In September 2001, Al-Qaeda had struck and America was aghast. Eight brave CIA officers set the pace, being the first Americans to step foot on enemy lines in Afghanistan after 9/11. Under the codename Team Alpha, they were on a mission to protect America. In this episode, James is joined by Toby Harnden. A former foreign correspondent for the Sunday Times of London, and the Daily Telegraph, Toby specializes in terrorism and war. As the author of First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11, a winner of the Orwell Prize for Books, Toby takes us through the events of the first operation inside Afghan territory a mere weeks after the attacks. Amid chaos and mourning, how did this mission unfold?Toby Harnden is the author of ‘First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11’, published by Back Bay BooksFor more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts, and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!To download, go to Android or Apple store. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.