Obama’s Wars

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Obama’s Wars Page 46

by Bob Woodward


  background, 32

  and Cartwright, 235, 236–37, 245, 272–73, 275, 294–96, 307, 312, 324

  confirmation hearings, 172–74

  and Eikenberry cables, 261–62, 272

  and hybrid option, 236–38, 275

  and Jones, 99, 100, 123–24, 141–42, 174, 196–97

  and McChrystal, 85, 118, 154, 165, 168, 196–97, 262

  and McDonough, 172, 174

  and McKiernan, 118, 119

  Morrell on, 173

  and Obama, 32, 33–34, 80, 118, 172–73, 196, 197, 271, 278, 312, 324, 326–27

  and Petraeus, 32, 80, 96, 104, 119, 142, 169, 173, 175, 196, 203, 206, 241–42, 244–45, 250, 254, 257, 261, 262, 263, 269, 270, 273–75, 278–79, 293–95, 302, 312, 313, 318, 322, 323, 324–27

  and Riedel, 99–101, 108

  in war game, 244, 245

  and White House, 95, 123–24, 172–74, 196–97

  Mumbai terrorist attack, 44–47, 106, 365–66

  Musharraf, Pervez, 63, 208, 209

  Myers, Gen. Richard B., 32

  Nad Ali (Afghanistan), 351

  National Defense University, 76

  National Press Club, 190

  National Security Agency (NSA), 7, 10, 25, 103, 122

  National Security Council (NSC), 41, 44, 71, 76, 79–81, 119, 140

  and Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy, 186–92, 202–4, 207–11, 214–33, 238–41, 248–55, 262–64, 268–83, 290–306, 348–49

  Jones as national security adviser, 37, 38, 39–40

  on Obama’s final strategy decision, 311–15

  principals meetings, 212–13, 238–39, 248–49, 261, 262–63, 352

  on Riedel strategy, 88–90, 96, 101–4, 110

  NATO, 102, 103, 123, 142, 152, 223, 225, 238, 250, 251

  additional troops from, 42, 150–51, 253, 275–76, 294

  Navy (U.S.), 198–99, 257, 259

  Navy SEALs, 8, 315

  Nawa (Afghanistan), 349, 358–60

  NBC, 48

  New York Times, 113, 154, 179, 183, 193, 198, 335

  Nicholson, Gen. Lawrence, 130–33, 358–61

  Nimitz, USS, 299

  9/11, terrorist attacks of, 1, 5, 10, 45, 49, 106, 122, 207

  Nobel Peace Prize, 213–14, 378

  Normandy, France, 124

  North Korea, nuclear program, 9, 52

  North Waziristan (region in FATA), 3, 26, 200, 366

  Northern Alliance, 215

  Now Zad, Helmand (Afghanistan), 130, 131

  NSC principals meetings, 212–13, 238–39, 248–49, 261, 262–63, 344, 352

  nuclear weapons

  in Iran and North Korea, 9, 52

  Pakistan and India, 35, 45, 345

  war game on nuclear attack, 362–63

  Obama, Barack H.

  and Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy review, 160, 161–69, 183, 184, 186–91, 204–5, 208–10, 214–18, 222–33, 239–43, 250–54, 257–60, 263–64, 268–81, 290–306, 348–49

  “Alternative Mission in Afghanistan” graph, 276, 277, 281–83

  at Arlington Cemetery, 266

  and Axelrod, 26–27, 74, 141, 191, 195, 246–47, 332

  and author interview, 11–12, 23–24, 35, 56, 97–98, 109, 116, 123, 160, 183–84, 275, 279, 282, 289–90, 311, 363, 369, 373, 375–78

  and Biden, 51, 62, 72–73, 80–81, 160, 163, 270–71, 275, 288–91, 305, 309–10, 323, 324, 328, 329, 332, 354, 372

  and Blair, 58, 121–22, 162–63, 341–42, 370–71

  and Brennan, 227–28, 229, 284, 289, 319, 321, 340–42

  cabinet selections, 13–14, 18–20, 23–24, 26–31, 58–61

  and Cartwright, 235–38, 307–9, 324

  and Clinton, 26–31, 39, 57, 72, 96, 102, 104, 148, 164, 169, 191, 209, 222–23, 250, 252, 254, 291, 292–93, 331, 334, 335–36

  and Donilon, 138, 188, 191, 195, 239, 276, 281, 289, 298, 302–4, 311, 312, 313, 316–17, 319, 321, 322, 343

  at Dover Air Force Base, 255–56

  draw down date for Afghanistan, 290, 294, 302, 305, 314–15, 319, 320–21, 324, 331, 335–37, 376

  and Eikenberry, 164, 217–18, 221, 296, 298, 329–30

  and Emanuel, 13–14, 74, 81, 104, 121, 122, 195, 207, 232, 247, 298, 311, 319, 327, 372

