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War
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Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Woodward tells the revelatory, behind-the-scenes story of three wars—Ukraine, the Middle East and the struggle for the American Presidency.
War is an intimate and sweeping account of one of the most tumultuous periods in presidential politics and American history.
We see President Joe Biden and his top advisers in tense conversations with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. We also see Donald Trump, conducting a shadow presidency and seeking to regain political power.
With unrivaled, inside-the-room reporting, Woodward shows President Biden’s approach to managing the war in Ukraine, the most significant land war in Europe since World War II, and his tortured path to contain the bloody Middle East conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.
Woodward reveals the extraordinary complexity and consequence of wartime back-channel diplomacy and decision-making to deter the use of nuclear weapons and a rapid slide into World War III.
The raw cage-fight of politics accelerates as Americans prepare to vote in 2024, starting between President Biden and Trump, and ending with the unexpected elevation of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president.
War provides an unvarnished examination of the vice president as she tries to embrace the Biden legacy and policies while beginning to chart a path of her own as a presidential candidate.
Woodward’s reporting once again sets the standard for journalism at its most authoritative and illuminating.
Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Woodward tells the revelatory, behind-the-scenes story of three wars—Ukraine, the Middle East and the struggle for the American Presidency.
War is an intimate and sweeping account of one of the most tumultuous periods in presidential politics and American history.
We see President Joe Biden and his top advisers in tense conversations with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. We also see Donald Trump, conducting a shadow presidency and seeking to regain political power.
With unrivaled, inside-the-room reporting, Woodward shows President Biden’s approach to managing the war in Ukraine, the most significant land war in Europe since World War II, and his tortured path to contain the bloody Middle East conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.
Woodward reveals the extraordinary complexity and consequence of wartime back-channel diplomacy and decision-making to deter the use of nuclear weapons and a rapid slide into World War III.
The raw cage-fight of politics accelerates as Americans prepare to vote in 2024, starting between President Biden and Trump, and ending with the unexpected elevation of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president.
War provides an unvarnished examination of the vice president as she tries to embrace the Biden legacy and policies while beginning to chart a path of her own as a presidential candidate.
Woodward’s reporting once again sets the standard for journalism at its most authoritative and illuminating.
441 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 15, 2024
About the author
Bob Woodward
74 books2,872 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Robert "Bob" Upshur Woodward is an assistant managing editor of The Washington Post. While an investigative reporter for that newspaper, Woodward, working with fellow reporter Carl Bernstein, helped uncover the Watergate scandal that led to U.S. President Richard Nixon's resignation. Woodward has written 12 best-selling non-fiction books and has twice contributed reporting to efforts that collectively earned the Post and its National Reporting staff a Pulitzer Prize.
Robert "Bob" Upshur Woodward is an assistant managing editor of The Washington Post. While an investigative reporter for that newspaper, Woodward, working with fellow reporter Carl Bernstein, helped uncover the Watergate scandal that led to U.S. President Richard Nixon's resignation. Woodward has written 12 best-selling non-fiction books and has twice contributed reporting to efforts that collectively earned the Post and its National Reporting staff a Pulitzer Prize.
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October 23, 2024Розповідь про те, як "лідери вільного світу" приймали рішення, як реагувати на напад Росії на Україну. Скількись інсайдерських даних, воно наче й цікаво, але DNF на 50%, тому що в мене сил немає читати про те, як ці smug self-congratulatory fucks поплескують один одного по плечу і розказують, як вони ловкенько менеджерять ескалацію, подумаєш, помирає скількись-там українців, люди ж не помирають. У мене від цього читання напади гніву, я починаю бажати всім цим виблядкам піймати російську ракету самовдоволеним їблєтом і ховати своїх дітей. Це не корисно для мого ментального здоров'я, тому не дочитаю.
Купка цитат, щоб відчути емоції:
Ах які ми хоробрі, ах які ми воюваки. Хто, між іншим, був віцепрезидентом за Обами й виписав Путіну ліцензію продовжувати? Ах, власне кажучи, Баааайден? Якиииий дивовижний збіг, що він продовжує Путінову ліцензію зараз, попри гучні заяви.
"Вау, соу діп", - має подумати читач на думку автора. "Вау, пляма гівна на засраних від страху труселях може зробити кар'єру як національний радник з безпеки", - думаю я.
Чи от прекрасна сцена, коли адміністрація Байдена і Салліван особисто потрапляють під шквал критики за вивід військ з Афганістану і всі пов'язані з цим жертви:
Ой бідосічка, звичайно, треба пожаліти цю мамину черешню зі слабкими нервами, а не тих, хто гинули через ці рішення, і не тих, хто стануть жертвами цієї катастрофи в майбутньому. (Я вже промовчу про те, звідки виріс Талібан і роль США в постачанні його безпосередніх попередників - підтримувати радикальних ісламістів проти СРСР для штатів було ок, а на повну підтримувати демократичну Україну проти росії це вже ескалація. Ок норм, зрозуміло, вибір союзників на 10 з 10.)
Окремо напади гніву, коли всі ці уроди вихваляються, як вони підштовхували Україну до боротьби з корупцією - от які ми білі люди, принесли тубільцям знання про демократію, there was never a call where [Biden] did not push the Ukrainians beyond their comfort zone on anti-corruption issues. Альо блядь, у вас бізнеси легально купують передвиборчі кампанії, у вас деган Маск винайшов підкуп виборців гречкою й обіцяє розіграти мільйон серед виборців Трампа, у вас демократичний транзит влади після виборів виглядає значно гірше, ніж у нас, і так далі, і таке інше.
Чи от шикарне лицемірство:
А непублічно казати, значить, ОК? А ОК те, що кілька сторінок тому Бернз пише таке мемо як те, що потрібно враховувати при прийнятті рішень?
А потім ще й як велике досягнення подається те, що донесли українцям, що підмоги чекати нізвідки:
Та да, уже весь світ бачить, що так званий західний світ - імпотенти їбані, і робить висновки. Маємо всі шанси дожити до нової війни між Кореями й захоплення Тайваню, а там уже, по ідеї, таки має прийти кавалерія США (хоча я вірю в те, що й тут відкрутяться). Хай насолоджуються третьою світовою війною, до якої підштовхували світ, як могли, розпалюючи апетити автократій. Сподіваюся прожити достатньо довго, аби побачити, як вони згорять. Але, коротше, читати цю книжку - це натурально селф-харм, тому dnf.
