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First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11
An award-winning journalist reveals the dramatic true story of the CIA's Team Alpha, the first Americans to be dropped behind enemy lines in Afghanistan after 9/11.
America is reeling; Al-Qaeda has struck and thousands are dead. The country scrambles to respond, but the Pentagon has no plan for Afghanistan—where Osama bin Laden masterminded the attack and is protected by the Taliban. Instead, the CIA steps forward to spearhead the war. Eight CIA officers are dropped into the mountains of northern Afghanistan on October 17, 2001. They are Team Alpha, an eclectic band of linguists, tribal experts, and elite the first Americans to operate inside Taliban territory. Their covert mission is to track down Al- Qaeda and stop the terrorists from infiltrating the United States again. First Casualty places you with Team Alpha as the CIA rides into battle on horseback alongside the warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum. In Washington, DC, few trust that the CIA men, the Green Berets, and the Americans’ outnumbered Afghan allies can prevail before winter sets in. On the ground, Team Alpha is undeterred. The Taliban is routed but hatches a plot with Al-Qaeda to hit back. Hundreds of suicidal fighters, many hiding weapons, fake a surrender and are transported to Qala-i Jangi—the “Fort of War.” Team Alpha’s Mike Spann, an ex-Marine, and David Tyson, a polyglot former Central Asian studies academic, seize America’s initial opportunity to extract intelligence from men trained by bin Laden—among them a young Muslim convert from California. The prisoners revolt and one CIA officer falls—the first casualty in America’s longest war, which will last two decades. The other CIA man shoots dead the Al-Qaeda jihadists attacking his comrade. To survive, he must fight his way out against overwhelming odds. Award-winning author Toby Harnden gained unprecedented access to all living Team Alpha members and every level of the CIA. Superbly researched, First Casualty draws on extensive interviews, secret documents, and deep reporting inside Afghanistan. As gripping as any adventure novel, yet intimate and profoundly moving, it tells how America found a winning strategy only to abandon it. Harnden reveals that the lessons of early victory and the haunting foretelling it contained—unreliable allies, ethnic rivalries, suicide attacks, and errant US bombs—were ignored, tragically fueling a twenty-year conflict. "Masterful, complex, and heartfelt, from the deeply personal to the critically strategic. Captures many lessons on many levels." —Ambassador Hank Crumpton, former senior CIA officer
America is reeling; Al-Qaeda has struck and thousands are dead. The country scrambles to respond, but the Pentagon has no plan for Afghanistan—where Osama bin Laden masterminded the attack and is protected by the Taliban. Instead, the CIA steps forward to spearhead the war. Eight CIA officers are dropped into the mountains of northern Afghanistan on October 17, 2001. They are Team Alpha, an eclectic band of linguists, tribal experts, and elite the first Americans to operate inside Taliban territory. Their covert mission is to track down Al- Qaeda and stop the terrorists from infiltrating the United States again. First Casualty places you with Team Alpha as the CIA rides into battle on horseback alongside the warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum. In Washington, DC, few trust that the CIA men, the Green Berets, and the Americans’ outnumbered Afghan allies can prevail before winter sets in. On the ground, Team Alpha is undeterred. The Taliban is routed but hatches a plot with Al-Qaeda to hit back. Hundreds of suicidal fighters, many hiding weapons, fake a surrender and are transported to Qala-i Jangi—the “Fort of War.” Team Alpha’s Mike Spann, an ex-Marine, and David Tyson, a polyglot former Central Asian studies academic, seize America’s initial opportunity to extract intelligence from men trained by bin Laden—among them a young Muslim convert from California. The prisoners revolt and one CIA officer falls—the first casualty in America’s longest war, which will last two decades. The other CIA man shoots dead the Al-Qaeda jihadists attacking his comrade. To survive, he must fight his way out against overwhelming odds. Award-winning author Toby Harnden gained unprecedented access to all living Team Alpha members and every level of the CIA. Superbly researched, First Casualty draws on extensive interviews, secret documents, and deep reporting inside Afghanistan. As gripping as any adventure novel, yet intimate and profoundly moving, it tells how America found a winning strategy only to abandon it. Harnden reveals that the lessons of early victory and the haunting foretelling it contained—unreliable allies, ethnic rivalries, suicide attacks, and errant US bombs—were ignored, tragically fueling a twenty-year conflict. "Masterful, complex, and heartfelt, from the deeply personal to the critically strategic. Captures many lessons on many levels." —Ambassador Hank Crumpton, former senior CIA officer
551 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 7, 2021
342 people are currently reading
3707 people want to read
About the author
Toby Harnden
4 books75 followersToby Harnden is a winner of the Orwell Prize for Books. A former foreign correspondent for the Sunday Times of London and the Daily Telegraph who reported from thirty-three countries, he specializes in terrorism and war. Born in England, Harnden was imprisoned in Zimbabwe, prosecuted in Britain for protecting confidential sources, and vindicated by a $23 million public inquiry in Ireland. A dual British and US citizen, he spent a decade as a Royal Navy officer before becoming a journalist. He holds a First Class degree in modern history from Oxford and is the author of Bandit Country: The IRA & South Armagh and Dead Men Risen: An Epic Story of War and Heroism in Afghanistan. Previously based in London, Belfast, Jerusalem, Baghdad, and Washington, DC, he lives in Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
November 5, 2021
I started reading a few lines of the first page and couldn't put it down. Very informative book. Spann and Tyson and others in the Team Alpha, The ODAs and British SBS were all brave patriots. This books honors Mike's death and their service. This is a very well written, and consequently easy to read, yet meticulously researched book about a critical part of modern history. It's also a great story, packed with fascinating information due to the author's diligence, research on the ground, and deep access to the military and intelligence veterans who obviously trusted the author. A must read.
