Still Studying the Swamp

Well, I've finished the Woodward and Ricks books from my list on my The Swamp is a Mess post. They have not much changed my thinking from that post.

I will say this, though. I'm pretty hacked off at Bob Woodward. I had doubts and questions about Bush, Rumsfeld and Cheney when they first started off on their military adventures. Both the lead up to the Iraq war and the execution there gave me great pause. The conduct of the Afghan war and the poor execution on hunting down Osama made me worry about these guys. However, Woodward's first two books made me think that I was be unfair in judging the Bush team's performance. Woodward convinced me to give them a pass for at least two years.

Now in his third book, it looks like Woodward is saying - oops, I made a mistake. I guess in those first two books I just accepted the White House spin hook, line & sinker. Now, I'm really telling you the truth. Unhappily, I do suspect that he is telling the truth now, but it's a little late in coming.

In truth, I can paint several scenarios that might explain what Woodward is doing/has done in these books.

1) One theory is that he simply wrote and published his books based on what would sell the most. When Bush is up in the polls, write flattering books. When Bush is down in the polls write a negative book. I hope this is not the case, but Woodward is certainly open to this criticism.

2) He really tried to do his best and was simply duped by the spinmeisters. In that case, it makes Woodward look like a tool and fool. If he was a Bush tool the first time around, then it makes me wonder whose tool he is this time.

3) Maybe Woodward's current book is either payback from Woodward or someone else. Maybe Armitage or Powell are hacked off at the lack of loyalty Bush showed to them. Maybe Woodward is pissed that Rumsfeld or others mislead him. Maybe Tenet is using Woodward to express his frustration. Regardless, the book can be criticized for being a payback. Of course that is due mainly to the fact that Woodward is trying to either take back the first two books or atone for those mistakes.

Regardless, I'm glad Woodward wrote this book. But I'm also pretty disappointed in him for having to try to undo the damage he did in acting as an apologist for the Bush administration in his first two books about Bush at war.