Bush at War

Rating:
Summary: Bob Woodward and the American President
Review: It was just after noon on September 13, 2002, when Bob Woodward leaned into a conference table at the Washington Post, grimacing at the cassette tape recorder I placed in front of him. Sitting around me were fellow print journalism graduate students from the University of Maryland. "So we're taped here? Is this like the Nixon system?" Woodward said. We laughed.

Woodward went on. "Looking at this god-awful tape recorder, and thinking about Nixon that if you go back to Nixon or Ford, who was there briefly, or Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and now another Bush and look at all the presidents one of the things that has churned in my mind for a long time is what's the definition of the president's job?"

"I want to hear your answer and then I'll give my prepared answer," Woodward said.

"He's a representative of our country," one student said.
"Politically speaking, he's a fundraiser," another said. Woodward chuckled.

Woodward scanned the room, taking in the various ideas.

Then Woodward gave his definition.

"I would say the president's job is to define the next stage of good for a majority of people in the country. And by the next stage of good it can mean winning a war, fixing the economy, saving or helping the environment and that it has to be the next stage of good for a real majority. Not one political party. Not one special interest group. But a real majority, and if a president can define the next stage of good and get it out there it's more than setting the agenda, it's setting a direction and a definition of who we are." George W. Bush's next stage of good is clear, Woodward said. "It is get rid of the evil ones, stomp out terrorism, eliminate it."

When Woodward made these comments he was in the process of finishing up his book "Bush at War," a book about George W. Bush's war on terrorism. On August 20, Woodward interviewed Bush for over two hours at Bush's Crawford, Texas, ranch.
In what Woodward described to Larry King on CNN as a "miracle," Simon and Schuster was able to publish "Bush at War" with incredible haste. The book was released to the public on November 18.

I bought "Bush at War" the day it was released. Even though I bought it in a bookstore, I noted that it reached #1 in sales on Amazon.com that day. I marveled at Woodward's success in compiling a book filled with investigative reporting and producing it for the public in record time. It was the first time I witnessed a book being consumed by the public as breaking news.

I was curious to see how Woodward's vision of the president manifested itself in Woodward's reporting? Another question I was curious about: how far can journalists go in defining the president and the president's job?

In the dedication of "Bush at War," Woodward makes a reference to a favorite saying of Katherine Graham: "hands off, mind on." This is the technique that Woodward follows in "Bush at War." He never spells out his vision of Bush's job. In his reporting, he never says that it's clear Bush stands for stomping out the evil ones. He doesn't put his hands on the story. But he puts his mind to getting the story, understanding it, showing the story to the reader though factual reporting, and letting the reader decide how to define the president and his job.

The result: fantastic reporting and a blueprint to the Bush Administration. A+

Rating:
Summary: A Few Insights
Review: Woodward offers up a few insights into the White House decision-making processes in the wake of September 11. He offers a surprisingly complimentary view of President Bush, sketching him as decisive, even if not always sure what he is being decisive about. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld is depicted as screechy and infantile -- territorial to a fault (once churlishly refusing to offer Air Force One a military escort until a few minutes before takeoff). NSA Condi Rice is conciliatory --personally the closest to Bush, but this book suggests that she probably deserves some of the criticisms she receives in the press for being unable to control a cabinet full of loose cannons and huge egos. Secretary of State Colin Powell takes his lumps from Bush and the rest of the cabinet. His moderation and diplomatic skills are viewed with suspicion by Bush as well as war-hawks Cheney and Rumsfeld, and they often drop leaks to the press and work behind his back to undermine and embarrass him.

Woodward got good access to people and documents, and the fact that Bush gave him lengthy and private interviews probably accounts for the book's kid-glove treatment of the president. That was likely Bush's strategy in giving the interviews: co-opt Woodward into saying nice things. The book does provide some useful chronological accounting, from the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US to the December 7 final victory in Afghanistan. There are details of conversations and White House meetings among the administration principals as the anti-Taliban and Osama strategy took shape and played out. There is also some 'epilogue' material on the rush to war in Iraq that emphasizes the precarious position of Powell in the policy-making process. A good book, interesting without being groundbreaking.