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2021
Verified Purchase
This is a book for the times: about the first American to die in Afghanistan in 2001 after 9/11, but sadly not the last. Harnden’s book is brilliantly written - as we are taken into Afghanistan with the CIA and Green Berets on their lightning advance, to a fort where Al Qaida prisoners are held - prisoners who will turn against their captors and trigger a battle that will test everyone to their last ounce of strength. A great read with many lessons for us twenty years on.
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David
5.0 out of 5 stars A well-told and important story
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2021
Verified Purchase
This is a very well written, and consequently easy to read, yet meticulously researched book about a critical part of modern history. It's also a great story, packed with fascinating information due to the author's diligence, research on the ground, and deep access to the military and intelligence veterans who obviously trusted the author. It also strikes the right balance between concisely providing 'big picture' context and zeroing in on the real life adventure story, the battle at Qala-i-Janga, and the human protagonists.
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2021
Verified Purchase
This is a book for the times: about the first American to die in Afghanistan in 2001 after 9/11, but sadly not the last. Harnden’s book is brilliantly written - as we are taken into Afghanistan with the CIA and Green Berets on their lightning advance, to a fort where Al Qaida prisoners are held - prisoners who will turn against their captors and trigger a battle that will test everyone to their last ounce of strength. A great read with many lessons for us twenty years on.
9 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report abuse
David
5.0 out of 5 stars A well-told and important story
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2021
Verified Purchase
This is a very well written, and consequently easy to read, yet meticulously researched book about a critical part of modern history. It's also a great story, packed with fascinating information due to the author's diligence, research on the ground, and deep access to the military and intelligence veterans who obviously trusted the author. It also strikes the right balance between concisely providing 'big picture' context and zeroing in on the real life adventure story, the battle at Qala-i-Janga, and the human protagonists.
August 31, 2021
This is THE story that needs to be told about Afghanistan - especially today.
The author does a wonderful job of re-telling the secret lives of the CIA's first in-country teams. These stories are powerful, heartfelt and REAL. These are life stories that deserve to be shared.
These men entered in Afghanistan, covertly, and remained there, largely unknown and unsupported with three simple missions: 1) exact revenge for the 9/11 attacks 2) prevent any other/similar attack and 3) return home alive. Much like our next twenty years in that country, many elements of this plan go awry and test them in ways they never quite imagined.
This story needs to be told as we learn much about what could have been for Afghanistan, for America, and specifically for men and women of the CIA's very first teams in-country. There are important lessons in here for all of us.
The author does a wonderful job of re-telling the secret lives of the CIA's first in-country teams. These stories are powerful, heartfelt and REAL. These are life stories that deserve to be shared.
These men entered in Afghanistan, covertly, and remained there, largely unknown and unsupported with three simple missions: 1) exact revenge for the 9/11 attacks 2) prevent any other/similar attack and 3) return home alive. Much like our next twenty years in that country, many elements of this plan go awry and test them in ways they never quite imagined.
This story needs to be told as we learn much about what could have been for Afghanistan, for America, and specifically for men and women of the CIA's very first teams in-country. There are important lessons in here for all of us.
February 9, 2022
A sober, detailed and well-researched work. If you’ve read up on this early phase of the war, you’ll still find new revelations to interest you (and new photos as well)
The story of the Special Forces ODAs involved in these operations has been told before. Harnden does touch on this, but most of the book deals with the CIA officers attached to that team, and with the battle at Qala-i Jangi. Harnden’s prose is lively and clear. The narrative moves along at a fast pace and he does a good job portraying the people involved. He smoothly transitions between the big picture of the war and the actions and personal stories of individual CIA officers, Green Berets, and SBS soldiers on the ground. He also covers the story of Mike Spann’s widow, a particularly difficult story to read.
The book does have a few typos, which may annoy some readers. Occasionally, Harnden opines on how the overall war should have been waged and who is to blame, and these asides can be a little distracting. At one point, when describing the Soviet war in Afghanistan in the 1980s, Harnden writes that Ahmad Shah Massoud was paid $200,000 a month from the Americans “on top of what he was getting from ISI.” I thought ISI hated Massoud and supported his enemies (Hekmatyar and then the Taliban) This is the first I’ve read of them ever supporting him.
Robert Grenier, the CIA station chief in Pakistan at the time, also briefly shows up in the book, and Harnden is somewhat critical of him. He writes of Grenier’s “disdain” for CTC. He also mentions Grenier’s negotiations with one of the Taliban mullahs, calling them Grenier’s “preferred way forward.” I get that the book is not focused on these subjects, but Grenier’s actual position was more nuanced. Grenier acknowledged CTC’s importance, but criticized its (at the time) poor grasp of the region’s culture, society, politics and dynamics. As for the negotiations, these were begun on the initiative of one Taliban leader. Grenier agreed to these meetings for operational purposes, in his words, “to see if I could exploit his animus toward the Arabs.” Harnden does cite Grenier’s memoir in his bibliography, and, according to the book’s notes, Harnden did interview Grenier, but Grenier's actual position could have been explained better. It seems like Harnden seized on these aspects of the story because he needed another villain as a foil for CTC.
