Book description
An award-winning journalist reveals the dramatic true story of the CIA's Team Alpha, the first Americans to be dropped behind enemy lines in Afghanistan after 9/11. America is reeling; Al-Qaeda has struck and thousands are dead. The country scrambles to respond, but the Pentagon has no plan for Afghanistan--where Osama bin Laden masterminded the attack and is protected by the Taliban. Instead, the CIA steps forward to spearhead the war. Eight CIA officers are dropped into the mountains of northern Afghanistan on October 17, 2001. They are Team Alpha, an eclectic band of linguists, tribal experts, and elite warriors: the first Americans to operate inside Taliban territory. Their covert mission is to track down Al- Qaeda and stop the terrorists from infiltrating the United States again. First Casualty places you with Team Alpha as the CIA rides into battle on horseback alongside the warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum. In Washington, DC, few trust that the CIA men, the Green Berets, and the Americans' outnumbered Afghan allies can prevail before winter sets in. On the ground, Team Alpha is undeterred. The Taliban is routed but hatches a plot with Al-Qaeda to hit back. Hundreds of suicidal fighters, many hiding weapons, fake a surrender and are transported to Qala-i Jangi--the "Fort of War." Team Alpha's Mike Spann, an ex-Marine, and David Tyson, a polyglot former Central Asian studies academic, seize America's initial opportunity to extract intelligence from men trained by bin Laden--among them a young Muslim convert from California. The prisoners revolt and one CIA officer falls--the first casualty in America's longest war, which will last two decades. The other CIA man shoots dead the Al-Qaeda jihadists attacking his comrade. To survive, he must fight his way out against overwhelming odds. Award-winning author Toby Harnden gained unprecedented access to all living Team Alpha members and every level of the CIA. Superbly researched, First Casualty draws on extensive interviews, secret documents, and deep reporting inside Afghanistan. As gripping as any adventure novel, yet intimate and profoundly moving, it tells how America found a winning strategy only to abandon it. Harnden reveals that the lessons of early victory and the haunting foretelling it contained--unreliable allies, ethnic rivalries, suicide attacks, and errant US bombs--were ignored, tragically fueling a twenty-year conflict. "Masterful, complex, and heartfelt, from the deeply personal to the critically strategic. Captures many lessons on many levels." --Ambassador Hank Crumpton, former senior CIA officer
Flash
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Stacker of Wheat
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Forger
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Mr. Peppermint
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360
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Freesia
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ThoughtTraveler
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Grave Digger
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Pearl Girl
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Babe
Seamless integration with all my devices and flawless synchronization – top-notch. ListenBook's support for a wide range of formats means I can listen to all my favorite content without worries. ListenBook's user-friendly audio filters and controls have made my audiobook sessions more interactive and engaging. My study sessions are more efficient than ever, thanks to the looping playback and bookmark features.
Dez Bonbon
ListenBook's user-friendly interface and quick access to chapters enhance my overall listening experience. Adjusting the narrator's voice tone is a fun way to personalize the listening experience.
Saturn Extreme
I love that I can switch between devices seamlessly and continue where I left off. With ListenBook, I can listen to my favorite audiobooks and speeches with maximum comfort and convenience. ListenBook's detailed statistics feature helps me keep track of my listening habits. It's amazing to see how much I've learned from all those audiobooks! ListenBook has become my workout buddy. It keeps me entertained and motivated during exercise. Adjusting the tone of the voice is an innovative feature that allows for a personalized listening experience.
Vortex
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Delicious Wing
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Eight Patrol
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Cool Iris
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Casanova
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ByteBard
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NoiseFire
🚶♀️📖 Walking my way through exciting narratives – this app makes exercise more fun! 🏞️🎧 Noise reduction on ListenBook Pro is impressive. It's like getting a clear, immersive listening experience. Noise reduction on ListenBook Pro is a revelation. It enhances the audio quality and makes listening comfortable. ListenBook has seamlessly integrated into my daily routine, enhancing my workouts, commutes, and moments of relaxation. It's a true companion. Automatic metadata extraction is a time-saver. My library is finally well-organized.
Prof. Smirk
ListenBook's library organization and book groups make managing my collection effortless. I'm amazed at how this app seamlessly integrates into my life, enhancing every moment with stories. I've never experienced such silky-smooth playback even with high-quality FLAC files.
Playing a wide variety of audio formats
Works on all devices with iOS 13 and newer
Huge amount of features for a small price
Frequent updates to add new features and improve existing ones
Advanced playback controls
Live sound processing
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice and noise reduction
Translated into more than 20 languages
If you love listening to fiction audiobooks, ListenBook has features to make the process easier.
Edit book data: title, author, cover
Use equalizer to make the sound comfortable for you
Adjust the playback speed
Enjoy dark and light app themes
Supported formats: MP3, M4B, AWB, FLAC, OGG audio files and many more (must be DRM free)
Auto-Bookmarks make it easy to find your place
AirPlay support allows redirection of audio output.
VoiceOver support
Dark mode for night owls
Convenient bookmarking system helps you mark the most important places.
Unlimited bookmarks for each audiobook
Put your own cover on the wager
Share your audiobook with friends
Lock-screen control
Customise app with extensive options
Sleep timer with shake to reset, set custom notification sounds, and a few unique options
Auto rewind depending on paused time, customize rewind times to your liking
Removing background noise from recordings made in classrooms and meetings
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice for a better listening experience