2 movies have local ties
Charlie Wilson's War based on former Cherokee County congressman
BY TERRIE GONZALEZ

reprinted from April 4, 2004 Cherokeean Herald

Coming soon to the silver screen will be a movie of epic proportions, starring Oscar-winner Tom Hanks in a cloak and dagger tale of the CIA's secret war in Afghanistan during the 1980s. With layers of characters and simultaneous sub-plots, the drama unfolds like a Tom Clancy novel.

But this is no work of fiction. It's a bigger than life tale, first released as a book, that bears the name of Cherokee County's former U.S. Congressman, Charles Wilson.

Charlie Wilson's War, written by 60 Minutes producer George Crile, was 15 years in the making as the author interviewed scores of people, including Wilson, who

cooperated with the project. In an exclusive interview with the Cherokeean Herald, the 6-foot 2, lanky Texan explained why. "Once I saw I had no control over it, when somebody's going to write a book about you, I decided to cooperate and try to make it as accurate as possible." Some sub-plots were emphasized too much, others not enough, in the former Congressman's opinion. However, "I am without qualification, satisfied."

The book's thesis is a secret war in Afghanistan, which at its height in 1988 cost more than $1 billion annually, and was administered by the Central Intelligence Agency. The United States' role went largely unnoticed by the news media as Oliver North's face filled TV screens during Congressional hearings and the arms-for-hostages plot, also known as the Iran-Contra affair, took center stage in the media spotlight. There simply wasn't a collective national focus to investigate and question two secret wars.

The Soviet Union moved into Afghanistan during Christmas of 1979, and they brought with them highpowered weapons, including MiG jets, HIND helicopters, to beat back rebel forces, in their attempt to add the country to its list of puppet governments. CIA operatives watched and worried about the possible "domino effect" if Afghanistan should fall. Who would be next ... Pakistan, Iran, other oil countries in the Middle East?

The Pakistani government felt like they were between the proverbial rock and a hard place, with the threat of an invasion by Russia on the west, and a potential power-grab of disputed land in Kashmere from the east by India, which had whipped them already in three previous wars.

From a CIA office in Boston, a station chief of Greek heritage, Gust Avrakotos, hatched a plan in the early 80s to turn Afghanistan into a quagmire for the Soviet Union, much like Vietnam was for the United States. When the last Russian soldier marched out on Feb. 15, 1989, more than 28,000 Soviets were killed. And the super-power paid dearly in terms of lost aircraft and weapons.

The little war began with just $5 million annually allocated. But the CIA didn't want the Soviet Union or anyone else knowing of U.S. involvement. They decided to begin on a shoe-string budget, and purchase only Soviet-made rifles on the black market. These weapons showed up in ship ports in Pakistan, thus allowing the U.S. to deny culpability and involvement.

But the U.S. was tasking some big assets to help the rag-tag band of "freedom fighters," as President Ronald Reagan called them. Analysts took satellite images of Soviet camps and locations, and then methodically transferred the information to hand-drawn maps that were passed over to the Mujahideen.

In the meantime, a socialite from Houston and a long-time friend of Wilson, introduced him to the President of Pakistan, and touched his heart-strings. Wilson had grown up listening to Winston Churchill on the radio, and he held vivid memories of WWII. The Naval academy graduate carried a deep-rooted hatred of Communism, and the struggling Afghans and Pakistanis became a cause he could champion.

As the CIA was carefully building the infrastructure for this secret war, they were shocked when Wilson called them and offered assistance from his powerful seat on the Defense Committee, which funded the CIA. Just as the government was trying to shut down the CIA in Nicaragua with the Iran-Contra affair, Wilson told CIA Director William Casey, "Mr. Director, I'm going to drown you in money."

Year by year, funding increased from $5 million to more than $500 million, with a slick, back channel arrangement orchestrated by Wilson with Saudi Arabia, where that country matched the U.S., dollar for dollar. The result: a $1 billion war that brought the U.S.S.R. to its knees and led to the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the Eastern Bloc.

Wilson long recognized that the Mujahideen were out-manned and outgunned, but they fought with heart. His goal was to give them weapons that would take out Soviet helicopters.

Because of the rugged terrain, weapons needed to be small enough that three mules could haul them, and they needed to be easy enough for poorly-trained men to use.

Several weapons were proposed, including a still-onthe drawing board weapon by the Israelis, and named

Charley Horse" in honor of Wilson. A Swedish weapon, called the Oelerkon, showed promise. Never before had the CIA dealt with a Congressman who not only wanted to fund their secret programs, but wanted to dictate which weapons would be purchased.

The turning point in the war occurred when the U.S.'s involvement was no longer a secret. Wilson re-directed $300 million and provided Stinger missiles, which were capable of bringing down Mi-24 Hind helicopters and MiG jets. Manufactured by General Dynamics employing housewives in California, the Stingers cost the U.S. about $60,000 each. Sources say the "Muj" became so proficient they were hitting a Soviet plane seven out of every 10 shots.

Crile points out that the return on the investment wasn't bad: The U.S. spent $60,000 for a weapon, and the Soviets lost a $20 million fighter jet.

Through the years a close relationship between Avrakotos and Wilson developed. At the conclusion of the war, the CIA bestowed upon Wilson a very unusual civilian award that was presented to him at the Langley headquarters in a super-secure, off-limits site called "the bubble." When Wilson walked in, a slide projected on a giant screen said, "Charlie did it," and a who's who of CIA spies congratulated him for his role in defeating Communism in Afghanistan.

But what happened next in Afghanistan is the stuff of heart-break and disastrous consequences. When the Red Army marched out of Afghanistan, the U.S. did nothing to help stabilize the country.

"I wish I could have done more, but I had worn out my welcome," said Wilson.

But you can't fault George 1 (President George H. Bush) because of all the things going on. The Berlin Wall came down. The administration was drowning with problems, some of them good problems. There was the declaration of independence by Poland and the fact that Russia didn't use the Red Army to suppress them."

At the same time, the Afghan army began to lose credibility.

"What was left was a vacuum, which was filled by the Taliban, that allowed Osama bin Laden to operate there," he said. "This was the birth place of al Qaeda. It could have been in Libya, Sudan or some other Middle Eastern Country."

If Wilson was a betting man, he'd place his money that bin Laden is in "One of my old caves, in an area between Afghanistan and Pakistan in a tribal area. It's an area where Pakistan doesn't have any real control. You can't call it a country."

For bin Laden's involvement in the 9-11 attack on the United States, Wilson said he will be a "happy camper" when he is apprehended.

The big rumor circulating in Washington is that we'll find him, just before the Presidential election, he said.

What most people don't realize about al Qaeda and bin Laden is that they are not warriors. "They're checkwriters," said Wilson.

The back jacket of Charlie Wilson's War contains accolades from CBS anchor Dan Rather. "Tom Clancy's fiction pales in comparison with the amazing, mesmerizing story told by George Crile. By resurrecting a missing chapter out of our recent past, Charlie Wilson's War provides us with the key to understanding the present.

The book is a great read, with a "no holds barred" approach to an East Texas Congressman's fondness for women, whiskey and underdogs. And his headline making scandals are legendary.

Read the book, then stay tuned for the movie. It provides an excellent foundation for understanding the current war on terrorism.