Still, a riveting and compelling work. If you’re interested in this early unconventional phase of the war, you don’t want to miss this.
The story of the Special Forces ODAs involved in these operations has been told before. Harnden does touch on this, but most of the book deals with the CIA officers attached to that team, and with the battle at Qala-i Jangi. Harnden’s prose is lively and clear. The narrative moves along at a fast pace and he does a good job portraying the people involved. He smoothly transitions between the big picture of the war and the actions and personal stories of individual CIA officers, Green Berets, and SBS soldiers on the ground. He also covers the story of Mike Spann’s widow, a particularly difficult story to read.
The book does have a few typos, which may annoy some readers. Occasionally, Harnden opines on how the overall war should have been waged and who is to blame, and these asides can be a little distracting. At one point, when describing the Soviet war in Afghanistan in the 1980s, Harnden writes that Ahmad Shah Massoud was paid $200,000 a month from the Americans “on top of what he was getting from ISI.” I thought ISI hated Massoud and supported his enemies (Hekmatyar and then the Taliban) This is the first I’ve read of them ever supporting him.
Robert Grenier, the CIA station chief in Pakistan at the time, also briefly shows up in the book, and Harnden is somewhat critical of him. He writes of Grenier’s “disdain” for CTC. He also mentions Grenier’s negotiations with one of the Taliban mullahs, calling them Grenier’s “preferred way forward.” I get that the book is not focused on these subjects, but Grenier’s actual position was more nuanced. Grenier acknowledged CTC’s importance, but criticized its (at the time) poor grasp of the region’s culture, society, politics and dynamics. As for the negotiations, these were begun on the initiative of one Taliban leader. Grenier agreed to these meetings for operational purposes, in his words, “to see if I could exploit his animus toward the Arabs.” Harnden does cite Grenier’s memoir in his bibliography, and, according to the book’s notes, Harnden did interview Grenier, but Grenier's actual position could have been explained better. It seems like Harnden seized on these aspects of the story because he needed another villain as a foil for CTC.
Still, a riveting and compelling work. If you’re interested in this early unconventional phase of the war, you don’t want to miss this.
May 13, 2025
This was slow going for the first 17 chapters, which took me 2 months. Then it heated up so much I couldn’t put it down, literally hid in a meeting room to finish it at work this morning. Last 5 chapters = 5 stars
October 18, 2023
An interesting and descriptive read. You’re right there in the middle of it all with Mr. Harnden’s writing and the actors of the story sharing their angles, feelings, and thoughts. And there is a human element to it as well, not just for the Americans but also for the Afghani’s that take part in the battles, both good and bad. Worth the read.
June 15, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: First Casualty by Toby Harnden
Toby Harnden’s First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11 is a gripping and meticulously researched account of the CIA’s Team Alpha—the first Americans dropped behind enemy lines in Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks. Embedded with Northern Alliance leaders and working alongside U.S. Green Berets, this small CIA team played a pivotal role in the early push to dismantle the Taliban.
What makes this book stand out is its focus on the CIA’s role in those initial weeks—an angle that’s often missing from other accounts of the invasion. Harnden’s work restores that perspective, highlighting how intelligence, tribal alliances, and quick decision-making were crucial to early successes.
The Qala-i-Jangi uprising is the emotional core of the book. Harnden captures the chaos and tragedy of the prison revolt where Mike Spann was killed and David Tyson fought to survive. One of the most haunting elements is the presence of John Walker Lindh—the American who joined the Taliban. Harnden interweaves Lindh’s story throughout, from his radicalisation to his chilling silence in the moments before Spann’s death, and later, to his trial and release. It adds an eerie and complex layer to the narrative.
Harnden also doesn't shy away from exploring the psychological toll. Tyson’s mental unraveling and struggle with PTSD in the aftermath of the uprising is portrayed with care and honesty. It’s a sobering reminder that trauma doesn’t end when the fighting stops.
A particularly striking moment is the involvement of the British SBS. Though they weren’t embedded with Team Alpha, their decision to defy orders and help recover Spann’s body under fire was a powerful act of courage and solidarity—one that underscores the value of allied cooperation in moments of crisis.
While a more critical lens on parts of Tyson’s version of events would have been welcome, First Casualty remains a standout in post-9/11 nonfiction. Fast-paced yet deeply human, it honours the sacrifices made while raising important questions about what came next. A compelling and necessary read.
Toby Harnden’s First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11 is a gripping and meticulously researched account of the CIA’s Team Alpha—the first Americans dropped behind enemy lines in Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks. Embedded with Northern Alliance leaders and working alongside U.S. Green Berets, this small CIA team played a pivotal role in the early push to dismantle the Taliban.
What makes this book stand out is its focus on the CIA’s role in those initial weeks—an angle that’s often missing from other accounts of the invasion. Harnden’s work restores that perspective, highlighting how intelligence, tribal alliances, and quick decision-making were crucial to early successes.
The Qala-i-Jangi uprising is the emotional core of the book. Harnden captures the chaos and tragedy of the prison revolt where Mike Spann was killed and David Tyson fought to survive. One of the most haunting elements is the presence of John Walker Lindh—the American who joined the Taliban. Harnden interweaves Lindh’s story throughout, from his radicalisation to his chilling silence in the moments before Spann’s death, and later, to his trial and release. It adds an eerie and complex layer to the narrative.
