 |
Bob Woodward is almost a legend in journalism nowadays. We all know his work with Carl Bernstein during the Watergate scandal involving President Nixon. I had to get this book on the Bush Administration. I must confess not having read the previous two parts of "Bush at War" but I couldn't resist Part III. Reading this book was like getting a report on the administration. Bob Woodward interviewed many people including President Bush and Don Rumsfeld but he also had access to a large number of archives and official memos and notes from inside the administration. Which makes this book all the more frightening in its description of the Bush Administration. From the days leading to 9/11 and the war in Iraq to the current (late 2006) status of the insurgency, this book describes it all. It feels like reading a fiction. Unfortunately, it is not one. Bob Woodward as is the reader reading his accounts is appalled at the total incompetence of our leaders where it's from the decision made at the White House and the Pentagon to Paul Bremer while presiding for one year in Iraq. At the same time, it shows clearly the constant state of denial of every "upbeat" speeches Bush makes and how good the administration is at piling lies. If you want an inside look at the administration and its Iraq policies, this book is for you. This is serious work done by a serious journalist. I couldn't ask more from Bob Woodward.Read full review
This book is the final edition of Bob Woodward's trilogy on the Bush Administration's handling of the 9/11 attacks and the actions that led to the war in Iraq. I've read the first two books and found them to be quite accurate and very troubling. Even in the face of evidence contrary to what the Bush administration was telling us (the American people), the Bush administration continued to perpetuate their version of events and actions. If anyone took the time to look beneath the surface of the administrations claims, it was easy to see that they were misleading all of us to support a failed policy and an illegitimate war. In "State of Denial", Woodward holds no punches. I guess he figured he could air all the facts because this was to be his final book on the Bush administration. You don't need to read the first two books, "Plan of Attack" and "Bush at War" prior to reading this book. Woodward reiterates the pertinent events from the first two books in this edition, so this book really does provide you with a complete picture of the events leading up to, during and after the Iraq war. The fact that I found most troubling, about the Bush administration, is that they did engage a number of experts to plan the war and plan the peace. Unfortunately, Donald Rumsfeld tossed all of the realistic plans out and enlisted his own "experts" to execute the post conflict Iraq war policy. Donald Rumsfeld was so much of a control freak that he subverted any attempt by the State Department to provide their expertise. In effect, Donald Rumsfeld executed a plan for failure that had been predicted before the first bomb was dropped. This book is a sobering assessment of the failures in communication between various cabinet secretaries and their top tier personnel. It also explains the intelligence failures; the CIA and DIA actually had better intel than we were led to believe, but since it didn't support the President's policy it was either ignored or relegated to less significance. If you're interested in learning why we are stuck in the quagmire called Iraq, then you really should read this book. I've found that all of Bob Woodwards assertions have been backed up by other books on this subject and relevant news articles throughout the lead up to and post war period. In my opinion, Bob Woodward hits a home run with this final episode regarding the Iraq debacle. Read it to learn the TRUTH.Read full review
A compelling read, could not put it down and finished it in a few days. It should be required reading for contemporary history students. This confirms much of what I suspected at the time, this was an illegal war and the American public were being misled and lied to. The mainstream press were collaborators in this as well, no one seemed to question anything much until later. Woodward did his homework, almost too well--a bit frightening. It was confirmation of the Bush administration's bogus agenda. Thumbs up Woodward! The truth is always more interesting than fiction!
Verified purchase: No
I just finished reading this - it took me 5 or 6 days, but it was worth it. This is the third of Woodward's books about the Bush Presidency and the War on Terror - namely Iraq. It provides a meticulous account of military strategy and execution, policy development, and the hunt for weapons of mass destruction. It has a strong focus on the people involved: Rumsfeld, Rice, Hadley, Card, Garner, Bremer, and others. Bush and Cheney declined to be interviewed, but of course are featured through the eyes of others. Woodward is ultimately probing the large issues about how we hope to achieve a democratic government in Iraq and achieve stability in the region. He identifies endless disconnects - say between military strategy and political strategy, between Iraq and Washington DC, between the DOD and everyone else. I highly recommend this book as detailed, well researched, and an invaluable view at the insiders.Read full review
The third volume of Woodward's trilogy examining the response of the Bush administration to September 11th seeks to explain when things started to go wrong in Iraq and why they have continued to get worse. It represents a clear shift from the first two volumes, which documented the successful campaign in Afghanistan ("Bush at War") and the build-up to the war in Iraq ("Plan of Attack"). While all three volumes draw on an impressive array of high-level sources to reveal the inner workings of the Bush administration, Woodward seems to be overly deferential to the administration in the first two volumes. It is impossible to say that about "State of Denial," though. Woodward sets out to explain how the refusal of many key members of the Bush administration to face reality hampered the U.S. mission in Iraq and damaged U.S. credibility. A must-read for anybody who wants a deeper understanding of this crucial period of recent U.S. history.Read full review
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Books
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on Books
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- You may also like
