First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11

Name: First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11
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Book Synopsis: An award-winning journalist reveals the dramatic true story of the CIA's Team Alpha, the first Americans to be dropped behind enemy lines in Afghanistan after 9/11. America is reeling; Al-Qaeda has struck and thousands are dead. The country scrambles to respond, but the Pentagon has no plan for Afghanistan—where Osama bin Laden masterminded the attack and is protected by the Taliban. Instead, the CIA steps forward to spearhead the war. Eight CIA officers are dropped into the mountains of northern Afghanistan on October 17, 2001. They are Team Alpha, an eclectic band of linguists, tribal experts, and elite warriors: the first Americans to operate inside Taliban territory. Their covert mission is to track down Al-Qaeda and stop the terrorists from infiltrating the United States again. First Casualty places you with Team Alpha as the CIA rides into battle on horseback alongside the warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum. In Washington, DC, few trust that the CIA men, the Green Berets, and the Americans’ outnumbered Afghan allies can prevail before winter sets in. On the ground, Team Alpha is undeterred. The Taliban is routed but hatches a plot with Al-Qaeda to hit back. Hundreds of suicidal fighters, many hiding weapons, fake a surrender and are transported to Qala-i Jangi—the “Fort of War.” Team Alpha’s Mike Spann, an ex-Marine, and David Tyson, a polyglot former Central Asian studies academic, seize America’s initial opportunity to extract intelligence from men trained by bin Laden—among them a young Muslim convert from California. The prisoners revolt and one CIA officer falls—the first casualty in America’s longest war, which will last two decades. The other CIA man shoots dead the Al-Qaeda jihadists attacking his comrade. To survive, he must fight his way out against overwhelming odds. Award-winning author Toby Harnden gained unprecedented access to all living Team Alpha members and every level of the CIA. Superbly researched, First Casualty draws on extensive interviews, secret documents, and deep reporting inside Afghanistan. As gripping as any adventure novel, yet intimate and profoundly moving, it tells how America found a winning strategy only to abandon it. Harnden reveals that the lessons of early victory and the haunting foretelling it contained—unreliable allies, ethnic rivalries, suicide attacks, and errant US bombs—were ignored, tragically fueling a twenty-year conflict. “Masterful, complex, and heartfelt, from the deeply personal to the critically strategic. Captures many lessons on many levels.” —Ambassador Hank Crumpton, former senior CIA officer Read more

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Experience the gripping true story that shaped America's response to 9/11. First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11 takes you on a heart-pounding journey alongside the fearless CIA Team Alpha. Award-winning journalist Toby Harnden's in-depth research and unprecedented access to the CIA and Team Alpha members bring you an intimate and profoundly moving account of their covert mission.

From the treacherous mountains of northern Afghanistan to the warlord's stronghold, Abdul Rashid Dostum, witness the CIA's battle on horseback against the Taliban. Doubts loom in Washington, but Team Alpha persists. As they rout the Taliban, a sinister plot between Al-Qaeda and the Taliban unfolds. The prisoners they capture will lead to a tragic turn of events, resulting in the first casualty of America's longest war.

First Casualty is not just an adventure novel; it is a cautionary tale that uncovers the early victory and the harrowing truths it concealed. Harnden masterfully reveals the flaws that fueled a two-decade-long conflict: unreliable allies, ethnic rivalries, suicide attacks, and ill-fated US bombs. Don't miss out on this thought-provoking and deeply personal account that holds many valuable lessons for our present time.

“Masterful, complex, and heartfelt, from the deeply personal to the critically strategic. Captures many lessons on many levels.” —Ambassador Hank Crumpton, former senior CIA officer

Discover the untold story that shaped America's response to 9/11 with First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11. Written by acclaimed author Toby Harnden, this gripping narrative takes you right into the heart of the action, providing unparalleled insights into the CIA's daring mission.

Join Team Alpha, an incredible coalition of linguists, tribal experts, and elite warriors, as they become the first Americans dropped into Taliban territory. Their mission? Track down Al-Qaeda, prevent further terrorist attacks on American soil, and extract valuable intelligence. With each turn of the page, you'll find yourself immersed in the high-stakes world of espionage and warfare.

Based on extensive interviews, secret documents, and on-the-ground reporting inside Afghanistan, Harnden's research leaves no stone unturned. First Casualty not only sheds light on America's initial triumph but also highlights the warning signs that were tragically disregarded. Brace yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions as you experience the deeply personal sacrifices made by these incredible individuals.

Don't miss this opportunity to grasp the captivating tale that will make you question the decisions that determined the course of the longest war in American history. Order First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11 now and uncover the truths that shaped a nation.

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