting chief of the South Asia Operations Group exactly at the time when Wilson was on his mission to increase arms to the Afghani mujahideen. It was this partnership which sealed the deal to increase funds to the Afghanistan war and provide the weapons these fierce warriors needed against the high tech helicopters and equipment of the Soviets. After Gust hired Mike Vickers, a low level C.I.A. agent, who demonstrated extraordinairy knowledge of Soviet weapons and also an uncanny precise ability to strategize military tactics, weapons, and guerilla maneuvers against them, that Charlie Wilson's plans were becoming aligned with reality. George Crile does an amazing job of detailing how politics, human relations, world events and just plain luck can collide and melt creating just the right outcome. This book helps the reader understand how very complex current world events really are, and that sometimes, the most astonishing interplay of unexpected elements can bring about success despite the odds against them. The film "Charlie Wilson's War" is good and is recommended butit is highly selective in its contents and therefore superficial compared to the book.

This book is a fascinating document which describes an important event in United States history. Mostly because Charlie Wilson, a U.S. Congressman, became deeply involved in escalating C.I.A. covert operations in Afghanisian to influence the outcome of the war against the Soviets. It is something no other Congressman had ever done before and he achieved his goals beyond his wildest imagination! His persistent efforts and many political connections in the U.S. and world wide, made it possible for the Afghanistan mujahideen to turn the war around and win it, All this happened during the Iran-Contra hearings when *any* intervention by the United States, especially covert opeations, was looked upon with suspicion by elected officials. The C.I.A. dared not appear directly involved. They feared being called before the Intelligence Committee and having to reveal or defend their actions. Instead, they underhandedly provided Soviet weapons making it look like the mujahideen were using captured weapons or they supplied them with old World War I weapons and ammunition ... until Charlie Wilson got involved.

This Congressman dared to go where no Congressman had gone before! He got involved in areas typicaly reserved and controlled by the President of the United States. The President made decisions based on advice from the Director of the C.I.A., certain Intelligence Committees and the Pentagon. This Congressman nearly broke the law by stepping into territory which was defined as 'creating foreign policy' or worse yet, 'engaging in war', both areas totally controlled by the President. The question begs to be asked, how plausible is it that a United States Congressman, a Texas socialite, and a renegade C.I.A. agent can ensure that a small nation receives the *right* weapon to win a war against a Super Power, the Soviet Union? Not plausible, very low probablilty, nearly impossible, it only happens in novels. Yet, as the saying goes, 'truth is stranger than fiction' and George Crile does an amazing job in piecing together how this *really* happened during tense political times. Also *most* highly recommended is the book Afghanistan: A Russian Soldier's Story written by Vlad Tamarov. He provides great insight and unique perspectives from his personal experience. Remember, the Russian soldiers were *not* volunteers but were conscripted to fight and die for a questionable objective. It is still unclear to me why the Soviet leaders initiated this war, what was there to gain from it? Erika Borsos [pepper flower]

When Charlie Wilson first learned that the Afganistan soldiers, couragous fighters, were dying in large numbers and losing the war due to lack of an anti-aircraft gun which would shoot down the Hind helicopter, Charlie Wilson made it his goal and mission to supply these courageous warriors with such a weapon. The book does a superb job of detailing how this U.S. Senator became friends with powerful Israeli allies, Egyptian arms dealers, Pakestani President Zia al Huq who secretly helped the Afghanistan warriors, and with Gust Avrakotos, a C.I.A. agent with a checkered past who became the acting chief of the South Asia Operations Group exactly at the time when Wilson was on his mission to increase arms to the Afghani mujahideen. It was this partnership which sealed the deal to increase funds to the Afghanistan war and provide the weapons these fierce warriors needed against the high tech helicopters and equipment of the Soviets. After Gust hired Mike Vickers, a low level C.I.A. agent, who demonstrated extraordinairy knowledge of Soviet weapons and also an uncanny precise ability to strategize military tactics, weapons, and guerilla maneuvers against them, that Charlie Wilson's plans were becoming aligned with reality. George Crile does an amazing job of detailing how politics, human relations, world events and just plain luck can collide and melt creating just the right outcome. This book helps the reader understand how very complex current world events really are, and that sometimes, the most astonishing interplay of unexpected elements can bring about success despite the odds against them. The film "Charlie Wilson's War" is good and is recommended butit is highly selective in its contents and therefore superficial compared to the book.

This book is a fascinating document which describes an important event in United States history. Mostly because Charlie Wilson, a U.S. Congressman, became deeply involved in escalating C.I.A. covert operations in Afghanisian to influence the outcome of the war against the Soviets. It is something no other Congressman had ever done before and he achieved his goals beyond his wildest imagination! His persistent efforts and many political connections in the U.S. and world wide, made it possible for the Afghanistan mujahideen to turn the war around and win it, All this happened during the Iran-Contra hearings when *any* intervention by the United States, especially covert opeations, was looked upon with suspicion by elected officials. The C.I.A. dared not appear directly involved. They feared being called before the Intelligence Committee and having to reveal or defend their actions. Instead, they underhandedly provided Soviet weapons making it look like the mujahideen were using captured weapons or they supplied them with old World War I weapons and ammunition ... until Charlie Wilson got involved.

