In a little over a decade, two events have transformed the world: the collapse of the Soviet Union and the rise of militant Islam. This book is the story behind the last battle of the Cold War and how it fueled the new jihad. The author tells how Charlie Wilson, a maverick congressman from east Texas, conspired with a rogue CIA operative to launch the biggest, meanest, and most successful covert operation in the Agency's history. In the early 1980s, after a Houston socialite turned Wilson's attention to the ragged band of Afghan 'freedom fighters' who continued, despite overwhelming odds, to fight the Soviet invaders, the congressman became passionate about their cause. At a time when Ronald Reagan faced a total cutoff of funding for the Contra war, Wilson, who sat on the all-powerful House Appropriations Committee, managed to procure hundreds of millions of dollars to support the mujahideen. The arms were secretly procured and distributed with the aid of an out-of-favor CIA operative, Gust Avrakotos, whose working-class Greek-American background made him an anomaly among the Ivy League world of American spies. Nicknamed 'Dr. Dirty, ' the blue-collar James Bond was an aggressive agent who served on the front lines of the Cold War where he learned how to stretch the Agency's rules to the breaking point.

Subtitle from cover. Includes index. Includes bibliographical references (pages 525-531) and index.

Introduction : A strange award at Langley -- A hot tub in Las Vegas -- Defender of Trinity -- A rogue elephant in the Agency woods -- A Texas bombshell -- The secret life of Charlie Wilson -- The curse of Aliquippa -- How the Israelis broke the Congressman's heart and he fell for the Muj -- The station chief -- Cocaine Charlie -- The Congressman takes his belly dancer to the Jihad -- The rebirth of Gust Avrakotos -- The United States v. Charles Wilson -- The seduction of Doc Long -- Gust's secret -- The opening salvo -- Howard of Afghanistan -- Cogan's last stand -- The birth of a conspiracy -- The recruitment -- No Wasps need apply -- Man of destiny -- Mohammed's arms bazar -- The Senator and his even crazier right-wing friends -- Techno holy warriors -- 'The noblest smuggling operation is history' -- Dr. Doom declares Charlie dead -- Charlie's irregulars -- The silver bullet -- The other silver bullet -- The brown bomber -- 'It's my war, goddamn it' -- A jihad to remember -- The price of glory -- 'Here's to you, you motherfucker' -- Epilogue : unintended consequences.