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 Woodward's "fly-on-the-wall" reporting once again illuminates dysfunctional Bush administration January 4, 2009
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The legendary Bob Woodward ("All the President's Men," etc.) adds another entry into his long list of accomplished, important books. With "The War Within," Woodward once again gains remarkable access to the inner workings of President George W. Bush's White House as well as the top tiers of the U.S. military as our nation confronted (finally!) it's faltering performance in Iraq.
For those few of you who haven't read Woodward's stuff before, "War Within" keeps to the usual style - on-the-spot reporting from extensive interviews and document reviews that nobody else seems to get. Woodward refrains from weaving strong polemics through his narrative, which makes his books often read more like journalism than history - and that's the author's stated goal. Woodward goes more for a contemporary account of what happened than drawing larger historical conclusions, which he usually reserves for his brief conclusions.
Of course, Woodward makes important judgments of what is worthy to include in his books, and the pages of this book tell a story of a dysfunctional administration. For those who hunt for a President Bush who is a bloodthirsty warmonger eager to torture and bomb indiscriminately, you're not going to find him here. What you find is a President who wants to "win," when "winning" is neither clearly defined or possible. You also find a President who has trained his advisers - whether civilian or military - to tell him what he wants to hear. It's a bit surprising to hear some of Bush's most loyal advisers refer to him as a "bully," but then again it's not.
Woodward puts the reader into the circles of power as Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney, General Casey, and others are forced to confront the simple fact that the military campaign in Iraq is going nowhere. The administration's maddening refusal to either admit mistakes have been made or to hold anyone accountable for those mistakes builds and builds - at many times the key power players in the country are more focused on the chain of command and controlling their own little spheres of influence to get the darn job done. We read several accounts of minor turf wars, shifting responsibility to others, and well-informed subordinates being ignored by their superiors. At times it seems the organizing principle of our government is to tell our superiors what they want to hear rather than telling the truth.
And that's a strong condemnation in its own right - Woodward rightly feels that the reader doesn't need Woodward's editorializing on that point.
The book builds until the fateful, but surprisingly controversial, decision to "surge" additional troops into Baghdad. By this point, the competence of Generals Petraeus and Odierno serves as an overdue reminder that there are extremely accomplished people in our government who have their eyes on the right goals.
The question the book seems to ask is whether the incompetence of the rest of those in the ranks of power will crush them before they are able to serve our nation as ably as they can.
It's a terrible question we must confront, but it's vital that we do so. Thanks to Bob Woodward for raising it.
Understanding the Iraq War since 2006 December 28, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This follow-up to State of Denial details the progress of the Iraq War since 2006. It starts with the firing of Donald Rumsfeld and the rise of the even-handed Robert Gates. It follows the fall of General Casey and the rise of General Petraeus. It also parallels the two schools of thought in how to handle Iraq: clear and hold or surgical strikes.
While not quite as readable as State of Denial, this book details more of the political dealings with Iraqi leaders and the attempts to establish a constitution and a central government; the eternal conflict between factions; and the maddening attitudes of Maliki. This book may be more for those who want to understand the gradual progress of developing an Iraqi government and the transformation of US military policy towards securing Iraq.
 War Within - great for facts, terrible for chronology December 27, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Book appears to be onn the button factually but try to follow chronology
very difficult. He writes about years 2003 and skips to 2006 or 2005 back
to 2003. Names of military personnel are sometimes difficult to relate to
an event or time element.
Overall good for facts and illumination into the Bush II White House.
Too much here and too little there.... December 26, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
i find the book to be somewhat evenhanded, albeit slow to build, with speciouz arguments and several ineffective redundancies. but for a neophyte like me, an excellent primer to the internal discussions. Difficult to discern why Hadley and Keane had such preeminentinsights? Werethey doing the most talking to Woodward?
 Why George W. Bush Should Have Been Impeached and Removed From Office. December 19, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
As a conservative Republican who voted for George W. Bush twice, I was a little leery of Bob Woodward's series on the Iraq War. But after reading State of Denial and The War Within I came to the conclusion that the 43d President of the United States should have been brought up before the House of Representatives on Articles of Impeachment for the woeful mismanagement of the war.
The War Within gives the reader a sometimes minute-by-minute look at the Iraq War from the vantage point from most of the major and minor pricipals involved. Meticulously researched, sourced and quoted this book sets the gold standard for the body of work on this subject matter.
Woodward lets this sad story tell itself; Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, Condi Rice, Stephen J. Hadley and Mr. Bush are not portrayed in a favorable light. The President appears to be in his own insular world oblivious to the realities on the ground in Iraq; his generals and staff, blindly groping for a way out of the morass.
This book will make you mourn for the loss of treasure, and prestige that our country has suffered because of Mr. Bush's folly. The War Within is a valuable public service.
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