This Congressman dared to go where no Congressman had gone before! He got involved in areas typicaly reserved and controlled by the President of the United States. The President made decisions based on advice from the Director of the C.I.A., certain Intelligence Committees and the Pentagon. This Congressman nearly broke the law by stepping into territory which was defined as 'creating foreign policy' or worse yet, 'engaging in war', both areas totally controlled by the President. The question begs to be asked, how plausible is it that a United States Congressman, a Texas socialite, and a renegade C.I.A. agent can ensure that a small nation receives the *right* weapon to win a war against a Super Power, the Soviet Union? Not plausible, very low probablilty, nearly impossible, it only happens in novels. Yet, as the saying goes, 'truth is stranger than fiction' and George Crile does an amazing job in piecing together how this *really* happened during tense political times. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]

When Charlie Wilson first learned that the Afganistan soldiers, couragous fighters, were dying in large numbers and losing the war due to lack of an anti-aircraft gun which would shoot down the Hind helicopter, Charlie Wilson made it his goal and mission to supply these courageous warriors with such a weapon. The book does a superb job of detailing how this U.S. Senator became friends with powerful Israeli allies, Egyptian arms dealers, Pakestani President Zia al Huq who secretly helped the Afghanistan warriors, and with Gust Avrakotos, a C.I.A. agent with a checkered past who became the acting chief of the South Asia Operations Group exactly at the time when Wilson was on his mission to increase arms to the Afghani mujahideen. It was this partnership which sealed the deal to increase funds to the Afghanistan war and provide the weapons these fierce warriors needed against the high tech helicopters and equipment of the Soviets. After Gust hired Mike Vickers, a low level C.I.A. agent, who demonstrated extraordinairy knowledge of Soviet weapons and also an uncanny precise ability to strategize military tactics, weapons, and guerilla maneuvers against them, that Charlie Wilson's plans were becoming aligned with reality George Crile does an amazing job of detailing how politics, human relations, world events and just plain luck can collide and melt creating just the right outcome. This book helps the reader understand how very complex current world events really are and that sometimes, the most astonishing interplay of unexpected elements can bring about success. The film "Charlie Wilson's War" is good and is recommended but it is highly selective in its contents and therefore superficial compared to the book.

This book is a fascinating document which describes an important event in United States history. Mostly because Charlie Wilson, a U.S. Congressman, became deeply involved in escalating C.I.A. covert operations in Afghanisian to influence the outcome of the war against the Soviets. It is something no other Congressman had ever done before and he achieved his goals beyond his wildest imagination! His persistent efforts and many political connections in the U.S. and world wide, made it possible for the Afghanistan mujahideen to turn the war around and win it, All this happened during the Iran-Contra hearings when *any* intervention by the United States, especially covert opeations, was looked upon with suspicion by elected officials. The C.I.A. dared not appear directly involved. They feared being called before the Intelligence Committee and having to reveal or defend their actions. Instead, they underhandedly provided Soviet weapons making it look like the mujahideen were using captured weapons or they supplied them with old World War I weapons and ammunition ... until Charlie Wilson got involved.

This Congressman dared to go where no Congressman had gone before! He got involved in areas typicaly reserved and controlled by the President of the United States. The President made decisions based on advice from the Director of the C.I.A., certain Intelligence Committees and the Pentagon. This Congressman nearly broke the law by stepping into territory which was defined as 'creating foreign policy' or worse yet, 'engaging in war', both areas totally controlled by the President. The question begs to be asked, how plausible is it that a United States Congressman, a Texas socialite, and a renegade C.I.A. agent can ensure that a small nation receives the *right* weapon to win a war against a Super Power, the Soviet Union? Not plausible, very low probablilty, nearly impossible, it only happens in novels. Yet, as the saying goes, 'truth is stranger than fiction' and George Crile does an amazing job in piecing together how this *really* happened during tense political times. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]

This book tells an interesting piece of modern history. However, Grile just puts in too many unnecessary details. It is not necessary to give the biography of every character in the story, especially minor characters. Grile gives the background of every woman Charlie brings with him to Pakistan. This really disrupted the flow of relevant information.

Also, this book was written in 2003. Five years later America still has Soldiers in Afghanistan. It makes the book feel premature. It is hard to provide perspective when we don't know what the final outcome is.

Overall, the information was ok but at times it felt baised. My main criticism was that the text was too dense and included too many irrelevant details.

Recommended to me by a friend, this book added immeasurably to my foreign service experience in Afghanistan. I'm the same age as Charlie Wilson, and have been part of the Foreign Service during the years described in the book. The preposterous antics of Charlie and Gust came to life as they maneuvered their way through the war on the side of the Mujahadin. I have been to most of the places the book takes the reader - Charlie Wilson's War made it all come back to life for me. An extremely good read - I hope they make a movie of it.

