His book, “War,” says Bob Woodward, “presents the efforts and decisions to try to prevent war, and where war came, to avoid escalation.”
Really, the book should be titled “Wars,” because while the central focus is Ukraine, the war provoked by Russian wannabe Czar Vladimir Putin, much of the book deals with the war in Gaza, provoked by the Hamas terrorist group.
It’s a little stretch to believe “Wars” includes a third war, at the southern border, that President Joe Biden lost. It was an issue that became a noose for Biden’s reelection effort. “Republicans had Biden over a barrel that he had, in part,” writes Woodward, “created for himself by revoking Trump’s policies and not replacing them with an effective, more humanitarian alternative.”
So Biden lost that war, but “won” the Gaza war by preventing it from becoming a regional war, and also “won” the ongoing war in Ukraine by helping expose Putin’s military as hollow and disorganized.
We entered neither war as a combatant, following Biden’s strict orders to avoid sending U.S. troops to fight foreign wars, born of his phobia of creating another Vietnam. But in each case we are an armorer, supplier, coach, and cheerleader.
Before diving in, I was puzzled by a note to readers from Woodward. He writes, “All interviews in this book were conducted under the journalistic ground rule of ‘deep cover.’ This means that all the information could be used, but I would not say who provided it.”
But he directly quotes and names people dozens of times, so I am puzzled. The book was deeply and thoroughly fact-checked and edited, he says, so I am scratching my head about how that slipped through.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is quoted frequently and with such grace I believe he was a more major informant than the quotes attributed to him suggest. One funny quote and one trenchant one:
“Going to Mar-a-Largo is a little bit like going to North Korea. Everyone stands and claps every time Trump comes in.” That was funny. Trenchant: Winning the presidency would be “the biggest second act in the history of American politics” because 50% of Americans would follow him off a cliff, 20% would push him off the cliff, and 30% are waiting to see which way the wind blows.
My confusion with quoted attributions is only one of two problems I have with the book, produced by Woodward, as added evidence that he is one of the pre-eminent journalists of our time.
Journalist, not novelist.
“War” is less “written” than “reported.”
“War” is a very fast read. Its 368 pages are carved into 77 chapters, some as brief as a single page, so it reads like a stream of news dispatches. Rather than a deep-think analysis, it’s a fast-paced narrative in unembellished straight-forward story-telling, in adjective-free news writing style.
Not to say it doesn’t have a point of view.
It is favorable to Joe Biden, but not because Woodward is a member of the inside the Beltway media Democratic pack. It is because, through his decades of reporting from inside Washington, he has a deep knowledge of, and sympathy to, how the Presidency works.
Having read how Biden handled the twin war crises gave me a much more favorable view of him, which I came to grudgingly, as I consider him to be a well-intended gas bag with some good views — pro-union, pro-Amtrak, among some bad ones — Open Borders, slashing student college debt.
The second caveat I have about the book, and Woodward, was knowledge he came across during the end of Biden’s term that Scranton’s favorite son was slowing down mentally. Woodward did not vigorously pursue this story for his honorary employer the Washington Post. Instead, he withheld it for his book.
Although the book presents a favorable view of Biden, as a collaborative leader, one who peppered his staff with incisive questions (at least early on), Woodward is clear-eyed enough to describe the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan as “calamitous,” not the success that Biden claimed.
Biden’s actual biggest success was helping keep the war in Gaza from exploding into a regional war with the possibility of becoming a world war.
The Middle East is a snake pit of competing interests in which ths U.S. has several allies, but only one true friend, our fellow democracy, Israel.
Biden moved quickly — more so than Ukraine — to furnish all the arms, intelligence, and moral support the Jewish state needed. This despite Biden’s loathing of Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, whom Woodward quotes him as saying, “He’s a fucking liar . . . He’s a bad fucking guy.”
Woodward reports that surrounding Arab states wanted Israel to destroy Hamas, but would never dare say so publicly.
However, when Iran fired a missile barrage at Israel, both Jordon and Saudi Arabia cooperated in defending Israel. Arabs defending Israelis. Credit Biden for that.
Israel decimated Hamas, and heavily punished Hezbollah after the terrorist group opened a second front against Israel.
The result in Ukraine is unclear, and unfinished.
Biden again backed our ally to the hilt, but he dithered in sending arms when needed.
He also sent conflicting messages on how he would confront Russia, fearful of escalating. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told the Russians that any use of nuclear weapons, no matter how small, would be considered a game-changer, while Biden said he would not respond to Russia’s nukes with our own.
But he did rally our NATO allies, the ones Trump derides, to come to Ukraine’s defense. Sanctions also were applied against Russia, which responded by drawing closer to China, North Korea, and Iran. This is the new reality Trump will face as President.