Купка цитат, щоб відчути емоції:
“You know we never should have let Putin just walk in there and take the Donbas in 2014. We did nothing,” Biden said. “We gave Putin a license to continue!”
Biden was very angry, a characteristic he avoided displaying in public.
“Well, I’m revoking his fucking license!” Biden said.
Ах які ми хоробрі, ах які ми воюваки. Хто, між іншим, був віцепрезидентом за Обами й виписав Путіну ліцензію продовжувати? Ах, власне кажучи, Баааайден? Якиииий дивовижний збіг, що він продовжує Путінову ліцензію зараз, попри гучні заяви.
“Chekhov’s gun” was National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan’s immediate thought as he reviewed overhead satellite photos that showed an unprecedented 110,000 Russian troops massing on the border of Ukraine.
"Вау, соу діп", - має подумати читач на думку автора. "Вау, пляма гівна на засраних від страху труселях може зробити кар'єру як національний радник з безпеки", - думаю я.
Чи от прекрасна сцена, коли адміністрація Байдена і Салліван особисто потрапляють під шквал критики за вивід військ з Афганістану і всі пов'язані з цим жертви:
“President Biden needs to fire his national security adviser and several other senior leaders who oversaw the botched execution of our withdrawal from Afghanistan,” Bruen said. Sullivan, who was accustomed to laudatory reviews of his competence and performance, was shell-shocked. “All of our nerves had been exposed to sunlight and frayed and raw and burned,” he said, especially his.
Ой бідосічка, звичайно, треба пожаліти цю мамину черешню зі слабкими нервами, а не тих, хто гинули через ці рішення, і не тих, хто стануть жертвами цієї катастрофи в майбутньому. (Я вже промовчу про те, звідки виріс Талібан і роль США в постачанні його безпосередніх попередників - підтримувати радикальних ісламістів проти СРСР для штатів було ок, а на повну підтримувати демократичну Україну проти росії це вже ескалація. Ок норм, зрозуміло, вибір союзників на 10 з 10.)
Окремо напади гніву, коли всі ці уроди вихваляються, як вони підштовхували Україну до боротьби з корупцією - от які ми білі люди, принесли тубільцям знання про демократію, there was never a call where [Biden] did not push the Ukrainians beyond their comfort zone on anti-corruption issues. Альо блядь, у вас бізнеси легально купують передвиборчі кампанії, у вас деган Маск винайшов підкуп виборців гречкою й обіцяє розіграти мільйон серед виборців Трампа, у вас демократичний транзит влади після виборів виглядає значно гірше, ніж у нас, і так далі, і таке інше.
Чи от шикарне лицемірство:
“[Putin] has us in a trap,” Johnson thought with frustration. Johnson couldn’t say [що Україні не світить НАТО] publicly because that would have contradicted NATO’s open-door policy and seemed like Putin had imposed a Russian veto on a sovereign country’s decision to apply for NATO membership.
А непублічно казати, значить, ОК? А ОК те, що кілька сторінок тому Бернз пише таке мемо як те, що потрібно враховувати при прийнятті рішень?
“Ukrainian entry into NATO is the brightest of all redlines for the Russian elite (not just Putin). In more than two and a half years of conversations with key Russian players, from knuckle-draggers in the dark recesses of the Kremlin to Putin’s sharpest liberal critics, I have yet to find anyone who views Ukraine in NATO as anything other than a direct challenge to Russian interests.”
А потім ще й як велике досягнення подається те, що донесли українцям, що підмоги чекати нізвідки:
“I felt like it was a relief and the right thing,” Finer said. “It made the Ukrainians realize that they were going to have to do this themselves,” he said, “with a ton of support but there was no cavalry coming to rescue them.”
Та да, уже весь світ бачить, що так званий західний світ - імпотенти їбані, і робить висновки. Маємо всі шанси дожити до нової війни між Кореями й захоплення Тайваню, а там уже, по ідеї, таки має прийти кавалерія США (хоча я вірю в те, що й тут відкрутяться). Хай насолоджуються третьою світовою війною, до якої підштовхували світ, як могли, розпалюючи апетити автократій. Сподіваюся прожити достатньо довго, аби побачити, як вони згорять. Але, коротше, читати цю книжку - це натурально селф-харм, тому dnf.
October 21, 2024
Practically inhaled this one. Started late Tuesday night and by Sunday evening I was finished. Engrossing, even if not the most elegant writing style. I guess I have to take the author's word for the veracity of the included information, and I'm assuming most of the quotes aren't exact and are the result of people wanting to look as well meaning and competent as possible.
But as a whole, it's a great, valuable recent history book (up to August 2024), mostly, but not only focusing on the US foreign policy and the Biden administration's efforts to stay out of wars and to prevent WW3. (And throughout also being occasionally contrasted with Trump's dangerous idiocy.)
People, Americans and non-Americans alike, love to shit on US foreign policy, convinced they'd do a better job. The country sure has made some awful choices throughout its history, but my general vibe of "wouldn't wanna be them" has definitely not been changed by reading this book. Statecraft is hard. Who'd have thunk?
(Also, how have US oficials managed to stop themselves from lunging at Netanyahu is beyond me.)
Definitely a book worth reading. Those who most should read it, the idiots calling Biden a war criminal, likely won't, but they really, really should.
But as a whole, it's a great, valuable recent history book (up to August 2024), mostly, but not only focusing on the US foreign policy and the Biden administration's efforts to stay out of wars and to prevent WW3. (And throughout also being occasionally contrasted with Trump's dangerous idiocy.)
People, Americans and non-Americans alike, love to shit on US foreign policy, convinced they'd do a better job. The country sure has made some awful choices throughout its history, but my general vibe of "wouldn't wanna be them" has definitely not been changed by reading this book. Statecraft is hard. Who'd have thunk?
(Also, how have US oficials managed to stop themselves from lunging at Netanyahu is beyond me.)
Definitely a book worth reading. Those who most should read it, the idiots calling Biden a war criminal, likely won't, but they really, really should.
October 24, 2024
This is easily my favorite Bob Woodward book, largely because it does not focus on Trump as much as the others I have read by him, but rather on Biden. While I am glad that Biden made the decision to step aside for Kamala Harris, I do feel grateful to have had such a measured and capable president in these past tumultuous years. The world has seem much turmoil and much more was avoided by his diplomacy, for which we should all be thankful. There is no perfect politician, just like there is no perfect human being, but I do believe he tried his best in difficult circumstances and is a man of high moral standards and compassion. If you disagree, please either do so respectfully or not at all. I will not be engaging in political arguments. If however, you, like me, are interested in a thorough behind the scenes look at the past few years in the White House, I can highly recommend this book.