Okay, a very entertaining read -- who doesn't love an outlaw, especially an altruistic one, and this book is filled with wannabe Robin Hoods robbing the federal government to support those Red-killing freedom fighters/holy warriors/Stone Age throwbacks in Afghanistan.

But when I finished it I couldn't help but wonder, why does it take the prospect of annihilating an enemy to mobilize this kind of passion and commitment and drive? What would our nation look like today if Charlie was outraged, not by the US being handed our lunch by the AK-47 in Vietnam, but by the abysmal state of US health care? Education? The economy? The environment? He annihilated his enemy, no question, Success R Us in this outreach program, but did he really leave us with a better world?

It also bothered me that Crile never addresses the irony of Charlie Wilson, that manifest lover of many women, almost single-handedly handing over power to the Taliban, inarguably the most women-hating, women-abusing bunch of guys who ever ran a country.

A long but quick and fun read (just like it's title), 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 is a great novel to read in your spare time. The book is brings light to history that most of the world never heard about--but still important all the same. Even in novelization, Charlie Wilson is a most charismatic man who will leave an impression on everyone that learns about him.

I ordered the book "Charlie Wilson's War" gently used. It was in great condition. I was trying to read the book in time for my book club so wish it had arrived a few days faster but it was within the 10 day shipping window.

I read the book after I had seen the movie (which was a lot of fun) to find out more about what really happened. Well, I did find out, but was quite disappointed.

The book was not nearly as enjoyable as the movie. This was not because it was too political-analytical (I can handle political-analytical), but because it was not very well written. The author could not decide if he wanted to write a political-factual account or a novelistic thriller. Or rather he tried a novelistic thriller, but was just not good at it. So the book is too long, with too many cliches, at times fluffy when it should be precise, at times repetitious, and the psychology of the characters, especially of the Muslim characters, is rather flat. What this book really needs is a good editor and two or three re-writes.

All this it too bad, because the facts behind the book are indeed astonishing and it covers a piece of recent history that is well worth knowing. Read it -- but do not expect too much pleasure.

Charlie Wilson's War should be considered part 1 of a CIA trilogy, to be followed by Steve Coll's Ghost Wars and George Tenet's At the Center of the Storm

Whether or not you completely buy Zia-ul-Haq's assertion that Charlie Wilson was almost single-handedly responsible for the Mujahideen victory over the Soviet Union in the Afghan War, George Crile's fascinating book makes it clear that he played a decisive role in the eventual victory, and by extension, the collapse of Communism, which followed shortly thereafter. From his seat on the Defense appropriations subcommittee, this little-known Texas Congressman with a taste for the good life managed to build a bizarre coalition of allies, including a Texas socialite, a street-wise CIA agent, and the Governments of Pakistan, Egypt, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. These seeming blood enemies were united by two things their love and respect for Charlie, and their desire to kill Russians. Crile chronicles the way in which Charlie was able to greatly increase the CIA's budget to fight the war, using any means at his disposal, constantly blurring the line between illegal activities. After winning the funding, he was surprised to find that his toughest battle was yet to come. He had to fight against the agency's bureaucracy to get them to spend the money on weapons (many supplied by his contacts in foreign governments) which he thought would tip the balance in favor of the Afghans, eventually including the Stinger missile which proved to be the war's decisive weapon.

Crile's writing reads like an Ian Fleming novel at times, and he does a great job of exploring the inner forces which drove Wilson to pursue his personal crusade against communism while simultaneously battling his own inner demons. The author refrains from making value judgments throughout the book, ultimately letting the readers decide for themselves who Charlie Wilson is. Is he Good-Time-Charlie, the egotistical, power-hungry substance-abusing ladies man who often behaved as if the laws that he helped make didn't apply to him? Or is he a hero who vanquished the evil empire, championed the underdog, and used his power to help the powerless, while spreading freedom throughout the world? The truth lies somewhere in between. At the very least Charlie Wilson's War is a cautionary tale of how powerful one congressperson can be.

Some people have criticized Crile, saying that he failed to emphasize the way in which the events that Charlie helped set in motion may have led to the events of September 11th, 2001. In response I would say that this is merely one man's story, a small segment of a much larger war. Those interested in a more comprehensive picture of the CIA's operations in Afghanistan should read Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 by Steve Coll.

My only criticism of the book was that the writing became repetitive whenever a character was re-introduced to the story after being absent from the narrative for a chapter or two. It seemed as if he repeated the same biographical details at least three times for some characters.

This is the first Kindle book I've read that used footnotes, and I'm pleased to report that they worked perfectly.

George Crile has written a great book about a huge national failing. While I applaud Wilson for his staunch anti-communist principles, I found it utterly repugnant that a loose cannon congressman could (and would) use every form of political trickery and heavy-handedness to pursue his personal vendetta against the Russians in Afghanistan in contravention to established constitutional principles. Amazingly, I found the brilliant blue-collar CIA operative Gust Avrakotos much more likeable and professional (believe it or not) than Wilson by comparison.

