by Ronan Farrow
140 downloading evidence: Kiessling, Hein. Faith, Unity, Discipline: The Inter-Service-Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan. London: Hurst, 2016, loc. 4277. Kindle.
140 victim of his own politeness: Author interview with Husain Haqqani, Hudson Institute Office, Washington, DC, 6 January 2017.
141 “I’ll be Houdini”: Author interview with Husain Haqqani, Hudson Institute Office, Washington, DC, 6 January 2017.
141 changing of the guard: Author interview with Husain Haqqani, Hudson Institute Office, Washington, DC, 6 January 2017.
142 “material inaccuracies”: “Email from Mansoor Ijaz to Ronan Farrow.” 11 March 2018.
142 stage the bin Laden raid: Haqqani, Husain. “Yes, the Russian ambassador met Trump’s team. So? That’s what we diplomats do.” Washington Post, 10 March 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2017/03/10/yes-the-russian-ambassador-met-trumps-team-so-thats-what-we-diplomats-do/.
143 long-awaited confirmation: “Pakistan Army Reacts to Hussain Haqqani’s Article.” The News (Pakistan), 29 March 2017, https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/195267-Pakistan-Army-reacts-to-Hussain-Haqqanis-article.
143 “The veracity”: Iqbal, Anwar. “Haqqani Claims His ‘Connections’ Led U.S. to Kill Osama.” Dawn, 13 March 2017, https://www.dawn.com/news/1320175.
143 A year after: Author interview with Husain Haqqani, Hudson Institute Office, Washington, DC, 6 January 2017.
16: THE REAL THING
144 “just a case”: Author interview with Robin Raphel, 6 January 2017, Garden Cafe in Washington, DC.
145 Cassidy & Associates: Author interview with Robin Raphel, 6 January 2017, Garden Cafe in Washington, DC.
145 “In medical terms”: Author interview with Robin Raphel, 6 January 2017, Garden Cafe in Washington, DC.
145 “no longer a Department employee”: Mazzetti, Mark and Apuzzo, Matt. “F.B.I. Is Investigating Retired U.S. Diplomat, a Pakistan Expert, Officials Say.” New York Times, 7 November 2014, https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/08/us/robin-raphel-fbi-state-department-search.html?_r=0.
146 “was diplomacy”: Author interview with Ambassador Richard Olson, 28 September 2017.
147 After a few months: Entous, Adam. “The Last Diplomat.” Wall Street Journal, 2 December 2016, https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-last-diplomat-1480695454.
147 “Everybody hated Pakistan”: Author interview with Robin Raphel, 6 January 2017, Garden Cafe in Washington, DC.
147 criminal charge: Entous, Adam. “The Last Diplomat.” Wall Street Journal, 2 December 2016, https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-last-diplomat-1480695454.
148 “scope of work”: Author interview with Robin Raphel, 16 May 2016, at US Institutes of Peace.
149 “Nobody is going to hire you”: Author phone interview with Robin Raphel, 30 June 2016.
149 “I’m a working woman”: Author interview with Robin Raphel, 6 January 2017, Garden Cafe in Washington, DC.
150 “I’m not a spy”: Author interview with Robin Raphel, 6 January 2017, Garden Cafe in Washington, DC.
150 “they’re clueless”: Author interview with Robin Raphel, 6 January 2017, Garden Cafe in Washington, DC.
151 “criminalizing diplomacy”: Author interview with anonymous senior US official, 28 September 2016.
PART II: SHOOT FIRST, ASK QUESTIONS NEVER
153 Corinthians: The Holy Bible, English Standard Version.
17: GENERAL RULE
155 “Whether we need an SRAP or not”: Author interview with Rex Tillerson, 4 January 2018.
156 authority to launch raids: Diamond, Jeremy. “How Trump is Empowering the Military—and Raising Some Eyebrows.” CNN Politics, 26 June 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/06/24/politics/trump-pentagon-shift-war-power-military/index.html.
156 rolling out a new surge: Jaffe, Greg and Ryan, Missy. “Up to 1,000 more U.S. troops could be headed to Afghanistan this spring.” Washington Post, 21 January 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/up-to-1000-more-us-troops-could-be-headed-to-afghanistan-this-spring/2018/01/21/153930b6-fd1b-11e7-a46b-a3614530bd87_story.html.
156 ten of twenty-five: Ryan, Missy and Jaffe, Greg. “Military’s Clout at White House Could Shift U.S. Foreign Policy.” Washington Post, 28 May 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/military-officers-seed-the-ranks-across-trumps-national-security-council/2017/05/28/5f10c8ca-421d-11e7-8c25-44d09ff5a4a8_story.html?utm_term=.e50c3e38d779.