Harnden also doesn't shy away from exploring the psychological toll. Tyson’s mental unraveling and struggle with PTSD in the aftermath of the uprising is portrayed with care and honesty. It’s a sobering reminder that trauma doesn’t end when the fighting stops.
A particularly striking moment is the involvement of the British SBS. Though they weren’t embedded with Team Alpha, their decision to defy orders and help recover Spann’s body under fire was a powerful act of courage and solidarity—one that underscores the value of allied cooperation in moments of crisis.
While a more critical lens on parts of Tyson’s version of events would have been welcome, First Casualty remains a standout in post-9/11 nonfiction. Fast-paced yet deeply human, it honours the sacrifices made while raising important questions about what came next. A compelling and necessary read.
August 18, 2023
This book is an articulate, interesting and somewhat revealing accounting of America’s initial steps into Afghanistan after 9/11, ostensibly as a CIA program.
Before Bush, Rumsfeld & Co. black-magicked it into the 20 year, trillion dollar catastrophe that it was to morph into and become.
The book reads like a well-paced, if at times overly pontificating, action novel. Arguably, this is because it is.
Parts of the book seem to have some solid grounding in fact and reality, but not enough, in my view, to be considered “a true story”, a nonfictional account. The claim to document a true story serves to taint the book with an unsavoury, self-serving, slightly dishonest aura.
This is why First Casualty gets a 3* rating, not due to any criticism of bad written (it isn’t) or boring (it also isn’t) it is due solely to the this taint, this slight aura of dishonesty.
The story concerns Mike Spann, the first official American casualty referred to in the title is killed in Qala-I-Jangi, or “Fort of War”, the first prison in Afghanistan to house captured Al Qaeda and run under the auspices of the U.S. Government. He is killed (the first documented American casualty of the war)in the well publicised prison uprising and one of his colleagues, David Tyson survives.
This is where things start to deteriorate as far as I’m concerned.
Toby Harnden chooses to narrate a great deal of his story of Mike Spann’s death through the eyes & mouth of this man,Tyson. The author assumes Mr. Tyson is telling the truth, he isn’t. The book goes on to justify Tyson’s subsequent actions (and ostensibly his delusions about his own actions) in both naïve & sympathetic light. The author doesn’t bother to shine any direct light into the darker reaches of Mr. Tyson’s strange and questionable tale.
Let me be clear, there are many suitably patriotic and courageous actors to be read about in this story. Mr. Tyson, as he appears to me, is not one of them.
I will go no further with my doubts about this dubious choice of main character in a book that otherwise is intriguing. The author won’t appreciate some backseat driver on Goodreads to point his way towards the many other choices the author could have made, or the instances of unwanted artistic licence that he chooses to run with.
My intention here is not to dissuade any potential reader who may not “get what I’m getting” when picking up this book.
On a more positive note, the last two chapters of First Casualty: Tomorrowland & Days of Thunder, almost redeem the book and win for it an additional star. These two chapters are some of the author’s most unsentimental and insightful writing. They together summarise the state of Iraq and Afghanistan as these two failed states appear today. There is some fine material here.
If you have an interest, as I have, in the subject, by all means pick this book up. It is worth a read.
Just be aware of the potential for certain unpleasant feelings of ambiguity that reading may it may raise in some cynical hearts.
[The audiobook is professionally narrated, but you’ll loose the photos.]
Before Bush, Rumsfeld & Co. black-magicked it into the 20 year, trillion dollar catastrophe that it was to morph into and become.
The book reads like a well-paced, if at times overly pontificating, action novel. Arguably, this is because it is.
Parts of the book seem to have some solid grounding in fact and reality, but not enough, in my view, to be considered “a true story”, a nonfictional account. The claim to document a true story serves to taint the book with an unsavoury, self-serving, slightly dishonest aura.
This is why First Casualty gets a 3* rating, not due to any criticism of bad written (it isn’t) or boring (it also isn’t) it is due solely to the this taint, this slight aura of dishonesty.
The story concerns Mike Spann, the first official American casualty referred to in the title is killed in Qala-I-Jangi, or “Fort of War”, the first prison in Afghanistan to house captured Al Qaeda and run under the auspices of the U.S. Government. He is killed (the first documented American casualty of the war)in the well publicised prison uprising and one of his colleagues, David Tyson survives.
This is where things start to deteriorate as far as I’m concerned.
Toby Harnden chooses to narrate a great deal of his story of Mike Spann’s death through the eyes & mouth of this man,Tyson. The author assumes Mr. Tyson is telling the truth, he isn’t. The book goes on to justify Tyson’s subsequent actions (and ostensibly his delusions about his own actions) in both naïve & sympathetic light. The author doesn’t bother to shine any direct light into the darker reaches of Mr. Tyson’s strange and questionable tale.
Let me be clear, there are many suitably patriotic and courageous actors to be read about in this story. Mr. Tyson, as he appears to me, is not one of them.
I will go no further with my doubts about this dubious choice of main character in a book that otherwise is intriguing. The author won’t appreciate some backseat driver on Goodreads to point his way towards the many other choices the author could have made, or the instances of unwanted artistic licence that he chooses to run with.
My intention here is not to dissuade any potential reader who may not “get what I’m getting” when picking up this book.
