Into the Viper's Nest: The First Pivotal Battle of the Afghan War
This gripping account of the Afghan War details the dramatic three-day battle for the Taliban stronghold of Musa Qala in 2007.

With a pre-battle population of fifteen to twenty thousand, Musa Qala was the only significant town held by the Taliban at that time. Attacking against two thousand Taliban fighters, who had been occupying the town for more than nine months, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was spearheaded by Task Force 1 Fury: 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, of the 82nd Airborne Division.

For the ISAF, Musa Qala was a target of immense importance. The Taliban had to be driven out and the town secured. But the Taliban were well prepared to stand and fight. What resulted was one of the biggest and most terrible battles of the war.
1100409054
Into the Viper's Nest: The First Pivotal Battle of the Afghan War
This gripping account of the Afghan War details the dramatic three-day battle for the Taliban stronghold of Musa Qala in 2007.

With a pre-battle population of fifteen to twenty thousand, Musa Qala was the only significant town held by the Taliban at that time. Attacking against two thousand Taliban fighters, who had been occupying the town for more than nine months, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was spearheaded by Task Force 1 Fury: 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, of the 82nd Airborne Division.

For the ISAF, Musa Qala was a target of immense importance. The Taliban had to be driven out and the town secured. But the Taliban were well prepared to stand and fight. What resulted was one of the biggest and most terrible battles of the war.
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Into the Viper's Nest: The First Pivotal Battle of the Afghan War

Into the Viper's Nest: The First Pivotal Battle of the Afghan War

by Stephen Grey
Into the Viper's Nest: The First Pivotal Battle of the Afghan War

Into the Viper's Nest: The First Pivotal Battle of the Afghan War

by Stephen Grey

eBookHISTORY / Military / Iraq War (2003-) (HISTORY / Military / Iraq War (2003-))

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Overview

This gripping account of the Afghan War details the dramatic three-day battle for the Taliban stronghold of Musa Qala in 2007.

With a pre-battle population of fifteen to twenty thousand, Musa Qala was the only significant town held by the Taliban at that time. Attacking against two thousand Taliban fighters, who had been occupying the town for more than nine months, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was spearheaded by Task Force 1 Fury: 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, of the 82nd Airborne Division.

For the ISAF, Musa Qala was a target of immense importance. The Taliban had to be driven out and the town secured. But the Taliban were well prepared to stand and fight. What resulted was one of the biggest and most terrible battles of the war.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781616739874
Publisher: Quarto Publishing Group USA
Publication date: 12/20/2022
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 362
File size: 4 MB

About the Author

Stephen Grey is a journalist based in London, best known for breaking the international exclusive story of the CIA's secret rendition program for which he won the 2005 Amnesty International Media Award and formed the basis for his book Ghost Plane. He is a former editor of the Sunday Times and continues to contribute there as well as the New York Times, Guardian, Times, Independent, and Newsweek.


Stephen Grey is a journalist based in London, best known for breaking the international exclusive story of the CIA's secret rendition program for which he won the 2005 Amnesty International Media Award and formed the basis for his book Ghost Plane. He is a former editor of the Sunday Times and continues to contribute there as well as the New York Times, Guardian, Times, Independent, and Newsweek.

Table of Contents

Author's Note ix

Principal Characters x

Prologue: The Eyewitness 1

Part I The Rebellion 17

1 Desert of Death 18

2 Red Devils 28

3 The Fort of Moses 34

4 Among the Taliban 37

Part II The Population Is The Prize 45

5 Arriving in Helmand 46

6 Mullah Salaam 52

7 Corrupt Measures 58

8 The War Cabinet 70

Part III The Taliban Strikes Back 73

9 The Patrol to Khevalabad 76

10 Crazy Orders 84

11 Killer with a Conscience 89

12 The Battle of 9/11 94

Part IV The Plan 105

13 Camping with Wolves 106

14 War, Tea, and Sugared Almonds 111

15 Decision 115

16 The Manhunt 121

17 The Yanks Are Coming! 132

18 The Final Plan 136

19 Camp Shorobak 141

Part V The Battle 145

20 The Militia: 4-6 December 146

21 D-Day: 7 December 170

22 Battle for the Wadi: 8 December 184

23 Night of the Spectre: 9 December 213

24 Diversion: 10 December 239

25 Raising the Flag: 11-17 December 251

Part VI The Aftermath 265

26 Perfidy 266

27 The Cost of It All 277

28 Cracking On 288

29 Epilogue: The End of the Beginning 291

Appendix: Killed in Action in Helmand Province, 17 September 2007-31 March 2008 307

Acknowledgments 309

Glossary 315

Notes 318

Maps 322

Index 331

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

LIBRARY JOURNAL
"Skillfully and sympathetically told from the point of view of the hard-pressed soldiers, Grey's book will be a strong addition to the growing literature on the Afghan war."

THE VETERANS REPORTER
"...a welcome addition to the literature of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan."

HISTORYTIMES.COM
"It took a long time for the British public to fully appreciate the deadly nature of the war in Afghanistan. Now though, through the television coverage and books such as Into the Viper’s Nest, no-one underestimates the difficult and challenging circumstances under which our armed forces have to operate."

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