Charlie Wilson
U.S. Congressman (D-TX); Champion of CIA Afghan Funding
"These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world. And then we f***ed up the endgame."
Biography
Charles Nesbitt Wilson was born in Trinity, Texas in 1933 and served in the U.S. Navy before becoming a Texas state legislator and then a U.S. Congressman in 1973. A hard-drinking, flamboyant Democrat with a seat on the House Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee, Wilson became consumed by the Afghan cause after visiting a Pakistani refugee camp in 1980. He used his congressional influence to push CIA Afghan funding from $5 million to over $500 million per year — the largest covert operation in CIA history.
Did you know?
Wilson kept three beautiful female staffers known in Washington as 'Charlie's Angels' — a personal branding choice that co-existed with his genuine strategic brilliance in the covert war. He was simultaneously one of the most effective and most colorful members of Congress.
Key Battles
Battle of Zhawar
Afghan Mujahideen victoryApril 1985 · 600 total casualties
First Stinger Engagement
Afghan Mujahideen victorySeptember 1986 · 5 total casualties
Life Journey
Timeline
June 1, 1933
🌅 Birth
Born in Trinity, Texas
1956
📚 Education
Graduates U.S. Naval Academy; serves as Navy officer
1973
📍 Posting
Elected to U.S. House of Representatives from Texas
1980
📍 Posting
Visits Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan; becomes passionate advocate for Mujahideen
1983–1988
⚔️ Battle
Uses appropriations power to push CIA Afghan funding from $5M to $500M/year
February 10, 2010
✝️ Death
Dies in Lufkin, Texas