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White House Torn Apart By Afghan War

Bob Woodward book reveals deep fault lines over war policy

By Emily Rauhala,  Newser User

Posted Sep 22, 2010 7:29 AM CDT | Updated Sep 22, 2010 7:54 AM CDT

(Newser) – The Obama White House is a simmering pot of anger and disagreement, with too many bickering chefs handling of the war in Afghanistan, according to a new book by Bob Woodward that exposes deep rifts in the administration. Here, via the New York Times, are some of the juicy bits from Obama's Wars:

  • Vice-President Joe Biden thinks Richard Holbrooke, the administration's special rep for Afghanistan and Pakistan, is “the most egotistical bastard I’ve ever met."

  • Gen. David Petraeus reportedly told a senior aide that he didn't like talking to David Axelrod because he was “a complete spin doctor.”
  • “I’m done doing this!” the president once exclaimed when the military pressured him for more troops in Afghanistan—after he'd agreed to send 30,000.
For the whole article, click here; and here for more on the Afghan war.

Woodward's latest investigative is out September 27.
Woodward's latest investigative is out September 27.   (AP Photo/Simon & Schuster)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
Shannonals
Sep 22, 2010 4:13 PM CDT
Woodward is a joke. Any author who uses multiple unnamed souces for his stories is a fiction writer.
Fascist_Jack
Sep 22, 2010 8:46 AM CDT
This Afghan war has two things going against it: 1. Any war where your enemies are supplied by a bigger enemy that you can not fight is a zero sum game. It's as clear as day that the Taliban is being supplied by Iran and maybe even Pakistani intelligence. This is no different than the Vietnam war whereby the North Vietnamese were being supplied by China and Russia. 2. Using soldiers as security guards is a zero sum game as well. Soldiers are meant to get in, destroy and get out. Using soldiers as sitting ducks who occupy neighborhoods is never going to win the populace over....nor does it make strategic sense. Could you imagine Chinese soldiers on your street corner, asking you for your papers before you go home at night?
lord_we_are_screwed
Sep 22, 2010 8:14 AM CDT
Better headline. "White House Dumbfounded. Unable to figure out how to do anything". As has been posted many times before, the Emperor has no clothes. But he does eat cheese steaks! Huh, what's that Michelle? Obesity? Sorry, I have a tee time scheduled at Andrews.
 

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