Through the Valleys They Go: How We Failed To Catch bin Laden in the Months After 9/11
On the 10th of December, 2001, a radio transmission permeated the airwaves. Its composed, calm, and measured tone was instantly recognized by Charles Allen, a former CIA officer and expert in counterterrorism. Without hesitation, he identified the voice as none other than Osama bin Laden's – a sentiment echoed by ALEC Station, the CIA unit devoted to tracking bin Laden and his associates. While pinpointing the voice was pivotal, the transmission's source was even more critical. The signals originated from Tora Bora, cradled within the White Mountains of eastern Afghanistan, adjacent to the Pakistani frontier. Forged during the Soviet incursion, Tora Bora’s web of caves, tunnels, and bomb-proof bunkers offered unparalleled sanctuary for bin Laden and his confederates - a haven unattainable in the desolate, arid expanses bordering Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and China. With a meager two CIA surveillance drones at their disposal, the prime strategy for tracking and...