Crile makes a point of telling the story from as many vantage points as possible, and always attempts to provide not only accounts of the actions of all the principals involved, but tries to analyze their motivations as well. The book is exceedingly well documented for a work of this nature, and Crile has certainly written the most important book on US involvement in the Afghan war. I came away from reading this much enlightened, but ultimately disillusioned that a single blowhard congressman could not only secretly commit the country to a war not being directed from the executive branch, but could repeatedly be re-elected by a largely conservative base when he repeatedly and routinely committed gross ethical, moral, and legal offences: I was singularly unamused by his chronic self-absorption, self-aggrandizement, and self-destruction. Wilson hijacked the foreign policy of the United States and inserted the country into a proxy war in Afghanistan, a decision that has had huge implications since. Amazingly, even in a post-9/11 world, Wilson refuses to take any responsibility for his part in the extraordinarily adverse geopolitical fallout of providing huge caches of weapons and training to extremists in Afghanistan.

I kept wanting to find redeeming or lovable qualities about Wilson, as so many others apparently do, but at every turn I found a national embarrassment, allied with an extremely unsavory group of individuals, contravening the intentions of US law and policy. No congressman should be able to appropriate, wheedle, extort such power, or enact such consequential policies on their own whim, no matter how noble his intentions. Charlie Wilson is the embodiment of political seediness, and George Crile has captured it all in "Charlie Wilson's War".

I endorse this book wholeheartedly as a cautionary tale.

...and I say that as a middle-of-the-road Republican who has voted in every election since Nixon. This is a GREAT story, and a FANTASTIC read for anyone. The fact that it's "history" as well is just icing on the cake. Read the book, see the movie, LEARN something! ;)

Handing the Red Army - and Russia itself - a signal defeat (I use the term advisedly...the Red Army didn't "LOSE" it's war anymore than the US soldiers didn't "LOSE" their war in Viet Nam...politics and economics decided the outcome of both) at that point in time definitely made a significant contribution to the end of the Cold War. That's the "upside".

Having religious fanatics believe (because the logistics for arms and supplies were so carefully hidden/scrubbed) that they can 'prevail' against a major world power because 'their faith is strong' is the (continuing) downside.

Cap'n Bob

The events described in the book are so bizzare that, at first, I thought it was fiction. Then I was frightened. According to the book US foreign policy is ran by relatively low levels operatives, a congressman and a CIA agent who is not in good terms with his superiors. CIA comes through as rather inept without strong leadership. Indeed it was "Charlie Wilson's War" and nobody was minding the store, i.e. the true long term interests of the United States. By naive application of adage "the enemy of my enemy is my friend", these guys created a major threat for the country and nobody seems to be accountable.

My main criticism of the book is that it is far too detailed and, as result, too long. For example, we need not know all the specifics about the numerous girl friends of Mr. W. (but then, sex sells!) A book at a third of its size could convey the main issues equally well as the current detailed version.

George Crile's triumph is undiminished by the fact that he got really, really lucky. On one of the biggest stories of the late 20th century - the Soviet army's defeat at the hands of Afghan rebels backed by the CIA -- he found two crucial, colorful insiders who were willing to tell him everything and who were fascinating stories in themselves: Charlie Wilson, a boozehound, skirt-chasing congressman with an almost childlike devotion to backing the underdog and a zealot's hatred of Soviet communism; and his unlikely bureaucratic ally, Gust Avrakotos, a street-fighting CIA outsider who oversaw the agency's Afghan program during the crucial years in the 1980s. Crile deserves credit for nurturing these sources - and a background cast of hundreds - over more than a decade; for learning an astonishing number of government secrets; for managing to produce an coherent, fun-to-read manuscript from a bounty of fascinating stories that might have overwhelmed a lesser scribe; for managing to be fair and sympathetic to just about everyone involved; and for unveiling the whole thing just when it mattered again - after the 9/11 attacks forced America to rethink what had seemed to be our morally unambiguous support for the mujahedin in the `80s and `90s. This book is a treasure trove: details on the bureaucratic backbiting and caution that often make the CIA so ineffective; a peak into the lunatic world of fanatically anti-communist Texas millionaires; Wilson's hilarious antics, including his clandestine trips into the Muslim world in the company of a belly dancer and other beauties (one of whom decides it is appropriate to meet Afghan fundamentalist thug Gulbuddin Hekmatyar in a pink jumpsuit); a harrowing look at how political power works in the real world. (It is terrifying, for example, to learn that someone as small-minded and vain as U.S. Rep. Clarence "Doc'' Long had so much power over national security policy.)

Loved reading a book about the appropriations process. There aren't enough of them. However, the descriptions of Charlie and Gus are so repetitive. Do we need to be reminded in every chapter of their past histories and motivations? We got the point, move on already!

A very detailed account of how and why this extraordinary event unfolded with great descriptions of the characters involved.

I found it annoying that in telling separate incidents, the author recounted much of the same background data that he had offered in a previous incident.

