Directorate S: The C.I.A. and America's Secret Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, 2001-2016

Directorate S by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Steve Coll is an epic and gripping narrative that delves into America's intelligence, military, and diplomatic efforts to defeat Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan since 9/11. Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction and a finalist for the National Book Award, this book offers an unparalleled exploration of one of the most complex and enduring conflicts of our time.

Before 9/11, the United States engaged in small-scale covert operations in Afghanistan, working alongside, and often in opposition to, Pakistan's intelligence agency, I.S.I. Unbeknownst to many, a secretive wing of I.S.I., known as "Directorate S," was covertly training and supporting the Taliban to expand Pakistan's influence in the region. After the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. led a coalition of fifty-nine countries into Afghanistan to dismantle Al Qaeda and the Taliban, setting the stage for a protracted and convoluted struggle.

Coll reveals how the war in Afghanistan faltered due to a combination of military overconfidence, the diversion of resources to the Iraq invasion, widespread corruption, and, most critically, the U.S.'s failure to understand the true motivations and intentions of Directorate S. This shadowy battle involved secret intelligence operations, conflicting strategies, and the interplay of political forces, spanning the Bush and Obama administrations.

With unmatched expertise, original research, and meticulous attention to detail, Coll uncovers the hidden dynamics of this sprawling American tragedy. Directorate S is both a forensic examination of the forces that shape world history and a masterful work of investigative and narrative journalism. This is the definitive account of how America became ensnared in a seemingly endless conflict in South Asia, offering insights into the complex realities that continue to influence global politics today.

Paper Back

Author: Steve Coll

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