Member-only story

The Handler: Woodward, the CIA's Master Spy and Architect of the Afghanistan War

Brandon Cox

·19.3k Followers· Follow

Published in The Handler M P Woodward

4 min read

218 View Claps

15 Respond

Save

Listen

Woodward was a master spy and the architect of the Afghanistan War. He was a key figure in the CIA's operations in Afghanistan and played a major role in the events that led to the September 11th attacks.

The Handler

by M.P. Woodward

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	4162 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	447 pages

Woodward was born in 1947 in New York City. He graduated from Harvard University in 1969 and joined the CIA in 1971. He was assigned to the CIA's Directorate of Operations, which is responsible for conducting covert operations around the world.

In the early 1980s, Woodward was assigned to Afghanistan. He was tasked with helping the Afghan rebels fight against the Soviet Union, which had invaded the country in 1979. Woodward played a key role in the CIA's efforts to train and equip the Afghan rebels, and he also helped to develop the strategy that the rebels used to fight the Soviets.

The CIA's operations in Afghanistan were successful in helping the Afghan rebels to defeat the Soviets. The Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989, and Woodward was hailed as a hero. However, the CIA's operations in Afghanistan also had unintended consequences. The Afghan rebels, who had been trained and equipped by the CIA, eventually turned against the United States and became the Taliban.

The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 1996 and imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law. The Taliban also provided safe haven to Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, the terrorist group that carried out the September 11th attacks.

Woodward was a key figure in the events that led to the September 11th attacks. He was the architect of the CIA's operations in Afghanistan, and he played a major role in the training and equipping of the Afghan rebels. Woodward's actions helped to create the conditions that allowed the Taliban to take power in Afghanistan and for al-Qaeda to operate freely in the country.

Woodward retired from the CIA in 2003. He died in 2012 at the age of 65.

Legacy

Woodward's legacy is complex. He was a master spy who played a key role in the defeat of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. However, his actions also helped to create the conditions that allowed the Taliban to take power in Afghanistan and for al-Qaeda to operate freely in the country.

Woodward's legacy will continue to be debated for years to come. Some people argue that he was a hero who helped to defeat the Soviet Union. Others argue that he was a villain who helped to create the conditions that led to the September 11th attacks.

The Handler

by M.P. Woodward

5 out of 5