156 White House ended the practice of “detailing”: Wadhams, Nick. “Tillerson Tightens Limits on Filling State Department Jobs.” Bloomberg Politics, 28 June 2017, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-06-28/tillerson-puts-tighter-limits-on-filling-state-department-jobs; author interviews with Foreign Service officers, 1 June 2017 and 30 July 2017.
157 American arms sales: Mehta, Aaron. “U.S. on Track for Record Foreign Weapon Sales.” Defense News, 26 December 2016, www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2016/12/26/us-on-track-for-record-foreign-weapon-sales/.
157 according to several Pentagon staffers: Browne, Ryan. “Amid Diplomatic Crisis Pentagon Agrees $12 Billion Jet Deal with Qatar.” CNN Politics, 14 June 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/06/14/politics/qatar-f35-trump-pentagon/index.html.
157 resume the sale of F-16 fighter jets: Morello, Carol. “State Department Drops Human Rights as Condition for Fighter Jet Sale to Bahrain.” Washington Post, 27 March 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/state-department-drops-human-rights-as-condition-for-fighter-jet-sale-to-bahrain/2017/03/29/6762d422-1abf-406e-aaff-fbc5a6a2e0ac_story.html?utm_term=.ba9bb8036665.
157 naked in a dream: Lusher, Adam. “Senior U.S. Official Reduced to Very Awkward Silence When Asked About Saudi Arabia’s Attitude to Democracy.” Independent (UK), 31 May 2017, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/stuart-jones-state-department-saudi-arabia-democracy-iran-awkward-embarrassing-agonising-pause-most-a7764961.html.
158 “fantastic”: Conway, Madeline. “Trump: ‘We Are Very Much Behind’ Egypt’s el-Sisi.” Politico, 04 April 2017, https://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/trump-praises-egypt-abdel-fattah-el-sisi-236829.
158 “unbelievable”: Carter, Brandon. “Trump Praised Philippines’ Duterte for ‘Unbelievable Job’ on Drugs: Reports.” The Hill, 23 May 2017, thehill.com/policy/international/334858-trump-praised-philippines-duterte-for-unbelievable-job-on-drugs-report.
158 “it is important that we deal with those leaders”: Author interview with James Baker, 22 January 2018.
158 “what this president”: Author interview with John Kerry, 21 November 2017.
158 they weren’t informed: Scahill, Jeremy, Emmons, Alex and Grim, Ryan. “Trump Called Rodrigo Duterte to Congratulate Him on His Murderous Drug War: ‘You Are Doing An Amazing Job.’ ” Intercept, 23 May 2017, https://theintercept.com/2017/05/23/trump-called-rodrigo-duterte-to-congratulate-him-on-his-murderous-drug-war-you-are-doing-an-amazing-job/.
158 “it’s definitely me”: Author interview with Chris LaVine, 25 June 2017.
159 “Hard underlying parts of the diplomacy”: Author interview with Chris LaVine, 25 June 2017.
159 FSA arms: “U.S.-Trained Syrian Rebels Gave Equipment to Nusra: U.S. Military.” Reuters, 26 September 2015, www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-usa-equipment-idUSKCN0RP2HO20150926.
159 a terrorist organization: Author interview with anonymous career officer, 25 June 2017.
159 “They play shell games”: Author interview with Chris LaVine, 25 June 2017.
159 “a very big mistake”: Author interview with Abdullah Al-Mousa, 12 September 2016.
159 “Kurds, Turks, and Syrian rebels were all locked in battle”: Gilbert, Benjamin. “Three U.S. Allies Are Now Fighting Each Other in Northern Syria.” Vice News, 29 August 2016, https://news.vice.com/article/three-us-allies-are-now-fighting-each-other-in-northern-syria and Bulos, Nabih, Hennigan, W. J. and Bennett, Brian. “In Syria, Militias Armed by the Pentagon Fight Those Armed by the CIA.” Los Angeles Times, 27 March 2016, www.latimes.com/world/mi
ddleeast/la-fg-cia-pentagon-isis-20160327-story.html.
160 “it’s really a very big mistake”: Author interview with Abdullah Al-Mousa, 12 September 2016.
160 “the Pentagon program is false”: Author interview with Osama Abu Zaid, 12 September 2016.
161 covert support for rebel elements: “Trump to Send Arms to Kurdish YPG in Syria.” Al Jazeera, 10 May 2017, www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/05/trump-send-arms-kurdish-ypg-syria-170509190404689.html and Jaffe, Greg and Entous, Adam. “Trump Ends Covert C.I.A. Program to Arm Anti-Assad Rebels in Syria, A Move Sought By Moscow.” Washington Post, 19 July 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-ends-covert-cia-program-to-arm-anti-assad-rebels-in-syria-a-move-sought-by-moscow/2017/07/19/b6821a62-6beb-11e7-96ab-5f38140b38cc_story.html?utm_term=.ade66898dd5e.
