Super Short Summary

Ghost Wars by Steve Coll explores the history of American intervention in Afghanistan from the Soviet invasion in 1979 up to the events just before September 11, 2001. The book details the guerrilla warfare against Soviet troops, U.S. and Saudi support for Afghan rebels, the rise of the Taliban, Osama bin Laden's involvement, and the CIA's efforts to combat growing extremist threats as intelligence fails to prevent the 9/11 attacks. The book contains discussions of violence and terrorism.