This would stir fear in the mind of former four-star Marine Corps General John F. White, chosen by Trump to be White House chief of staff.
“He is an idiot,” he told Woodward. “It’s pointless to try to convince him of anything.”
Woodward reports “senior officials removed documents from his desk so that Trump would not sign actions that would trigger a major economic or national security crisis.”
Was this an example of the Deep State at work? The anecdote may provide an explanation for why Trump prizes loyalty to him above all else.
Near the conclusion of the book, published before the election, Woodward declares that Trump “is unfit to lead the country . . . Trump was the most impulsive President in American history and is demonstrating the very same character as a Presidential candidate in 2024.”
And he is President again.
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We have known since the Reagan years and the collapse of the Soviet Union that the Russian military was hollow and disorganized. The war in Ukraine was easily preventable. But Biden and the Europeans didn’t have the spine to stop Putin. Biden and his energy policies made the Russians and Iran rich which helped them fund these wars. Both of these wars would have never happened under Trump. And the proof is that it didn’t happen under Trump. Israel and Netanyahu are doing the world a favor by destroying these terriorist groups and they did that by ignoring the advice of Biden. The true bad man and liar is Biden and his spineless gang of idiots.
Yes, Daniel, let's listen to YOU rather than the respected journalist who brought down the Nixon White House.
As usual, you are clueless.
What did I say that you disagree with?
I believe it's called Dunning-Kruger fallacy freeze. I am studiously avoiding addressing anything this bimbo says as it is not worth the time or energy. And he's too stupid to see that Stu holds him in the contempt that he deserves.
Poor Wanda and her Daniel derangement Syndrome. I ask you what did I say that you disagree with.
Nothing but crickets.
Question:...."former four-star Marine Corps General John F. White, chosen by Trump to be White House chief of staff."...............do you mean General John Kelley?...
If so, what do you mean by "former".... the "form of the sentence is awkward".... I don't think you mean he is a "former" four star General?
Brain fart. Yes, Kelly. Yes, former four-star, or retired four-star is correct. He can be addressed as general as a courtesy, but he is no longer a general.
I thought something similar. Trump chose Susie Wiles to be White House chief of staff in his new term.
Stu - having recently finished the audiobook version of "WAR," I concur with your book report/review above. You hit the salient points about its contents, along with some of your own good thoughts.
I am just now catching up with the audiobook version of "The January 6th Report" (23.5 hours of listening!!) as a follow up. No wonder the MAGAt-To-Be-In-Office has a hit-list in the works.
Thank you Stu. This was great insight into the Biden presidency, positive or negative and your impressions of Woodward's book. Bob Woodward is one of the greatest investigative journalists ever, and he has Pulitzer Prizes to prove it. I will have to go on Amazon and order a copy of "War."
on another note.... this is a very good piece. I truly appreciate your admission that you have changed your opinion somewhat, "although grudgingly" about President Biden. I believe we read non-fiction to increase our understanding and awareness of the world we live in. Changing opinions isn't a bad thing, it may mean growth. Unfortunately, Trump has instilled a hatred of the Press and journalists in his semi-illiterate base. (Just yesterday a Journalist was attacked by someone saying "This is Trump's America now".... The Journalist was non-White, so it is unclear what motivated the hater. Probably both identities. ) You have published columns discussing Journalism ethics in the past. May I request you revisit this topic again?
Would the war in Ukraine never occurred if the West didn’t pressure Ukraine to give up its Nuclear weapons. Russia agreed to not attack the Ukraine if they gave up their nukes. The Budapest Memorandum was signed by many NATO countries along with Russia. It was intended to prevent Russia from invading several former Russian Satellite countries. Russia reneged on it’s promise not to invade Ukraine. Russia and Putin did not live up to this agreement. Biden’s actions supporting Ukraine is honorable considering we signed the Budapest Memorandum.
There is nothing honorable about a man who could have prevented a war and didn’t. And then when it happened he didn’t arm them properly. All of these lives lost because of this disgraceful incompetent fool. There is know victory here.
Excellent question NOT covered in the book.
I'm quoting from your column: "He is an idiot," he told Woodward. "It's pointless to try to convince him of anything."
Are you citing Trump's new chief of staff? The way you structured the writing, it appears so. If so, why the hell would Trump want him as COS?
It is Kelly being quoted to Woodward about Trump. It is Kelly’s opinion after working for Trump. Why did Trump hire him? Because of his qualifications.
Thanks for the clarification. I was confused by the Kelly/White brain fart (which I missed totally).
just bought the book...will let you know what I think!