Unholy Wars: Afghanistan, America and International Terrorism

Description

To oppose the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the United States formed an extraordinary anti-communist alliance with militant Islamic forces; in South Asia.

In this controversial and acclaimed book, John Cooley provides the first behind-the-scenes account of this alliance and of how the CIA planned and ran the ‘holy war’ in Afghanistan.

This book examines the events of September 11th 2001, Osama bin Laden’s role and the complex working of the Al-Qaida terror network. This is the classic book on the history of the USA’s involvement with Afghanistan that explains the devastating consequences of the alliance between the US government and radical Islam. Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the roots of the current international crisis.

Cooley marshals a wealth of evidence – from the assassination of Sadat, the destabilization of Algeria and Chechnya and the emergence of the Taliban, to the bombings of the World Trade Center and the US embassies in Africa. He examines the crucial role of Pakistan’s military intelligence organization; uncovers China’s involvement and its aftermath; the extent of Saudi financial support; the role of ‘America’s most wanted man’ Osama bin Laden; the BCCI connection; the CIA’s cynical promotion of drug traffic in the Golden Crescent; the events in Pakistan since the military coup of October 1999; and, finally, the events of September 11th 2001 and their continuing impact on world affairs.

Author Biography

John K. Cooley (1927-2008) was a journalist and author who specialized in terrorism and the Middle East and North Africa. He is the author of countless books, including the classic Unholy Wars (Pluto, 2002) and An Alliance Against Babylon (Pluto, 2005).