Word: woodwards
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...leads by instinct, personal charisma, a zeal for “real action” and a mandate to “provoke people…make sure it’s clear in everybody’s mind where we’re headed.” Woodward characterizes Bush’s long-term goal as “an ambitious reordering of the world through preemptive and, if necessary, unilateral action to reduce suffering and bring peace.” Such a vision comes off as admirable if not a bit hubristic...
...Woodward also depicts less positive aspects of the war, particularly the administration’s inability to give the war a clear definition or direction. The cabinet conceptualizes the war only in terms of what it is not: not the Clinton administration’s response to terrorism, not the Soviets’ disastrous foray into Afghanistan, not Vietnam. This may explain why the cabinet’s strategies have been largely unsuccessful, from the anticlimactic air campaign to, most egregiously, the failure to locate bin Laden...
Overall, Bush At War presents a detailed and informative picture of the current administration’s response to 9/11. Woodward writes informally and clearly. His journalistic style—which includes chronological markers, snapshot-like descriptions, punchy assessments and quick concluding sound bites—helps process and pace his wealth of material...
Most successful is Woodward’s use of anecdotes. Two days after 9/11, for example, Bush refuses to evacuate the White House and insists instead on a hamburger. Noting Bush’s penchant for healthy living, Woodward jokes that the request is a sign of Bush’s acceptance of fate and quotes Bush counselor Karen Hughes: “Well, you might as well have cheese...
...exclusive access that allows Woodward to recount such stories, however, makes us doubt the authenticity of his account. We do not know if he has truly bypassed the administration’s de facto blanket on information about the war. His privileged access to key players may have enabled him to get a story that the rest of his colleagues could not, but it also means that his story is circumscribed by what the administration chose to reveal...