October 16, 2024
This book was an unexpected surprise for me as I was going into it was rather low expectations. The previous few Woodward books were so negative that I was expecting more of the same with War, but I found this to be more informative, though still with a few jabs here and there. I especially appreciated the sections on the recent conflicts in the Middle East as I still feel under informed on the subject.
November 4, 2024
اعتقد أن الكتاب من الاهمية بمكان خاصة أنه يأتي متزامنا مع الاحداث التي تقع فعلا الان .
الكتاب يتبع نمط السرد (سرد الاخبار) دون التدخل أوالتحليل من قِبل الكاتب .
لم أتفق في كثير مما قراته خاصه عندما يتعلق الامر بالولايات المتحدة وشخصيات الولايات المتحدة فهو يتحدث بنبرة عاطفية شديدة ، بوب وودورد يظهر البراءة التامة لأميركا فيما تتخذه من قرارات ، وكأن الولايات المتحدة ليست مسؤلة عن أكبر عملية إباده في العصر الحديث والممول الرئيسي لها .
كما أنني أرى انحيازه للحزب الديمقراطي ، وهذا لا يجب أن يكون بإعتباره صحفي ، ينقل الحدث بحيادية .
الكتاب يتبع نمط السرد (سرد الاخبار) دون التدخل أوالتحليل من قِبل الكاتب .
لم أتفق في كثير مما قراته خاصه عندما يتعلق الامر بالولايات المتحدة وشخصيات الولايات المتحدة فهو يتحدث بنبرة عاطفية شديدة ، بوب وودورد يظهر البراءة التامة لأميركا فيما تتخذه من قرارات ، وكأن الولايات المتحدة ليست مسؤلة عن أكبر عملية إباده في العصر الحديث والممول الرئيسي لها .
كما أنني أرى انحيازه للحزب الديمقراطي ، وهذا لا يجب أن يكون بإعتباره صحفي ، ينقل الحدث بحيادية .
October 27, 2024
War; A book written by an author who is supposedly an investigative journalist, A profession that requires you - by nature - to be neutral, fact driven and representative & descriptive of events Only. Bob woodward butchered the basics of the profession he practiced - and still does- his entire life.
A book that can - without exxageration - be described as a 300 page long endorsement for Harris as president, War does not achieve any of its natural Objectives; it fails to offer Unique insights to people about U.S. governance, given that the book's entire narrative is basically the same as official white house breifings, it also fails in providing in depth - critical views about the shortcoming of U.S. foreign policy and sets its mission out from the beginning to portray Biden as a Marvel superhero compared to the villain that is Trump. It also has its fair share of cringy clichy hollywood like good guy portrayals of different biden admin. officials as well as biden himself.
Views on the Russia-Ukraine & Gaza-Israel wars:
This is the first bob woodward book i've ever read, it was however surprising to me that the journalist who uncovered the watergate scandal - which inclines a truth seeking character is at hand - can be so blind and shares the same self rightouesness as republican hawks when it comes to U.S. foreign policy interests. The author outrightly affirms U.S's right to intervene in foriegn countries and providing weapons to one party to slaughter the other all under the excuse of "fighting terrorism" and "fighting for the free world" failing to acknowledge that the tense state the world is in right now is because of U.S. interventionism in the first place. claiming that Hamas is an evil terrorist organization where - by secular liberal standards that the author adopts - a simple historical review of the situation for the past 75 years will show him that they are fighting an occupatio. Same is for russia, where russians are depicted as the evil villains trying to kill the good guys, while failing to take into account NATO's expansionism ever since its inception. Bob also - disgustingly and implicitly - sees the actions of the U.S. related to wars abroad as morally justified
The only reason i read this book is for the hope of it offering insights about certain aspects of the Hamas - Israel war. Unfortunately, All the useful information from this book can be gathered in less than a page.
A Complete waste of time.
A book that can - without exxageration - be described as a 300 page long endorsement for Harris as president, War does not achieve any of its natural Objectives; it fails to offer Unique insights to people about U.S. governance, given that the book's entire narrative is basically the same as official white house breifings, it also fails in providing in depth - critical views about the shortcoming of U.S. foreign policy and sets its mission out from the beginning to portray Biden as a Marvel superhero compared to the villain that is Trump. It also has its fair share of cringy clichy hollywood like good guy portrayals of different biden admin. officials as well as biden himself.
Views on the Russia-Ukraine & Gaza-Israel wars:
This is the first bob woodward book i've ever read, it was however surprising to me that the journalist who uncovered the watergate scandal - which inclines a truth seeking character is at hand - can be so blind and shares the same self rightouesness as republican hawks when it comes to U.S. foreign policy interests. The author outrightly affirms U.S's right to intervene in foriegn countries and providing weapons to one party to slaughter the other all under the excuse of "fighting terrorism" and "fighting for the free world" failing to acknowledge that the tense state the world is in right now is because of U.S. interventionism in the first place. claiming that Hamas is an evil terrorist organization where - by secular liberal standards that the author adopts - a simple historical review of the situation for the past 75 years will show him that they are fighting an occupatio. Same is for russia, where russians are depicted as the evil villains trying to kill the good guys, while failing to take into account NATO's expansionism ever since its inception. Bob also - disgustingly and implicitly - sees the actions of the U.S. related to wars abroad as morally justified
The only reason i read this book is for the hope of it offering insights about certain aspects of the Hamas - Israel war. Unfortunately, All the useful information from this book can be gathered in less than a page.
A Complete waste of time.
November 8, 2024
It’s no secret what Bob Woodward thinks of Trump. In his summary at the end of The Trump Tapes: Bob Woodward's Twenty Interviews with President Donald Trump he opined that Trump is ‘not only the wrong man for the presidency, he is unfit to run the country’. In this, his latest book, he focuses on the Russia/Ukraine War, the Israel/Hamas War and, to a limited extent, the 2024 presidential election. He states that the information he shares here is based on hundreds of interviews with first hand participants and witnesses to meetings and conversations involving Trump, Biden, Putin, Netanyahu and (briefly) Harris. He doesn’t name his sources, but picking through the various discussions covered here the names that come up time and again are key high level players: Anthony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Bill Burns, Jake Sullivan and Brett McGurk.
