Bob Woodward’s book: The War Within; A Secret White House History, is worth reading. This is one of those books about the Iraq-Afghanistan war experience where Book II should be read before reading Book I. For example, it is helpful to know that President Bush is the one who, as Commander-in-Chief, authored the “Surge”, a sustained increase in the numbers of U.S. combat soldiers deployed to the war in Iraq.

It is important to know that the U.S. generals in command in Iraq and the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon opposed the Surge. The results have shown that President Bush was right in insisting on the Surge and that the generals were wrong in opposing their Commander-in-Chief. Armed with this knowledge from Book II it is easier to understand and assimilate the confusing and sometimes contradictory details laid out in Book I.

The end result is the presentation of a well researched, coherent and believable narrative. A less capable writer might have become overwhelmed by the myriad of rabbit trails that make their appearance in Book I, only to lead around in circles.

The final conclusion is that we are winning in Iraq, that war should only be resorted to as a last result, that once a decision to go to war has been made it should be concluded successfully and as quickly as possible. From the beginning, sufficient armed forces should be employed in war so as to not only rapidly win, but to provide for population control and security after the winning, and to ensure a long and lasting peace.