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Countdown bin Laden
Following Chris Wallace’s “riveting” (The New York Times) and “propulsive” (Time) #1 national bestseller Countdown 1945 comes a deeply reported, revelatory, and thrillingly told account of the final months of the hunt for Osama bin Laden.
On August 27, 2010, three CIA officers ask for a private meeting with CIA Director Leon Panetta. During that secret session, they tell Panetta that agents have tracked a courier with deep Al Qaeda ties to a three-story house at the end of a dead-end street in Abbottabad, Pakistan. But they say it’s more than a house—it’s a heavily protected fortress. No one in the meeting says the name bin Laden. They don’t have to. Everyone understands that finally, after nearly a decade, maybe, just maybe, they’ve found the world’s most wanted man.
In Countdown bin Laden, celebrated journalist and anchor of Fox News Sunday Chris Wallace delivers a thrilling new account of the final eight months of intelligence gathering, national security strategizing, and meticulous military planning that leads to the climactic mission when SEAL Team Six closes in on its target.
The book delivers new information collected from Wallace’s in-depth interviews with more than a dozen central figures, including Admiral William H. McRaven—leader of the operation in Pakistan—as well as CIA Director Panetta, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, and two members of SEAL Team Six who participate in the raid, including the special operator who kills Osama bin Laden. Wallace also brings to life the human elements of this story, talking to families who lost loved ones on 9/11, sharing what relatives of SEAL Team Six went through, and bringing us inside the tense Situation Room during the raid.
Published on the twentieth anniversary of 9/11, Countdown bin Laden is a historical thriller filled with intrigue, cinematic action, and fresh reporting about the race to apprehend and bring to justice the mastermind of the most consequential terrorist attack in American history.
On August 27, 2010, three CIA officers ask for a private meeting with CIA Director Leon Panetta. During that secret session, they tell Panetta that agents have tracked a courier with deep Al Qaeda ties to a three-story house at the end of a dead-end street in Abbottabad, Pakistan. But they say it’s more than a house—it’s a heavily protected fortress. No one in the meeting says the name bin Laden. They don’t have to. Everyone understands that finally, after nearly a decade, maybe, just maybe, they’ve found the world’s most wanted man.
In Countdown bin Laden, celebrated journalist and anchor of Fox News Sunday Chris Wallace delivers a thrilling new account of the final eight months of intelligence gathering, national security strategizing, and meticulous military planning that leads to the climactic mission when SEAL Team Six closes in on its target.
The book delivers new information collected from Wallace’s in-depth interviews with more than a dozen central figures, including Admiral William H. McRaven—leader of the operation in Pakistan—as well as CIA Director Panetta, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, and two members of SEAL Team Six who participate in the raid, including the special operator who kills Osama bin Laden. Wallace also brings to life the human elements of this story, talking to families who lost loved ones on 9/11, sharing what relatives of SEAL Team Six went through, and bringing us inside the tense Situation Room during the raid.
Published on the twentieth anniversary of 9/11, Countdown bin Laden is a historical thriller filled with intrigue, cinematic action, and fresh reporting about the race to apprehend and bring to justice the mastermind of the most consequential terrorist attack in American history.
359 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 7, 2021
400 people are currently reading
2216 people want to read
About the author
Chris Wallace
39 books118 followersChristopher W. Wallace is an American television anchor and journalist who is the news anchor of the Fox News program Fox News Sunday. He worked for NBC as a White House correspondent and anchor for NBC Nightly News and host of Meet the Press.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 289 reviews
September 21, 2021
Dissapointing
This book has a lot of repetition and fluff filler. Tell me something once, maybe twice but in this book things were repeated often. I don’t need to know that the president “dressed down” for the event or that the team ordered sandwiches from Costco or that the general’s wife made oatmeal raisin cookies!!
I wanted more facts and details on how the compound was found and the planning that went into the raid. It wasn’t here. Very simplistic read, suitable for junior high students.
This book has a lot of repetition and fluff filler. Tell me something once, maybe twice but in this book things were repeated often. I don’t need to know that the president “dressed down” for the event or that the team ordered sandwiches from Costco or that the general’s wife made oatmeal raisin cookies!!
I wanted more facts and details on how the compound was found and the planning that went into the raid. It wasn’t here. Very simplistic read, suitable for junior high students.
May 2, 2025
Having enjoyed some previous works by Chris Wallace, I wanted more and was not disappointed. Wallace takes this hunt for one of America's most sought-after terrorists and provides a great backstory, as well as progression in the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Wallace delivers an entertaining and highly educational piece while pulling no punches in this exciting and educational piece. A great read for the curious reader!
It was a relatively quiet day on August 37, 2010 when CIA Director Leon Panetta received a meeting request. Three CIA officers sought to brief the Director on a massive piece of intel they came upon, something that would be highly secret and could change the American narrative. The officers mentioned that they had followed a courier with deep Al Queda ties back to a three-bedroom house in Pakistan. Additionally, the courier's residence was more than a house, but a protected fortress. While the name of the courier was never mentioned, Osama bin Laden was on the lips of everyone, which could be monumental if Panetta could have it verified.
While Panetta wanted to send the intel up to President Barack Obama, he needed more. Certainty was essential, both to create a plan and move forward with the next step, if bin Laden had actually been located. The man behind the September 11, 2001 attacks might finally be within the Americans' reach and no one wanted to let this slip away. CIA operatives began piecing more together and when Panetta was sure, he briefed POTUS, who was highly interested in following their next steps.
