Nonfiction

First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11

First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11

  • Downloads：6712
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-09-17 17:21:10
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Toby Harnden
  • ISBN：B09CZDMZF5
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Reviews

Ryan ，

This book covers the most interesting period of the post-9/11 Afghan war: the first weeks， where CIA and Special Forces were on the ground， working with local allies， and rapidly taking territory from the Taliban and isolating Al Qaeda。 It was during this stage where we had many choices -- a quick and relatively low cost victory against Al Qaeda， imperfect but pro-American local allies with their own extensive military forces defeating the Taliban and ruling the country， vs。 nation-building， and This book covers the most interesting period of the post-9/11 Afghan war: the first weeks， where CIA and Special Forces were on the ground， working with local allies， and rapidly taking territory from the Taliban and isolating Al Qaeda。 It was during this stage where we had many choices -- a quick and relatively low cost victory against Al Qaeda， imperfect but pro-American local allies with their own extensive military forces defeating the Taliban and ruling the country， vs。 nation-building， and CIA vs。 DOD。 In retrospect， we seem to have largely made the wrong choices， and I think it was obvious even at the time how bad the paths we were taking were。Most of the focus of the book is the CIA/SF partnership with Dostum to fight to Mazar-i-Sharif and the prisoner revolt/false surrender at Qala-i-Jangi which led to the death of the first American combatant in the war， Mike Spann of CIA， and those around him， especially David Taylor， also of CIA。 The administrative and political issues （CIA vs。 DOD， how much to trust allies， human rights concerns， Rumsfeld， light vs。 heavy footprint， "combat zone tourists"。 etc。） all remained issues for the following 20 years， but they were very clear during this early stage。 。。。more

Joyce ，

A real eyeopener。Details， details details carefully researched and documented。This reader gained a much better understanding of the complexities of war。Our brave members of our defense teams are to be cherished for their service to our country。An intense and emotional read。A VERY GOOD READ。

Thomas Braden ，

This is THE story that needs to be told about Afghanistan - especially today。The author does a wonderful job of re-telling the secret lives of the CIA's first in-country teams。 These stories are powerful， heartfelt and REAL。 These are life stories that deserve to be shared。 These men entered in Afghanistan， covertly， and remained there， largely unknown and unsupported with three simple missions: 1） exact revenge for the 9/11 attacks 2） prevent any other/similar attack and 3） return home alive。 M This is THE story that needs to be told about Afghanistan - especially today。The author does a wonderful job of re-telling the secret lives of the CIA's first in-country teams。 These stories are powerful， heartfelt and REAL。 These are life stories that deserve to be shared。 These men entered in Afghanistan， covertly， and remained there， largely unknown and unsupported with three simple missions: 1） exact revenge for the 9/11 attacks 2） prevent any other/similar attack and 3） return home alive。 Much like our next twenty years in that country， many elements of this plan go awry and test them in ways they never quite imagined。This story needs to be told as we learn much about what could have been for Afghanistan， for America， and specifically for men and women of the CIA's very first teams in-country。 There are important lessons in here for all of us。 。。。more