Overall, well worth reading.

Charlie Wilson's War was very insightful into the inner workings of the CIA, Congress, and the power sturcture within the U.S. House of Representatives and how much influence one Represenative can wield. If you want to know about how we helped to fight the old Soviet Union in Afghanistan read this book. Fascinating!!

Charlie Wilson's War provides the reader with a Washington insiders view of the complex power structure and activities of the various senate and house appropriations committees entrusted with the defense budget. The book also examines the CIA's technological transformation of the Afghan guerilla forces that would ultimately turn the tables in the mujahideen's favor against the Soviets. The most remarkable part of this book, however, regards the story of a secret alliance between a congressman and a CIA officer hatched in order to dodge bureaucratic interference using the most unconventional methods to escalate the Jihad in Afghanistan.

Crile does a fine job with character development throughout the book, providing an all-inclusive list of the players involved in Wilson's modern `great game.' To say the two main players in this book were uncharacteristic of a typical bureaucrat is a vast understatement. Charlie Wilson was a boozehound and a playboy who, in modern times, would have drawn the attention of the Starr Commission the day he stepped foot in Washington. By chance, Wilson would meet a key ally in Gust Avrakotos, a character equally as unique as Wilson. Avrakotos, a brutally honest man, has a very humorous habit of inserting sexual references and analogies into many of the statements in which he is quoted. Though they didn't possess the background and moral standards of the typical bureaucrat, they managed to make history by delivering Communism its final blow.

It is highly unlikely these 2 men could have accomplished this great feat in the modern political atmosphere. To overcome the assumption that checks and balances should have defeated Wilson, Crile provides a comprehensive presentation of the 1980s political setting. A landscape in which the powerful sway of lobbyists went unchecked, and congressmen considered it a right of passage to run up the taxpayers tab for personal expenses. Most importantly Crile provides an analysis of the fraternal structure of congressional power. As Crile makes clear, Charlie Wilson was able to gain immense power in appropriating funds to defense by earning memberships on the most important congressional "fraternities." Crile also adds to the political setting by factoring into the picture a CIA placed in the handcuffs of bureaucracy following the political fallout from the agency's controversial role in its support of the Contras, and later the Iran-Contra scandal. However, Crile argues convincingly that these ongoing scandals provided a "silver lining" because they distracted the press and other bureaucrats from criticizing a controversial, covert war.

The highlight of Charlie Wilson's War is Crile's Clancyesque portrayal of the overall strategy adopted by the CIA to transform mujahideen fighters into "technoguerillas." For this purpose, Crile introduces a Jack Ryan in Mike Vickers, a young CIA strategist who single-handedly changed the guerilla war by introducing a mix of weapons, and methodically overcame the challenges of coordinating supply lines, and logistics in a covert war.

The book concludes with a marvelous epilogue that correlates the United States troubled relationship with the Muslim world in the post 9/11 era, to Wilson's covert war. This book should be read just for this particular reason. Everyone who reads Charlie Wilson's War will discover a significant piece of the puzzle while having a hell of a good time along the journey.

Charlie Wilson's War provides the reader with a Washington insiders view of the complex power structure and activities of the various senate and house appropriations committees entrusted with the defense budget. The book also examines the CIA's technological transformation of the Afghan guerilla forces that would ultimately turn the tables in the mujahideen's favor. The most remarkable part of this book, however, regards the story of a secret alliance between a congressman and a CIA officer that was hatched in order to dodge bureaucratic interference using the most unconventional methods in order to escalate the Jihad in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union

Crile does a fine job with character development throughout the book, providing an all-inclusive list of the players involved in Wilson's modern `great game.' To say the two main players in this book were uncharacteristic of a typical bureaucrat is a vast understatement. Charlie Wilson was a boozehound and a playboy who, in modern times, would have drawn the attention of the Starr Commission the day he stepped foot in Washington. By chance, Wilson would meet a key ally in Gust Avrakotos, a character equally as unique as Wilson. Avrakotos brutal honesty nearly ruined his CIA career, and he has a very humorous habit of inserting sexual references and analogies into many of the statements in which he is quoted. Though they didn't possess the background and moral standards of the typical bureaucrat, they managed to make history by delivering Communism its final blow.

It is highly unlikely these 2 men could have accomplished this great feat in the modern political atmosphere. To overcome the assumption that checks and balances should have defeated Wilson, Crile provides a comprehensive presentation of the 1980s political setting. A landscape in which the powerful sway of lobbyists went unchecked, and congressmen considered it a right of passage to run up the taxpayers tab for personal expenses. Most importantly Crile provides an analysis of the fraternal structure of congressional power. As Crile makes clear, Charlie Wilson was able to gain immense power in appropriating funds to defense by earning memberships on the most important congressional "fraternities." Crile also adds to the political setting by factoring into the picture a CIA placed in the handcuffs of bureaucracy following the political fallout from the agency's controversial role in its support of the Contras, and later the Iran-Contra scandal. However, Crile argues convincingly that these ongoing scandals provided a "silver lining" because they distracted the press and other bureaucrats from criticizing a controversial, covert war.