There needed to be a strong plan to infiltrate the compound and capture bin Laden, which would mean planning by the military, while also keeping it highly confidential. Additionally, entering foreign territory, Americans would have to massage their diplomatic connections with Pakistan, which were shaky at best. As Obama tried to be patient, he knew that this could shape his presidency after a rough period since the election. What follows was a thoroughly captivating ramping up of events as Wallace counts down the days until the mission and one of the most explosive events in a decade-long search for Osama bin Laden. Gripping and highly educational in equal measure, I am pleased to have found this book by Chris Wallace.
Chris Wallace delivers a stunning punch to the narrative as he pulls the reader in for much excitement. The ongoing countdown adds an electrifying aspect, even as the reader knows the final result. The narrative clips along and provides wonderful tension for the reader to enjoy as they learn about a great deal not publicly released at the time. Each chapter presents strong research and paints historical events that have shaped America over the last few decades. Wallace hands the reader something that will educate in nuanced ways, while bringing to life the human elements of this story, talking to families who lost loved ones on 9/11; sharing what relatives of SEAL Team Six went through; and bringing us inside the tense Situation Room during the raid. There are so many moving parts within this book that will likely impress or intrigue the reader. I cannot wait for another Countdown to learn something new!
Kudos, Mr. Wallace, for an intense read!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
It was a relatively quiet day on August 37, 2010 when CIA Director Leon Panetta received a meeting request. Three CIA officers sought to brief the Director on a massive piece of intel they came upon, something that would be highly secret and could change the American narrative. The officers mentioned that they had followed a courier with deep Al Queda ties back to a three-bedroom house in Pakistan. Additionally, the courier's residence was more than a house, but a protected fortress. While the name of the courier was never mentioned, Osama bin Laden was on the lips of everyone, which could be monumental if Panetta could have it verified.
While Panetta wanted to send the intel up to President Barack Obama, he needed more. Certainty was essential, both to create a plan and move forward with the next step, if bin Laden had actually been located. The man behind the September 11, 2001 attacks might finally be within the Americans' reach and no one wanted to let this slip away. CIA operatives began piecing more together and when Panetta was sure, he briefed POTUS, who was highly interested in following their next steps.
There needed to be a strong plan to infiltrate the compound and capture bin Laden, which would mean planning by the military, while also keeping it highly confidential. Additionally, entering foreign territory, Americans would have to massage their diplomatic connections with Pakistan, which were shaky at best. As Obama tried to be patient, he knew that this could shape his presidency after a rough period since the election. What follows was a thoroughly captivating ramping up of events as Wallace counts down the days until the mission and one of the most explosive events in a decade-long search for Osama bin Laden. Gripping and highly educational in equal measure, I am pleased to have found this book by Chris Wallace.
Chris Wallace delivers a stunning punch to the narrative as he pulls the reader in for much excitement. The ongoing countdown adds an electrifying aspect, even as the reader knows the final result. The narrative clips along and provides wonderful tension for the reader to enjoy as they learn about a great deal not publicly released at the time. Each chapter presents strong research and paints historical events that have shaped America over the last few decades. Wallace hands the reader something that will educate in nuanced ways, while bringing to life the human elements of this story, talking to families who lost loved ones on 9/11; sharing what relatives of SEAL Team Six went through; and bringing us inside the tense Situation Room during the raid. There are so many moving parts within this book that will likely impress or intrigue the reader. I cannot wait for another Countdown to learn something new!
Kudos, Mr. Wallace, for an intense read!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
November 1, 2021
Disclaimer: This is updated review after me being able to read notes and bibliography included.
The goods:
If you are American and like thriller/action fiction novels there is 99% chance that you will love this book. Since most readers on Goodreads fall into this category, hence high notes.
Author is well experienced journalist/writer with smooth writing style and indeed, book reads like a page-turner good fiction novel. Language is simple, technical details limited, emotions well accented where they supposed to be. Even when it comes to the criticism of author' s political affiliation.....I mean, come on. That's given.
The not so goods:
If you read a lot of non-fiction and/or you are a picky reader, you will be disappointed as most of the material here feels like author's imagination or compilation of wildly available news. Author very eagerly describes thoughts of involved characters, which makes me always suspicious in non fiction writing. I reviewed notes and bibliography in details. There have been 19 persons in total interviewed by the author (not very impressive for all characters described), many quoted "thoughts" don't come from those ones. However, I have to say that bibliography was interesting and I found few books which I want to read.
Author relentlessly repeats how each and every person worked incredibly hard, tirelessly, long hours, with multiple personal sacrifices and unlimited devotion on the case.......... for......10 years. No, there were no lazy or ineffective people involved. And no, other people in the US don't work long hours just to provide for their families and keep the economy rolling (aka pay taxes for multi million intelligence operations).
There were no intelligence mistakes here. Nothing but full perfection and professionalism. There were no questions asked (forget the answers) what intelligence was doing before 9/11 and the whole 10 years after that. So, if you are looking for some really important answers, you may be disappointed. Also, if the main intelligence players in the country make decisions based on the rule "What would average Joe do in this situation given the facts" ...it's not even concerning to me, it's terrifying.
This book came out on the 20th anniversary and its role is purely patriotic and uplifting. I don't want to diminish this value by any means. America loves that and book will sell well. At the end, timing is everything.
However, reading the last follow up chapters on main characters' life events, left me very sad. The involved SEALs, people who directly risked their lives, did not do so well. And seams they had no real support in adjusting to life outside.
The rest, well, just traded one Board room for another. Nothing special or particularly interesting.
The goods:
If you are American and like thriller/action fiction novels there is 99% chance that you will love this book. Since most readers on Goodreads fall into this category, hence high notes.
Author is well experienced journalist/writer with smooth writing style and indeed, book reads like a page-turner good fiction novel. Language is simple, technical details limited, emotions well accented where they supposed to be. Even when it comes to the criticism of author' s political affiliation.....I mean, come on. That's given.
