Plan of Attack

By: Bob Woodward

Narrated by: Boyd Gaines

Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Plan of Attack is the definitive account of how and why President George W. Bush, his war council, and allies launched a preemptive attack to topple Saddam Hussein and occupy Iraq. Bob Woodward's latest landmark account of Washington decision making provides an original, authoritative narrative of behind-the-scenes maneuvering, examining the causes and consequences of the most controversial war since Vietnam.

Based on interviews with 75 key participants and more than three-and-a half hours of exclusive interviews with President Bush, Plan of Attack is part presidential history charting the decisions made during 16 critical months; part military history; and part a harrowing spy story as the CIA dispatches a covert paramilitary team into northern Iraq six months before the start of the war.

What emerges are astonishingly intimate portraits: President Bush in war cabinet meetings and in private conversation; Dick Cheney, the focused and driven vice president; Colin Powell, the conflicted and cautious secretary of state; Donald Rumsfeld, the controlling war technocrat; George Tenet, the activist CIA director; Tommy Franks, the profane and demanding general; Condoleezza Rice, the ever-present referee and national security adviser; Karl Rove, the hands-on political strategist; other key members of the White House staff and congressional leadership; and foreign leaders ranging from British Prime Minister Blair to Russian President Putin.

Plan of Attack provides new details on the intelligence assessments of Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction and the planning for the war's aftermath.

Also, listen to Terry Gross' interview with Bob Woodward on Fresh Air.

©2004 Bob Woodward (P)2004 Simon & Schuster Inc. AUDIOWORKS is an imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division, Simon & Schuster Inc.

Critic reviews

"A serious book it is, instantly essential, matching America's most celebrated political reporter against the most secretive administration in our history. For once, a hyped product has lived up to its billing....Plan of Attack offers by far the most intimate glimpse we have been granted of the Bush White House, and, better still, a glimpse of the administration's defining moment: its war of choice against Saddam Hussein." (The New York Times)

Needs more interpretation

This book is a very detailed description of the plan to invade Iraq. I did not hear (or read) "Bush At War" so I don't know what he said before and perhaps did not want to repeat. I could not finish this book; I started finding it too dry. It needs the author to analyze, interpret and place in context all the information he reports.

Wow!

Bob Woodward is one of my favorite writers. He really gives an in depth perspective on the Bush Administration and what all was going on leading up to the Iraq decisions. He calls it like it is, but he seems fair at the same time.

no analysis

I've never read any of the author's previous books, but was surprised at how little analysis or personal opinion/perspective was offered by the author. He clearly was the ultimate reporter, just reporting the facts as he heard them. I guess I was hoping for some more editorial comment from someone so inside the beltway. Having said that, I did find it incredible that our president didn't seem to ask anyone of his cabinet if we should go to war. He just followed his "gut". A little scary. I'd hate to think all his major decisions are made with so little outside input.

good listen

great book to fill the time between mike and mike in the morning and the dan patrick show on espn radio

Rorschach Test

This is a well written and interesting book, well worth the read. I was amazed at the books subtle tone which allows neo-conservatives to see a strong president taking charge and knee-jerk liberals to see a detached simple-minded bumbler. As I read, I was astounded that the Bush reelection site would be pushing this book (it seemed to present Bush in such a poor light). So I would read the passage again and find that, with a neo-conservative mind set, the same passage could be read as a ringing endorsement of the President. Amazing writing. The down sides are the book is way too short and covers way to little. It barely gets going, and it is over.

Woodward likes Bush

I saw all the news shows with Woodward and he seemed so critical of Bush. His book does not come off like that. If he has a problem with anyone it is Cheney. After 9/11 everyone screamed about why we did not connect the dots. Now that we are trying to connect the dots the very same people are screaming that we are trying to connect the dots. If Franklin Roosevelt had to fight WW II with our current press he would have been impeached for the " War atrocities " of Dresden, Hamburg, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki.

Bureaucratic politics

Bob Woodward takes the reader into a behind the scenes look at how short sided vision and goals are manipulated by hawkish bureaucratic politics and technocrats of the Washington system. Outlines personal agendas, strengths and weaknesses of the Bush administration.

Good, not great.

Good insight from different perspective of key players. Worth the read. I just wish there was a little more.

Disappointing

Simply put, it is not very interesting. All that is said in the book has been written about in newspaper articles. Maybe it were different if they published an unabridge version, but they didn't. I look forward to reading it, and found it did not add much to what I've already known. It is beyond me how anyone sees the book as flattering to Bush and his adminstration.

7 HRs of my life WASTED. Get AGAINST ALL ENEMIES

NOT what it was hyped as. This is Bush At War, part Deux. No surprises, nothing I didn't hear on the news or the many interviews that Woodward gave.

If you haven't paid attention to the news or want to hear a lot of BS about what a great leader *Bush thinks he is*, listen to this one, otherwise skip this one.

ZERO Stars. I kept waiting for the pay off, much like the WMDs themselves, but it isn't there.

AGAINST ALL ENEMIES was 1,000 times better.