The highlight of Charlie Wilson's War is Crile's Clancyesque portrayal of the overall strategy adopted by the CIA to transform mujahideen fighters into "technoguerillas." For this purpose, Crile introduces a Jack Ryan in Mike Vickers, a young CIA strategist who single-handedly changed the guerilla war by introducing a mix of weapons, and methodically overcame the challenges of coordinating supply lines, and logistics in a covert war.

The book concludes with a marvelous epilogue that correlates the United States troubled relationship with the Muslim world in the post 9/11 era, to Wilson's covert war. This book should be read just for this particular reason. Everyone who reads Charlie Wilson's War will discover a significant piece of the puzzle while having a hell of a good time along the journey.

I have to admit that I am still reading this book. I also have to admit that I am not a big fan of non-fiction or spy novels. My reading lists tend to be more along the fantasy and fiction genres. Having said that, I absolutely have to give this book monster kudos.

Although the writing is a bit on the dry side (mostly because the writer is actually a journalist) the material he covers and the inside information he got from both Charlie and Gust makes this one of the best views inside the secret workings of the CIA and government durring the late 80s and early 90s.

A few people I know have already read this book (one of the reasons I picked it up) and all they have is praise for it. One person says it's hard for him to keep in mind that this is a true story. IT's hard for him to realize that one man could and did all that.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history, how we got where we are today with the Islamic fundementalists, or any of the back room goings on in politics.

In his fascinating account of Congressman Charlie Wilson, George Crile evokes the images of a Stan Kubrick character: Slim Pickens as Major T. J. "King" Kong riding the bomb (and not only because of the Stetson he is wearing). You think that's far fetched? OK, Charlie is a most loveable character with his energy, dedication, propensity to fun and pleasure, and his weaknesses. Not like the unpleasant Dr. Strangelove. Yet the parallel is striking: a man on a mission to fight the evil empire, whatever the consequences.

The book is a most fascinating read with many insights in to how politics seem to work on the "Hill". It is giving more than one chilling cause for the rest of the world to seriously worry about how the "only remaining superpower" makes decisions that result in loss of lives and limbs and that interfere with sovereign nations.

Yet, the book has some serious flaws. It is a very one-sided account of people and events. The characters of the four main protagonists, Wilson, Avrakotos, Herring, Vickers are very well developed. But the book lacks depth (and misses an opportunity, I find) when it comes to describing their "counterparts" (arms traders, Pakistani leaders, Arab and Israeli officials). They are very stereotypical and often described in a manner that would behoove a second rate Hollywood star magazine.

Also disappointing is the portrayal of the Mujahideen. They are described as the "beaux sauvages" just as Wilson seems to have perceived them. Other than a simplistic "such are radical Muslims" it provides no explanation how these freedom fighters could become such fierce enemies of the US and the West in the last chapter of the book that attempts to analyze the unintended consequences of Wilson's war.

The story completely lacks any perspective of the other side. The Soviet soldiers are just there to be killed, by treading like morons into traps of the freedom fighters or appearing before the guns provided through the CIA and Wilson's appropriations. Implausible that Soviet intelligence would not have had some knowledge of CIA activities, implausible that they would not have had developed strategies and alternatives, other than scorching villages in a My Lai manner, implausible that they would not have pursued "behind-the-scene" diplomatic activities. This lack of a multi-dimensional perspective actually reduces the credibility of the main characters and their accomplishments.

The most puzzling question I have after finishing the book is not even raised: How is it possible that Wilson who the Afghan tribes' men praised as the savior of their cause, could not play a role in "cashing in the chits" and ask them to help finding Osama bin Laden etc., how is it possible that these former friends cannot be co-opted in the fight against a terrorism that Afghans had never pursued outside their country?

Lastly, in his chapter on "Source Notes", George Crile reveals - honestly - that some accounts are based on personal memories of the people he is writing about, there seems not to have been much fact checking on some parts of the story. Obviously, it is not a historical account, just a journalistic one. It should be read as that.

The movie is an intelligent screen adaptation of the book, but I wonder how Kubrick would have done it.

This is really one of the best books written about America's involvement in the war in AFGAHNISTAN against the Russians supplying them arms against the Russians and ultimately those same arms being turned against us.

Fascinating.
This book contains all kinds of information that I did not know - about the Vietnam War, the ongoing Afghan offensive, Congress, the CIA - rabid lovers and haters of all kinds.
I'm not a very political person, and generally avoid this kind of book (the nightly news is plenty!) but, this is a really human story about real people and their passion for a place and a people.
Charlie Wilson is an amazing person, whose center of gravity was changed forever by his trip to the refugee camps in Pakistan. This scene of so much human suffering made him want to punish the Russians...and he simply went back to Washington to devote his congressional life to finding ways to defeat the Soviet army.
What a guy!
And what characters - the book is full of simply amazing weird, strange, wonderful, stupid and ridiculous characters in the government, the CIA, the armies and enemies. It's rich. Really rich.
Overall a fun, enlightening book for anyone, whether you're interested in foreign affairs, warfare or not. Reads like a novel - only more unbelievable.

