Finished Modern Warfare 2 and now I understand the criticism about the single player story.

The rest of the post contain MW2 spoilers.

------------

The story keep revolving about the events at the airport, which is, by itself, full of twists.

- The Plot - Makarov, a russian terrorist-for-hire, attack a russian airport

- Twist 1: the whole thing was not a random terrorist, but a setup to put the blame on american hands, leaving the american agent corpse behind, which ignite a war between Russia and USA.

- Twist 2: Marakov was actually hired by american General Shepard so he could have the White House permission and money to go all-out against the enemy, and provided him with an american soldier; you.

- Twist 3: Shepard betrays Makarov and your team so he can erase all traces of him being behind the whole airport thing.

All the elements of the story are there, but they are so scattered... Shepard for example never appear on MW1, and Shepard going from ally, to betrayer, to double betrayer (you and marakov) happens lighting fast.

Like on the airport mission, you spend most of the time following orders without knowing very well what's happening.