War by Author’s Name

great writer, super

This is a must read for anyone who is interested in what has gone on in/from The White House under the Biden administration. Bob Woodward is probably the best investigative journalist of our time. He writes beautifully, has inside information, fact checks, puts it all together and it makes compulsive reading.

I just finished another excellent book by Bob Woodward. It is really a historic documentation of the presidency of Joe Biden and how his lengthy experience in foreign policy influenced his juggling of the political factions in the Russia/Ukraine War and the war between Israel and Hamas. The book is as interesting to read as any novel. In spite of the ongoing attempt to paint Biden as a bumbling old man and a failure as a president, you are introduced to the real Joe Biden, behind the scenes, as he worked diligently for the good of the Western World. Besides being impressed with the picture of a dedicated and hard working ptesident, you get a picture of the highly competent advisors around him. Regardless of your preconceived notions about Joe Biden, I urge everyone to read this book and get a real sense of why he was the right president at the right time. Readers need to put aside their political biases if possible and get a more complete picture of Joe Biden. I hope everyone who is interested in the conditions in the world today will get a clearer picture of our 46th president from this valuable book. Highly recommended.

Bob Woodward has incredible sources, both Democrats and Republicans. Through his multiple books on politics going back to All the Presidents Men (written with Carl Bernstein), he has pursued the inside story of Presidents in action under the most insistent pressures of their jobs. In this case his subject is the Ukraine and Israeli conflicts as seen through the eyes of the American national security and diplomatic teams under President Biden. In dealing with Putin in the Ukraine story and Netanyahu in Israel, Woodward captures the full sweep of Biden’s delicate handling of supporting Ukraine and Israel while keeping American military troops in background roles so that they are not directly putting their boots on the ground of these bitter struggles that threaten to erupt into World War III. In addition to Biden, the book offers succinct but insightful studies of Putin, Netanyahu and former President Trump along with American understudies like Jake Sullivan or Secretary of State Blinken who are the real heroes of the book as they deal with the overhanging threat of nuclear warfare among the major powers in the world.

“War” covers the period of Biden’s presidency primarily from about six months before Putin’s Russia invaded the Ukraine through Biden’s Announcement in July of 2024 that he was no longer running for reelection. The war in the Ukraine and and the war that Hamas started October 7 with Israel are very important centerpieces in this narrative. It shows many of the interactions in managing these conflicts in which the USA is actively supporting Ukraine and Israel while not taking an active role in the combat.

While the narrative centers primarily on Joe Biden’s presidency and his inner staff during this wartime period, Donald Trump also has some coverage in this book along with Kamala Harris to a lesser degree as a part of Biden’s presidency. I was personally glad that Woodward covered both the capable administrator Joe Biden and the “Well meaning old man in decline”. It would be dishonest not to present both.

There was a part of me that sometimes wanted to cry over the events described in the Ukraine and Israel (October 7 Hamas attack). I also had the terrible feeling that it was a preview of World War 3. The very best that can be said is that Biden was able to navigate the difficult role of supporting both the Ukraine and Israel without getting the US directly involved in the fighting. Honest people can agree or disagree on if the Biden administration had any impact on why these these situations started, But it seems clear that his administration did everything practical to both support the Ukraine and Israel in their conflicts while doing its best to prevent US soldiers being in armed conflict. Also Biden seemed to try his best to control collateral damage to the civilian population of Gaza. There is a deep irony that foreign policy is often the primary area the President is responsible for, while at the same time the US president has limited influence on other governments. Add to that the intense legal pressure on Biden’s son Hunter and in a way its not surprising that Biden has aged before our eyes despite a long career in government.

Donald Trump gets some mention, part of it because he is a significant part of the US political landscape. Another part is the contrast between Biden’s approach and Trump’s approach. Obviously both are willful men, and both are self confident. Donald Trump tends to operate on “instinct” while Biden is a more conventional executive. The advantage of “instinct” is that it’s prone to quick decision, the big disadvantage is that if “instinct” is wrong, it can make big mistakes.

This is the 3rd recent Woodward book I have read. It’s obvious that Bob does his homework to the degree that you feel you are there during some of the hard decisions – You get details. Unlike some books and authors I found that Bob did a good job of conveying the story and information mostly without using obscure words and terms without explaining them. In other words, the book is readable.

If you are interested in current events, I can definitely recommend this book. I read it on the Kindle App from Amazon so I could get my copy immediately (and save a few dollars).