On a more positive note, the last two chapters of First Casualty: Tomorrowland & Days of Thunder, almost redeem the book and win for it an additional star. These two chapters are some of the author’s most unsentimental and insightful writing. They together summarise the state of Iraq and Afghanistan as these two failed states appear today. There is some fine material here.
If you have an interest, as I have, in the subject, by all means pick this book up. It is worth a read.
Just be aware of the potential for certain unpleasant feelings of ambiguity that reading may it may raise in some cynical hearts.
[The audiobook is professionally narrated, but you’ll loose the photos.]
September 21, 2021
OK. big fan of Toby Harnden, who wrote two fantastic books - "Bandit Country" about the Northern Ireland troubles, and "Dead Men Risen" about the Welsh Guards in Afghanistan. As such, I admit I did go into this book with high expectations!
Were they met?? oh yes. If you're wondering what happened in the first three months of the near twenty year involvement of Western nations fighting Al-Qaeda and the Taleban in Afghnaisation , then you need to read this book.
Fantastic account of key characters who were on the ground from the CIA, Green Berets and others.
Highly Recommended.
Were they met?? oh yes. If you're wondering what happened in the first three months of the near twenty year involvement of Western nations fighting Al-Qaeda and the Taleban in Afghnaisation , then you need to read this book.
Fantastic account of key characters who were on the ground from the CIA, Green Berets and others.
Highly Recommended.
September 2, 2021
A real eyeopener.
Details, details details carefully researched and documented.
This reader gained a much better understanding of the complexities of war.
Our brave members of our defense teams are to be cherished for their service to our country.
An intense and emotional read.
A VERY GOOD READ.
Details, details details carefully researched and documented.
This reader gained a much better understanding of the complexities of war.
Our brave members of our defense teams are to be cherished for their service to our country.
An intense and emotional read.
A VERY GOOD READ.
February 6, 2025
Great book. For anyone that was there for the kickoff of Afghanistan, it’s an interesting look at the joint SF/CIA/OGA teams that were operating a few months before conventional forces came in.
It also discusses the political blunders made by our “leadership” in DC that ultimately led to Afghanistan becoming the forgotten war and the one we should have focused on instead of going into Iraq.
It also discusses the political blunders made by our “leadership” in DC that ultimately led to Afghanistan becoming the forgotten war and the one we should have focused on instead of going into Iraq.
October 3, 2021
This book was fantastic and a must read for anyone who wants to know the real deal on how the wars after 9/11 started, and the political BS that happened behind the scenes. Lots of details, stories, and shocking moments. An absolute must read for any military enthusiast
November 10, 2021
Such a long conflict that these early stages are easily forgotten.
A fascinating look at westerners as the insurgents, displacing the Taliban before these roles were reversed.
A fascinating look at westerners as the insurgents, displacing the Taliban before these roles were reversed.
December 6, 2021
Reads like a thriller. Detailed description of real life events in Afghanistan. Brings the sad reality to life.
October 12, 2021
Who knew. This is the other side of the story. Not the one hawked for money by the press or hawked for other gain by the self-serving or poorly advised politicians, but the one that sets it all up and the brave souls who died trying to get the job done speedily and right. This is the real deal, warts and all. Should be on military required reading list.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Little, Brown and Company via NetGalley. Thank you.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Little, Brown and Company via NetGalley. Thank you.
October 15, 2024
Much better than I had expected
June 1, 2025
Interesting, very detailed account of the first mission and the death of CIA agent Mike Spann.
Not for everyone and a little dry.
Not for everyone and a little dry.
November 20, 2021
Theorizing about gravity in the 1600s, both Kepler and Newton could've probably never anticipated or imagined what would unfold at the turn of the millennium and its ensuing plight. In a vague application of gravitational theory, what was once started must eventually end. The same inevitability will produce works that seek to explain the goings-on in Afghanistan from 2001 towards eventual US withdrawal twenty years later. FIRST CASUALTY is the first of such books following the final marker on 8.31.2021, and is a book of firsts; first in to start the fight, first US casualty in the GWOT & the first American captive (an American Taliban to boot) in the War on Terror.
Following 9/11, a mass-murdering terrorist attack aimed at symbols of American power, there was anger, certainly, and a desire for vengeance. The self-indulgent complacency of the 1990s was over, as was American innocence and the way of life in general; replaced by a swelling patriotism and a yearning for vengeance. Thus, things were set in motion to "rid the world of evildoers in this crusade, this war on terrorism." FIRST CASUALTY is the story of Team Alpha, 8 Americans--CIA--and the first to fight behind enemy lines after 9/11. This was war directed on the battlefield, not from the skies or from DC. In the swirling moon dust, it soon becomes evident that Afghan priorities would not always align with America's and re-establish that Afghanistan is and was and always would be a land of murky intrigue and changing allegiances. The violence was fed by ethnic identity, tribes, clans, feuds, honor, and vengeance. Americans would always be interlopers in an Afghan world. Thus, this is then the backdrop for a fascinating look showcasing how much lawyering & legalese goes on and seeps into military and paramilitary efforts (overseas).
