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Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda - a Personal Account by the CIA Hardcover – January 1, 2005

by Gary Berntsen (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 547 ratings
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As seen in photo, there are several redacted lines shown as black bars. There are 4 pages of colored pictures.
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  1. Language
    English
  2. Publisher
    CROWN PUBLISHERS, INC.
  3. Publication date
    January 1, 2005
  4. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B002J7QQR8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CROWN PUBLISHERS, INC. (January 1, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.37 pounds
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 547 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Ralph Pezzullo

    Ralph Pezzullo

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    Ralph Pezzullo is a New York Times and international bestselling author whose books have sold millions of copies worldwide.

    Ralph is the host of Heroes Behind the Headlines, one of the top documentary podcasts, where listeners get to hear the stories of the headlines you know, told by the heroes you don’t. They are first-hand stories from the people on the front lines, who have lived the news we’ve consumed for the last half-century.

    Literally born into the world of geopolitics, Ralph is the son of a legendary United States Diplomat who brokered the 1979 resignation of Nicaragua’s strongman dictator Anastasio Somoza Debayle.

    When Ralph was five his father joined the Foreign Service of the State Department. His job took him to Washington, DC, Mexico, South Vietnam, Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, Uruguay, Haiti and Nicaragua. Because of his father’s career in diplomacy, Ralph was present for some of the most formative events in world geopolitics, including living in Saigon during the Tonkin Gulf Incident, the overthrow of Diem, several other coups d’etats, and almost daily Vietcong terrorist attacks against Americans. He then survived three years gasping for air at 13,000 feet in La Paz, Bolivia, when Che Guevarra was trying to build a guerrilla base in that country. In 1980 Ralph found himself in Nicaragua debating politics with guys like Tomas Borge and the Ortega brothers and witnessing the first days of the Sandinista Revolution (the subject of the non-fiction book At the Fall of Somoza, which he wrote with his father).

    After receiving a Master's Degree in International Affairs, he worked on Capitol Hill and later as a correspondent for Associated Press covering assignments in Latin America, and creating relationships with other diplomats, CIA agents, and military attaches across the world.

    Ralph has written screenplays for all the major film studios and has worked with award-winning directors like Oliver Stone and Antoine Fuqua. His most recent book, Saigon, is a story told in a time of war, living as a boy in Vietnam from 1963-1965. The protagonist is a sensitive, intelligent thirteen-year-old with a self-centered, domineering father who serves as a diplomat with the US Embassy. Eager to engage his exotic new environment, he befriends locals working at the Embassy maintenance shop and serves as a batboy for the US Special Forces softball team. Over time, he develops a unique perspective of the political crisis gripping the country and the role of the US.

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  2. Gary Berntsen

    Gary Berntsen

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    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
547 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book informative and interesting. They appreciate the author's insights into intelligence-based warfare and common sense. The story is described as riveting, well-told, and emotional. Readers describe the pacing as good, with military escapades and action-gripped drama. They find the account authentic, true, and frank. The author is described as an amazing hero.

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ReadabilityInsightStorytellingPacingAuthenticityHero
64 customers mention "Readability"54 positive10 negative

Customers find the book interesting and informative. They say it's well-written and believable. Readers mention the book is one of the best CIA books on their role in Afghanistan post-9/11.

"Great technical read for anyone interested in the post 911 US response in Afghanistan...." Read more

"...May it serve as a positive example for future successes, as open societies face the challenges of lethal enemies, and as a call for creative..." Read more

"...This particular section of the book is worth reading in detail as it is unfortunately true that success has many fathers but failure has none...." Read more

"Heard this guy on a podcast and wanted to know more. Book is AWESOME!" Read more

16 customers mention "Insight"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's insights interesting and thought-provoking. They appreciate the author's perspective on intelligence-based warfare and how the U.S. Armed Forces were able to defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan. The book provides an unbiased account of events and shows common sense rather than government rules and overregulation.

"...The author makes an interesting point regarding the concept of intelligence based warfare...." Read more

"...Mr. Berntsen's book is a necessary historical document and a required read for everyone interested in the improvement of American diplomacy and..." Read more

"I read through this book in about a day and found the insights into the book very interesting but the redactions made it often annoying and hard to..." Read more

"Great read. Gives you insight into the inner workings of the CIA and to the gigantic effort to capture or kill bin Ladin...." Read more

15 customers mention "Storytelling"12 positive3 negative

Customers find the storytelling engaging and well-told. They describe the book as a riveting account of the bravery of patriots and their response to 9/11. The book provides a clear, unbiased look at what happened and continues to happen in the world.

