[CMichael]

I am reading this book by Bob Woodward. It's not politically biased.

However, anyone interested of how the war has unfolded should read this book.

[10-Ring]

Friends have told me it's a must read if you're looking for some insight to the man. Just haven't had the time to hit Borders lately. Hopefully by the weekend.

[Gary H]

Can I borrow yours??.. Hate to support Bob Woodward.

[Hkmp5sd]

However, it is politically biased. On numerous occassions throughout the book, Woodward tries to give the impression that Clinton didn't really do anything wrong in relation to his 8 years of letting bin Laden slide and that Clinton was aggressive in trying to fight terrorism.

[jmbg29]

Bob WoodwardIs strictly a fiction author.

[CMichael]

However, it is politically biased. On numerous occassions throughout the book, Woodward tries to give the impression that Clinton didn't really do anything wrong in relation to his 8 years of letting bin Laden slide and that Clinton was aggressive in trying to fight terrorism.

I am reading the book. It's not the impression I am getting. Woodward seems to be saying that Clinton did virtually nothing to combat OBL and mentions several times how ineffective if not provoking shooting the cruise missiles at the empty tents were.

Actually Woodward doesn't say it, he gives the views of the Bush Administration.

[jmbg29]

Whatever his background, whatever his connections, one cannot trust what Woodward says as fact. Take, for instance, his account in Veil of his last interview with dying CIA Director William Casey. Havill tracked down Casey's family, friends, hospital security staff and CIA guardians and found that the visit Woodward described was impossible. First of all, Casey was under 24 hour guard by several layers of security: CIA members, hospital security, and Casey's family. And Woodward had already been stopped once while trying to see Casey. According to one of Havill's sources, Woodward was not merely asked to leave, as Woodward reported in his book, but was forcibly shoved into the elevator. And Woodward's story kept shifting. Woodward told a Knight-Ridder reporter that he had gotten in by flashing his press pass. To Larry King, Woodward claimed he just "walked in." But even assuming he somehow managed to get by all of that security, Woodward would still have been the only person to claim that Casey had uttered intelligible words in those last hours. The only other person to make such a claim was Robert Gates, who himself became CIA Director. The family, doctor and medical staff said Casey could not make words at this point, only noises. At least Gates questioned whether he might have been imagining he heard words. Woodward has never retracted his "conversation." In addition, Woodward once said that Casey sat bolt upright, which would seem highly implausible given his rapidly deteriorating state. Onetime CIA Director Stansfield Turner, a friend of Woodward's since 1966, said Woodward told him he'd walked by Casey's room and Casey had waved to him. Casey's bed was positioned in such a way in the room as to make that impossible too. From "Bob Woodward" by Lisa Pease

http://www.webcom.com/ctka/pr196-woodward.html

Just one of hundreds of people to show Bob Woodward for what he is.

[Blackcloud6]

I agree with CMichael.. I'm over halfway through the book and I don't get the impression that Woodward gives Clinton a bye.

[JohnBT]

Is Mr. Woodward still trying to get away with not attributing the quotes in his books by claiming that nobody would talk to him if he told the reader who supplied him with the information?

I won't be surprised if he is still at it.

OTOH, he is a pretty good fiction writer, isn't he?

John

[CMichael]

I also read his book "The Agenda" about the Clinton Administration. I think the book gave a negative impression of it. It mentions Clinton's frequent temper tantrums.

I really don't think because that's the impression that Woodward wanted to give but because that is what he is dead.

Before picking up the "Agenda" I was skeptical. I though it would a knee jerk liberal book.

I truely believe that it doesn't have a political tilt. IMHO it tries to portray what really happened.

If you are interested in what happened in the White House from 9/11 to the next 100 days it's a must read. I can't imagine anyone here not interested in that.

It seems to say that Pres. Bush was very emotional about the event and wanted to get the terrorists. It also shows that Pres. Bush will do what it takes to win this war.

[Hkmp5sd]

Woodward goes way too easy on Clinton. When he does hit him with something, he turns around and softens the blow with a crack at Bush. One example I recall is he comments that the Bush and his security council believed that Clinton's handling of bin Laden was so bad it was actually an invitation for a terrorist attack. Then he throws in that Bush didn't do anything about bin Laden until 9/11 either.

Like a new president with 8 months in office is going to be able to stop a terrorist that has had 8 years of free reign to do what he wanted and there were NO CIA assets anywhere near him due to Clinton's policies.



Some additional recommended reading:



Fighting Back: The War on Terrorism - From Inside the Bush White House by Bill Sammon.

CATASTROPHE: Clinton's Role in America's Worst Disaster by Christopher Ruddy and Carl Limbacher, Jr.

See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA's War on Terrorism by Robert Baer.

The High Cost of Peace: How Washington's Middle East Policy Left America Vulnerable to Terrorism by Yossef Bodansky

Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam by Gilles Kepel

BIN LADEN: The Man Who Declared War on America by Yossef Bodansky (A pre-9/11 book on bin Laden)

[Sodbuster]

It mentions Clinton's frequent temper tantrums.
Are those the times Monica had a headache? Or the times Hillary gave him one?

[CMichael]

One example I recall is he comments that the Bush and his security council believed that Clinton's handling of bin Laden was so bad it was actually an invitation for a terrorist attack. Then he throws in that Bush didn't do anything about bin Laden until 9/11 either.

However, Woodward also states that there was an anti-terrorism initiative that landed on Pres. Bush's desk on Sept. 10th.

I think he is just giving the course of events.