State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III by Bob Woodward
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Book Reviews of State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III
Book Review: A must-read for everyone
Summary: 5 Stars
This chronicle is a must read for anyone who wants to know how the US ended up in the Iraq War and how it became a disaster. The book is long but thorough. In Woodward's traditional style, it is easy to read. But the content of the book grows more and more frustrating as you witness the leaders of our government fumble around with such monumental decisions. The infighting is stunning and the denial of facts mind boggling.
The book in large part follows Donald Rumsfeld, as he was the key player in this war. His refusal to play ball with other agencies and accept differing opinions is incomprehensible. Reading this book is like watching a group of preschoolers playing around with a toy, not realizing its a grenade. You're just waiting for something to go horribly wrong.
I know many people may be put off by the size of this book, but I assure you it is a book every American with a concern towards the Iraq War should read. It illustrates how President Bush created a "happy news only" atmosphere and how Rumsfeld refused to heed the advice of the military leadership. And it also demonstrates that the only solution our leaders could think of when things weren't going right was to send study group after study group over to Iraq to find out how to fix it...and then change absolutely nothing.
Eye-opening and maddening.
Book Review: Straightforward blow-by-blow of starting the war in Iraq
Summary: 5 Stars
Bob Woodward does a good job of presenting a selection of the day-to-day functions of the Bush Administration in getting the US into Iraq, for good or ill. He doesn't present the reader with heroes or villains, nor does he draw any moral/ethical conclusions about any of the players. He does draw conclusions about what happened and why, but the conclusions are based on solid evidence and interviews, often with people whose names have seldom or never been in the news. The picture that materializes out of this book is of a chief executive who, once he was elected, really didn't know or care how anything got done, and who surrounded himself with other religious-right neoconservatives who were equally determined to do it. There are key points in the book where suggestions or decisions are made, or deceptions are presented as truth, and in most cases, Bush is not present. he just wasn't around. If the book has a protagonist, it is Donald Rumsfeld, who is determined to control every last detail of the War, and who is allowed, by a cowed and frightened bureaucracy, to get away with that, with the results we have before us now.Book Review: A conservative who liked the book
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is an extremely valuable read. Unlike the partisans who will use this book to abuse the Bush administration, I think the book illustrates what we are up against in waging any type of war. Woodward gives a hands on reports like only he can. Despite his personal politics, I think he presents this subject in as objective of a light as possible. This book condemns the Washington bureaucracy and the inefficiencies it creates. I recommend to anyone who thinks they have the answers.Book Review: Superb journalism
Summary: 5 Stars
This is as good as research journalism gets. A real inside look into the Bush administration and the Iraq failure. You're naive to think that smart people lead a nation and to start a war with a clear why, what and how. The stupidity on all the three basic questions is beyond belief. The US of A lost a lot of credibility dealing with Iraq and Woodward facilitates the reader as a close eyed witness.Book Review: Woodward tells it like it is.
Summary: 5 Stars
Bob Woodward once again shows his ablity as a writer. His book is not partisan and clearly states the background regardin Bush' decision to take the country to war. It is easy to read and quite informaive regardless of your political ideology. I would highly recommend it to those who don't feel they get the facts from the newspapers or the Sunday morning tald shows.