The movie prompted me to read the book. It's more entertaining than the movie, and 10 times as frightening. I like the book's Charlie Wilson. He comes off as the guy you'd most like to party with. Someone who you want on your side in a pinch. Similar to LBJ in that he knew how to twist arms and use the power he acquired in Washington. He acquired that power using personal contacts, charm, and an intelligence hidden behind an alcoholic facade. People who failed to take him seriously later regretted their misjudgement. What's frightening is the story of how things work in Washington, how the CIA operates and how things...serious things...really get accomplished in the highest levels of government, beyond public scrutiny or official oversight. Mr. Crile's portrayal of Charlie Wilson leaves no doubt that Mr. Wilson is a true patriot. Someone who dearly and passionately loves his country. The story of how money and power are both acquired and used, however, even by the likable patriotic and passionate Wilson is what is truly frightening. It brings into question the checks and balances in our democratic system. Yes, the outcome was mostly positive for the country in Charlie Wilson's War. But....

This is a great book. It almost reads like a James Bond novel. Even though the pacifist in me doesn't want to glorify war or war mongers, the story is one that needs to be told. It also serves as a great example of how America seems to create monsters that we have to fight later. Many of the same "freedom fighters" of Charlie's War are the Taliban and Al Queda that we are fighting today. That fact makes this book a must read for anyone who thinks they want to work in foreign policy in the future. Perhaps it should be required reading in high schools across the country.

If you enjoyed the movie - you will like the book. The book provides much more character development and in-depth insight to the political aspects both at home and globally. It's a very eye opening & frightening look at how one man with an agenda can manipulate our govenment.

This book should have been a week long miniseries on cable not a 90 minute movie. A great book for anyone interested in the real workings of Congress the CIA or the Washington establishment.

The book grabbed me at page one and I find it hard to close from my bedtime reading. One must sleep however, and there is always the advantage of looking forward to my next read.

I am not a literary critic as many here seem to be but I am hard to please. I have, on occassion, found myself 2/3rd of the way through some highly rated book only to decide I just don't want to pick it up again. I do not care what you have to say about anything if you haven't the ability to make it interesting. And my life exeperiences are such that I am no simpleton with regard to this criteria.

Mr. Crile has made this story interesting. Of course his is the good fortune of choosing colorful characters (to say the least) to write about but a lesser writer, I feel sure, could destroy even that advantage. Good job Mr. Crile and thank you for writing this story.

This book is a real page turner. It is well written and seductive. I couldn't put it down until I finished the entire book. What a story!

Charlie Wilson's War had all the hall marks of truth, yet it's so extraordinary I can't stop wondering just how much is really true. I'll keep scanning the reviews for confirmation.

The movie was just a teaser. If you liked the movie, you have to read the book. Much more detail and exploration of the character of both Charlie Wilson and his CIA sidekick. An unbelievable story; really!

I saw the movie and decided I wanted to read more about Willison. The book was very good. It is amazing how much power one man can have in our government and nobody in the USA really knew what was going on. I didn't really like the way the author would start a subject then jump to somthing that was supposed to be related to the subject.

I would recommend the book for anyone who is interested in covert activities of government agencies It reveals the history of what was actually going on during that era.

Charlie Wilsons War is a well written story about the war in Afghanistan that few people fully understand. Even someone like me, who had worked in Afghanistan during the early 1970s and has followed its politics since, did not appreciate the important role of Charlie Wilson and a CIA officer in the Afghan conflict that contributed to the breakup of the Soviet Union. The book does an excellent job of detailing the ins and outs of the financing of the war effort in Afghanistan through third party means including USAID's cross border program and Pakistani assistance. Colorful writing but backed up with detail in a wonderful story of how few committed people can make a difference on the world scene. The positive and important role of Pakistan in supporting the U.S. financing program was also very important to understand the outcome. This is a must read for people interested in the Afghanistan of today because it provides a context to understand its many challenges.

This book is excellent. It is a real page turner. The book is better than the movie. The book has more to it than what comes out in the movie. A reader will learn quite a bit about the CIA in general through this story. It also shows the relationship between Congress and the special agencies. I found the book exciting. Secrets previously unknown are told in this book. You learn how the CIA was funneling money to the Afghans. You also learn how they moved arms to them. The book also talks about the CIA did special things to train the rebels to make them even more dangerous to the Russians. Also the book has facts that shapes the story in exciting detail. For example the Russians were losing hundreds of aircraft to stingers.

The events detailed in the book have special significance for us today. A reader can see how the CIA did things that lead to Al Quada.Those events directly lead to the current trouble with Islamic fundamentalism.

This was a book about the workings of our government that read like a spy novel. The characters were natives of my state that I either knew or had heard of so that added to the interest. I also saw the movie which is true to the book. Both are enjoyable.