To an extent, what is covered is a replay of what we’ve all seen on our screens or gleaned from other news sources during the past two years – except this feels like the director’s cut, the unedited version. We’re not only reminded of the key moments, we also get an insight into what went on during the many inter-governmental discussions that took place both before and after many of these events. I found this to be interesting, and yet not hugely surprising. Biden – probably the main focus throughout – comes across as measured and thoughtful, for the most part. His mental and physical deterioration only really being talked about in the months leading up to his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race.
Headlines ‘leaked’ before the book was published focused on Trump’s rumoured phone calls with Putin, in the recent past. This is covered towards the end of the book, in the section which ends just short of the presidential vote itself. Did these conversations take place? Were they inappropriate or even illegal if they did? Difficult questions to answer without corroborating evidence. But Woodward definitely takes the opportunity to ‘put the boot in’ on Trump once more in his closing summary.
I found The Trump Tapes to be a more gripping journey than this account. There’s something here for those that like to delve into the diplomacy and the behind the scenes decision making and debates, but nothing that’s truly ground breaking. It’s a three star offering for me.
To an extent, what is covered is a replay of what we’ve all seen on our screens or gleaned from other news sources during the past two years – except this feels like the director’s cut, the unedited version. We’re not only reminded of the key moments, we also get an insight into what went on during the many inter-governmental discussions that took place both before and after many of these events. I found this to be interesting, and yet not hugely surprising. Biden – probably the main focus throughout – comes across as measured and thoughtful, for the most part. His mental and physical deterioration only really being talked about in the months leading up to his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race.
Headlines ‘leaked’ before the book was published focused on Trump’s rumoured phone calls with Putin, in the recent past. This is covered towards the end of the book, in the section which ends just short of the presidential vote itself. Did these conversations take place? Were they inappropriate or even illegal if they did? Difficult questions to answer without corroborating evidence. But Woodward definitely takes the opportunity to ‘put the boot in’ on Trump once more in his closing summary.
I found The Trump Tapes to be a more gripping journey than this account. There’s something here for those that like to delve into the diplomacy and the behind the scenes decision making and debates, but nothing that’s truly ground breaking. It’s a three star offering for me.
November 2, 2024
It's November 2nd, 2024. The Taliban has recently banned women from praying too loudly. North Korean soldiers have joined the battlefields in Ukraine while Putin hosts a record-breaking BRICS conference, far from isolated. Iran and Israel exchange blows, causing chaos across the Middle East, the Houthis continue their maritime attacks and the war in Gaza drags on.
Yet, Woodward does not pause in his crusade to convince us that Biden's administration did a good job. Now, to be fair, I do not think the current state of affairs is entirely their fault. It seems clear to me that the world is more fragile and dangerous than it has been before. Nor am I tempted to support Trump. I can't say that Trump would do better and I certainly realize the risks of his presidency. However, I do not enjoy being fooled, encouraged into believing that this is a story of successful leadership.
War feels like a solid combination of historical fiction and journalist reporting. World leaders curse at each other as the tensions rise, crises are managed and WW3 haunts the White House. Woodward describes the Afghanistan pull-out, the intelligence regarding Russia's invasion, the nuclear risks, the Israel-Hamas war and Iran's interference. In between, Trump plays a background role. Everything is very well written, hats off for making politics so engaging.
Woodward tries to present this administration in the best light possible. Yet this entailed some level of sugarcoating. I'm willing to accept that the Afghanistan pull-out went badly due to faulty American intelligence, that Biden made the best decision with the information that he had. But what about Ukraine and the Middle East?
The attempt to present the American leaders often meant that other leaders were presently unfairly. The US is shown as entirely confident in their prediction that Russia would invade while Zelensky is shown as ignorant of the potential of war yet then nearly helpless, frightened. This seemingly omits his own agency. Particularly, the "I need ammunition, not a ride" conversation seems to highlight that the Americans didn't really have faith in Ukraine, even though apparently they were confident in predicting the invasion. This raises questions as to the preparation for the war. Putin is, of course, presented in a usual stereotypical manner, zero complexity.
And then we come to the Middle East. Now, it's undeniable that Netanyahu is a total asshole. Yet, when I read this, I found myself thinking about the American paradigms at play. "A ceasefire will be the solution for the regional tension", "A regional escalation can be avoided if Israel acts differently", etc. This book fails to mention that Hezbollah did shoot missiles into Israel on October 8th. Yet, there was that false alarm (and I remember that clearly cause our screens exploded with missile alerts, oops) but the average reader is left to think that Israel was hallucinating the risks of Hezbollah. Moreover, this book somehow doesn't mention the core argument of the Israeli concerns about Hezbollah- Hamas' attack showed that the strategy of "we don't hurt the terrorist organizations and they don't hurt us" doesn't work when they are so close to the border where civilians live. Is there room to criticize this thinking? Certainly yet Woodward somehow doesn't even mention this core Israeli frame of thought.
On the regional escalation, one cannot look at the events without thinking about Iran and the proxies. It's a careful balance- lean too much into the region and you forget the Palestinian just needs. Yet the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas, Iraqi militias and Iran are clearly connected and so, the regional escalation started on October 8th, regardless of Biden's "don't". It's been a regional escalation all along.
I do not want to complain too much. I felt that the biases of this book were clear but it also felt like an explanation about the American perspectives. I liked especially seeing the emphasis on team work in Biden's style. To sum up, I do recommend this book for a look at American policymaking, even with a bit of an attempt to dress it up.
What i'm taking with me
- I didn't get why Trump was randomly discussed? Like how was this relevant to the structure of the book?
- the transparent attempt to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza and then switch to how Harris is more public, like I can't not read this book as a bit of a campaign. Of course, it is not surprising to see Netanyahu lie, especially with regards to the drama of politics. It's infuriating that the humanitarian become political, yet I also can't help but think that the responses were unsurprising. this was not the way to achieve their goals.
- i said this often during the earlier months of the war- it was politically beneficial for Biden and Netanyahu to manufacture fights, their electorate liked seeing that the leaders were standing up to their beliefs.
Yet, Woodward does not pause in his crusade to convince us that Biden's administration did a good job. Now, to be fair, I do not think the current state of affairs is entirely their fault. It seems clear to me that the world is more fragile and dangerous than it has been before. Nor am I tempted to support Trump. I can't say that Trump would do better and I certainly realize the risks of his presidency. However, I do not enjoy being fooled, encouraged into believing that this is a story of successful leadership.
War feels like a solid combination of historical fiction and journalist reporting. World leaders curse at each other as the tensions rise, crises are managed and WW3 haunts the White House. Woodward describes the Afghanistan pull-out, the intelligence regarding Russia's invasion, the nuclear risks, the Israel-Hamas war and Iran's interference. In between, Trump plays a background role. Everything is very well written, hats off for making politics so engaging.
