
Title

Directorate S: The C.I.A. and America?s Secret Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan, 2001-2016 BY Steve Coll
Winner of the 2018 National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction \n\nLonglisted for the 2018 National Book Award for Nonfiction \n\nFrom the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Ghost Wars, the epic and enthralling story of America?s intelligence, military, and diplomatic efforts to defeat Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan since 9/11 \n\nPrior to 9/11, the United States had been carrying out small-scale covert operations in Afghanistan, ostensibly in cooperation, although often in direct opposition, with I.S.I., the Pakistani intelligence agency. While the US was trying to quell extremists, a highly secretive and compartmentalized wing of I.S.I., known as ?Directorate S,? was covertly training, arming, and seeking to legitimize the Taliban, in order to enlarge Pakistan?s sphere of influence. After 9/11, when fifty-nine countries, led by the U. S., deployed troops or provided aid to Afghanistan in an effort to flush out the Taliban and Al Qaeda, the U.S. was set on an invisible slow-motion collision course with Pakistan. \n\nToday we know that the war in Afghanistan would falter badly because of military hubris at the highest levels of the Pentagon, the drain on resources and provocation in the Muslim world caused by the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, and corruption. But more than anything, as Coll makes painfully clear, the war in Afghanistan was doomed because of the failure of the United States to apprehend the motivations and intentions of I.S.I.?s ?Directorate S?. This was a swirling and shadowy struggle of historic proportions, which endured over a decade and across both the Bush and Obama administrations, involving multiple secret intelligence agencies, a litany of incongruous strategies and tactics, and dozens of players, including some of the most prominent military and political figures. A sprawling American tragedy, the war was an open clash of arms but also a covert melee of ideas, secrets, and subterranean violence. \n\nColl excavates this grand battle, which took place away from the gaze of the American public. With unsurpassed expertise, original research, and attention to detail, he brings to life a narrative at once vast and intricate, local and global, propulsive and painstaking. \n\nThis is the definitive explanation of how America came to be so badly ensnared in an elaborate, factional, and seemingly interminable conflict in South Asia. Nothing less than a forensic examination of the personal and political forces that shape world history, Directorate S is a complete masterpiece of both investigative and narrative journalism.
Winner of the 2018 National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction \n\nLonglisted for the 2018 National Book Award for Nonfiction \n\nFrom the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Ghost Wars, the epic and enthralling story of America?s intelligence, military, and diplomatic efforts to defeat Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan since 9/11 \n\nPrior to 9/11, the United States had been carrying out small-scale covert operations in Afghanistan, ostensibly in cooperation, although often in direct opposition, with I.S.I., the Pakistani intelligence agency. While the US was trying to quell extremists, a highly secretive and compartmentalized wing of I.S.I., known as ?Directorate S,? was covertly training, arming, and seeking to legitimize the Taliban, in order to enlarge Pakistan?s sphere of influence. After 9/11, when fifty-nine countries, led by the U. S., deployed troops or provided aid to Afghanistan in an effort to flush out the Taliban and Al Qaeda, the U.S. was set on an invisible slow-motion collision course with Pakistan. \n\nToday we know that the war in Afghanistan would falter badly because of military hubris at the highest levels of the Pentagon, the drain on resources and provocation in the Muslim world caused by the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, and corruption. But more than anything, as Coll makes painfully clear, the war in Afghanistan was doomed because of the failure of the United States to apprehend the motivations and intentions of I.S.I.?s ?Directorate S?. This was a swirling and shadowy struggle of historic proportions, which endured over a decade and across both the Bush and Obama administrations, involving multiple secret intelligence agencies, a litany of incongruous strategies and tactics, and dozens of players, including some of the most prominent military and political figures. A sprawling American tragedy, the war was an open clash of arms but also a covert melee of ideas, secrets, and subterranean violence. \n\nColl excavates this grand battle, which took place away from the gaze of the American public. With unsurpassed expertise, original research, and attention to detail, he brings to life a narrative at once vast and intricate, local and global, propulsive and painstaking. \n\nThis is the definitive explanation of how America came to be so badly ensnared in an elaborate, factional, and seemingly interminable conflict in South Asia. Nothing less than a forensic examination of the personal and political forces that shape world history, Directorate S is a complete masterpiece of both investigative and narrative journalism.
Please note that all books are shipped directly from the market. We cannot guarantee or be held responsible for the quality, page size, or any other physical characteristics of the books. Our focus is on offering the most affordable options, and as such, printing quality may be secondary. We strongly advise you to confirm your order details carefully before purchasing.
Shipping
Shipping
We deliver your parcel within 3-5 working days. As soon as your package has left our warehouse, you will receive a confirmation by email. This confirmation contains a tracking number that you can use to find out where your package is.
Shipping
Shipping
We deliver your parcel within 3-5 working days. As soon as your package has left our warehouse, you will receive a confirmation by email. This confirmation contains a tracking number that you can use to find out where your package is.
Warranty
We provide a 2-day limited warranty from the date of purchase for all our books. If you receive a misprinted, damaged, or defective copy, please contact us within 2 days of delivery.
This warranty does not cover damages caused by misuse, mishandling, water damage, or general wear and tear.
Warranty
We provide a 2-day limited warranty from the date of purchase for all our books. If you receive a misprinted, damaged, or defective copy, please contact us within 2 days of delivery.
This warranty does not cover damages caused by misuse, mishandling, water damage, or general wear and tear.
Secure Payment
We only accept Cash on Delivery (COD). No online payment methods are available.
Secure Payment
We only accept Cash on Delivery (COD). No online payment methods are available.