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As usual, Woodward produces a hastily written book which is more a collage of interviews than anything else. Then again, Woodward has access--and one can learn a lot about the process by which Obama decided on his surge. Two facts emerge in sharp relief: First, the military didn't give Obama any serious options/alternatives besides what they wanted. They "rolled" him, as numerous players claim, giving him two impossible options and one option they preferred. Second, no one in the military could
I just finished "Obama's Wars" by Bob Woodward. I don't know that I feel ready to review a book by Woodward, but I do have some thoughts after reading it.First of all, the book seems more about the bureaucratic push and shove between the White House, the State Department, the CIA and the Department of Defense about how to deal with Afghanistan. The Obama Administration had come into office with promises to draw down in Iraq and focus on Afghanistan. The question was to what degree: how many troo...
Currently reading, boring as hell!
Bob Woodward has literally formed a cottage industry of in-depth, exhaustively researched books on the presidency. We read his three volume set on the Bush White House, the Clinton White House and a host of other books on Washington, power, intrigue and crisis. All ranged from good to excellent in what they offer in terms of insight. This books falls close to the “excellent” category.Woodward’s first book on the Obama Administration takes the reader through the transfer of power and leadership o...
I love Bob Woodward's books. He gets amazing access and can usually draw me right into whatever his subject matter is. His Price of Politics about the debt ceiling/budget negotiation around the "fiscal cliff" is one of my favorite books of the last few years. This one wasn't the greatest for me. Maybe because it was such a narrow slice of the story: Obama's first two years of his presidency. Woodward does a good job showing how Obama's lack of experience was a debacle in those first years in the...
This is Bob Woodward’s famous account of Obama’s attempt to win in, and withdraw from, Afghanistan. As usual, Woodward’s narrative benefits from his exceptional access to Washington’s hallways of power, leading the book to be jam-packed with interesting anecdotes about the personalities and interests behind the War in Afghanistan. Frankly, I think I read the book too late after its publication. Much of the content is now common knowledge or simply unimportant. The book is also clearly written fo...
A very easy read that offers great insight into the inner workings of the current administration. This is supposed to be a book that highlights Bush's mishandling of the war in Afghanistan, and what Obama has done in his first 18 months in office to turn the war around. What it really does is highlight the current administration's inexperience, ignorance, and foolishness. One recurring theme is the how Obama is unable to listen to the information he is given, digest it, then make an authoritativ...
Obama waged more war and killed more people while simultaneously weakening our military than any commander in chief in our nation's history. At least the feckless Carter knew his limitations and largely kept his gun in the holster. Obama's Nobel Peace Prize instantly de-legitimized a once meaningful award.
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It never ceases to amaze me how Woodward can get his sources to talk so openly. This book is no exception, and it reads like a political thriller.Woodward takes us through the quagmire of Afghanistan that the Bush Presidency has left for Obama, and how the president has to take in and appreciate what the military brass is advising while maintaining his duty as civilian commander-in-chief. The military wants to have a 15-year timeline -- and that is on top of the 9 years we've already been there....
Welcome to the sausage factory. When Otto Von Bismarck made his comment about the undesirability of witnessing the making of legislation, he could easily have included the making of foreign, particularly military policy.When President Obama took office, he was faced not only with having to clean out the economic monkey cage the prior administration had left covered with feces, he also had to cope with two inherited wars. He had some very definite ideas on an approach to the Afghanistan War in pa...
Fascinating account of decision making in the White House. Reads like a thriller. Obama relies too much on his Chicago Mafia but is firmly in charge. Rahm was a mistake. He wouldn't even show Jones, the NSA, drafts of speeches. The NSA had to listen to them like the rest of the nation and Obama let this happen. General Jones, a class guy, was not respected. I almost wanted to laugh and cry hearing the account of the war planning. I could have gotten more precise and sound advice from a bunch of
Super nerdy, detailed, and hard to keep track of who is who, but worthwhile and fascinating in parts. Some cool insight into how presidents and those they work with are constantly weighing so many different considerations, all of which are often equally essential.
BOOK REVIEWObama’s Wars by Bob WoodwardReviewed by Bill Breakstone, November 28, 2010When Bob Woodward’s latest book, “Obama’s Wars,” was released for publication some six weeks ago, it was lavishly promoted with personal appearances by the author on just about every single talk show, and also accorded notoriety by some striking revelations of a personal nature of aides within both White House and Pentagon circles. I put off reading the volume as it seemed the critics and talking heads had more
First: The title has a typo. It should be titled 'Obama's war' as there is no reporting on decisions related to Iraq. The Good:Woodward has remarkable access. He paints a picture that makes sense, and has more anecdotes about the top levels of government than anyone. Woodward shows how decision making happens, and that White House politics is really a permutation of regular office politics (both in Republican and Democrat administrations). He keeps good track of all the actors rather than relyin...
We may not always say so, at least by using the same term, but what we look for in a President is, above all, leadership. Obama's Wars -- Bob Woodward's most recent behind-the-scenes report, a sort of current history -- provides a front-row seat on the leadership style of Barack Obama. As I view the scene Woodward portrays, President Obama comes off looking really good as a leader.Obama's Wars is, essentially, an account of the months-long period in 2009 when President Obama, the members of Nati...
While the boyfriend and I both enjoy reading, we have completely different tastes. I am history and science; he is politics and law. However, on our trip to Ecuador I was afraid of running out of book (1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, the perfect companion for a trip to South America) and so I "borrowed" the copy of Obama's Wars he'd brought with him.I was fascinated. I'd always suspected Bob Woodward of resting on his Watergate laurels for the past 37 years (I know exactly...
The title of this book is perfect: Obama’s Wars. Bob Woodward gives us a detailed account of President Obama taking ownership of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama also takes charge of internal strife between bickering branches and rival departments of our government and military.Obama’s Wars is not a fun or exciting book, even during its most engrossing passages. But I can see it being a worthwhile read even for a person who skims a few chapters, becomes overwhelmed by the political comple...
I don't know if I want these wars to end to see Woodward write about something else or continue, since I clearly am eating this stuff up.This is the first Kindle book I've read, which I read on Donna II and Harley (Samsung Galaxy S and 13" MacBook Pro, for those of you that don't know the names of my computers...shut up). I feel like this is the ideal kind of book for this format, versus a novel or a think piece. It's like an extended newspaper article or blog and I'm thinking of reading Game Ch...
Every time I read one of Bob Woodward's books, I wonder why people are so open to speaking with him. They must know that their words and ideas will appear in print. And not always in a flattering manner. . . .This work focuses on Obama's work with his often fractious foreign policy-national defense-intelligence team. We read of the actors' views of the process of whither to go in Afghanistan. The focus is the run-up to President Obama's decision on a "surge" in Afghanistan.We see many facets of