Woodward tries to present this administration in the best light possible. Yet this entailed some level of sugarcoating. I'm willing to accept that the Afghanistan pull-out went badly due to faulty American intelligence, that Biden made the best decision with the information that he had. But what about Ukraine and the Middle East?
The attempt to present the American leaders often meant that other leaders were presently unfairly. The US is shown as entirely confident in their prediction that Russia would invade while Zelensky is shown as ignorant of the potential of war yet then nearly helpless, frightened. This seemingly omits his own agency. Particularly, the "I need ammunition, not a ride" conversation seems to highlight that the Americans didn't really have faith in Ukraine, even though apparently they were confident in predicting the invasion. This raises questions as to the preparation for the war. Putin is, of course, presented in a usual stereotypical manner, zero complexity.
And then we come to the Middle East. Now, it's undeniable that Netanyahu is a total asshole. Yet, when I read this, I found myself thinking about the American paradigms at play. "A ceasefire will be the solution for the regional tension", "A regional escalation can be avoided if Israel acts differently", etc. This book fails to mention that Hezbollah did shoot missiles into Israel on October 8th. Yet, there was that false alarm (and I remember that clearly cause our screens exploded with missile alerts, oops) but the average reader is left to think that Israel was hallucinating the risks of Hezbollah. Moreover, this book somehow doesn't mention the core argument of the Israeli concerns about Hezbollah- Hamas' attack showed that the strategy of "we don't hurt the terrorist organizations and they don't hurt us" doesn't work when they are so close to the border where civilians live. Is there room to criticize this thinking? Certainly yet Woodward somehow doesn't even mention this core Israeli frame of thought.
On the regional escalation, one cannot look at the events without thinking about Iran and the proxies. It's a careful balance- lean too much into the region and you forget the Palestinian just needs. Yet the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas, Iraqi militias and Iran are clearly connected and so, the regional escalation started on October 8th, regardless of Biden's "don't". It's been a regional escalation all along.
I do not want to complain too much. I felt that the biases of this book were clear but it also felt like an explanation about the American perspectives. I liked especially seeing the emphasis on team work in Biden's style. To sum up, I do recommend this book for a look at American policymaking, even with a bit of an attempt to dress it up.
What i'm taking with me
- I didn't get why Trump was randomly discussed? Like how was this relevant to the structure of the book?
- the transparent attempt to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza and then switch to how Harris is more public, like I can't not read this book as a bit of a campaign. Of course, it is not surprising to see Netanyahu lie, especially with regards to the drama of politics. It's infuriating that the humanitarian become political, yet I also can't help but think that the responses were unsurprising. this was not the way to achieve their goals.
- i said this often during the earlier months of the war- it was politically beneficial for Biden and Netanyahu to manufacture fights, their electorate liked seeing that the leaders were standing up to their beliefs.
November 4, 2024
I have been increasingly concerned about the international scene , especially the lack of attention to it in the election campaigns, and when this book came out I did the almost unprecedented step of buying it almost immediately and at full price.
It was worth it.
It is FULL of EXCELLENT information about the complexities of the Mideast and Ukrainian fronts, and I came away much better informed but even more worried.
Two criticisms:
I was shocked at the fairly poor proofreading for such a well-known author and a major publisher.
The beginning was a bit of a turnoff. It began with a critical portrayal of Donald Trump, a stance that I do not disagree with, but it made me fear the whole book would be that way. Never fear; it DID get to the main topic fairly quickly.
It was worth it.
It is FULL of EXCELLENT information about the complexities of the Mideast and Ukrainian fronts, and I came away much better informed but even more worried.
Two criticisms:
I was shocked at the fairly poor proofreading for such a well-known author and a major publisher.
The beginning was a bit of a turnoff. It began with a critical portrayal of Donald Trump, a stance that I do not disagree with, but it made me fear the whole book would be that way. Never fear; it DID get to the main topic fairly quickly.
October 28, 2024
A shameless endorsement of appalling Biden-Harris Administration. Disgusting propaganda piece. Shilling for murderous Zionists and Ukrainian neo-Nazis. Bob Woodward is a disgrace.
October 18, 2024
Really informative. All about the United States’s handling of the Ukrainian and the Israeli wars. Warts and all as they say. A bit here and there about Trump but this is mainly about the Biden administration. Eye opening. Unlike Trump’s claims, not everything was or has been done perfectly.
October 31, 2024
Rating this book five stars does not necessarily mean that I agree with everything in it. In fact, War is a highly biased work, leaning heavily in favor of the Biden administration's perspective. Bob Woodward paints Donald Trump as a figure of ridicule, demonizes Russia, and provides a narrative that justifies Israel's war crimes. The book often feels like a calculated political tool, especially considering its release just weeks before the American elections.
Despite its biases, I genuinely enjoyed reading it. Bob Woodward's engaging prose, humor, and vivid storytelling make it a compelling read. Beyond the politics, it offers valuable insight into how the Biden administration thinks, which is worth understanding, even if you disagree.
One of the moments that really caught my attention was Woodward's recounting of Tony Blinken's visits to the Middle East, where several Arab leaders reportedly expressed their desire for Israel to decisively defeat Hamas. They were said to be supportive of Israel but wary of the backlash from their own populations. While these statements are difficult to verify, the actions and policies of these leaders, along with state media narratives, seem to align closely with these supposed sentiments.
Despite its biases, I genuinely enjoyed reading it. Bob Woodward's engaging prose, humor, and vivid storytelling make it a compelling read. Beyond the politics, it offers valuable insight into how the Biden administration thinks, which is worth understanding, even if you disagree.
One of the moments that really caught my attention was Woodward's recounting of Tony Blinken's visits to the Middle East, where several Arab leaders reportedly expressed their desire for Israel to decisively defeat Hamas. They were said to be supportive of Israel but wary of the backlash from their own populations. While these statements are difficult to verify, the actions and policies of these leaders, along with state media narratives, seem to align closely with these supposed sentiments.
October 27, 2024
We've lived through some scary times recently. A pandemic, natural disasters, and new wars that bring a sense of instability to the larger world. Sometimes we have to turn away for our own sanity, and shrink our focus to that which we believe we can control (like what will I eat for breakfast or watch on TV?). But when you have the courage to look up, to look more widely, there are things that can inform you more completely about what those scary things involve. This was such a book.