161 “completely corrosive”: Author interview with Chris LaVine, 25 June 2017.
161 “support the legitimate opposition”: Author interview with Hillary Clinton, 20 November 2017.
161 “on board with that”: Author interview with Chris LaVine, 25 June 2017.
162 “it’s become impossible to have an honest policy disagreement”: Author interview with Chris LaVine, 25 June 2017.
162 the word “partner”: [“]Full Transcript of President Obama’s Commencement Address at West Point.” Washington Post, 28 May 2014, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/full-text-of-president-obamas-commencement-address-at-west-point/2014/05/28/cfbcdcaa-e670-11e3-afc6-a1dd9407abcf_story.html.
18: DOSTUM: HE IS TELLING THE TRUTH AND DISCOURAGING ALL LIES
165 “fragments of skull”: Author interview with Jennifer Leaning, 6 September 2016.
165 Physicians for Human Rights: Author interview with John Heffernan, 25 May 2015.
168 “bulging biceps”: Rashid, Ahmed. Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia, Second Edition. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2010, p. 56. Kindle.
168 meat slurry: Rashid, Ahmed. Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia, Second Edition. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2010, p. 56. Kindle.
168 “You’re a good fellow”: Author interview with General Dostum, in person at the Vice Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, 29–30 August 2016.
169 “my friend”: Williams, Brian Glyn. The Last Warlord: The Life and Legend of Dostum, the Afghan Warrior Who Led U.S. Special Forces to Topple the Taliban Regime. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2013, p. 80.
169 “some baby!”: Author interview with General Dostum, in person at the Vice Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, 29–30 August 2016.
170 to carry rifles: Filkins, Dexter. “Taking a Break from War With a Game Anything but Gentle.” New York Times, 2 January 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/world/asia/03afghan.html.
170 was unbeatable: Author interview with General Dostum, in person at the Vice Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, 29–30 August 2016.
170 all fake lashes: Crile, George. Charlie Wilson’s War. New York: Grove Press, 2007, loc. 1288-1289. Kindle.
170 Congress was allocating more money to the fighters: Coll, Steve. Ghost Wars. London: Penguin, 2004, p. 101. Kindle.
171 “they weren’t suicides”: Author interview with Milton Bearden, 28 April 2016.
171 have had her lawyer saber rattle: “Socialite Joanne Herring wins ‘War.’ ” New York Daily News, 11 December 2007, http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/socialite-joanne-herring-wins-war-article-1.276411.
172 mused openly about defecting: Williams, Brian Glyn. The Last Warlord: The Life and Legend of Dostum, the Afghan Warrior Who Led U.S. Special Forces to Topple the Taliban Regime. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2013, p. 80.
172 balance of power: Williams, Brian Glyn. The Last Warlord: The Life and Legend of Dostum, the Afghan Warrior Who Led U.S. Special Forces to Topple the Taliban Regime. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2013, p. 146.
172 campaign of rapes: Coll, Steve. Ghost Wars. London: Penguin, 2004, p. 262. Kindle.
173 meetings with the Taliban: Rubin, Michael. “Taking Tea with the Taliban.” Commentary, 1 February 2010, https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/taking-tea-with-the-taliban.
173 a freeze of Taliban assets: Rashid, Ahmed. Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia. Second Edition. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2010, p. 217.
173 deepening bond with Osama bin Laden: Rashid, Ahmed. Descent into Chaos: The U.S. and the Disaster in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. London: Penguin, 2009, p. 73.
173 peaceful resolution: “The Situation in Afghanistan and its Implications for International Peace and Security.” United Nations General Assembly Security Council, 21 September 1999, https://unama.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/21%20September%201999.pdf.
174 Pakistan worked with the Taliban: Rashid, Ahmed. Descent into Chaos: The U.S. and the Disaster in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. London: Penguin, 2009, p. 53.
174 “Short question”: Author interview with General Dostum, in person at the Vice Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, 29–30 August 2016.
175 “whatever you want”: Author interview with General Dostum, in person at the Vice Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, 29–30 August 2016.
175 warlords and brigands: Mazzetti, Mark. The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth. New York: Penguin, p. 32. Kindle.
176 “it was such nonsense”: Author interview with Robin Raphel at US Institutes of Peace, 16 May 2016.
176 “our biggest mistake”: Author interview with Robin Raphel at US Institutes of Peace, 16 May 2016.
