Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001

Ever wonder what role the CIA played in the run-up to the war in Iraq? Ever wondered what the Clinton administration or the previous Bush administration did or did not do about Bin Laden and the threat he posed? Ever wonder if September 11 was truly unavoidable? If you have any curiosity or concern at all about our foreign policy in the Middle East, you'll definitely want to read Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001, by Steve Coll.

In Ghost Wars you'll find answers to these questions and many, many more. Coll rightfully won the Pulitzer Prize for this book in 2005. Rightfully, because he does for his readers what the majority of today's media fails to do. He gives us unbiased information presented clearly in a readable almost conversational style, but stops short of telling us what to think.

What a concept! The media giving us complete coverage of an important issue and presenting the information in a straightforward, unslanted format. Oh, wait. Isn't that the way it used to be? Before networks belonged to big business and radio stations and newspapers were owned by huge syndicates with little vested interest in the communities they serve? But I digress.

Coll's book is not an easy read. It's in fine print and it's long - 558 pages of text, 78 pages of notes. The real problem, though, is that it's impossible to read this book without feeling a sense of helpless outrage. Coll lays bare the stupidity, the ineptness, the corruption that led this country to September 11 and the needless slaughter of more than 3,000 Americans. What sets this book apart is not only the author's lack of a personal agenda, but also its extensive attribution and documentation.

I was privileged to interview Coll by telephone. I asked what he considered the most significant misconception Americans have about the CIA. He responded, "Intelligence is inseparable from foreign policy. We often talk about intelligence failures and we have an image of the CIA as an independent factor. Our foreign policy is equally as important a factor in intelligence failures [as the CIA]."

Asked how the next president should approach the CIA and its problems, Coll said, "Since 9-11 you've had a large coterie of young people join the CIA. They are young, idealistic, willing to make personal sacrifices for their country; they're the best we've seen since the Kennedy era. But they're leaving because they need leadership, they need a sense of direction, they need careers they can believe in. There's been so much volatility, so many bureaucratic changes, no leadership. It's important that the United States have a successful intelligence service. The next president needs to give the CIA the resources and the leadership that has been lacking."

Books reviewed this column are available online or at your local bookstore.

(c) 2007 King Features Synd., Inc.