经济学人-charlie wilson

经济学人-charlie wilson

ObituaryCharlieWilsonCharlesNesbittWilson,congressman,partyanimalandsaviourofAfghanistan,diedonFebruary10th,aged76Feb18th2010|FromTheEconomistprinteditionAFTERadecadeorsoinCongress,CharlieWilsonhadcertainlymadeanimpressionthere.Notthathedidmuchonthelegislativeside.HewentontheHouseflooronlytoseeiftherewastalentinattendance,andiftherewashewouldsendupaninvitation.Onthestrokeoflunch,mostdays,hewouldstrollintohisofficetogreettheshapelieststaffinWashington,pickednotfortheirtypingbuttheirtits,becausewhyshouldamanbedepressedwhenhecameintowork?TheyonceposedwithhimtotingAK-47s,butthatwaspartofanother,secret,story.HewasTexas-loud,six-footseveninhiscowboyboots,withbrightsuspenders,arowdylaughandarugged,westernface.Otherpeopleinthattownmightgoroundlookinglike\nconstipatedhounddogs,buthewashavingfunandsharingit,partyingandjunketingfirst-classalloverthecountryonthefederaldime.Theapogeecamein1980inahottubatCaesarsPalaceinLasVegas,withtwostrippersnakedbutfortheirhigh-heeledshoes,eachequippedwithtenredfingernailsfilledwithbeautifulwhitepowderwhichtheywaftedunderhisnose.Thefedslaterspentamillionbucksinvestigatingwhetherhehadinhaledit;hewasn’ttelling.Herevealed,however,thatheworearobe“atfirst”,becausehewas,afterall,acongressman.Andagoodone.ThesecondsideofCharlieWilsonwasthemanwhorepresentedthepinywoodsandtheoilfieldsofeastTexas,withsmalldrytownswedgedamongforestsnamedafterSamHoustonandDavyCrockett.God-fearing,Jesus-savedpeoplevotedforhim(their“designatedsinner”,ashisbiographer,GeorgeCrile,describedhim)becausehegotthemaveterans’hospitalandahighwayandtheLufkinciviccentrewhere,everyautumn,hehostedadominoestournamentforseniors.Hewasalocalboy,whosefatherhadworkedforatimbercompany,andlumberinterestsneverhadtoaskafavourtwice.MrWilson’sbuscameregularlytoeachtownshiptolistentocomplaints;andthoughsomeofthemcalledhimabooze-headandapussy-hound,anddidn’tcareforhissupportofabortion,morerememberedhimasthemanwhogotmoneyforLufkinmunicipalairportalongsideO’HareandLaGuardia.Allthiswonhim36yearsasalegislator,12inthewhiskey-wateredstatecapitolinAustinand24inWashington.ButtherewasathirdsidetoMrWilson,whichfewknewaboutuntilthepublicationin2003ofMrCrile’sbook.ItwashewhoorganisedandlargelyprocuredthemoneyfortheCIA’smostsuccessfulcovertoperation,thebackinginthe1980softhemujahideenofAfghanistanintheirwaragainsttheSovietinvaders.Hedidsowithalltheguilehecouldmuster,manoeuvringhimselfwithhelpfromthepro-Israellobby(hewasalwayssolidonthat,andcalledinthechitnow)ontotheAppropriationsCommitteeandthenceontothetwocrucialsubcommitteesdealingwithforeignops,bothwhiteandblack.FromstonestoStingersHisenthusiasmforthe“muj”knewnobounds.Heincreased\ntheirmoneyfrom$5mayearto$750m,firstbykissingeveryassinthecommitteeroomandthenbygettingtheSaudistomatchfunds.ToholdtheCIA’sdraggingfeettothefire—becauseLangleywasafraidofannoyingtheSoviets,whenMrWilsonwantedthemtodieasswiftlyandpainfullyaspossible—hemadesurethedollarsweremandatedforAfghanistan.TokeepAmericanprintsofftheoperation,heorderedanti-aircraftgunsfromIsrael,bulletsfromEgyptandcut-priceAK-47sfromChina.HenaggeduntiltheStingersweresentthatchangedthecourseofthewar.Whenthemujranintotransportproblems,heshippedoutmulesfromTennessee.WhentheCIAwouldnotgetthemfieldradios,hebought$12,000-worthofstufffromRadioShack.Hewenttotheregion32times,astonishingAfghanwarlordsandGeneralZiaofPakistanbyshowingupwithbeautiescalled“Snowflake”or“Firecracker”intightpinkjumpsuits.Allthislatermadeafilm,“CharlieWilson’sWar”,inwhichTomHanksplayedhim.Youcouldn’tmakeitup.ManymarvelledthatGoodTimeCharliehadsofiercelyembracedthiscause.HisHoustonsocialitelover,JoanneHerring,firstmadehimvisitAfghanwounded,implyingthathelpingthemwasatestofhisvirility,butMrWilsonwasapacifistwhocouldn’tbeartoshootasquirreloutofatree.Hispassionhadtohavedeeperroots.Helovedmilitaryhistory,readingitatnightwhenhecouldn’tsleep;heworshippedDouglasMacArthurandWinstonChurchill,whosewartimebroadcastshehadpickedupasaboy.HisflatinWashington(withgiantbed,silverhandcuffsandDomPérignoninthefridge)lookeddownontheIwoJimaMarineMemorial.Forhim,theAfghanwarwassimplyanothercaseofgoodversusevil.Therewerenogreyareas.IfAmericastoodforanything,itwastokickCommunistbutts.Wasn’tittrue,somewiseacresgrumbled,thatbyarmingthewarlordshehadopenedthewayfortheTalibanandal-Qaeda?CharlieWilsonthoughtthatstupid,justhindsighttalking.Hehadhelpednoble,barefootwarriorstofightwithsomethingmorethanknivesandstones.Andinsodoing,astheysaidinLufkin,hehadputuptwofingerstothedevilandatleastsomeofhisworks.\nReaders'commentsAdvertisementStayinformedtodayandeverydayAdvertisement\nOriginalArticle