http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1489385/posts
My Enemy’s Enemy by George Crile
My Enemy’s Enemy: The Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History — the Arming of the Mujahideen by the CIA
In the early summer of 1980, Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson walked off the floor of the House of Representatives into the Speaker’s Lobby, a rich, wood- paneled room that stretches along the full length of the House floor. A Teletype at one end spewed out stories from AP, UPI and Reuters. Wilson was a news junkie, and he reached down and began reading a story datelined from Kabul.
(much, much more at thread)
It was only the beginning of the extraordinary maneuvers Wilson had to make to push this bill through a highly reluctant Congress. By then even his most reliable ally, John Murtha, the chairman of the Defense Appropriations subcommittee, wanted to end the CIA program. Murtha was appalled at reports of the mujahideen's drug trafficking, but in the end he stood with Charlie, and his support guaranteed the bill's passage in the House. It was passed in the Senate that fall. The secret appropriation was hidden in the $298 billion Defense bill for fiscal year 1992. When it was presented for a vote, no one but the interested few noticed the $200 million earmarked for the Afghans.
It is my opinion that Abscam the stepping stone to Able Danger.
My Enemy’s Enemy by George Crile: The Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History — the Arming of the Mujahideen by the CIA
Merci for the link!
Everyone at both brothers law firms [Miami and Houston] received Crile's Charlie Wilson's War book as a Christmas present. The joke was that there were bonus checks buried inside the book and some people pitched the book in the trash not knowing this :-) All the reviews I have read on the book state it is very good but long. - TAB
Charlie Wilson's War:
The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History
by George Crile (Author)