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Charles Wilson (born June 1, 1933) was a United States naval officer and Democratic United States Congressman from the 2nd congressional district in Texas. He has become known for leading Congress into supporting the largest ever CIA covert operation to supply the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War. He was even made a General by the Pakistani Military, though he was asked to not wear his uniform inside Pakistan.[citation needed] Image File history File links Charliewilson. ...
Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party...
Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area Ranked 2nd - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²) - Width 773 miles (1,244 km) - Length 790 miles (1,270 km) - % water 2. ...
The current boundaries of Texas District 2. ...
For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ...
For the band, see 1997 (band). ...
John Vernard Dowdy (February 11, 1912 – April 12, 1995) was an American politician. ...
James Hard Nipples Turner (born February 6, 1946), American politician, was the Democratic representative for the Texas 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1997 until 2005. ...
is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
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is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The Democratic Party, founded in 1792, is the second-oldest political party in the world (after the Tories of the United Kingdom). ...
Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political...
The current boundaries of Texas District 2. ...
Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area Ranked 2nd - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²) - Width 773 miles (1,244 km) - Length 790 miles (1,270 km) - % water 2. ...
The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ...
From The U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms - Joint Publication JP1-02 dated 05 January 2007: Covert Operation: An operation that is so planned and executed as to conceal the identity of or permit plausible denial by the sponsor. ...
For the Iranian opposition group, see Peoples Mujahedin of Iran. ...
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was a 10-year war which wreaked incredible havoc and destruction on Afghanistan. ...
Early life
Wilson was born in the small town of Trinity, Texas where he attended public schools and graduated from Trinity High School in 1951. While a student at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas he was appointed to the United States Naval Academy where he received a B.S. and graduated eighth from the bottom of his class in 1956.[1] Trinity is a city located in Trinity County, Texas. ...
Sam Houston State University, (known as SHSU and Sam, for short) founded in 1879, is a public university located in Huntsville, Texas. ...
66 Foot Tall Statue of Sam Houston in Huntsville, Texas. ...
The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and is in Annapolis, Maryland . ...
Naval career Between 1956 and 1960 Wilson served in the United States Navy, where he attained the rank of lieutenant. Wilson graduated as a gunnery officer and was assigned to a destroyer involved in searching for Russian submarines. Following four years as a surface fleet officer, Wilson was assigned to the Pentagon where he was part of an intelligence unit that evaluated the Soviet Union’s nuclear forces. USN redirects here. ...
This article is about the United States military building. ...
Entry into politics Wilson first entered politics by volunteering for the John Kennedy presidential campaign, but in 1960, after taking 30 days leave from the Navy, Wilson, entered his name into the race for Texas State Representative from his home district. This action was against the regulations of the Navy as service members are prohibited from holding a public office while on active duty. While back on duty his family and friends went door to door campaigning. In 1961 at age 27, he was sworn into office in Austin, Texas. There have been several John Kennedys: John F. Kennedy, American president John F. Kennedy, Jr. ...
Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Travis County. ...
For the next 12 years, Wilson made his reputation in Texas as the "liberal from Lufkin," viewed with suspicion by business interests. He battled for the regulation of utilities, fought for Medicaid, tax exemptions for the elderly, the Equal Rights Amendment, and a minimum wage bill. He was also one of the only prominent Texas politicians to support abortion rights. Wilson was also notorious for his personal life, particularly drinking, picking up the nickname "Good Time Charlie." Lufkin is a city in Angelina County, Texas, United States. ...
Medicaid is the US health insurance program for individuals and families with low incomes and resources. ...
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution intended to guarantee equal rights under the law for Americans regardless of sex. ...
The morality and legality of abortion are controversial topics. ...
Soviet-Afghan war In the early summer of 1980, Wilson read an Associated Press dispatch on the congressional wires, that described hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing Afghanistan. Few however, were paying attention, even in the American government. According to his biographer, George Crile, Wilson placed a call to a member of the US Congressional Appropriations Committee who dealt with "black appropriations" (CIA funds), and ordered a twofold increase in the appropriation for Afghanistan. Wilson had just been named to the Defense Appropriations subcommittee, part of a small group of twelve people in the House responsible for funding CIA operations, and thus had the authority to make such an order. The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ...
In the United States government, the Appropriations Committee can refer to either: the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...
The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ...
The Congress of the United States is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States of America. ...
This would not be the last time for Wilson to greatly increase the CIA budget for its Afghan operation. In 1983 he won the approval of $40 million more, with $17 million especially earmarked for anti-aircraft weapons that could take down the Soviet Mil Mi-24 helicopters, known as the Hinds, which caused heavy damage to the Afghan Mujahideen.[2] The following year Wilson was approached directly by CIA officer Gust Avrakotos, who, breaking the CIA's rule against lobbying Congress for money, asked Wilson for $50 million more. Wilson agreed to the increase, and convinced his colleagues in Congress by saying that "The US had nothing whatsoever to do with these people's decision to fight...But we'll be damned by history if we let them fight with stones."[3] Wilson later succeeded in moving $300 million of unused Pentagon funds into the Afghan operation right before the end of the fiscal year.[4] In this way, Wilson had a significant influence on the level of support the Afghan Mujahideen received from the United States. The Mil Mi-24 (NATO reporting name: Hind) is a large helicopter gunship and low-capacity troop transport produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and operated from 1976 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and over thirty other nations. ...
For the Iranian opposition group, see Peoples Mujahedin of Iran. ...
Gust L. Avrakotos (1938 – December 1, 2005) was a secret agent for the United States Central Intelligence Agency. ...
Cultural references Wilson's efforts in the Afghanistan war effort were revealed in the book titled Charlie Wilson's War by George Crile III, published in 2003. In the 2007 film version of the book, Congressman Wilson will be played by Tom Hanks. Charlie Wilsons War is a 2007 drama film about Democratic Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson, who conspired with a rogue CIA operative named Gust Avrakotos to launch an operation to help the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. ...
George Crile with Charlie Wilson in Afghanistan George Crile III (March 5, 1945 - May 15, 2006) was a United States journalist. ...
Charlie Wilsons War is a 2007 drama film about Democratic Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson, who conspired with a rogue CIA operative named Gust Avrakotos to launch an operation to help the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. ...
Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American two-time Academy Award-winning film actor, Emmy-winning director, voice-over artist, writer, and movie producer. ...
References - ^ Crile, George. Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2003. ISBN0-87113-854-9 p. 26.
- ^ Crile, 214-5.
- ^ Crile, 259–62.
- ^ Crile, 409–13.
See also The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ...
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