This closer look into the Biden/Harris administration as they were forced to reckon with two new wars breaking out in fragile areas was an education in the art of diplomacy, the tentative nature of alliances, the uneasy boundaries around defending one's own country without broadening a conflict or annihilating innocent civilians, the dance between optics and values, and how much time and effort compromise and resolution can take.
I found I was unaware of Harris' role in a number of troublesome situations or of her numerous contacts with foreign leaders at Biden's request, for which I fault the media. I learned that Biden, while imperfect, had compassion, reason, experience and caution as the foundation of his attempt to reign in the situations, which is no small feat given the stubbornness and certainty of some leaders and the cultural factors operating. And I learned that Trump was exactly who I've perceived him to be. I hate to think where we would be today had Trump been elected in 2020.
I listened to this on audio and my interest never waned. There's something to be said for consuming this kind of in-depth summary as you are living a situation, for it allows missing pieces to fill in and questions to be answered while things are fresh. Thank you Joe Biden. I think history will judge you kindly, even if every moment was not executed with perfection. Afghanistan was certainly not well done, but Woodward did not sugar-coat some of the missteps or failures, which I appreciate in a journalist.
4.5 stars
This closer look into the Biden/Harris administration as they were forced to reckon with two new wars breaking out in fragile areas was an education in the art of diplomacy, the tentative nature of alliances, the uneasy boundaries around defending one's own country without broadening a conflict or annihilating innocent civilians, the dance between optics and values, and how much time and effort compromise and resolution can take.
I found I was unaware of Harris' role in a number of troublesome situations or of her numerous contacts with foreign leaders at Biden's request, for which I fault the media. I learned that Biden, while imperfect, had compassion, reason, experience and caution as the foundation of his attempt to reign in the situations, which is no small feat given the stubbornness and certainty of some leaders and the cultural factors operating. And I learned that Trump was exactly who I've perceived him to be. I hate to think where we would be today had Trump been elected in 2020.
I listened to this on audio and my interest never waned. There's something to be said for consuming this kind of in-depth summary as you are living a situation, for it allows missing pieces to fill in and questions to be answered while things are fresh. Thank you Joe Biden. I think history will judge you kindly, even if every moment was not executed with perfection. Afghanistan was certainly not well done, but Woodward did not sugar-coat some of the missteps or failures, which I appreciate in a journalist.
4.5 stars
November 14, 2024
Truly an amazing recent history book (up to August 2024). The writing style allows you to feel like a fly on the wall of American foreign affairs, catching you up on the wars of the past few years.
The Ukraine/Russian and Israel/Hamas/Gaza conflicts have had so many powers involved and timelines and narratives surrounding them, that each is forgotten by the public alternately as one narrative swallows the next in our age of social media news cycles.
As someone who was only informed at a high/distant level on these issues, who only knew only a few of the key players in events, this book expanded my knowledge, brought certain events back to the forefront of my mind, and provided a thorough recap. Quotes and interviews allow dialogue from leaders and decision makers themselves, and you have the feeling of being in the room as global war is barely averted time and again.
The Ukraine/Russian and Israel/Hamas/Gaza conflicts have had so many powers involved and timelines and narratives surrounding them, that each is forgotten by the public alternately as one narrative swallows the next in our age of social media news cycles.
As someone who was only informed at a high/distant level on these issues, who only knew only a few of the key players in events, this book expanded my knowledge, brought certain events back to the forefront of my mind, and provided a thorough recap. Quotes and interviews allow dialogue from leaders and decision makers themselves, and you have the feeling of being in the room as global war is barely averted time and again.
October 21, 2024
Bob Woodward has been a follower and writer of American politics since his days at the Washington Post in the 1970’s with fellow reporter, Carl Bernstein.
Since their book, “All the President’s Men” was published, Woodward has basically stayed with following American politics and explaining it to a massive crowd of political junkies, like me. His books tend to be shorter books, staying on one president and administration and looking at the pivotal events, both foreign and domestic. He’d often write more than one book about a president; George W rated at least 2 books, as did Donald Trump.
Woodward’s latest book is called, “War”. The book is a broad look at the Biden presidency, with Donald Trump and Kamila Harris occupying some center real estate. As I write this review, the presidential election is 15 days away. (How it will turn out Is anyone’s guess, but I sure hope the winner’s initials are KH…)
The war in Woodward’s book is the brewing war in the mid-east and how that war has affected the politics both here and there. The attacks of October have brought many players to the tables. Bibi and Vlad figure in the book and Woodward is very straightforward on what he learned from many of participants. The ongoing contretemps in Ukraine is also covered.
I’ve read most of his books over the years and found his writing a bit dry, but knowledgeable. This book “War” seems to be a cut above the more recent books. It’s written with a lighter touch and reading it has been very enjoyable. It would also be a great Audiobook.
Since their book, “All the President’s Men” was published, Woodward has basically stayed with following American politics and explaining it to a massive crowd of political junkies, like me. His books tend to be shorter books, staying on one president and administration and looking at the pivotal events, both foreign and domestic. He’d often write more than one book about a president; George W rated at least 2 books, as did Donald Trump.
Woodward’s latest book is called, “War”. The book is a broad look at the Biden presidency, with Donald Trump and Kamila Harris occupying some center real estate. As I write this review, the presidential election is 15 days away. (How it will turn out Is anyone’s guess, but I sure hope the winner’s initials are KH…)
The war in Woodward’s book is the brewing war in the mid-east and how that war has affected the politics both here and there. The attacks of October have brought many players to the tables. Bibi and Vlad figure in the book and Woodward is very straightforward on what he learned from many of participants. The ongoing contretemps in Ukraine is also covered.
I’ve read most of his books over the years and found his writing a bit dry, but knowledgeable. This book “War” seems to be a cut above the more recent books. It’s written with a lighter touch and reading it has been very enjoyable. It would also be a great Audiobook.
October 31, 2024
حسنا !!!
