Charlie Wilson’s War by George Crile - Lindy Sinclair

1 Conspiracy theory CIA project Charlie wilson s War by George Crile Synopsis This book is the story of the biggest and most successful CIA campaign in history. It s the story of how the United States turned the tables on the Soviet Union and did to them in Afghanistan what they had done to the US in Vietnam. The operation certainly contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the Red Army s defeat at the hands of the CIA-backed Afghan rebels was a world-changing event.

2 And what makes it all the more unusual is that at the heart of this drama is the story of two men, Charlie wilson and Gust Avrakotos, and what they did in the shadows of the US government. P6 Neither Congressman wilson nor the CIA s Avrakotos considered their efforts to be evil or treacherous. By their lights they were doing God s work as true As to the illegal aspects, both acknowledge with pride they joyfully broke the rules with abandon to achieve their daring goals.

3 P6 Most of Congress is about words and debating, and you can never really resolve anything. But Appropriations is simply about money and it s very practical. Denis Neill, lobbyist. P482 Introduction: A Strange Award at Langley CIA Headquarters 1993 Charlie wilson , 60 year old congressman heads off to Langley, CIA headquarters, to receive a special award. It is conferred on him by CIA director Jim Woolsey and Frank Anderson, Near East Division chief in front of an audience of a hundred CIA staff.

4 Frank Anderson s speech: This moment is about elitism. Within the Clandestine Services we are a self-proclaimed elite unit called the Near East Division. It is an organisation whose greatest weakness is hubris. One of the things about elites is that they only care about the approbation of the members of their own elites. So within the division we created an Honoured Colleague award, something never before presented to anyone outside the service. Incongruity of the award It was a strange sensation for the congressman who had first come to the attention of this institution eleven years before as a virtual public outlaw a seemingly corrupt, cocaine-snorting, scandal-prone womaniser who, the CIA was convinced, could only get the Agency into terrible trouble if it permitted him to become involved in any way it its operations.

5 P3 Gust Avrakotos Gust Avrakotos also attends, wryly looking on as Charlie wilson gets the glory. The grey man, so used to operating in the shadows, recognised that once again he would have to sit back and let Charlie take the honours for both of them. Chapter One: a Hot Tub in Las Vegas Scene in Las Vegas June 27 1980. Congressman Charlie wilson sets off for a weekend in Las Vegas to promote the chances of a fund-raiser s attractive daughter landing a film part, and to meet the potential backer of a Dallas-type TV show that wilson has sunk his savings into.

6 He ends up in a Jacuzzi in a suite at Caesar s Palace hotel with two beautiful women and liberal amounts of cocaine. The episode, investigated by the FBI, almost ended his career. He survived. Background on Charlie wilson s character wilson had never been able to shake the politician's impulse to take centre stage fruitful research Page 1 version 30/03/2007 conspiracy theory CIA project He looked like a millionaire but, after eight years in the Texas legislature and almost as many in the House, he had nothing to show for his efforts but debt and a $70.

7 000 government salary He d become a master at getting others to pick up the tab for his lavish lifestyle He had a genius for getting people to judge him not as a middle-aged scoundrel, but as if he were a good-hearted adolescent, guilty of little more than youthful excess He had a drinking problem he mostly concealed by being a very capable and genial drunk Why should I go around looking like a constipated hound dog? I m having the time of my life It was hard not to conclude that this 47-year-old recently divorced congressman was a man in free fall, programmed for disaster Political situation in 1980 Fifty hostages still being kept prisoner in Teheran, the rescue mission is a disaster, watched on TV Vietnam syndrome had infected the spirit of America according to some Many conservatives, led by Reagan.

8 Warned that Soviet Union had achieved nuclear superiority Many claimed the KGB had infiltrated most Western intelligence services President Jimmy Carter vows and succeeds in putting an end to the decades of CIA s dirty tricks Soviets invade Afghanistan which radicalises Carter who declares the invasion the greatest foreign policy crisis confronting the United States since WWII Americans boycott the Moscow Olympics in 1980 Carter, even more radicalised, signs a series of secret legal documents, Presidential Findings , authorising the CIA to go into action against the Red Army Carter gets Pakistan s president Mohammed Zia ul-Haq to use his country as a base for secret operations, but has to go through Zia s intelligence service for weapons distribution Carter believes the secret action to arm mujahideen will warn Soviets not to make further moves toward Persian Gulf or Pakistan.

9 And make friends with Islamic nations who had scorned the US for its support of Israel and the Shah of Iran CIA thinks that the Afghan rebel mujahideen have no hope against Soviet 40th Army Soviets think otherwise, remembering Afghan history of resistance and torture of captured enemies Millions of refugees start leaving Afghanistan for the border with Pakistan and Iran Triggers to Charlie wilson s involvement 60 Minutes news reporter Dan Rather sneaks across border into the war zone from Pakistan to report on what is an already waning news story.

10 His conclusions: the CIA s support to the Afghans was almost meaningless. The mujahideen were facing Soviet tanks and flying gunships with World War I rifles and little ammunition. Dan Rather is a fellow Texan, and Charlie wilson was stunned by his report seeing the plight of the mujahideen. What caught wilson s attention was the reporter s conclusion that the Afghan warriors were refusing to Against all odds, there was a growing rebellion under way against the Red Army.