The not so goods:
If you read a lot of non-fiction and/or you are a picky reader, you will be disappointed as most of the material here feels like author's imagination or compilation of wildly available news. Author very eagerly describes thoughts of involved characters, which makes me always suspicious in non fiction writing. I reviewed notes and bibliography in details. There have been 19 persons in total interviewed by the author (not very impressive for all characters described), many quoted "thoughts" don't come from those ones. However, I have to say that bibliography was interesting and I found few books which I want to read.
Author relentlessly repeats how each and every person worked incredibly hard, tirelessly, long hours, with multiple personal sacrifices and unlimited devotion on the case.......... for......10 years. No, there were no lazy or ineffective people involved. And no, other people in the US don't work long hours just to provide for their families and keep the economy rolling (aka pay taxes for multi million intelligence operations).
There were no intelligence mistakes here. Nothing but full perfection and professionalism. There were no questions asked (forget the answers) what intelligence was doing before 9/11 and the whole 10 years after that. So, if you are looking for some really important answers, you may be disappointed. Also, if the main intelligence players in the country make decisions based on the rule "What would average Joe do in this situation given the facts" ...it's not even concerning to me, it's terrifying.
This book came out on the 20th anniversary and its role is purely patriotic and uplifting. I don't want to diminish this value by any means. America loves that and book will sell well. At the end, timing is everything.
However, reading the last follow up chapters on main characters' life events, left me very sad. The involved SEALs, people who directly risked their lives, did not do so well. And seams they had no real support in adjusting to life outside.
The rest, well, just traded one Board room for another. Nothing special or particularly interesting.
September 21, 2021
Much better books on this topic.the writer really gets off topic and throws in a lot of random details that don’t really have much too do with the search for bin laden and is constantly throwing in his political opinions and biases throughout..not what I was hoping for/expecting for this book
January 28, 2022
Phenomenal journalism here and an unbelievable recollection of an event that altered the course of history. Reading it as an adult was nothing short of thrilling.
September 16, 2021
Countdown bin Laden by Chris Wallace, presents a conundrum.
How can a book where you already know the outcome be compelling? Here, I’m talking extraordinarily compelling, an engrossing page-turner. In this case, the book’s title suggests the ultimate outcome of the story for anyone conversant in recent American history. So how to explain the perplexing combination of a known outcome and captivating book? Here’s my answer.
First. The countdown framework, which sometimes can be a cliché, works extraordinarily well. The countdown maintains a clear chronology while allowing Wallace to describe multiple characters in multiple situations in numerous places around the world. Using a countdown frame, Wallace creates a sense of drama, a clear progression toward the conclusion. While reading, I always knew where I was and where I was going in both time and place.
Second. Though the outcome is known, the tick-tock on how the team achieved its goal is new and fascinating. Wallace has unearthed engrossing details by interviewing and tracking many disparate characters in disparate roles—many top people in the Obama administration, the CIA analysts, the widow grieving ten years after 9/11, the SEAL Team 6 “badasses” who thrive on their challenge despite extreme mortal danger, even Cairo, the dog, who is an essential member of the team, searching for concealed explosives and enemies in hiding. Of course, the outcome is essential to the story, but the detailed processes to achieve that outcome—the analysis, the decision making, the training, the technology, the bravery, the pressures, the confidence, the doubts—are all here.
Third. When I started reading, I couldn’t remember if any SEAL Team members died during the raid. Of course, I cared about their safety when they were anonymous. However, as I read, their anonymity dissolved because Wallace introduces some of the team, capturing their ambitions, their dreams, their fears, and their family situations. Having these personal insights, I read with interest, and then with haste, anxious to see if everyone survived the raid.
So the countdown structure, the tick-tock deeply researched steps to achieve success, and my fear that some of the SEALS may have died, all make for compelling reading, the page-turner I’m describing. The outcome, though historically significant, takes a backseat to the buildup, the process, the personal stories. Thus, outcome known, compelling story.
Are there negatives? Nothing significant. The prose is direct and workmanlike, but there are no soaring passages, no paragraphs to savor. The drama comes, as I say, from the story’s structure, the telling details, and the personal stories, not from Wallace’s way with words. This stylistic trait becomes evident in the multiple concluding segments—aftermath, epilogue, postscript, and acknowledgment—where in places the narrative slows to a crawl.
But who needs an impressive way with words when the subject is one of the most important events in recent American history, and the author has handled that subject remarkably well? Not me. I’ll take Countdown bin Laden just as is.
Note: For those of you with plagiarism spotting software, I’ve borrowed wording from my earlier review of Wallace’s Countdown 1945. Wallace has started a franchise, and my reviews of the two books have similar wording.
How can a book where you already know the outcome be compelling? Here, I’m talking extraordinarily compelling, an engrossing page-turner. In this case, the book’s title suggests the ultimate outcome of the story for anyone conversant in recent American history. So how to explain the perplexing combination of a known outcome and captivating book? Here’s my answer.
First. The countdown framework, which sometimes can be a cliché, works extraordinarily well. The countdown maintains a clear chronology while allowing Wallace to describe multiple characters in multiple situations in numerous places around the world. Using a countdown frame, Wallace creates a sense of drama, a clear progression toward the conclusion. While reading, I always knew where I was and where I was going in both time and place.
Second. Though the outcome is known, the tick-tock on how the team achieved its goal is new and fascinating. Wallace has unearthed engrossing details by interviewing and tracking many disparate characters in disparate roles—many top people in the Obama administration, the CIA analysts, the widow grieving ten years after 9/11, the SEAL Team 6 “badasses” who thrive on their challenge despite extreme mortal danger, even Cairo, the dog, who is an essential member of the team, searching for concealed explosives and enemies in hiding. Of course, the outcome is essential to the story, but the detailed processes to achieve that outcome—the analysis, the decision making, the training, the technology, the bravery, the pressures, the confidence, the doubts—are all here.
