The Secret War in Afghanistan The Soviet Union, China and Anglo-American Intelligence in the Afghan War

'In "The Secret War in Afghanistan", Panagiotis Dimitrakis expertly documents how US and UK intelligence agencies erred about virtually every key aspect of the 1980s drama: Kabul's domestic politics, whether Moscow would invade, if Gorbachev was serious about withdrawing, how long the successor regimes would survive, and whether the subsequent Taliban regime would target Western interests. It is a cautionary tale of over-reliance on secret intelligence, especially in the absence of true country experts on the ground. This book will be of great use to readers interested in intelligence, Cold War history or Afghanistan's continuing travails.' - Alan J. Kuperman, LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin 'Dr Dimitrakis has produced a thoroughly-researched and comprehensive account of American and British policy-making and intelligence with reference to the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan (1979-1989). It is required reading for any scholar with an interest in Afghan or Cold War history.' - Geraint Hughes, Senior Lecturer in Defence Studies, King's College London