176 “The Bonn Agreement”: Rubin, Barnett. “What I Saw in Afghanistan.” New Yorker, 1 July 2015, https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/what-have-we-been-doing-in-afghanistan.
177 slaughtering the elderly, children: Coll, Steve. Ghost Wars. London: Penguin, 2004, p. 263. Kindle.
177 forcing them into marriage: “RIC Query—Afghanistan.” United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, BCIS Resource Information Center, 27 May 2003, https://www.uscis.gov/tools/asylum-resources/ric-query-afghanistan-27-may-2003; “UN Opposes Afghanistan Bill Giving Immunity to War Criminals.” Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan, 2 February 2007, http://www.rawa.org/temp/runews/2007/02/02/un-opposes-afghanistan-bill-giving-immunity-to-war-criminals.html.
177 Noor’s militias: Raghavan, Sudarsan. “Afghanistan’s Defining Fight: Technocrats vs. Strongmen.” Washington Post, 12 April 2015, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/former-warlords-test-the-rise-of-a-new-afghanistan/2015/04/12/73e052ae-b091-11e4-bf39-5560f3918d4b_story.html?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.6d12c65413a4.
177 the agency had been developing its relationship: Author interview with Hank Crumpton, 19 July 2016.
177 “ ‘Hey, how ya doing’ ”: Legion of Brothers, dir. Greg Barker, CNN films 2017, 9:30.
177 “ ‘the horse was still moving’ ”: Legion of Brothers, dir. Greg Barker, CNN films 2017, 9:30.
178 “now we’ve gone back in time”: Author interview with Bart, 5 September 2016.
178 “laying in a ditch”: Legion of Brothers, dir. Greg Barker, CNN films 2017, 9:30.
178 “such a great country”: Author interview with General Dostum, in person at the Vice Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, 29–30 August 2016.
179 “accomplished on the battlefield”: Author interview with Hank Crumpton, by phone, 19 July 2016.
179 Kunduz: Anderson, Jon Lee. “The Surrender,” New Yorker, 10 December 2001, http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/12/10/the-surrender.
179 surrendered peacefully: Stewart, Richard W. “The United States Army in Afghanistan, October 2001–March 2002: Operation Enduring Freedom,” United States Army, http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/070/70-83/cmhPub_70-83.pdf.
179 twice that: Contemporaneous claims from US forces, Northern Alliance leaders, and independent journalists all vary significantly.
See, e.g.: “Thousands of Taliban Fighters Surrender in Kunduz,” Haaretz, 24 November 2001, http://www.haaretz.com/news/thousands-of-taliban-fighters-surrender-in-kunduz-1.75571.
180 “location which I can’t talk about”: Author interview with Bart, 5 September 2016.
180 killing one CIA agent: Sennott, Charles M. “The First Battle of the 21st Century: Returning to the Site of America’s Earliest Casualty in Afghanistan.” Atlantic, 5 May 2015.
180 “The bodies”: Author interview with General Dostum, in person at the Vice Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, 29–30 August 2016.
180 “the price we paid for going very fast”: Author interview with Hank Crumpton, 19 July 2016.
181 “You mean the prisoners”: Author interview with Jennifer Leaning, 22 May 2015.
181 Red Cross was barred: James Risen of the New York Times also reported that US military officials blocked initial Red Cross inquiries: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/11/world/asia/11afghan.html.
181 able to build rapport: Author interview with Jennifer Leaning, 6 September 2016.
181 “ ‘Where are the rest?’ ”: Author interview with John Heffernan, 25 May 2015.
182 sundry thuggery: Raghavan, Sudarsan. “Afghanistan’s Defining Fight: Technocrats vs. Strongmen.” Washington Post, 12 April 2015, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/former-warlords-test-the-rise-of-a-new-afghanistan/2015/04/12/73e052ae-b091-11e4-bf39-5560f3918d4b_story.html?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.fe112937980d.
182 accused of harassing: Center for American Progress. “Profiles of Afghan Power Brokers.” 26 October 2009, https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/security/news/2009/10/26/6734/profiles-of-afghan-power-brokers/.
182 spectacular corruption: Human Rights Watch. “Today We Shall All Die”: Afghanistan’s Strongmen and the Legacy of Impunity. 2015, https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/afghanistan0315_4up.pdf.
182 “broad range of criminal activity”: “Cable: 06KABUL2962_a,” released by WikiLeaks, https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/06KABUL2862_a.html.
182 similar havoc: Peceny, Mark and Bosin, Yury. “Winning with Warlords in Afghanistan.” Small Wars & Insurgencies, 22:4, 603–618, www.unm.edu/~ybosin/documents/winning_with_warlords_2011.pdf.