Charlie Wilson's War

Charlie Wilson's War is a true story about a Texas congressman's secret involvement in supporting Afghan resistance against Soviet invasion during the early 1980s. Wilson, known for his social habits, used his position on the House Appropriations Committee to channel hundreds of millions of dollars to Afghan "freedom fighters." Working with CIA operative Gust Avrakotos, who bent agency rules to assist the operation, Wilson helped procure and distribute weapons to the mujahideen. The narrative moves between Washington political circles, CIA headquarters at Langley, international arms dealers' conventions, and the Khyber Pass. Wilson and Avrakotos's efforts contributed to an unlikely Afghan victory against Soviet forces. The book examines this overlooked chapter in the Soviet Union's collapse and the subsequent rise of radical Islam as a new geopolitical force.