Rating:
Summary: On Balance A Nice Job.
Review: For myself there are two main issues, i.e.: is it a good book and does it tell me anything new about Bush.

The book like most of Woodward's others is just excellent. The book has a hurried feel like he is trying to get the book written quickly and out to the publisher, but otherwise it is good. It flows nicely and is easy to read.

With regards to Bush, this book gives a clear, close up, and detailed account of the actions and thoughts after 9-11. Of course the book is not 100% complete nor can one writer be perfect, but this is probably as close as one can get with an active president. My opinion of Bush goes up considerably with this book.

Nice Job. Four Stars.

Jack in Toronto

Rating:
Summary: "Terrorism against this nation will not stand"
Review: This book shows that rather than being a weak leader, that he is made of the same stuff as were other great presidents such as Jonh F. Kennedy and Harry S. Truman.
Bush has been true to his word and if you really want to know what kind of a leader he is and how he understands what is expected of the President,I strongly suggest this book.Woodward does not give his side of the story;he tells verbatium what really happened.

Rating:
Summary: A Very interesting novel
Review: Bush At War depicts the inside view of the Bush Administration after 9/11, Operation Enduring Freedom, and the beginning of the plans of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This novel is outright good, it brings the pure emotion of President Bush, Dick Cheny, Secretary Of State Colin Powell, Natonal Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice, SecofDef Donald Rumsfield, and DCI (director of Intelliegence) George Tenet.
It kind of starts out slow, but if you read some Tom Clancy novels like Executive Orders, then everything you read in this novel, then everything you read in his novels are true, even to the Navy cooks.
This novel is interesting, and if you are looking into the deep inside of the people in the news. Rather interesting.

Rating:
Summary: Essential Reading for Perspective on Bush and Iraq
Review: This invaluable and non-tendentious portrait of Bush and his key advisers' strategizing following 9/11 and the run-up to initiating war in Afghanistan is even more fascinating against the backdrop of the current war in Iraq, the launching of which postdated this book. I was amazed and heartened to read of the facility with which the president and his team were able to recover from the stunning blow of 9/11 and pull off the extraordinary logistical feat of mobilizing against an almost invisible enemy hiding half a world away -- in weeks (contrasted with the first raids on Tokyo fully 4 months after Pearl Harbor). I was brought up short by the backdrop of constant threats of more 9/11's against which Bush and his advisors anxiously operated in those first weeks. Bush comes off as an extraordinary leader -- probing and provoking his advisors to get all the proper planning done before going to war, but insistant on fast and sweeping actions to fashion a new world order in which terrorists are themselves terrorized by the US's relentless pursuit of them. Great to have here in the record, too, are the pathetic whinings of the press, led by a New York Times piece --a bare 3 weeks into the Afghanistan campaign -- ghoulishly asking "Could Afghanistan become another Vietnam?" Reading this book should have Americans feeling much more sanguine that our present leadership is brilliant and thorough in its approach to dealing with the terrorists who menace our country.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Look at the Bush White House at War
Review: Woodward has written the ultimate work on the various events that transpired within the Bush Administration at the beginning and opening months of the continuing war on terrorism. Beginning with September 11, and continuing through the first campaign against terrorism in Afghanistan, Woodward presents a look at just how the early stages of the war developed, from the points of view of many of the major participants in the White House. What is so excellent about this book is that you get a clear picture of just how intelligent and put together the Bush team is, and how each member brings their own expertise to the war's management. President Bush is also shown to not be the bumbling figure head he is portrayed as on Saturday Night Live. Instead, he is shown to be the true leader of the situation who often asks questions and comes up with ideas that no one had even thought of before. In fact, the CIA had to get used to well thought out questions from the President when presenting their daily intelligence briefings to the President. Bush's committment to the war is also shown, and the precursors to the later campaign in Iraq are clearly shown as part of the Bush White House's strategy to not only go after terrorist groups, but also states that support and sponsor terrorism. The humanitarian campaign in Afghanistan was also Bush's brain child, as he was the first to bring it up as a major issue at the various war cabinet meetings. "Bush at War" is a must read for all Americans, because it is a necessity to understanding the beginnings of the continuing war on terrorism.