One way to look at "Charlie Wilson's War" is that it reads like a confusing spy novel. The story spans two decades and has a cast of so many under-developed people moving in and out of the plot that the reading becomes tedious and boring. And yet, the story of Wilson's maniacal commitment to Afghanistan is true, which makes you step back, focus on the big picture and realize that international diplomacy conducted through numerous international channels, spy networks, and appropriations' committees in Washington is messy work at best, and dangerously illegal at worst.

You have to applaud the tenacity of someone as flawed and tenacious as Wilson. But the story also makes you wonder how taxpayer money is being spent in the country's interests. While CWW highlights the significance of the result, it also clearly portrays the flaws in the legislative/diplomatic/appropriations process. It's not a great lesson in civics.

The worst part of this fascinating story, however, is how little governments seem to learn from history. Philosopher Georges Santayana once wrote for all eternity that, "Those who do not understand history are doomed to repeat its failures." Amen. For example, the Russians, having supported North Vietnam in bringing America to its knees, repeat the USA's arrogance in attempting to overpower Afghanistan, only to suffer similar casualties (and the downfall of the Soviet Republic) when the Americans pour billions into the Afghanistan resistance to avenge Vietnam. And yet, the USA, barely 20 years later, finds itself in Iraq again facing a faceless enemy armed and supported by Russia and others. Don't we already know how this is going to turn out?

Worse, while the short term result in Afghanistan was great, the unintended consequences of the long trm result have been calamitous. The US received little credit from the religious sect in Afghanistan for its financial support and enablement of the freedom fighters to defeat their Russian occupiers. Instead, "Allah" is credited with scourging the Red Army out, and the US is seen as the new evil empire - equally deposable as the Russians. So, what did we get? Thanks to all our foreign aid, we successfully converted Afghanistan from a sticks and stones society to a sophisticated techno-guerilla threat, and breeding ground of Itrained slam extremists like Osama bin Laden.

Even as the Soviet Army rolled out of Afghanistan, the Afghan tribes used their CIA donated weapons and munitions to resume their centuries old practice of attacking one another in their eternal quest to protect and control their territory (however uninhabitable), and to exact revenge on one another. Sounds familiar. Santayana would not be proud.

"Charlie Wilson's War" is a fascinating read, but a frustrating story. It is as information packed as "The World Is Flat" and just as frightful.

I haven't seen the movie and I just finished the book, and you know it's really scary! To realize that the people making policy are so out of control that they don't know who's doing what (and actually don't care as long as it's not getting in the way of their own plots.) I can't help but wonder just who Charley Wilson was actually working for? You can't convince me that this lunatic was running around doing all these things on his own. One good thing to find out is that Charley Wilson makes Bill Clinton look like an amateur. Apparently he was running around with all kinds of women, drinking, cavorting, swearing, and doing about every other unethical thing, and nobody knew anything about it? Come on now. I hope somebody writes a book about who was really behind Charley Wilson. Another example of a man from Texas. Anyway I'd certainly recommend that this book be read just to show people how out of control the whole thing was and is. And we can probably thank Charley Wilson for our circumstances in Afghanistan at the present time. Everybody he "befriended" has now turned against us. Where's Charley now?

Received the book in a timely manner and in excellent condition. Would reorder from the same person again.

Should anyone puzzle over the rise in Fundamentalist Islam, one may look to "Charlie Wilson's War" for answers. That story is a prime example of the law of unintended conquences at work.

Not often is it so clearly displayed that as mere humans we are subject to its frailities of flesh, faulty reasoning, and flawed judgement.

Charlie Wilson and his primary accomplice, Gust Avrakotos, shared the single goal of having the Afghanis fight a surrogate war for the US against the Russians. Charlie Wilson's motivations are essentially to be a hero as the unbending supporter of the underdog. Avrakotos just hated Russians. So, despite numberous warnings of likely serious consequences, Charlie Wilson and Gust Avrakotos set up the largest ever and virtually secret CIA program to supply the Mujihadeen with the latest in military weapons and tactics. The US and the rest of the world is paying for it today.

Once the Afghanis succeeded in having the Russians withdraw as an occupying force, the perception in the Muslim world was that they, the Afghanis, single handedly defeated the Russians. This resulted in thousands of radical Muslims migrating to Afghanistan to join the Mujahideen in what was seen as a call for an intifada.

In years prior, the ability of radical Muslims to wage war was primitive. Now it is state of the art. Not until new weapons and tactics are devised that can effectively stall these radicals will it be conceivable for the world to over come their assault on modern society.

Charlie Wilson started a war. Unfortunately, he did not have a plan to end it.

This book is a thrilling read, and is much more engaging than the movie. The movie was good, but the book chronicles every domino set up by Charlie Wilson eventually leading to the defeat of the Soviets.

In short, the book tells the story that the 90-minute movie cannot, and the book is at least as interesting as the very good movie.

Covert war isn't polite, and neither is the book. Be prepared for significant foul language.