Third. When I started reading, I couldn’t remember if any SEAL Team members died during the raid. Of course, I cared about their safety when they were anonymous. However, as I read, their anonymity dissolved because Wallace introduces some of the team, capturing their ambitions, their dreams, their fears, and their family situations. Having these personal insights, I read with interest, and then with haste, anxious to see if everyone survived the raid.
So the countdown structure, the tick-tock deeply researched steps to achieve success, and my fear that some of the SEALS may have died, all make for compelling reading, the page-turner I’m describing. The outcome, though historically significant, takes a backseat to the buildup, the process, the personal stories. Thus, outcome known, compelling story.
Are there negatives? Nothing significant. The prose is direct and workmanlike, but there are no soaring passages, no paragraphs to savor. The drama comes, as I say, from the story’s structure, the telling details, and the personal stories, not from Wallace’s way with words. This stylistic trait becomes evident in the multiple concluding segments—aftermath, epilogue, postscript, and acknowledgment—where in places the narrative slows to a crawl.
But who needs an impressive way with words when the subject is one of the most important events in recent American history, and the author has handled that subject remarkably well? Not me. I’ll take Countdown bin Laden just as is.
Note: For those of you with plagiarism spotting software, I’ve borrowed wording from my earlier review of Wallace’s Countdown 1945. Wallace has started a franchise, and my reviews of the two books have similar wording.
December 3, 2021
"Above it was a tattered American Flag in a frame, hung there by his predecessor. The flag came from the World Trade Center. For Panetta it served as a daily reminder of 9/11 and its victims and the hunt for bin Laden."
This quote expressed to me how determined he was to find bin laden. Every Tuesday he and his team used to meet to discuss facts and clues they have discovered about bin Laden. For instance,the flag hung really showed me that he wanted to serve justice to the families who had lost loved ones In 9/11. I thought how determined they were made the book interesting and suspenseful. Although, this book included a brief story on a woman who lost her husband in the 9/11 attack. I could feel her emotions and sadness in this book. This book did contain emotions that were sensitive. It took a turn at times from a serious tone to a romantic to anger. There was suspense in this book and I felt as if the 247 days felt longer. In conclusion I would recommend this book because it does correlate to what we have learned in previous years bout this incident.
This quote expressed to me how determined he was to find bin laden. Every Tuesday he and his team used to meet to discuss facts and clues they have discovered about bin Laden. For instance,the flag hung really showed me that he wanted to serve justice to the families who had lost loved ones In 9/11. I thought how determined they were made the book interesting and suspenseful. Although, this book included a brief story on a woman who lost her husband in the 9/11 attack. I could feel her emotions and sadness in this book. This book did contain emotions that were sensitive. It took a turn at times from a serious tone to a romantic to anger. There was suspense in this book and I felt as if the 247 days felt longer. In conclusion I would recommend this book because it does correlate to what we have learned in previous years bout this incident.
September 16, 2021
I enjoyed the telling of the narrative, although it didn't present much information that I haven't seen in other reports. I found the book to be marred by diversions into Chris Wallace's political views/biases, expressed mostly on topics that took the narrative away from pursuit of UBL. The administration and military figures featured in the narrative also could have been more human, instead the portrayals sometimes verged on hagiography (so-and-so was so especially handsome, so amazingly intelligent, so profoundly wise, so etc.).
July 6, 2024
Most girls: reading fun romance novels
Me:
Me:
March 6, 2022
A well-written and insightful work, though the story isn’t exactly “untold.”
Inevitably, readers will wonder what new revelations Wallace has, given how many published accounts there are of the operation, by both participants and journalists. He doesn’t have many, but he does fill in a lot of details. Much of the book is told from the perspective of the Obama White House (especially Obama and Panetta), the CIA analysts and planners, and the SEALs on the raid. The chief of CTC’s Pakistan/Afghanistan desk (most accounts call him “Gary”) was also interviewed for the first time. Interestingly, Matt Bissonette (“Mark Owen”) is not mentioned at all in the narrative, though Wallace does cite his book. Wallace also briefly mentions the publication of that book, but makes no comment about its accuracy.
The narrative is cohesive and very readable, and the pace picks up more and more as the story progresses. Still, the book is a bit repetitive and some of it feels like filler. The writing sometimes feels simplistic and dumbed-down (short sentences, use of first names, etc.) Wallace often describes such gripping details as people’s breakfasts and the clothes they decided to put on in the morning. His style is pretty restrained and straightforward, but at one point Wallace randomly writes, in his own words, “No one could have known it would lead to a special operations strike to take out the son of a bitch.” If you’re looking for details about bin Laden’s life, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Some readers may wish for more maps.
A few parts don’t really make sense. At one point Wallace digresses to tell the story of a police officer, the officer's family and how the 9/11 attacks changed their lives. It’s a tragic story, but Wallace isn’t able to relate it well to the story of the actual raid. At another point, when discussing McRaven’s role in planning the raid, Wallace writes that McRaven had to decide whether to use “Navy SEALs or Army Green Berets.” He must mean Delta Force. In his memoir, McRaven refers to Delta as JSOC’s “Army task force” and other such euphemisms, so maybe that explains the confusion, if Wallace was relying on that book. Elsewhere Wallace finishes a chapter on the raid planning with the words “And time was running out,” but doesn’t explain why. Robert O’Neill’s wife is called “Amber” throughout the book, although his memoir calls her “Nicole” (I guess either O’Neill or Wallace are using pseudonyms)
A vivid and well-researched work.
