Bush's Wars

by Terry H. Anderson

From journalistic accounts like Fiasco and Imperial Life in the Emerald City to insider memoirs like Jawbreaker and Three Cups of Tea, the books about America's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan could fill a library. But each explores a narrow slice of a two wars launched by a single president as part of a single foreign policy. Now noted historian Terry Anderson examines them together, in a single comprehensive overview.Shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush told advisor Karl Rove, "I am here for a reason, and this is how we're going to be judged." Anderson provides this judgment in this sweeping, authoritative account of Bush's War on Terror and his twin interventions. He begins with historical surveys of Iraq and Afghanistan-known respectively as "the improbable country" and "the graveyard of empires," and he examines US policies toward those and other nations in the Middle East from the 1970s to 2000. Then Anderson focuses on the Bush Administration, carrying us through such events as the terrorist's attacks of 9/11, the invasion of Afghanistan and the siege of Tora Bora, the "Axis of Evil" speech, the invasion of Iraq and capture of Baghdad, and the eruption of insurgency in Iraq. He ranges from RPGs slamming into Abrams tanks to cabinet meetings, vividly portraying both soldiers in the field and such policymakers as Dick Cheney and Condoleezza Rice. Anderson describes the counter-insurgency strategy embodied by the "surge" in Iraq, and the simultaneous revival of the Taliban. He concludes with an assessment of the prosecution of the wars in the first years of Barack Obama's presidency. Carefully researched and briskly narrated, Bush's Wars provides the single-volume balanced history that we have waited for. This new paperback edition takes the story through the first Obama term, covering our exit from Iraq and the ongoing drawdown in Afghanistan.

Genres: History, Politics, Nonfiction, American History

311 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 14, 2011

Reviews

[Campbell Stites · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodness

[Brent Pinkall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very well researched and very well written. I came away with a much better understanding of the Iraq/Afghan wars. I especially found it helpful to see what was happening behind closed doors--conversations between the President and the CIA, disagreements between the Secretary of Defense and military leaders, etc. I'm sure I will find myself returning to this book again in the future.

[Matthew Mendenhall · Rating 3 out of 5]

For all things good and holy, do not make this your only reading of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. There is a reason why this book is only 200-225 pages. It is entirely concerned with proving George W. Bush’s incompetent leadership and the lethal flaws of neoconservatism based on the leadership of wildly arrogant elitists rather than its ideals. Anderson is a more than competent writer, even if he is far below the soaring achievement of Samantha Power’s investigative journalism.

[Juan Molina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book while taking Professor Anderson's course on the US after World War II. I learned a ton from this book that I never heard. As someone who grew up during the conflict, the book was really eye opening for me.

[Emma Jachimowicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Largely unbiased. Easy to understand for someone starting at not much background knowledge. I feel much more knowledgeable walking away

[Ellie]

for class

[Django · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anderson provides a harrowing look inside the belly of the beast that was responsible for an estimated 200,000 dead Iraqi civilians over WMD that didn't exist. As someone who didn't live through 9/11 and wasn't alive for the Iraqi war, the abstract idea of a corrupt government is exposed under Anderson's bright analytic light. The excerpts, the quotes, the data is all undeniable. I recommend this book to literally anyone who asks the question "why did 9/11 happen?". American imperialism examined at its finest.

[Phoebe Buckman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anderson says his sources are from google. That anyone could look them up, while I admire him doing research, I don't think this "history" can be considered scholarly. Also as these events continue to unfold I think his choice to call this book a history is wrong.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great narrative, great writing style, interesting story. Absolutely LOVE the cover photo!

[Blake Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book that explains well what the Bush administration was focused on. Anderson does seem to exaggerate and criticize Bush and his policies.

[J. Guerra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hell is real.

[Mark Levandoski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative. Interesting. Always good to obtain others viewpoint.