Rating:
Summary: Looking back at events ....
Review: This book is a detailed account of what was said by Bush and his inner circle. There is no real attempt to form an opinion or show happenings in any light other than that of Mr. Bush and his group. I'd give it a 4 or 5 for accuracy, but due to the lack of insight into what Mr. Bush's course of action would cause long-term, this has to go down. I wouldn't advise this book to anyone who actually wants to _understand_ the events of 9/11, Afghanistan, or now Iraq. To Bob: 4 for being a faithful tape recorder and zero for analysis. You get a 2, and I'm going to offload the book on the used market.

Rating:
Summary: George W. Bush's administration launched on its own petard.
Review: Woodward presents the facts with a minimum of editorial comment and value judgements. This is good journalism, and perhaps it is also the price he must pay for exceptional access to the main players in the Bush government. What an extraordinary story he is able to tell! Woodward transmits a compelling portrait of a leader unprepared to deal with America's great challenges, but wishing to be as strong and as decisive as the great Teddy Roosevelt he admires so much. In the end, George W. Bush comes across as an insecure boss, driven by a risky combination of under-informed intuition and fierce determination. Reading this very interesting book about the internal workings of US policy and decision-makers in a time of crisis has reinforced my impression that this president very unfortunately is not in the same category as TR, who was not just a firm promoter of America's defense and power but also an experienced, independent statesman of brilliant intellect, integrity, phenomenal energy and courage and superlative powers of communication.

Rating:
Summary: I cannot rate this book (but I have had to pass! )
Review: Sorry I cannot rate this book because I dont know if it's better to join CSA (Central Stupidity Agency) and give 5 star or risk exposing my contrasts that could be also more stupids.
Joining CSA I can say it's a really well informed book and a journalist good piece,it explain what happened during those confused days by the inside !
On the other side,to expose my doubts I have to say that I think things always get worst when problems are not deeply understanded and this books shows they aren't , nor by Bush nor by his staff nor by the journalist himself, but we are all involved the same to their solution.
Bush is not making a war : killers are deads,so they are with their God now, Bush is strongly but blind fighting!
I come from a crusaders family and I love this ,and I like to say that I think there are two only coupled moves that can give a solution ,to this kamikazers fighting ,
First the bad one: remembrance flights of US planes (with UN allowance) over all involved countries(particolarly all Arabic villages where any killers where born ,Medina and Mecca that had to Stop them and did not) of the massacre at low quote of H armed planes to teach those peoples the importance and factibility of self control,every 11 september till blood debt is payed out,I call this to speaks to their God.
Second to hire any arabian and Iraqen body (they are good pilots and can go to mars tomorrow with no return flight)disposed to give their life for their people,and all umanity are their people, to flight Space Challenger and any other risky vehicle that can go explore space, to let them pride pay their blood debt caused by the overrating of their earth defence, when it is already clear that infinite earths are waiting an unified umanity and this single old one have probably no more than 100 years going this way.
I see,USA is disowning Roosevelt's use of atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaky to stop kamikazers fighting to the point of exclude also the threat, and like better play soldiers on the ground but this is a misunderstandement.
Usa already was the number 1 country 10000-20000 years ago when only faster and stronger men had passed the numberless heroism proofs needed to arrive there from africa where all umanity where born.
Than closed his heart to the world and the rest is history!
It seems these terrorists are again combatting this same battle,the only one America can loose, I should not underrate them to the point of excluding any weapon.