Inevitably, readers will wonder what new revelations Wallace has, given how many published accounts there are of the operation, by both participants and journalists. He doesn’t have many, but he does fill in a lot of details. Much of the book is told from the perspective of the Obama White House (especially Obama and Panetta), the CIA analysts and planners, and the SEALs on the raid. The chief of CTC’s Pakistan/Afghanistan desk (most accounts call him “Gary”) was also interviewed for the first time. Interestingly, Matt Bissonette (“Mark Owen”) is not mentioned at all in the narrative, though Wallace does cite his book. Wallace also briefly mentions the publication of that book, but makes no comment about its accuracy.
The narrative is cohesive and very readable, and the pace picks up more and more as the story progresses. Still, the book is a bit repetitive and some of it feels like filler. The writing sometimes feels simplistic and dumbed-down (short sentences, use of first names, etc.) Wallace often describes such gripping details as people’s breakfasts and the clothes they decided to put on in the morning. His style is pretty restrained and straightforward, but at one point Wallace randomly writes, in his own words, “No one could have known it would lead to a special operations strike to take out the son of a bitch.” If you’re looking for details about bin Laden’s life, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Some readers may wish for more maps.
A few parts don’t really make sense. At one point Wallace digresses to tell the story of a police officer, the officer's family and how the 9/11 attacks changed their lives. It’s a tragic story, but Wallace isn’t able to relate it well to the story of the actual raid. At another point, when discussing McRaven’s role in planning the raid, Wallace writes that McRaven had to decide whether to use “Navy SEALs or Army Green Berets.” He must mean Delta Force. In his memoir, McRaven refers to Delta as JSOC’s “Army task force” and other such euphemisms, so maybe that explains the confusion, if Wallace was relying on that book. Elsewhere Wallace finishes a chapter on the raid planning with the words “And time was running out,” but doesn’t explain why. Robert O’Neill’s wife is called “Amber” throughout the book, although his memoir calls her “Nicole” (I guess either O’Neill or Wallace are using pseudonyms)
A vivid and well-researched work.
January 31, 2023
Listened to the audiobook.
I was very nervous that this book would drip of American exceptionalism and islamophobia, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was more facts than opinions. A very interesting read!
I was very nervous that this book would drip of American exceptionalism and islamophobia, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was more facts than opinions. A very interesting read!
September 20, 2021
"Countdown bin Laden" is one of the best books I've read in 2021. It is nonfiction, of course, but Chris Wallace has penned it in a way that makes you think you're reading a thriller.
Once I started reading it, I couldn't stop. The detail about the people involved in the hunt for bin Laden is amazing. I learned so much from this book. It is just an excellent read.
Initially, I didn't know if I wanted to read it. I admit to much skepticism because Chris Wallace works for Fox News, a network I consider to be untruthful, exploitative and a mouthpiece for nothing except Republican party propaganda and conspiracy theories. But, I remember Chris Walleace's excell reporting for other networks, and decided to give the book a try. Surprisingly, I found it totally onpolitical, straight forward, fair, and respectful. I'm so glad I chose to put my misgivings aside. If I hadn't, I would have missed out on reading an excellent and informative book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the hunt for bin Laden, or anyone who just wants to read a thrilling and captivating account of what really happened.
Once I started reading it, I couldn't stop. The detail about the people involved in the hunt for bin Laden is amazing. I learned so much from this book. It is just an excellent read.
Initially, I didn't know if I wanted to read it. I admit to much skepticism because Chris Wallace works for Fox News, a network I consider to be untruthful, exploitative and a mouthpiece for nothing except Republican party propaganda and conspiracy theories. But, I remember Chris Walleace's excell reporting for other networks, and decided to give the book a try. Surprisingly, I found it totally onpolitical, straight forward, fair, and respectful. I'm so glad I chose to put my misgivings aside. If I hadn't, I would have missed out on reading an excellent and informative book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the hunt for bin Laden, or anyone who just wants to read a thrilling and captivating account of what really happened.
September 27, 2021
Bad writing, cliches; I am not even halfway through Chris Wallace but don't know whether I want to continue reading this book. It appears to have been written to be published on the anniversary of 9/11. I'll read a bit more and see whether I like it better. There must be a better book on this subject, written well.
May 8, 2022
i like that when Chris Wallace mentions bin Laden for the first time, he describes him as “sullen”. like yeah i agree that’s def one guy who seemed to be in a pretty bad mood
that sets the scene for a simple writing style that verges on USA! USA! hagiography but still makes for a refreshingly easy and accessible read
that sets the scene for a simple writing style that verges on USA! USA! hagiography but still makes for a refreshingly easy and accessible read
October 18, 2021
This book takes us behind the scenes of one of the most exciting political events occurring the past 10 years. I loved this book so much! I felt like I was alongside those wonderful actors, in the middle of the action, and I had the chance to get to know who were those NAVY Seals who did the impossible. This book was fantastic and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about the chase and catch of Osama Bin Laden.
August 22, 2021
This is a superb, behind the scenes look at what went into the hunt for bin Laden. While impossible to get the whole truth due to most of the information being still classified, Wallace was able to interview almost all the important players from the tippy top of government, intelligence officials, Seals who participated in the planning and execution of the raid, family members of those killed on 9/11, as well as people in Abbottabad.
Hindsight being twenty-twenty and all, it's remarkable how many signs we have missed in regards to our elected officials. We, as Americans, are capable of great things but are just as capable of being the stupidest country.