ما المدهش في هذا الكتاب ؟؟
ما الذي لم تكن تعرفه( خلال أكثر من عام علي حرب غزة ) و فضحه لك الكاتب ؟؟
هل كنا نحتاج لكاتب أمريكي لكي يكشف لنا تأمر و تواطؤ الممالك الصهيو-العربية؟
أو أن الأمريكان و حليفتهم اسرائيل لديهم قنوات اتصال خلفية مع إيران ؟
أنا لا أقلل من جهد بوب وودوارد
لكن حقا إذا لم نعد نملك القدرة علي الرؤية من ( الغربال ) لمدة سنة كاملة
نستحق بجدارة لقب العميان
ما المدهش في هذا الكتاب ؟؟
ما الذي لم تكن تعرفه( خلال أكثر من عام علي حرب غزة ) و فضحه لك الكاتب ؟؟
هل كنا نحتاج لكاتب أمريكي لكي يكشف لنا تأمر و تواطؤ الممالك الصهيو-العربية؟
أو أن الأمريكان و حليفتهم اسرائيل لديهم قنوات اتصال خلفية مع إيران ؟
أنا لا أقلل من جهد بوب وودوارد
لكن حقا إذا لم نعد نملك القدرة علي الرؤية من ( الغربال ) لمدة سنة كاملة
نستحق بجدارة لقب العميان
October 28, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up.
This is an in-depth exploration of how President Joe Biden has handled two international wars, without putting US troops on the ground in either.
The first hundred pages or so are a bit dry, with a lot of discussion of what led to the Ukraine war. Once the war starts, the narration becomes compelling and at times frightening. At one point, the world was hours away from Russia deploying nuclear bombs.
After 10/7/23 the narrative turns to the horrifying events of that date and the war that followed. Biden has known Netanyahu for over 40 years. He would try to reason with Netanyahu, but found him exasperating, since he demanded total US support, but wouldn’t take any advice. There was a point where all out war was imminent in the Middle East, but US intervention was able to tamp things down.
The work of the US diplomatic team is extraordinary. I am in awe of how these experienced diplomats are able to conduct sensitive negotiations under extreme pressure. I would never want to know what they know.
In the middle of all this, you have djt in the background, running for reelection, contacting Putin several times and meeting with Netanyahu, all of which are a violation of the Logan act.
This is truly one of the most terrifying books I have ever read, given that the 2024 election is a week away and the two candidates djt and Kamala Harris are tied. I can’t imagine what the world will be like if djt is reelected, given his 2025 project and all the chaos in the world.
I have to give great credit to Joe Biden for putting the country first and stepping aside for reelection. His legacy of country over self is extraordinary.
Good quote:
“War, this book on Biden, however, gave me what was often a real time inside the room look at genuine, good faith efforts by the president and his core national security team to wield the levers of executive power responsibly, and in the national interest. At the center of good governance, as evidenced in this book, is teamwork.”
“The legacy of the Biden presidency will be the core national security team that he built and kept in place for nearly 4 years. They brought decades of experience as well as basic human decency. War shows the traditional and novel ways Biden and his core team pursued and intelligence driven foreign policy to warn the world that war was coming in Ukraine, to supply Ukraine with the weapons they need to defend themselves against Russia, and to try to camp down escalations and the Israel-Gaza war.”
“As the book shows, there were failures and mistakes. The full story is, of course, not yet known. But based on the evidence available now, I believe President Biden and his team will be largely studied in history as an example of steady and purposeful leadership.”
A definite recommend.
This is an in-depth exploration of how President Joe Biden has handled two international wars, without putting US troops on the ground in either.
The first hundred pages or so are a bit dry, with a lot of discussion of what led to the Ukraine war. Once the war starts, the narration becomes compelling and at times frightening. At one point, the world was hours away from Russia deploying nuclear bombs.
After 10/7/23 the narrative turns to the horrifying events of that date and the war that followed. Biden has known Netanyahu for over 40 years. He would try to reason with Netanyahu, but found him exasperating, since he demanded total US support, but wouldn’t take any advice. There was a point where all out war was imminent in the Middle East, but US intervention was able to tamp things down.
The work of the US diplomatic team is extraordinary. I am in awe of how these experienced diplomats are able to conduct sensitive negotiations under extreme pressure. I would never want to know what they know.
In the middle of all this, you have djt in the background, running for reelection, contacting Putin several times and meeting with Netanyahu, all of which are a violation of the Logan act.
This is truly one of the most terrifying books I have ever read, given that the 2024 election is a week away and the two candidates djt and Kamala Harris are tied. I can’t imagine what the world will be like if djt is reelected, given his 2025 project and all the chaos in the world.
I have to give great credit to Joe Biden for putting the country first and stepping aside for reelection. His legacy of country over self is extraordinary.
Good quote:
“War, this book on Biden, however, gave me what was often a real time inside the room look at genuine, good faith efforts by the president and his core national security team to wield the levers of executive power responsibly, and in the national interest. At the center of good governance, as evidenced in this book, is teamwork.”
“The legacy of the Biden presidency will be the core national security team that he built and kept in place for nearly 4 years. They brought decades of experience as well as basic human decency. War shows the traditional and novel ways Biden and his core team pursued and intelligence driven foreign policy to warn the world that war was coming in Ukraine, to supply Ukraine with the weapons they need to defend themselves against Russia, and to try to camp down escalations and the Israel-Gaza war.”
“As the book shows, there were failures and mistakes. The full story is, of course, not yet known. But based on the evidence available now, I believe President Biden and his team will be largely studied in history as an example of steady and purposeful leadership.”
A definite recommend.
October 22, 2024
A very interesting look behind the curtain.
The book focuses on events between the years 2021 and 2024.
You can learn a lot about Putin, the beginning of the Ukraine war, the war in Isreal after the october 7th attack and the Biden administration.
The only thing that surprised me and that was at times hard to believe, was the description of Biden as a focused and strong leader. In public appearances he often only seems weak, frail and confused.
From my perspective the author seemed to describe the Biden administration in a favorable way.
The book focuses on events between the years 2021 and 2024.
You can learn a lot about Putin, the beginning of the Ukraine war, the war in Isreal after the october 7th attack and the Biden administration.
The only thing that surprised me and that was at times hard to believe, was the description of Biden as a focused and strong leader. In public appearances he often only seems weak, frail and confused.
From my perspective the author seemed to describe the Biden administration in a favorable way.
November 11, 2024
This is a book that covers many of the issues during the Biden presidency. We are now within two months of the end of that presidency with Donald Trump. Once again in the wings. It is fascinating to listen to a book that is about such recent history with a good deal of inside information, which was obtained by a veteran reporter on “deep background”!
November 15, 2024
The book I just finished reading was very good and very detailed and very informative. It took the reader into the working world of the Biden administration and shows the reader how Biden and his team navigated through the world crises and the upcoming presidential election
November 9, 2024
Good book that gives you some behind-the-scene insights on recent events, but don't expect any in-depth analysis.
October 25, 2024
It’s always valuable to read an in-depth analysis of current global events. Unfortunately, this book doesn’t offer that. Instead, it serves as an unabashed endorsement of Biden-Harris and a critique of Trump’s personality (but not his policies).
Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty to criticize about Trump, but the obsessive support for Biden-Harris, while the world is seemingly unraveling under their watch, undermines the author’s credibility as a journalist. You can’t excuse one leader’s failures as mere unfortunate coincidences while demonizing the other (e.g., both Trump and Biden mishandled classified documents, yet Trump’s actions were painted as malicious, while Biden’s were portrayed as innocent mistakes of a “well-meaning elderly man with poor memory,” carefully framed with selective citations).
There is such a thing as “Trumpism,” which often carries religious connotations. However, I don’t believe this “religion” has a holy book. But now, thanks to Bob Woodward, “Biden-Harrism” seems to have one.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty to criticize about Trump, but the obsessive support for Biden-Harris, while the world is seemingly unraveling under their watch, undermines the author’s credibility as a journalist. You can’t excuse one leader’s failures as mere unfortunate coincidences while demonizing the other (e.g., both Trump and Biden mishandled classified documents, yet Trump’s actions were painted as malicious, while Biden’s were portrayed as innocent mistakes of a “well-meaning elderly man with poor memory,” carefully framed with selective citations).
There is such a thing as “Trumpism,” which often carries religious connotations. However, I don’t believe this “religion” has a holy book. But now, thanks to Bob Woodward, “Biden-Harrism” seems to have one.
November 8, 2024
As is usual this author offers extensive research, history and true facts on his subject. Well worth the read.
October 30, 2024
Every human being on this earth has the right to defend himself and his country against any occupier of his lands What danger are you talking about? This country (Palestine) has been occupied since 1948. What have you done to it? The writer is very biased This is not fair
October 19, 2024
Bob Woodward's Trump Derangement Sydrome at is best. Cherry picks partial quotes from Trump to show his bias against Trump. Waits until chapter 69 to even suggest Biden's mental decline that the public has seen for years. Skips the drama and details we saw around Biden being pushed out of running for a second term and Harris' coronation as the nominee by the Party elite. If you enjoy historical fiction this is a good read. If you are looking for a fact-filled book, my opinion is to look elsewhere.
November 11, 2024
This is a book of propaganda, Liberal Western propaganda. If you have been following the mainstream media for the past few years, you will find the same content here.
For instance, the author completely adopts the Western point of view when it comes to the Russian-Ukrainian war without any critical remarks; listening to Mershaimer after this crap is like a breath of fresh air. When it comes to Palestine it's even worse, he repeats the same propaganda about 7 October: the rapes etc, even after much of this was shown to be exaggerated or wholly fabricated.
What can you learn from it then? Well, it confirmed that "moderate" Arab regimes (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan and Egypt) are against Hamas and encouraged the Israeli war, or at least that's what they told US officials. It reveals that in addition to Jordan, the Arab country that helped Israel to thwart the Iranian attack on Israel last April (2024) is Saudi Arabia. This is hardly surprising, although the details could be interesting. It also showed that MBS (crown prince of Saudi Arabia) uses burner phones to contact US officials such as Sullivan and Blinken. I would say that's pretty much what I learned from it.
Oh, and it reminded me how pathetic the Western propaganda has become in an age where there are many other sources of information. Makes me wonder just how much history I can trust, especially when there are few sources that recorded it.
For instance, the author completely adopts the Western point of view when it comes to the Russian-Ukrainian war without any critical remarks; listening to Mershaimer after this crap is like a breath of fresh air. When it comes to Palestine it's even worse, he repeats the same propaganda about 7 October: the rapes etc, even after much of this was shown to be exaggerated or wholly fabricated.
What can you learn from it then? Well, it confirmed that "moderate" Arab regimes (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan and Egypt) are against Hamas and encouraged the Israeli war, or at least that's what they told US officials. It reveals that in addition to Jordan, the Arab country that helped Israel to thwart the Iranian attack on Israel last April (2024) is Saudi Arabia. This is hardly surprising, although the details could be interesting. It also showed that MBS (crown prince of Saudi Arabia) uses burner phones to contact US officials such as Sullivan and Blinken. I would say that's pretty much what I learned from it.
Oh, and it reminded me how pathetic the Western propaganda has become in an age where there are many other sources of information. Makes me wonder just how much history I can trust, especially when there are few sources that recorded it.
November 4, 2024
In this book, Woodward takes us through the wars in Ukraine and Israel, and briefly the withdrawal from Afghanistan, providing us with the perspective of some of President Biden's core national security team, who were interviewed for this book. With the election coming up in about 26 hours or so, I fear for what a victory of the former president would look like, and the last few pages just showed why. I recommend if you would like an inside view of the leadership we have had over these past few years.
November 11, 2024
Interesting behind the scenes access to the handling of various global crises the last few years (Israel and Ukraine most prominently).
In the end Woodward concludes that Biden’s team does an admirable job protecting the US from war in an incredibly dangerous time - particularly in contrast to what he saw on display during Trump’s presidency. He doesn’t really make a compelling argument against the “deterrence” position pushed by Trump, and instead leans on his observation that Biden and his team consistently operated in good faith / didn’t actually embroil the US in any of these conflicts directly.
Also noteworthy that Netanyahu comes off as quite difficult to work with through negotiations. He consistently digs his heels in unwilling to compromise on much of anything.
In the end Woodward concludes that Biden’s team does an admirable job protecting the US from war in an incredibly dangerous time - particularly in contrast to what he saw on display during Trump’s presidency. He doesn’t really make a compelling argument against the “deterrence” position pushed by Trump, and instead leans on his observation that Biden and his team consistently operated in good faith / didn’t actually embroil the US in any of these conflicts directly.
Also noteworthy that Netanyahu comes off as quite difficult to work with through negotiations. He consistently digs his heels in unwilling to compromise on much of anything.
October 29, 2024
During that meeting he said to Putin, “I’m looking into your eyes, and I don’t think you have a soul“
A fast-paced and absorbing retelling of Biden's presidency with a focus on two wars - one in Ukraine and another one in the Gaza Strip. The book made me think more positively about how Biden evaluated and dealt with the situation from the US's perspective.
A fast-paced and absorbing retelling of Biden's presidency with a focus on two wars - one in Ukraine and another one in the Gaza Strip. The book made me think more positively about how Biden evaluated and dealt with the situation from the US's perspective.
October 18, 2024
Woodward's book will undoubtedly be read and studied for years to come. His ability to capture events and players essentially in real time crises is second to none. He crafts legacies (good & bad) through his work.
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