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REVIEW OF BOB WOODWARD'S THE WAR WITHIN, A SECRET WHITE HOUSE HISTORY: 2006-2008
The war in Iraq is a situation that has been covered extensively in the media, politics, and academia, since the invasion of Iraq in 2003. There has been lengthy debate from all areas about whether the invasion was necessary and what should be done now that the United States is invested in Iraq's development. There has also been a large amount of criticism from the media, both parties, and the general public directed at the Bush administration for its handling of the war. In The War Within, eminent journalist Bob Woodward takes an in-depth look at how the Bush administration directed the war from Washington, DC, militarily and politically from 2006 to 2008. While he largely remains an objective narrator of events, there is a subtle critique of the lack of responsibility taken by top officials, lack of coordination across cabinet departments and between the White House and the military, and lack of consistency in Iraq policy over time.
The Bush administration is known for its secrecy and refusal to provide detailed information to the media and general public; however, Woodward's book demonstrates his access to a wealth of sources from across the political spectrum that provides the reader with a detailed look into the inner-workings of the White House, cabinet departments, and the military, as they relate to Iraq. Additionally, in a topic so dominated by focus on the administration and the military at singular entities, Woodward provides the reader with personal accounts from those who were actually in charge and involved in making and carrying out the policies and strategies.
Woodward begins with an account of a conversation between President George W. Bush and...