I finished this book about 2 weeks ago, before the newest round of Afghanistan trouble. It is painfully apparent everyone throughout this war has been wrong at least a few times and anyone who pretends otherwise is not being honest. Unfortunately that seems to be the norm these days.
I would like to thank NetGalley as well as Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read an advance copy of Countdown bin Laden!
Hindsight being twenty-twenty and all, it's remarkable how many signs we have missed in regards to our elected officials. We, as Americans, are capable of great things but are just as capable of being the stupidest country.
I finished this book about 2 weeks ago, before the newest round of Afghanistan trouble. It is painfully apparent everyone throughout this war has been wrong at least a few times and anyone who pretends otherwise is not being honest. Unfortunately that seems to be the norm these days.
I would like to thank NetGalley as well as Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read an advance copy of Countdown bin Laden!
October 12, 2021
3.5 stars. Wallace is very biased towards Obama, and while I understand the presidency is not easy, Obama certainly did not rise to the occasions that he could have as our first African American president.
To the American warriors who made this mission possible, a lifetime of respect and pride.
As far as the writing, this was not Wallace's best.
To the American warriors who made this mission possible, a lifetime of respect and pride.
As far as the writing, this was not Wallace's best.
June 7, 2022
Thankfully I borrowed this book from the library. Nothing about this book was "untold".This entire book couldv'e been condensed into maybe three chapters. This book is basically a bunch of meetings at the CIA and White House with everyone demanding more intel.
This book probably had more filler than likely anything I have read before. Five pages of background about Leon Panetta is one example of this book being bloated with filler. There is a widow of a 09/11 victim who made appearances throughout the book. Sad but irrelevant and it got to be very repetitive and tiresome to keep reading her diary entries. If you forget the planners worked long hours and it was straining their home life, dont worry it will be mentioned many more times throughout the book.
If you know absolutely NOTHING about this mission, as in never watched a documentary, listened to a podcast, or read an article then I would maybe recommend it. However better books have been written about the raid.
This book probably had more filler than likely anything I have read before. Five pages of background about Leon Panetta is one example of this book being bloated with filler. There is a widow of a 09/11 victim who made appearances throughout the book. Sad but irrelevant and it got to be very repetitive and tiresome to keep reading her diary entries. If you forget the planners worked long hours and it was straining their home life, dont worry it will be mentioned many more times throughout the book.
If you know absolutely NOTHING about this mission, as in never watched a documentary, listened to a podcast, or read an article then I would maybe recommend it. However better books have been written about the raid.
December 19, 2025
This book is well-researched, well-written, and at times, an exhilarating ride. In short, it should get four stars if it hadn’t been for a very important issue: the obscene vulgarities that litter it’s pages. Wallace seems to overdo it with the swearing and downright offensive vocabulary of the characters. Has he no decency?
Other than that -and this was an important issue- this book does have much to praise. The assassination of Osama bin Laden is a fundamental and often overlooked part of our history.
Wallace doesn’t hide his deep admiration for President Obama and CIA Director Leon Panetta, and he wastes no opportunity to slander President Trump, yet despite this, he gives a far and balanced view of the players in this mission, not shying away from criticizing Vp Biden, Sec of State Clinton and Defense Sec Gates.
His analysis on the CIA process that led to the eventual death of bin Laden is incredible, and he includes the long and tense meetings at Langley and in the Oval Office that were characteristic of the 247-day hunt for the mastermind of 9/11
Other than that -and this was an important issue- this book does have much to praise. The assassination of Osama bin Laden is a fundamental and often overlooked part of our history.
Wallace doesn’t hide his deep admiration for President Obama and CIA Director Leon Panetta, and he wastes no opportunity to slander President Trump, yet despite this, he gives a far and balanced view of the players in this mission, not shying away from criticizing Vp Biden, Sec of State Clinton and Defense Sec Gates.
His analysis on the CIA process that led to the eventual death of bin Laden is incredible, and he includes the long and tense meetings at Langley and in the Oval Office that were characteristic of the 247-day hunt for the mastermind of 9/11
May 24, 2022
As others have said, this book is repetitive. The repetition is often failures to quickly summarize previous sections, poorly done recaps.
It also has many 1st person point of view sections that are (somehow) written from a 3rd person point of view. This generally works. But at times when these first persons written in the 3rd person are describing other characters' thoughts, it get a bit "he said/she said". It's like the guesses of the thoughts of others are important facts. The thoughts are inferences based on widely described facts. The Osama raid was a 50-50 call, extrapolated into other areas that aren't 50-50 calls.
Still, I enjoyed this book. It has the narrative drive of thrillers like Louise Penny's "State of Terror", James Patterson's "The President is Missing" and "The President's Daughter".
Chris Wallace does a fairly good job of reading his own book. There are only a few moments where he makes mistakes like, "'The OBVIOUS reason for this was', [character] emphasized the word 'reason'".
There are a few good new facts that readers who have read other books dealing with the Seal Team 6 raid on Osama bin Laden's Abbottabad, Pakistan compound will enjoy.
It's like this book did 75% of the research necessary but then used notes sheets to fill in the gaps from others.
Recommended to readers of fiction spy thrillers and to completion-ists who have to read everything about the death of the Taliban/Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
It also has many 1st person point of view sections that are (somehow) written from a 3rd person point of view. This generally works. But at times when these first persons written in the 3rd person are describing other characters' thoughts, it get a bit "he said/she said". It's like the guesses of the thoughts of others are important facts. The thoughts are inferences based on widely described facts. The Osama raid was a 50-50 call, extrapolated into other areas that aren't 50-50 calls.
Still, I enjoyed this book. It has the narrative drive of thrillers like Louise Penny's "State of Terror", James Patterson's "The President is Missing" and "The President's Daughter".
