First In
An Insider’s Account of How the CIA Spearheaded the War on Terror in Afghanistan
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4.4 • 147 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
While America held its breath in the days immediately following 9/11, a small but determined group of CIA agents covertly began to change history. This is the riveting first-person account of the treacherous top-secret mission inside Afghanistan to set the stage for the defeat of the Taliban and launch the war on terror.
As thrilling as any novel, First In is a uniquely intimate look at a mission that began the U.S. retaliation against terrorism–and reclaimed the country of Afghanistan for its people.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Just days from retirement, Schroen, a former CIA station chief in Pakistan, was tapped to lead the effort to establish contact with the Northern Alliance in the days following 9/11; the 35-year CIA veteran commanded the first American team on the ground in Afghanistan. At the proverbial tip of the spear, the team slipped into the country and made contact with the Northern Alliance (a loose confederation of Afghan warlords that had been fighting the Taliban government and their al-Qaeda allies), secured their cooperation and set the stage for the deployment of Special Forces teams into Afghanistan. Schroen tells the story crisply and with intimate detail, taking readers on a journey that lurches from harrowing through exhilarating to frustrating particularly in the realm of communications. "Sitting in the Panjshir Valley," the author glumly concludes, "I seemed to be shouting down a deep, dark hole" at brass thousands of miles away. Events eventually outran the policymakers, however, when a Northern Alliance general finally lost his patience and announced to his CIA contact, "I am going into Kabul regardless of what your NSC decides." Schroen delivers what he advertises: a powerful account that takes the reader inside war councils and 19th-century style cavalry charges in the months just after 9/11.
Customer Reviews
Great read!
It was a little slow to read, but a much different perspective than what I remember seeing in tv. Was glad I read this and thank you for your years of service and the recount of this war effort. :)
Very good read!
After reading this book I have a better understanding of the CIA and the US military involvement in removing the Taliban and Al Quaida from Afghanistan. The book also shows the many difficulties of combating terrorism.
Awesome
This is an AWESOME book it shows you what are nations Intellegence people are doing for this country!! Must read.