"...Absolutely riveting narrative and the 360o image painted will shock the reader and at the same time perhaps fill in some blank spots in the..." Read more

"...This book was so interesting to read!!! It's a true story and the author is an amazing hero who deserves so much credit for eliminating the Taliban..." Read more

"Interesting story, that gives some insight into what really goes on in these conflicts...." Read more

"This is great account of our reaction to 9/11. You can feel the emotion when reading it. I can't believe the CIA had to chop it up with redactions...." Read more

7 customers mention "Pacing"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's pacing good. They appreciate its insights into the initial push into Afghanistan and special forces combat operations before main ground forces. The book provides an illuminating report on the victory in Afghanistan, with military escapades and action-gripped drama. Readers also mention the account of the planning and execution of missions working with the Northern Alliance.

"...Over all this is a very interesting book about the war in Afghanistan...." Read more

"...of a few highly trained Special Forces squads, the launch of intelligent bombs and missiles, the wise cooperation with northern alliance commanders..." Read more

"...It reads swiftly, entrancing the reader with wild mountain, military escapades and action-gripped drama." Read more

"...A great 1st hand account of the planning and execution of missions working with the Northern Alliance and Special Forces..." Read more

5 customers mention "Authenticity"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's authenticity. They find it an honest and frank account of the early days of the war in Afghanistan.

"The CIA in Afghanistan post 9/11 A great 1st hand account of the planning and execution of missions working with the Northern Alliance and..." Read more

"Jawbreaker seems to be an honest and frank account of the early days of the war in Afghanistan." Read more

"Excellent real account how we screwed up catching Bin Laden, but kudo's to the people from the CIA and Military on the ground." Read more

"Insightful, First Hand Experience..." Read more

5 customers mention "Hero"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's hero. They describe the author as an American hero who deserves much credit for his work. The book portrays the CIA officer as an excellent hero who led the way into Afghanistan.

"...It's a true story and the author is an amazing hero who deserves so much credit for eliminating the Taliban in such a short amount of time...." Read more

"...Great book from a TRUE American, and Great American Hero, whose passion to be one of the first to take the fight to those who murdered over 3,000..." Read more

"Excellent portrayal of the cia officer that led the way into Afghanistan and opened doors all over for our biys to get in and do the job America has..." Read more

"...Also, how brave men and women can still manage to over come these obstacles to do what is right much of the time." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • mopic
    5.0 out of 5 stars Jawbreaker by Bernstein
    Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Great technical read for anyone interested in the post 911 US response in Afghanistan. Berntsen pulls no punches as he describes the situation facing the CIA and SF as they stepped off a hello in total darkness and met the Northern Alliance. Absolutely riveting narrative and the 360o image painted will shock the reader and at the same time perhaps fill in some blank spots in the difficult understanding of the US role in Afghanistan.
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  • Bob Magnant
    5.0 out of 5 stars High Risks for Brave Professionals...
    Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2008
    Verified Purchase
    From the first pages of his redacted recollections, Gary Bernsten takes us on a whirlwind tour of the Agency's early frustrations with the menace of Al Qaeda - as well as his own for the Washington bureaucracy - giving us our first glimpse of the Panshir Valley prior to the USS Cole tragedy and the 9/11 turning point. Bernsten picks up the momentum of Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA's Key Field Commander less than a month later as he was preparing to spearhead the hunt for Bin Laden as it had been laid out by the CIA's Counter Terrorism Center [CTC] and the Armed Forces Central Command [CENTCOM], with the initial airstrikes against the Taliban and Al Qaeda targets and the insertion of both military and civilian teams into Afghanistan.

    Sometimes his riveting account of this handful of dedicated experts and professionals [some 110 CIA officers and 350 Special Forces soldiers, supported by air power and advanced technology] could be difficult to follow because of the rapid pace of events and the multiple facets of their operations. Whenever I watch Robert Redford's Lions For Lambs (Widescreen Edition), it conjures up the actions of those forces in my mind. But on the whole, his blend of textured characters and harrowing circumstances was fascinating reading, even with the bands of redacted text every few pages. His return to the Panshir from Tajikistan, his efforts with the native commanders, with their intelligence operations and the allied forces, with hostage issues, language problems and cultural conflicts; Gary shared each step of the way with us in vivid detail. His descriptions of Tora Bora gave us edge-of-your-seat panoramas of the execution of our warfare options with a modern enemy, in sharp contrast to how we have failed in Iraq. Being so close to his mission's near-complete success, his obvious frustrations with his recall and the uncertainty of our policies in the area are easy to understand. History may see those events in his favor and be more sympathetic to his feelings.

