The First American-Afghan War a CIA war was approved by President George W Bush and directed by the author Robert Grenier the CIA station chief in Islamabad Forging separate alliances with warlords Taliban dissidents and Pakistani intelligence Grenier launched the southern campaign orchestrating the final defeat of the Taliban and Hamid Karzais rise to power in chaotic daysIn his gripping narrative we meet General Tommy Franks who bridled at CIA control of his war General Jafar Amin a gruff Pakistani intelligence officer who saved Grenier from committing career suicide Maleeha Lodhi Pakistans brilliant ambassador to the US who tried to warn her government of the al-Qaida threat Mark the CIA operator who guided Gul Agha Shirzai to bloody victory over the Taliban General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani a cautious man who became the most powerful man in Pakistan struggling with Greniers demands while trying to protect his country and Hamid Karzai the puzzling anti-Taliban insurgent a man of courage petulance and vacillating moods Greniers enemies out in front prove only slightly more lethal than the ones behind his own lines This first war is won despite Washington bureaucrats who divert resources deny military support and try to undermine the only Afghan allies capable of winning Later as he directed the CIAs role in the Iraq War Grenier watched the initial victory squandered His last command was of CIAs CounterTerrorism Center CTC as Bush-era terrorism policies were being repudiated as the Taliban re-emerged in Afghanistan and as Pakistan descended into fratricidal violence.