Chris Wallace does a fairly good job of reading his own book. There are only a few moments where he makes mistakes like, "'The OBVIOUS reason for this was', [character] emphasized the word 'reason'".
There are a few good new facts that readers who have read other books dealing with the Seal Team 6 raid on Osama bin Laden's Abbottabad, Pakistan compound will enjoy.
It's like this book did 75% of the research necessary but then used notes sheets to fill in the gaps from others.
Recommended to readers of fiction spy thrillers and to completion-ists who have to read everything about the death of the Taliban/Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
September 4, 2025
A good retelling of all the behind the scenes that led to the raid on Osama Bin Laden. Mr Wallace does a great job of diving into the raid and build up from all angles Even down to Cairo, the dog on the raid. 2 main thoughts
1. One of the most tragic stories is a Dr in Pakistan. Working with the CIA he is trying discover who lives in the compound by offering free vaccines. The CIA does not tell him that they think Bin Laden is the one in the compound. After the raid, the Dr realizes who was there and that the Pakistani gov will be very upset with him. He tries to flee with his family, is caught at the Afghanistan border, and has lived the rest of his life so far in prison. A heartbreaking story.
2. My biggest complaint with the book is that the first 100 pages is chapter after chapter of something along the lines of:
Bob worked for the CIA and it became his job to analyze the compound. Which is good bc in middle school he loved to analyze. As he grew up they called him the analyzer. He would always cheer for his favorite team the Buffalo Bills. And he met his wife at a game. As he left a game he realized how much analyzing he still needed to do on the compound. Next chapter we discuss Steve, his role, and useless backstory of Steve’s life.
I almost had to stop it was so tedious and obnoxious. I assume to fill a page quota. Luckily about halfway through we stick to just the main, needed facts.
1. One of the most tragic stories is a Dr in Pakistan. Working with the CIA he is trying discover who lives in the compound by offering free vaccines. The CIA does not tell him that they think Bin Laden is the one in the compound. After the raid, the Dr realizes who was there and that the Pakistani gov will be very upset with him. He tries to flee with his family, is caught at the Afghanistan border, and has lived the rest of his life so far in prison. A heartbreaking story.
2. My biggest complaint with the book is that the first 100 pages is chapter after chapter of something along the lines of:
Bob worked for the CIA and it became his job to analyze the compound. Which is good bc in middle school he loved to analyze. As he grew up they called him the analyzer. He would always cheer for his favorite team the Buffalo Bills. And he met his wife at a game. As he left a game he realized how much analyzing he still needed to do on the compound. Next chapter we discuss Steve, his role, and useless backstory of Steve’s life.
I almost had to stop it was so tedious and obnoxious. I assume to fill a page quota. Luckily about halfway through we stick to just the main, needed facts.
September 27, 2021
A story of patience, persistence, leadership, risk, dedication and costs.
Too often we look at a historical even through a brief glimpse of time and fail to examine what made that possible whether it had a positive or negative impact on us. This is a story about what it took to bring an end and partial justice to one of those events, 9/11. It is a story about a decade of work, research, planning and failures. It is also the story of more than 8 months of intense research, planning, decision making and execution this time leading to success.
It is eye opening to see the cost of the dedication of those that carried out this mission, the cost to them before and after the mission. I peek into the lives of those that made it possible.
Leadership is about being prepared, evaluating information, making a decision and taking responsibility for failures while shining the spotlight on those that did there job. In this case the spotlight shines on the team but the members are the ones that pay the cost.
If you are interested in history, leadership or inspiration this is a great read.
Too often we look at a historical even through a brief glimpse of time and fail to examine what made that possible whether it had a positive or negative impact on us. This is a story about what it took to bring an end and partial justice to one of those events, 9/11. It is a story about a decade of work, research, planning and failures. It is also the story of more than 8 months of intense research, planning, decision making and execution this time leading to success.
It is eye opening to see the cost of the dedication of those that carried out this mission, the cost to them before and after the mission. I peek into the lives of those that made it possible.
Leadership is about being prepared, evaluating information, making a decision and taking responsibility for failures while shining the spotlight on those that did there job. In this case the spotlight shines on the team but the members are the ones that pay the cost.
If you are interested in history, leadership or inspiration this is a great read.
March 8, 2022
Enjoyed reading and could not stop reading once I started.
Very detailed book how they located Bin Laden and kept track of his location by satellite. They called him the Pacer, as he walked the walled premises everyday. He never left the compound. President Obama was addressed almost daily what was going on. They built a table model and later build a actual standing fortress so they could practice the mission in reality with Navy Seals and helicopters. They thought of bombing with B-52’s or using drones to destroy the complex, but they needed a body confirming it was Ben Ladin. Also they did not want to kill inhabitants living near by.
Obama gave the permission for the mission. The plan was done during the night with no full moon. Flying in helicopters was a success but not without an unexpected occurrence. No Seals were hurt, women and children spared. Body was put in body bag after pictures taken.
All the planning made this a success.
Very detailed book how they located Bin Laden and kept track of his location by satellite. They called him the Pacer, as he walked the walled premises everyday. He never left the compound. President Obama was addressed almost daily what was going on. They built a table model and later build a actual standing fortress so they could practice the mission in reality with Navy Seals and helicopters. They thought of bombing with B-52’s or using drones to destroy the complex, but they needed a body confirming it was Ben Ladin. Also they did not want to kill inhabitants living near by.
Obama gave the permission for the mission. The plan was done during the night with no full moon. Flying in helicopters was a success but not without an unexpected occurrence. No Seals were hurt, women and children spared. Body was put in body bag after pictures taken.
All the planning made this a success.
