The War Within (Woodward book)
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Predecessor | Bush at War, Plan of Attack, State of Denial |
| Founded | September 8, 2008 |
| Founder | Bob Woodward |
| Headquarters | United States |
Key people | Bob Woodward, Alice Mayhew (editor) |
| Products | Non-fiction book |
| Owner | Simon & Schuster |
The War Within: A Secret White House History (2006–2008) is a factual account authored by Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward, released by Simon & Schuster on September 8, 2008. This work represents Woodward's fifteenth publication and his fourth concentrating on President George W. Bush and the foreign policy initiatives of his administration, succeeding Bush at War, Plan of Attack, and State of Denial. The narrative delves into the internal controversies surrounding the contentious 2007 Iraq "surge" approach. According to Simon & Schuster editor Alice Mayhew, the book offers a detailed and authoritative glimpse into presidential decision-making, drawing parallels to the significance of the Nixon tapes and Pentagon Papers.
Writing the book
Woodward engaged in approximately 150 interviews with federal officials from various branches, including an extensive three-hour conversation with President Bush in the Oval Office. Politico highlighted the exceptional level of cooperation from the Bush administration throughout this process. Prior to the book’s release, Woodward shared select excerpts on The Washington Post website. Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer acknowledged that the administration encouraged its personnel to speak openly with Woodward. Despite previously declining to participate in discussions for State of Denial, Bush consented to be interviewed for this project. Furthermore, General David H. Petraeus is reported to have contributed confidential insights during its development.
Synopsis
The narrative portrays President Bush as someone who "seldom communicated candidly with the public about his actions or expectations," characterizing him as "the nation’s most polarizing leader" and branding his foreign policy efforts unsuccessful. It asserts that he "did not eliminate terrorism wherever it existed," nor did he secure global peace or achieve decisive victories in his two conflicts. Nevertheless, it endorses the 'surge' strategy and praises Bush for embracing this approach.
Bush is shown primarily delegating war oversight to Generals George Casey and John Abizaid, deliberately avoiding direct involvement due to lessons learned from the Vietnam War. As their plan involving troop reductions and transferring authority to Iraqi forces faltered, Bush became increasingly frustrated and began exploring alternative options. The account suggests he postponed thorough evaluation out of concern that leaked information could damage the Republican Party’s chances in the 2006 congressional elections. It also reports that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld refused to step down unless Republicans lost control of either the House or Senate.
After the Democratic Party gained control of Congress in 2006, Bush assigned responsibility for crafting a new strategy chiefly to National Security Adviser Stephen J. Hadley and deputy Meghan L. O'Sullivan. Defying most internal advice, Bush ultimately approved the 'surge' plan developed by retired General Jack Keane alongside General David H. Petraeus. The book emphasizes intense internal disputes within the administration during this timeframe.
Reported remarks by Senator John McCain
According to the book, Senator John McCain voiced his dissatisfaction with President Bush's approach to Iraq, at one moment vehemently telling Woodward that "Everything is fucking spin" emanating from the White House.
Reported covert surveillance program
Woodward reveals that the U.S. government consistently eavesdropped on Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, with an anonymous source declaring, "We know everything he says."
Reported clandestine U.S. assassination program in Iraq
The author asserts that the United States operated a secret assassination initiative in Iraq, targeting specific terrorists, which played a crucial role in reducing violence levels. This effort might have been carried out by Task Force 77. Woodward likens its secrecy to that of the Manhattan Project during World War II. Following the publication, U.S. National security adviser Stephen Hadley confirmed this tactic's existence.
Response
By June 2009, The War Within had sold 159,000 copies according to Nielsen BookScan, a figure notably lower than Woodward's previous work State of Denial, which surpassed 500,000 copies. The New Republic observed Woodward expressing regret over this sales downturn.
Bush administration reaction
Members of the Bush administration initially gave informal commendations for the book’s portrayal of the 'surge' policy’s effectiveness. Nonetheless, National Security Adviser Stephen J. Hadley formally challenged certain interpretations presented by Woodward while not disputing the factual content.
Critical reception
Fox News characterized the book’s stance on Bush as "mixed." Reviewer Michiko Kakutani of the International Herald Tribune described it as "damning" and strongly endorsed it.
On the other hand, Craig Seligman from Bloomberg criticized Woodward for showing excessive deference toward Bush. National Review condemned Woodward’s revelation of the government’s surveillance program as "disgraceful," asserting such intelligence should remain classified.
The publication Foreign Affairs commended the focused storytelling, calling it Woodward’s finest work on Bush to date. The New York Times praised the investigation as "wonderfully illuminating," concluding that despite imperfections, Woodward delivers a thorough portrayal of the Bush administration and its pivotal conflict.
Conversely, The New York Sun faulted the book for overwhelming detail that obscured central points, while The New Republic suggested that individuals granted prior access to Woodward received more favorable depictions.
See also
External links
- Pre-released Articles at washingtonpost.com
- I'm the Decider—Aren't I? Juicy bits from Bob Woodward's latest book on George W. Bush. By Juliet Lapidos. Slate Magazine. September 10, 2008.
- Washington Journal interview with Woodward on The War Within, September 16, 2008, C-SPAN