    Bernsten's conclusions offer a longer perspective of our actions during those few critical months that are shared by others and documented elsewhere. Our Afghan war has been described as a flawed masterpiece and may end up as one of the more notable military achievements in the last half century. May it serve as a positive example for future successes, as open societies face the challenges of lethal enemies, and as a call for creative leadership with compassion and understanding for other people and their traditions.

    Bob Magnant is the author of The Last Transition... - a fact-based novel about Iran, Iraq and the Middle East...
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Toe Tag
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting reading!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This is a particularly interesting book written by the CIA officer in charge of the initial war on Al Qaeda. The author was part of the second team of CIA officers sent to the region and performed a magnificent job of destroying our nation’s enemy post 9-11.

    One of the things I most enjoyed about this book was the integration of multiple elements of our intelligence and military forces. It was amazing to see how they were used to produce a syngeneic effect on the battle field. The previous experience of the CIA in the era of the Russian invasion was critical to the development of the alliances required to destroy Al Qaeda.

    The author makes an interesting point regarding the concept of intelligence based warfare. One of the major concepts being utilization of resources for maximum effect at a minimal destruction to targets that are not targeted.

    Admittedly this book does drag down a little with the political issues that needed to be addressed in order to create that alliance. But it makes up for it when describing American soldiers riding horse-back into confrontations with the enemy. To my knowledge, the last American cavalry charge took place in the Philippines in World War Two.

    The author also explains the situation at Tora Bora and why it is believed Al Qaeda escaped into Pakistan’s tribal area. With great frustration it seems the author believes it was an internal political issue that prevented the US from blocking this region and preventing the escape. This particular section of the book is worth reading in detail as it is unfortunately true that success has many fathers but failure has none.

    Over all this is a very interesting book about the war in Afghanistan. If you enjoyed this then I would strongly suggest First In: How seven CIA officers opened the war on terror in Afghanistan by Gary Schroen and most certainly Hank Crumpton’s book The Art of Intelligence: lessons from a Life in the CIA’s clandestine service as they both deal with direct intervention in Afghanistan. I would also recommend Hard Measures by Jose A Rodriguez as a primer for what happens when you have key assets with information derived from the battle field.
    11 people found this helpful
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  • Matthew Scalzitti
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book.
    Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Heard this guy on a podcast and wanted to know more. Book is AWESOME!
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  • Tennisforfun
    5.0 out of 5 stars OUTSTANDING BOOK !!!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I've bought 3 of these books so far. Everytime I tell someone about it they want to borrow it!! This book was so interesting to read!!! It's a true story and the author is an amazing hero who deserves so much credit for eliminating the Taliban in such a short amount of time. It was fustrating reading how close we were to getting Bin Ladin and sad that our Government wouldn't give him the extra men when we were so close. If we had more Rangers we could have gotten Bin Ladin so many years ago and saved soooo many lives...This is a story written by our CIA's commander who was on the ground. This is a story that should have been made public a long time ago!!! Everyone should read this - even young teenagers that were too young and do not know the whole story. The author is always on the news stations as an expert on the Middle East. He has so much knowledge and is so passionate about what he does. The stories this guy tells is crazy!! He's so fasinating to watch. I also read his other book "The Walk In". That was another great book- fast reading. They need to make Jawbreaker into a movie!!!!!
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Gary Rixon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Don't hesitate. What a read!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 19, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Wow! I'm not sure I've ever read a book so fast. Really excellent. A shame about the redactions, of which their are quite a few, but I guess that's unavoidable given the nature of the content.
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  • Jamie Norris
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book.
    Reviewed in Australia on December 31, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I loved this book on the CIA war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. The book goes into great detail to tell you how it all went
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  • Johannes Wessels
    5.0 out of 5 stars insight
    Reviewed in Canada on April 7, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    well written...good book...
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  • alkbt
    5.0 out of 5 stars Livre arrivé rapidement et conforme à la description !
    Reviewed in France on June 10, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Livre arrivé rapidement et conforme à la description !
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  • Juergen Koller
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sehr interessante Einblicke, decken sich mit
    Reviewed in Germany on January 22, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Guter, verständlicher Stil.
    Sehr gut angereichert mit den "wahrscheinlich" eigenen Erfahrungen.
    Gibt einen Einblick in die Denk- und Handlungsweise amerikanischer Streitkräfte.
    Die geschwärzten Passagen sind gewöhnungsbedürftig.
    Schnelle Lieferung, einwandfreier Zustand.
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