Bob Woodward 60 Minutes Interview: Woodward Discusses His New Book On Bush (VIDEO)

A year and a half since the surge in Iraq, violence is the lowest it has been since the invasion. The idea of throwing another 30,000 troops into Iraq was a desperate gamble in a dark time. And only now are we finding out just how much opposition there was by the nation's top military leaders. That's among the revelations in a new book by Washington Post Associate Editor Bob Woodward.

"The War Within" is Woodward's fourth insider account from the Bush White House.

60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley sat down with Woodward for his first interview in advance of the book's release and asked him about the war within the administration after the surge was proposed by civilians in the White House.

Read full story here.

--OR--

Watch excerpts of the 60 Minutes interview.

Comments

[OsamaBinLimbaugh]

Way to go Woodward! Bush gave you full access, interviews and secret documents proving that the surge was his very own idea. You are a very useful man Bob Woodward. Very useful indeed.

[Gotcha54]

After watching the 60 minutes show today I think it's time to remove our soldiers in as fast as humanly possible. McSame's assertion that the surge is working is a "fool following a fool". I feel so bad for the soldiers that have giving their all for a war that is nothing but a political game for Bush! What a shame - the man should be tried for war crimes!

[keepemhonest]

Here's the REAL DEAL... IF: George Bush & Dick Cheney had NOT lied to this country about WMDs - just so they could get their greedy hands on Iraqi oil- then John McCain would not have made such a BAD DECISION to go to war... there would be NO IRAQ WAR- we would have defeated Bin Laden in AFGHANISTAN and there would NEVER have been need for any surge in Iraq. That's what needs to be remembered.

[Krankil]

"The decision about the surge was made in the white house without consulting with the Genarals on the ground contrary to what Bush has always claimed". Doesn't that remove any confusion. As I said in an earlier post: Bush realized that the only way out is to get the sunni tribals to fight al-qaeida and buy the Saddam loyalists. But that was a suggestion made by his critics and that he resisted for over 3 years. He can't be seen wrong because he talks to God every day and he takes his orders directely from God. God is never wrong. What a Karl Rove would suggest in a situation like this (since Bush has no brains and they call Rove his brains). Adopt the strategy suggested by the critics but add to it what McSame is recommending (surge), have a debate about it and hype its importance as much as possible while of course hiding the deal with the tribal leaders.. once we reduce the violence, we'll know how to attribute it to the surge: Rush Limbaugh, FAUX news and AM radio will do the propaganda. the rest of the media will just follwo

[vincfoster]

It's an absurd position to hold that the surge is this great achievement. I am appalled at the level of political immaturity in this country.

http://therejoinder.wordpress.com

[vincfoster]

January 20, 2009.

The Surge is being used to promote this idea that the administration laid the groundwork for troop withdrawal at some time in the future and since McCain supported it, we should somehow be relieved and vote for he and Sarah. Aka, Bullwinkle and Rocky!

[jhoughton1]

And what is this "surge" thing anyway? You're getting your ass kicked, you send in more troops. Generals have been doing that since the first cave men went at each other with sticks and stones. Why is Bush allowed to reinvent a standard tactic, brand it with his own brand and stand there grinning like he's the guy who invented hot water?

[JustDealWithIt]

Natasha and Boris

[OBXartist]

What everyone seems to be missing, or just ignoring, is that the Surge was not undertaken simply to reduce the violence in Iraq. The purpose of the Surge was to reduce the violence in order to provide an environment where the Iraqis could iron out their regional and sectarian differences, construct a fair and effective government, and development a gameplan for the nation's longterm stability. There were a number of criteria that were supposed to be met under the cover provided by the Surge. To date, the vast majority of these criteria have still not been met. So, the Surge, while successful in reducing the violence, did not achieve its primary goal. The purpose of the Surge, to reduce the violence, was a means to an end, not the end itself.

In actuality, the Sunni Awakening provided the opening for our Surge, and the backing off of the Sadr militias allowed us to concentrate our forces for maximum effect. What happens when we reduce forces again (we've got to leave sometime, no matter whose timetable you prefer), or when the Sunnis and Shiites begin shooting at one another again.

[LiberalBuzz]

You got it, but to listen to the pinheads on the right, the mere fact of a lessening of violence shows that this was all worth it. Part of the reason for the lessening of violence was also the ethnic cleansing that happened when the various factions finally got their "enemies" out of the controlled area.

It's amazing just how narrow minded they are when it comes to the invasion of Iraq. Just amazing.

[PurplePhase]

Your assessment is pretty much correct. The criteria were established by Congress in 2006 and are known as the 18 benchmarks. The Iraqis have been unfairly criticized by our government for not meeting all benchmarks. A review of those benchmarks indicates why. Most benchmarks require peaceful cohabitation between feuding sects. Benchmark #6 calls for amnesty and that's a tough one for the Middle East because their "eye for an eye" sense of justice compels them to settle scores with blood not forgiveness. Benchmark #7 calls for the demilitarization of the militias.

