On retirement from an unusual military career Howard Leedham
settled in the USA with his American wife and successfully flew
executive jets until...He was recruited in 2003 by the US State
Department's Airwing (which operates an international fleet of
aircraft engaged in counter-terrorism and anti-narcotics
operations). Despite being British, the author had the unusual
skills they required. Howard's specific brief was to activate a
fleet of anti-terrorist helicopters given to the Pakistan armed
forces but which had been embargoed and never properly used. This
was easier said than done. Howard had to win over opposition from
inside the State Department and in particular from their Islamabad
Embassy, and also dispel the suspicions of the Pakistani Armed
Forces. The helicopters were released and brought up to the high
standard of mechanical and operational maintenance required - no
mean achievement in itself. Despite finding doors closed to senior
Pakistani officers and being constantly told that the appropriate
general was much too busy to see him, Howard made his mark by
offering to stand outside the general's toilet door and tell him
about his plans! This tactic worked, he had his meeting (not in the
toilet) and he was given command of twenty-five Pathan soldiers to
train in Special Forces tactics and helicopter skills. Next he had
to win his soldiers' confidence. Howard did this with great success
and he was given a further 25 Pathans. They became an amazingly
loyal team and the book describes in detail several very successful
discreet operations; and the occasional failure or withdrawn patrol
- often because of leaked information. Howard had to do all this
while under great personal threat. How could he tell who was a
friend and who was a foe - even among his own troops? His ultimate
success in anti-terrorist operations can be measured by two
factors: o The US State Department, with Congressional and Embassy
approval, allocated more helicopters. o His farewell party in a
desert tent for just his Pathans and his helicopter crews had over
1,500 soldiers guarding the perimeter. All this came at a personal
price - on completing his mission Howard's marriage broke up and he
was nearly killed by a bomb on a subsequent visit to Islamabad.
General
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