August 8, 2025
I read Wallace's Countdown 1945, and knew this would be riveting, too. I wasn't disappointed. People of my generation will recall Mike Wallace from the weekly in-depth news program 60 Minutes. Chris Wallace is Mike's son, and also became a journalist. I'm not sure if the delay in writing this story of the people involved in Osama bin Laden's hunt was because government sources were kept under lock and key for a while, or if it was that only after writing Countdown 1945 (2020) did Wallace realize that the hunt for bin Laden fit really well into the format.
Wallace opens the story at "Countdown 247 days, August 27, 2010", when CIA Director Leon Panetta is told that his operatives have found a 3 story fortress-like compound in suburban Abbottabad, Pakistan that could be bin Laden's hiding place. bin Laden was of course the Saudi-born terrorist who founded Al Qaeda, and under whom the 9/11 attacks were masterminded by Khalil Sheikh Mohammed. The CIA was tracking bin Laden for 5 years BEFORE those attacks.
I certainly remember President Obama's telecast when he announced the killing of bin Laden. But if I ever knew all the pertinent details of his lair and the raid, I had forgotten some. I was very surprised to learn that though it was considered very likely that the compound in Pakistan had ready-made escape routes like tunnels, none seemed to be in existence. I had also forgotten that even though one of the helicopters had to make something of a crash landing at the site, the resistance inside was so weak that the SEALs came away with no major casualties.
Wallace wisely chose to tell the story from multiple vantage points, including those of President Obama, CIA Director Leon Panetta, other top CIA specialists and top national advisors, Navy SEALs and a 9/11 widow. We are also treated to the heartwarming story of a military dog used in the raid, and his special relationship with his handler.
Wallace opens the story at "Countdown 247 days, August 27, 2010", when CIA Director Leon Panetta is told that his operatives have found a 3 story fortress-like compound in suburban Abbottabad, Pakistan that could be bin Laden's hiding place. bin Laden was of course the Saudi-born terrorist who founded Al Qaeda, and under whom the 9/11 attacks were masterminded by Khalil Sheikh Mohammed. The CIA was tracking bin Laden for 5 years BEFORE those attacks.
I certainly remember President Obama's telecast when he announced the killing of bin Laden. But if I ever knew all the pertinent details of his lair and the raid, I had forgotten some. I was very surprised to learn that though it was considered very likely that the compound in Pakistan had ready-made escape routes like tunnels, none seemed to be in existence. I had also forgotten that even though one of the helicopters had to make something of a crash landing at the site, the resistance inside was so weak that the SEALs came away with no major casualties.
Wallace wisely chose to tell the story from multiple vantage points, including those of President Obama, CIA Director Leon Panetta, other top CIA specialists and top national advisors, Navy SEALs and a 9/11 widow. We are also treated to the heartwarming story of a military dog used in the raid, and his special relationship with his handler.
December 16, 2021
I really liked this book. It was read by the author, a television
newscaster. He did an excellent job reading the riveting account of the Navy Seal team that terminated Osama bin Laden and the 247 days leading up to it and all the politics that contributed and detracted from it.
The story was easily understood with no troublesome jargon.
He was also very supportive of the politicians involved.
newscaster. He did an excellent job reading the riveting account of the Navy Seal team that terminated Osama bin Laden and the 247 days leading up to it and all the politics that contributed and detracted from it.
The story was easily understood with no troublesome jargon.
He was also very supportive of the politicians involved.
March 3, 2023
This one took me a while, but it was really interesting. It invokes emotion with multiple vantage point testimonies of the events surrounding the take down of bin Laden. I love historicals that give the nuances and/or “unimportant”details, ie… a SEAL’s playtime with the working dog, Obama’s bantering, or Leon Panetta’s social scene. I appreciate that there is not a conservative or liberal slant in the writing, just good story telling.
4 stars because the beginning was much slower than the ending.
4 stars because the beginning was much slower than the ending.
February 8, 2022
Mr. Wallace doe an excellent job of bringing different people with different ties to the 9/11 attack on the World Trace Center buildings. We read how the dedicated women and men of the US intelligence and military forces moved toward "the mission". Since we all know the outcome, it might be assumed that nothing more could be added to the story. The book does a great job of defining the teamwork, leadership, decision making and perseverance of the amazing team that successfully completed the mission. From President to those in the chain of command down to Cairo, the working K-9, each did a superb job. I liked the perspective of knowing how our senior leaders felt about taking the risk to execute the mission when they weren't 100% confident the target, bin Laden, was even at the residence. I recommend the book to all interested in this type history.
March 30, 2025
Although the book contains some redundancy, Chris Wallace does a great job of describing the events based on interviews leading up to tracking down BL and the Seal Team mission that took him out. He includes all the players, and a NYC cop who lost her partner in the 9/11 attacks. Because of this, lots of perspectives are explained. Nicely done and intriguing. Chris Wallace reads the audiobook.
September 23, 2021
This was the 2nd Chris Wallace book I've read recently. The other Countdown book I read was Countdown to 1945 & the atomic bomb creation. I've always been fascinated with the bin ladin story since it happened in May 2011, and this book definitely put a nice timeline and there were many details I havent heard before reading this. I still give it 5 stars but my only problem with it is some parts are just over the top corny. And I get it, that's kinda how I imagine Chris Wallace to be because I'm a big fan of him as a journalist. But there were a couple times where the added drama didn't even need to be there considering how dramatic this story is. Great Job. Highly recommend.
February 26, 2022
I never get tired of reading about the demise of Osama bin Laden. Although we, who have followed the follow up over the years, know the story of the Navy SEAL raid where he was killed, I, for one, still enjoy hearing the story in different words over and over. bin Laden was an evil, evil SOB who deserved to die in a violent manner.
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