The impediments to meeting all benchmarks involve the cessation of centuries old feuds, convincing sheiks to give up their paramilitary power (militias) and ask them to trust a central government for security. That's something they have a hard time adjusting to and something too many in our government don't understand. Expecting such ingrained practices to change so quickly is like asking for miracles. It will take a longer time. No one knows how long but we know our involvement must diminish as the Iraqi government continues to take a greater share of responsibility and eventually all of it.

[Jetling]

The Sunnis joining in AND the Madhi Army on cease-fire simultaneously? Fortunate stroke of luck, isn't it?

Never mind about the billions that vanished over there.

The Surge isn't over, either...we're still feeling it out.

Meanwhile, another country has two opposing sides who wish to construct a fair and effective government that can develop a gameplan for the nation's longterm stability.

And one of them is certain that the markets can develop that plan after we keep them in charge.

[guamarcy]

Woodward's book reveal swhy General Patreas still is against pulling our troops out of Iraq. Bush is so obsessed with his view of the world, i.e. that the Iraqis should be grateful and that US style democracy is what every country and culture should aspire to, that he would insist that the next president pursue his goal of "not failing." We've already failed and will continue to fail if McCain is elected.

Barak Obama was NOT WRONG about the "surge," he was just analyzing the situation similarly to the generals who were fired for not agreeing with Bush. Barak Obama was NOT WRONG about the war when he voted against the war in the first place. Barak Obama was NOT WRONG when he advocated for a timeline to pull out our troops. Barak Obama was NOT WRONG about the inadequate forces deployed to Afghanistan where Al Queda and Bin Laden are headquartered.

McCain expects the citizens of the United States to be thankful to him and Bush for the surge's supposed success. As Barak Obama said, well they were the one's who drove the car into the ditch in the first place and the surge, to extend the analogy, was just a tow truck that pulled the wrecked car out of the ditch and the problem of a wrecked if not totalled car persists. McCain's solution is for the United States will have to stay in Iraq for another 100 years to repair the totalled car.

[4midable]

Why was 60 minutes replaced in the LA market by the tennis -- or is that a stupid question ? Was Woodward's book too hot for the surginistas?

[in4success]

vegas market too -- do you really not know the answer to this? cable companies are owned/operated by rovian neo-cons

[in4success]

okay -- now 60 minutes is on in the western US but, of coures, not corrected on the programming grids so many will miss it --

[johnbkk]

Yes let's focus on and debate the surge so we can ignore the fabrications or supreme incompetence that got us there in the first place.

[awcbuddy8]

Let's ask Joe Biden.

[speckitis]

Let's ask Obama....

[Doofus]

Even an idiot C-in-C knows that if you add 25% more combat troops to
a nasty situation, it'll have an effect. And if they're well trained, equipped,
motivated, & deployed well it should be a positive effect, tactically. So, it was.

Problem was, always has been, going there in the first place, which was stoopid.

George Bush basically devoted 7 years of his Presidency, and utterly huge amounts
of borrowed cash & military 'resources', to Iraq. WHY???

But the super-secret mystery 'weapon' is very cool, no? Let's get US some more of that!

[jenserlos]

Seem like the generals agreed with Barack about the Surge. The surge was not a success but the secret forces behind the scene and the spying on the Iraqi government.

[awcbuddy8]

If that makes you sleep better.

[speckitis]

No, it doesn't make me sleep better....

Those responsible for 9/11 still roam free while we attempt to rectify the colossal mistake that is the Iraq War.

[cylindar]

Woodword is a codeword for PsyOps.

[PurplePhase]

Woodword is a codeword for HasBeen.

[serecovery]

MEANINGLESS. 100% MEANINGLESS.

This issue has already been usurped by the McCain campaign. The Obama campaign has done absolutely nothing to directly challenge McCain on the surge. It doesn't matter that the surge is like putting lipstick on a pig. Pointless. The American populous is easily congealed to accept simple notions. Nuance? Are you kidding me? Detailed explanations? For who, us? Thanks, we already know the human waste that is this administration.

The Obama campaign can raise all the money in the world (including my $250 this month), they need an effective, simple message for the masses. Change We Can Believe in is stale.

[trubluelefty]

I have bought his books, won't buy this one or the story he is selling. I lived in Iraq and worked in Iraq and I honestly just do NOT buy this interview at all Bob... not at all. If we have such techinques to make Al Qaeda get their asses out of wherever with our new secret weapon then where is Osama Bin Laden ? waiting at the gates of Hell where I bet John M c Cain can greet him as he faces up to what he has proposed in his life for body counts! ? Why are pro life people so interested in killing people?