CHARLES WILSON (POLITICIAN)

'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.

Contents

Early life

Naval career

Entry into politics

Soviet-Afghan War

Cultural references

References

External links

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 received a B.S. and graduated eighth from the bottom of his class in 1956.^[1]

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.

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.
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."

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.
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 cannons 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.

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.

References

1. 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.
2. Crile, 214-5.
3. Crile, 259–62.
4. Crile, 409–13.

External links

★ BBC article on Afghan military history, refers to Wilson's involvment

★ Lengthy article by George Crile, whose book is linked below

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★ ''Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History'', by George Crile, ISBN 0-87113-854-9.

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