FIRST CASUALTY is as much part of Americana as are the many movies that are referenced in its pages. And that is the power of the narrative and the skill of Toby Harnden, relating an important part of (recent) US history and keeping it light, relevant, and accessible. There is something for everyone as The Untouchables, The Last of the Mohicans, Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction, The Lord of the Rings --to name a few-- make an appearance. The light must, however, be balanced with the stark, and as the title suggests, FIRST CASUALTY is also, and purposefully about just that, America's first casualty in the Global War on Terror that made its baby steps on or about October 17, 2001. CIA officer Mike Spann was the first to give his life in the herculean effort to wrench justice from the grasp of global terror, and deservedly occupies a good portion of the tale. The trials and tribulations of what it took to get the first Americans behind enemy lines accompany the timeline and is dotted with reminders of how the gains made on the ground were apparently countermanded by constant pessimism & white papers aimed at sabotaging the CIA & Team Alpha by the now deceased SecDef Bacardi Rumsfeld.
What FIRST CASUALTY is and what it isn't, a comedy of errors or a comedy of firsts, will in the end be up to the reader. Toby Harnden has taken a host of events, items, and persons that emerged out of the chaos of 9/11 and woven an utterly readable tale that set the force marker for a journey that would take 20 years to complete. FIRST CASUALTY is required reading for anyone looking to get a better understanding of what it took to mount the gargantuan effort to eventually take UBL off the board. Along the way are reminders of sacrifice, American grit, military might, and the contributions that everyday Americans make and often remain anonymous. While the topic and incidental events are infernal and harrowing, Harnden keeps it interesting, factual, and enthralling with insightful nuggets like Islamabad Bob, Devil's Water, faba, Fertilizer Electric, Rockford turns and the Sarajevo shuffle. Shy of having been on the ground in Afghanistan in those crucial weeks and months, FIRST CASUALTY is compulsory, informative, and entertaining. A must must read!
December 1, 2021
Oh wow, I was so happy to win this book through Goodreads as this book talks about history.
So well written, so much knowledge. I would definitely recommend picking up and reading this book.
This is a well-researched book about what happened after 9/11. The CIA was sent to Afghanistan to find Osama Bin Laden. I found this book full of information. I'm very happy to have this book.
Thank you, Goodreads.
So well written, so much knowledge. I would definitely recommend picking up and reading this book.
This is a well-researched book about what happened after 9/11. The CIA was sent to Afghanistan to find Osama Bin Laden. I found this book full of information. I'm very happy to have this book.
Thank you, Goodreads.
November 18, 2021
This is a well researched book about what happened after 9/11. The CIA was sent to Afghanistan to find Osama Bin Laden. I found this book full of information I did not know. Mike Spann and David Tyson and others in Team Alpha were sent to the northern provinces to help the locals remove the Taliban. They befriended the local leaders and helped them formulate plans to retake their cities. Things did not always go as planned In the book we can see the disorganization and the first person killed in our 20 year war in Afghanistan.
I highly recommend reading this book. I learned so much about the country and how the leaders are all working for their own territories. It was definitely and eye opening read.
Thank you to #goodreads, @TobyHarnden, and @LittleBrown for a copy of this book.
I highly recommend reading this book. I learned so much about the country and how the leaders are all working for their own territories. It was definitely and eye opening read.
Thank you to #goodreads, @TobyHarnden, and @LittleBrown for a copy of this book.
November 16, 2021
★★★★★
It’s easy to draw comparisons between “First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11” by Toby Harnden and “Horse Soldiers” by Doug Stanton. Horse Soldiers focuses on a small band of Special Forces soldiers in the fight against the Taliban to capture the strategic city of Mazar-i-Sharif. First Causality centers on the small teams of CIA operatives in that same fight. The chapters describing the uprising of 400 al-Qaeda prisoners during The Battle of Qala-i-Jangi, during which CIA officer Mike Spann became the first American to be killed in combat during the invasion of Afghanistan, are particularly gripping.
It’s easy to draw comparisons between “First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11” by Toby Harnden and “Horse Soldiers” by Doug Stanton. Horse Soldiers focuses on a small band of Special Forces soldiers in the fight against the Taliban to capture the strategic city of Mazar-i-Sharif. First Causality centers on the small teams of CIA operatives in that same fight. The chapters describing the uprising of 400 al-Qaeda prisoners during The Battle of Qala-i-Jangi, during which CIA officer Mike Spann became the first American to be killed in combat during the invasion of Afghanistan, are particularly gripping.
November 23, 2021
excellent telling of an important story.
A well written look behind the headlines at the people and sacrifice behind America’s first forays into payback for 9/11. A must read.
A well written look behind the headlines at the people and sacrifice behind America’s first forays into payback for 9/11. A must read.
December 28, 2021
This well written book will make you proud, sad and frustrated all at the same time. Proud of the courage our clandestine and special operations warriors demonstrated in the face of an unrelenting enemy, sad at the observation that we as a nation seem to have forgotten every lesson learned from previous battles (Mogadishu comes to mind) and frustrated at the slow and often conflicting responses our senior leaders at the White House and Pentagon. From beginning to the unceremonious end, Afghanistan was an abject strategic and diplomatic failure. Four administrations failed to "figure it out" while stout, determined, tough men and women gave 100% and then some. This book is a must read for future leaders regardless of political affiliation. Our CIA teams should be commended far more publicly than they are. Well done Toby Harnden
January 4, 2022
A very timely book as many are left wondering what the conflict in Afghanistan was all about, now that the United States and its allies have pulled out. Harnden has clearly done his homework and offers what is overall a good work. The beginning is a little hard to get through, as he introduces many of the important figures and gives a little backstory. Trying to introduce them once the action was moving would probably have been worse, though it's a little trying for the reader to keep everyone straight in the opening. Harnden's best skills are on display as he narrates the fast-moving conflict, combat, and politics of the early phases of Operation Enduring Freedom. As the action progresses, Harnden doesn't hold back from noting when the higher-ups in the U.S. government went off-track. He offers ideas about how things might have been done differently, and how that might have led to other outcomes as well. As he moves to the more epilogue portion, he seems to gloss over a few things or maybe even get a couple of details confused, but that does not detract from the level of effort he clearly placed on interviewing the participants and reviewing what sources were available on his main topic. He does sometimes adopt a few too many acronyms and too much jargon, but not egregiously so.
