Ghost Wars cover art

Ghost Wars

The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001

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Ghost Wars

By: Steve Coll
Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
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About this listen

Pulitzer Prize, General Nonfiction, 2005

Lionel Gelber Prize

New York Times Notable Book

The explosive first-hand account of America's secret history in Afghanistan.

With the publication of Ghost Wars, Steve Coll became not only a Pulitzer Prize winner, but also the expert on the rise of the Taliban, the emergence of Bin Laden, and the secret efforts by CIA officers and their agents to capture or kill Bin Laden in Afghanistan after 1998.

©2011 Steve Coll (P)2011 Penguin Asia Middle East Military War Espionage Pakistan Royalty King Thought-Provoking Imperialism Self-Determination

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Critic reviews

“Certainly the finest historical narrative so far on the origins of al Qaeda in the post-Soviet rubble of Afghanistan . . . Ghost Wars provides fresh details and helps explain the motivations behind many crucial decisions.”—The New York Times Book Review

“The CIA itself would be hard put to beat his grasp of global events . . . Deeply satisfying.”—The New York Review of Books

“A well written, authoritative, high-altitude drama with few heroes, many villains, bags of cash, and a tragic ending—one that may not have been inevitable.”—The Washington Post
All stars
Most relevant  
I don’t normally write reviews for books but felt compelled to on this occasion. I have always been fascinated by terrorism ie IRA, Al Qaeda
etc and this is clearly very well researched and paints a picture of the politics behind 9/11.
Highly recommend this book to anyone with similar interests and it is very well read by Malcolm Hillgartner

Fascinating and insightful

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This is a great book with fascinating content. I enjoyed the performance and would rate the purchase highly *but* a word of caution: this is not a book you can listen to while pottering around. It's very complex with many moving parts - tune out for a second and it's easy to get lost. For that reason, you might prefer a hard copy. Excellent though.

Distilling a deeply complex history

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Deservedly a classic piece of "national security" journalism.

A particularly good performance by the narrator. Just the right levels of gravitas and pace, and seamlessly delivered accents for the major characters - perhaps not always perfect, but really make the reading come alive.

Excellent

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I enjoyed with mixed emotions this book. As a member of a nation also affected by terrorism I was enthralled by the judgments made by intelligence officers which affect all of us in the west.
What shocked me was the unwillingness of politicians and civil servants to recognise evil when they saw it and deal with it effectively rather than embracing it.
I was also shocked by how easily the intelligence community was conned by Pakistan into believing that they would ever deal effectively with Islamic terrorism.
Yes, hindsight is a wonderful thing, but you have to question the validity of funding organisations which are there to protect the citizens of a nation that end up failing that nation so badly, as in the case of the CIA, as well as those of us also who became victims of Islamic terrorism.

Fascinating Insight to the world of the CIA

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Bad point first: formatting of the recording is abysmal. In almost every chapter there is a abrupt cut off, which suggests something was edited out. Even if it’s just where it was supposed to end by design, abruptness of it, often before the end of the word, gives a bad impression. It disrupts the flow and intellectual continuity.
Otherwise everything is perfect.

Fantastic story, brilliant narration but a terrible recording

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The planes that crashed into New York's World Trade Centre on 9/11 came out of a clear blue sky but the brooding threat of Osama Bob Laden and Al Qaeda was an out secret in all the bolt holes and crannies of the US Secrer State since the first invasion of Afghanistan as Steve Colls excellent Ghost Wars explains.

Meticulous and detailed, Colls book is nothing short of a thorough history of the causes and effects of US foreign policy and intelligence operations over the last 50 years. Spanning 5 White administrations from Carter to George W Bush, Coll brings to bear the expert hand and all seeing eye of a seasoned investigative journalist to reveal ultimately how US foreign policy and intelligence operations in Afghanistan, were fulcrul in creating a new world order of asymmetrical global terror in the post Soviet era with devasting impact on US soil.

Form those wanting to stay in the world of alternative facts and abbreviated homilies of US resistence in the face of homegrown evil, do not read this book. For those with greater fortitude, Coll book chronicles the real nuts and bolts of foreign policy formation, how fickleness and inter agency rivalries can shape it, how intelligence and operations on the ground can necessitate unsavoury regional alliances and how ultimately how what goes around comes around to bite the usually unsuspecting assets of a new administration.

A brilliant book and an equally compelling lesson.

A HISTORY OF BLOW BACK

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Very interesting book, brilliantly researched and delivered in a manner that keeps the listener interested and captivated.

Brilliant.

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The topic of the US relations with Afghanistan pre 9/11 has many misconceptions. This book is the book I would present to anyone who wants the real story.

A thoroughly researched book. 5/5

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Seemed to be 80% the history of Afghanistan so not very interesting. Felt like it was just an example of how well the author can research rather than an interesting book.

Not what I was expecting unfortunately

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as an afghan working in post soviet government there is alot the writer has gotten wrong for instance the "blood thirsty Dr. najeeb " . alot have been unsaid of the Pakistani and US relations regarding Afghanistan to some extent its understandable, the author wants to make a living but sad that it has compromised some truth. overall still informative.

a pinch of salt

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