Pastor Tracy Reads | Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden From the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 by Steve Coll

June 30, 2025 | Pastor Tracy Troxel

This is not a read for the faint of heart. Why read a book like this? For one thing, it is good for us to have an appropriate humility concerning the behavior of our country. While I am deeply grateful to God for being born and reared in the United States, it is good for us to be aware of our shortcomings as a nation. Balanced patriotism and humility are compatible.

Second, it is quite common for foreign policy to be over-simplified in the media, by pundits and by politicians. This book does not shy away from revealing the complexities facing Afghanistan considering the Soviet invasion of that country. And it details the challenging and often nightmarish choices facing the various leaders who were responsible to implement U.S. policies for Afghanistan. At various times in the reading of this book, I felt the sting of seeing how superficial and simplistic my own views had been throughout this saga.

Third, Steve Coll pieces together a coherent narrative through detailed sourcing and interviews of how key players in U.S. policy felt about the work they were doing in Afghanistan. The anguish and stress of these key players confront the reader with the reality of suffering through this 20-year period. It became obvious to me that these individuals suffered and took significant risks to implement various initiatives. I can only hope that high-quality people continue to engage in these important and stress-filled jobs.

Fourth, we all know that the world is profoundly broken. This book gives a window into that brokenness with excruciating detail.

I found myself humbled by the sacrifices of so many who tried to bring peace to Afghanistan. I found myself grieved at the suffering of Afghan people. I found myself praying more for Afghanistan and for the people in our government who are performing impossible tasks.

Pastor Tracy Troxel