Overall a good read and an excellent place to start for those hoping to understand what just happened in Afghanistan, and what might be in the offing to happen next.
Overall a good read and an excellent place to start for those hoping to understand what just happened in Afghanistan, and what might be in the offing to happen next.
September 15, 2025
It must be twenty years since I read Toby Harnden's earlier book Bandit Country (now unfortunately out of print), and it is still one of the best books I've read about The Troubles. This book, about the earliest days of the US military campaign in Afghanistan and the events that led to the first American casualty of the war, is every bit as good.
He recounts the immediate response to 9-11, and particularly the CIA teams that were formed and inserted to assist the various warlords and tribal leaders who sought to overthrow the Taliban. Like something out of a thriller, these mixed groups of case officers and paramilitary operatives flew into the middle of nowhere with nothing but their kit and a few sacks full of cash. Remarkably, the result was the rapid collapse of the Taliban regime.
The risks these men took are almost unbelievable: you know when Army Special Forces are withdrawn for health and safety reasons, that you are into some very sketchy territory. Equally, the events that led to the death of Mike Spann are terrifying. Poignantly, Harnden points out that while Spann's star is the 79th on the CIA Memorial Wall, by 2021, a further 56 had been added.
If you are at all interested in the politics and history of the West's intervention in Afghanistan, then this book is for you. Whatever you think about it, it is difficult not to admire the courage of these men. Toby Harnden doesn't glorify their story, but tells it fairly and sticks to the facts. Highly recommended!
He recounts the immediate response to 9-11, and particularly the CIA teams that were formed and inserted to assist the various warlords and tribal leaders who sought to overthrow the Taliban. Like something out of a thriller, these mixed groups of case officers and paramilitary operatives flew into the middle of nowhere with nothing but their kit and a few sacks full of cash. Remarkably, the result was the rapid collapse of the Taliban regime.
The risks these men took are almost unbelievable: you know when Army Special Forces are withdrawn for health and safety reasons, that you are into some very sketchy territory. Equally, the events that led to the death of Mike Spann are terrifying. Poignantly, Harnden points out that while Spann's star is the 79th on the CIA Memorial Wall, by 2021, a further 56 had been added.
If you are at all interested in the politics and history of the West's intervention in Afghanistan, then this book is for you. Whatever you think about it, it is difficult not to admire the courage of these men. Toby Harnden doesn't glorify their story, but tells it fairly and sticks to the facts. Highly recommended!
November 3, 2022
Harnden did a wonderful job sharing the story of Team Alpha. He put the reader right in each person's shoes giving you an idea of what really happened after 9/11.
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read this. As I've gotten older the realization on how much I missed out on knowing and understanding has come around. 9/11 happened when I was 8 years old. At that age the only important thing being shown on TV was the after school cartoons. I knew people had died, that planes crashed into the Twin Towers, but at my young age and being so far away from where it happened, none of it mattered to me at the time.
Over 20 years later, reading the recollections of Team Alpha, most specifically David Tyson, I am baffled that this is something I've grown up with but never actually knew anything about. I could never completely picture myself in Tyson's position. It is a scary thing to think about. His mentality to stay on path just to keep himself alive isn't something to take lightly. Harnden spared no expense in letting his readers see what Tyson lived through.
Any individual that comes across this book needs to read it. These men put their lives on the line to stop a threat to our country from getting any worse. It's taken many years for their story to come to life, but Harnden put in the time writing it well so that others can understand that we lost more than just those from 9/11.
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read this. As I've gotten older the realization on how much I missed out on knowing and understanding has come around. 9/11 happened when I was 8 years old. At that age the only important thing being shown on TV was the after school cartoons. I knew people had died, that planes crashed into the Twin Towers, but at my young age and being so far away from where it happened, none of it mattered to me at the time.
Over 20 years later, reading the recollections of Team Alpha, most specifically David Tyson, I am baffled that this is something I've grown up with but never actually knew anything about. I could never completely picture myself in Tyson's position. It is a scary thing to think about. His mentality to stay on path just to keep himself alive isn't something to take lightly. Harnden spared no expense in letting his readers see what Tyson lived through.
Any individual that comes across this book needs to read it. These men put their lives on the line to stop a threat to our country from getting any worse. It's taken many years for their story to come to life, but Harnden put in the time writing it well so that others can understand that we lost more than just those from 9/11.
December 8, 2021
This book covers the most interesting period of the post-9/11 Afghan war: the first weeks, where CIA and Special Forces were on the ground, working with local allies, and rapidly taking territory from the Taliban and isolating Al Qaeda. It was during this stage where we had many choices -- a quick and relatively low cost victory against Al Qaeda, imperfect but pro-American local allies with their own extensive military forces defeating the Taliban and ruling the country, vs. nation-building, and CIA vs. DOD. In retrospect, we seem to have largely made the wrong choices, and I think it was obvious even at the time how bad the paths we were taking were.
