AUDIO

Directorate S: The C.I.A. and America's Secret Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan

by Steve Coll
23 hrs. 29 hrs. Books on Tape. Feb. 2018. ISBN 9780525528593. $60. digital download. POL SCI
COPY ISBN
OrangeReviewStarThis book is meticulously researched and well-documented in its quest to explain the political and military situation in post-2001 Afghanistan. The Pakistani Intelligence Agency, The Taliban, Iranian Intelligence, Al Qaeda, the Central Intelligence Agency, Osama Bin Laden, Hamid Karzai, Ali Soufan, the President of the United States, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are all just a few of the many characters or organizations detailed and described in this book. Coll (Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001) shows the successes and failures, the ongoing conflicts and the many missteps that have played out in Afghanistan. The narration of Malcolm Hillgartner is well-paced and his subtitle use of inflection raises the interest levels at times.
VERDICT Despite the author's obvious biases, this is an essential listen for anyone wishing to understand politics and relations among the United States, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Reviewed by Scott R. DiMarco, Mansfield Univ. of Pennsylvania Lib. , Jun 01, 2018
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