Super Short Summary

Directorate S: The C.I.A. and America's Secret Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan by Steve Coll examines the complex alliance between the United States and Pakistan post-9/11, detailing the covert support of the Taliban by Pakistan's ISI, the challenges of governance under Hamid Karzai, and America's strategic setbacks that resulted in a prolonged and costly conflict in Afghanistan, despite substantial investments in terms of resources and human lives.