Most of the focus of the book is the CIA/SF partnership with Dostum to fight to Mazar-i-Sharif and the prisoner revolt/false surrender at Qala-i-Jangi which led to the death of the first American combatant in the war, Mike Spann of CIA, and those around him, especially David Taylor, also of CIA. The administrative and political issues (CIA vs. DOD, how much to trust allies, human rights concerns, Rumsfeld, light vs. heavy footprint, "combat zone tourists". etc.) all remained issues for the following 20 years, but they were very clear during this early stage.
Most of the focus of the book is the CIA/SF partnership with Dostum to fight to Mazar-i-Sharif and the prisoner revolt/false surrender at Qala-i-Jangi which led to the death of the first American combatant in the war, Mike Spann of CIA, and those around him, especially David Taylor, also of CIA. The administrative and political issues (CIA vs. DOD, how much to trust allies, human rights concerns, Rumsfeld, light vs. heavy footprint, "combat zone tourists". etc.) all remained issues for the following 20 years, but they were very clear during this early stage.
November 10, 2024
What an absolutely cracking read - well researched, and balancing the reality of the in-the-moment action with the nuance of hindsight and ‘the bigger picture’. Harnden does a brilliant job of neither glorifying the conflict in Afghanistan and the CIA’s role in it, not applying an apologist or revisionist history to the early days of the War on Terror. This is - and it’s a rarity these days - just good old fashioned journalism.
Perhaps my only critique of the overall narrative (and I’m really scraping to find one) is that it concentrates on the action of a few specific individuals, rather than a broad strokes understanding of the war. You will want to read this for the stories themselves, not as an academic text seeking a holistic understanding of the War on Terror. Nonetheless, it’s hard to criticise Harnden for that when this approach (as aptly used by the likes of George RR Martin for Game of Thrones) is used to humanise more macro-scale conflicts. It’s important to understand the individual impacts and their contribution to the overall conflict, and Harnden dips in-and-out between the two so well that - if your expectations are right (mine evolved over the course of reading) - then you will get a surprising amount of depth out of it.
Perhaps my only critique of the overall narrative (and I’m really scraping to find one) is that it concentrates on the action of a few specific individuals, rather than a broad strokes understanding of the war. You will want to read this for the stories themselves, not as an academic text seeking a holistic understanding of the War on Terror. Nonetheless, it’s hard to criticise Harnden for that when this approach (as aptly used by the likes of George RR Martin for Game of Thrones) is used to humanise more macro-scale conflicts. It’s important to understand the individual impacts and their contribution to the overall conflict, and Harnden dips in-and-out between the two so well that - if your expectations are right (mine evolved over the course of reading) - then you will get a surprising amount of depth out of it.
September 8, 2022
Book 3 in my post Covid rest trilogy was good on so many levels. The book sets up persons and events in order to relay a meaningful narrative of the prisoner uprising at Qala-I-Jangi where the first US casualty of the Afghanistan war occurred. I loved the vignette of the often obstructed view of government agencies at work, and the various personalities involved in the early stages of the war. Often engaging current events meaningfully has a steep buy in cost, paid for through hours of hunting out reliable sources, learning jargon, acronyms, personalities, political system… etc. and reading between the lines of what is presented to determine a truth. This book was a more enjoyable way of approaching such subject matter with a more cohesive bird’s eye to macro perspective. I was aware of some of the authors values seeping into the story at times, but it felt necessary for such an endeavor- creates gravitas!
Growing in awareness of Afghan culture and how America engaged this was both fascinating and sobering. It has definitely made me a more care-ful person. If you like stories of action and heroism and aren’t afraid of diving a little deeper to get there I recommend this one.
Growing in awareness of Afghan culture and how America engaged this was both fascinating and sobering. It has definitely made me a more care-ful person. If you like stories of action and heroism and aren’t afraid of diving a little deeper to get there I recommend this one.
March 5, 2022
Things we did not know about how our government responded to the 9/11 attacks with the CIA and Special Forces in Afghanistan. It also showed how the lack of communication and espirit de corp between our armed forces , CIA and FBI led to near disaster in the field. It also pointed out how the upper echelon of the military and government handicapped the people on the ground who had established relationships with the various Afghan tribal factions only to mess it up. Our government totally did not understand the country and their culture and tried to impose our values on them. This in the end did not work and probably contributed to what happened in Afghanistan in 2021. Very good read.
December 29, 2022
Some parts of this book, I thought were just simply excellent however, it may prove to be somewhat arduous reading if you’re not a student of international relations, intel or war studies, or if you’re not interested in the series of events that led up to the various wars in Afghanistan and elsewhere, as a result of 911
I found it quite sad how it’s described in this book of certain events lasting a few days or even a few hours they can have such an affect on a persons life for decades to come, even though they may have survived that initial event and that surviving may not just be sufficient, rather How you accept and deal with the aftermath when you’re alone at 2 o’clock in the morning
I found it quite sad how it’s described in this book of certain events lasting a few days or even a few hours they can have such an affect on a persons life for decades to come, even though they may have survived that initial event and that surviving may not just be sufficient, rather How you accept and deal with the aftermath when you’re alone at 2 o’clock in the morning
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