  final strategy decision, 290, 301–9, 311–17, 319–22, 324–31, 383–88

  first NSC meeting on Afghanistan, 79–81

  and Gates, 18–20, 23–24, 57, 118, 163, 189–90, 192, 197, 216, 218–20, 238, 240, 250–53, 254, 260, 270–71, 275, 280, 289–90, 292–93, 302, 303–4, 307–9, 312, 316, 323, 324–26, 328–29, 331, 334, 335, 340, 354, 372

  and Gibbs, 137, 194, 222–23, 232, 246, 248, 337, 342, 373

  and Graham, 62, 72–73, 207, 336

  and Hayden, 18, 48–56, 59, 93

  and Holbrooke, 72, 164, 210–11, 216, 222, 225–27, 230, 231, 233, 240, 296

  Illinois senate seat, 51, 55

  inauguration of, 74–75

  and Jones, 36–37, 38, 39, 51, 74–75, 88, 96, 123, 124–25, 126, 132–33, 134, 135, 137–38, 139, 140, 141, 161, 169, 179, 196–99, 237, 242, 249–50, 252–53, 254, 265, 269, 284, 289, 301, 307–9, 311, 313, 319, 325, 328, 329, 332, 334, 343, 344, 354, 363, 364–67, 372, 379

  and Karzai, 147–48, 229, 230

  and Lippert, 34, 49, 50, 138, 140, 144, 197–98

  and Lute, 80, 311, 312, 313, 319, 320–21

  and McChrystal, 120, 155, 161, 193, 194, 197, 263, 329–30, 349–52, 373–74

  and McConnell, 1, 2, 3–4, 5–11, 50–51, 55–56

  and McDonough, 49, 50, 114, 158

  meeting with Bush, 17–18

  meeting with Joint Chiefs, 257–60

  meetings with Powell, 174–75, 311

  and Mullen, 32, 33–34, 80, 118, 172–73, 196, 197, 271, 278, 312, 324, 326–27

  Nobel Peace Prize, 213–14, 378

  in nuclear terrorist attack exercise, 362

  opposition to Iraq War, 38, 75–76, 375

  and Panetta, 58, 208–9, 363, 364–67

  President’s Daily Brief to (PDB), 120–21, 166, 370

  and Petraeus, 14–15, 16, 17, 76, 80, 81, 96, 111, 112, 158–59, 183–84, 191, 205, 206, 225, 230, 231, 241–43, 257, 260, 267, 273–75, 276, 277, 278, 297, 298–99, 302, 312, 320, 322, 324–27, 337, 338, 349, 351, 373–74

  and Podesta, 1–2, 13, 19, 27–30, 38–39, 57–59

  and Rhodes, 113, 114, 213–14, 278, 298, 301, 305, 306–7, 331

  and Riedel review, 88–90, 96, 97, 104–10, 113, 141, 183–84

  speeches on Afghanistan War, 111–12, 113–14, 330–35

  terms sheet, 313, 314, 315, 316, 324–30, 385–90

  on terrorist threat, 363

  thoughts about Afghanistan War, 375–78

  on The Tonight Show, 109

  West Point speech, 334–35

  and Zardari, 115–16, 284–85, 287

  Obama, Michelle, 266

  Odierno, Gen. Raymond, 76

  Olympics, 2016, 193

  Omar, Mullah Muhammad, 7, 106, 162, 241, 286, 350, 355, 365

  Operation Black Medallion, 122

  Operation High Rise, 122

  Orszag, Peter, 251, 296

  Pace, Gen. Peter, 32, 36, 339

  Pakistan

  author’s visit to, 136–37

  Biden’s visit to, 62–65

  FATA, 3, 7, 8, 93, 187, 189

  India and, 4, 64, 87, 100, 108, 115, 116, 137, 162–63, 208, 209, 210, 215, 366

  Jones in, 136–37, 284, 285–86, 363–67

  Lute in, 363–67

  and McChrystal assessment, 162–63

  and Mumbai terrorists attacks, 45–47

  nuclear weapons, 35, 45, 345

  Obama’s letter to Zardari, 284–85

  Pakistani ISI, 3–4, 5, 45–46, 63, 64, 89, 116, 203, 285, 286, 355, 356

  Panetta in, 286–87, 363–67

  Petraeus in, 16–17

  Predator strikes in, 4–5, 25–26, 93, 106–7, 116, 117, 209, 284

 
Riedel review, 88–90, 99–110

  safe havens in, 44, 63, 121, 122, 215, 216, 224, 285, 288–89, 297, 302–3, 328, 356, 363–69, 379

  Strategic Implementation Plan for, 145–46

  Swat Valley, 115–16, 188, 286

  as threat to U.S. security, 3–5, 7–8, 43–44, 63, 89, 121, 122, 215, 216, 224, 288–89, 297, 302–3, 328, 363–69, 379

  U.S. retribution plan, 46, 365

  Zardari’s letter to Obama, 287

  Zardari’s visit to U.S., 115–16 see also Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy review

  Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military (Haqqani), 86–87

  Pakistan-Afghanistan border, 3, 42, 203, 212, 224, 235, 359–60

  Pakistan Afghanistan Coordination Cell, 118

  Pakistani Taliban, 115, 116–17, 136, 137, 188, 203, 361, 364, 365

  Panetta, Leon, CIA director and Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy review, 161, 202, 208–9, 224, 239, 247, 265, 352, 363–69

  chosen as CIA director, 57–58, 59–60

  confirmation hearings, 91–93

  on Karzai, 224, 352

  and Obama, 58, 208–9, 363, 364–67

  in Pakistan, 286–87, 363–67

  and Predator drone strikes, 284

  Pasha, Gen. Ahmed Shuja, 46–47, 225

  Pashto (language), 78, 150

  Pashtun (ethnic group), 65, 107, 186, 210, 264

  Patterson, Anne W., 136, 202, 210, 296

  Pelosi, Nancy, 307

  Penn, Mark, 30–31

  Pentagon Papers, 179

  Perry, William, 84

  Petraeus, Gen. David H., 14, 15, 16, 17, 32, 41, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 94, 96, 103, 104, 111, 112, 113, 119, 142, 148, 157, 158, 159, 161, 170–71, 173, 183–84, 186, 188, 190, 191, 196, 202–6, 209, 211, 214, 220, 221, 225, 230, 231, 373–74, 379–80

  as Afghanistan commander, 373–74, 379

  and Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy review, 170–71, 186, 188, 190, 191, 202–6, 209, 210, 211, 214, 220–21, 225, 241–43, 244–45, 250, 254, 260, 261, 262–64, 269–79, 291–94, 297–300, 302, 312, 318, 320, 322, 325, 327, 332–33, 337, 338, 346–48, 349, 351

  on Axelrod, 158

  background, 15, 17, 82, 84, 119, 148, 214, 263

  on Biden, 210, 291

  as Central Command commander, 14, 15, 16, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 83, 94, 96, 103, 111, 112, 119, 142, 157, 158, 159, 161, 170–71, 186, 190, 191, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 209, 211, 214, 220–21, 225, 231, 241–43, 244, 245, 250, 254, 257, 260, 261, 262–63, 266–68, 270–79, 291–94, 297–300, 312, 318, 320, 322, 325, 327, 337, 338, 346, 347, 351, 361–62, 373

  and counterinsurgency, 15, 17, 83, 84, 94, 103, 111, 112, 157, 158, 170–71, 183–84, 191, 203, 220, 225, 241–43, 244–45 257, 262, 269, 270, 272–75, 294, 297–98, 300, 317, 332, 338, 347, 349, 379

  and Eikenberry cables, 261–62

  and Gates, 16, 32, 75–76, 96, 103, 104, 119, 156, 171, 190, 192, 194, 202–4, 220–21, 241, 250, 254, 262, 270–75, 279, 292, 293, 300, 302, 312, 318, 322, 323, 325–29, 337, 338, 373

  and Harvey, 77, 78, 346–48

  as Iraq commander, 14, 15, 16, 76, 77, 82, 148, 156, 157, 188, 190, 204, 220, 225, 230, 241–43, 263, 271–72, 274, 275, 277, 297, 300, 317, 332–33, 338, 348, 380

  and Jones, 75, 94, 96, 104, 142, 146, 161, 194, 196, 202, 209, 242, 250, 254, 261, 262, 269, 313, 325, 332, 379

  “Lessons on Reconciliation” memo, 241–43

  and Marja, 351

  and Morrell, 159, 266–68

  and Obama, 14–15, 16, 17, 76, 80, 81, 96, 111, 112, 158–59, 183–84, 191, 205, 206, 225, 230, 231, 241–43, 257, 260, 267, 273–75, 276, 277, 278, 297, 298–99, 302, 312, 320, 322, 324–27, 337, 338, 349, 351, 373–74

  and Rumsfeld, 17, 379

  and Times Square bomber, 361–62

  and war game (Poignant Vision), 244–45, 275

  and White House, 94, 96, 158, 159, 161, 170, 171, 173, 186, 188, 190, 191, 196, 202, 203, 206, 209, 211, 214, 220, 221, 225, 241, 242, 251, 254, 262, 263, 267, 270–75, 291, 294, 297–99, 312, 317, 337–38, 349, 361–62, 379

  Phillips, Kyra, 267

  Podesta, John

  and Clintons, 27, 28–30

  and Obama, 1–2, 13, 19, 27–30, 38–39, 57–59

  and Panetta, 57, 58–59

  Poignant Vision (war game), 244–45, 275

  Political Hotsheet (CBS blog), 337

  Powell, Gen. Colin, 32, 174–75, 195, 257, 311

  Predator drone strikes, 4–5, 6, 18, 22, 25–26, 93, 106–7, 116, 117, 209, 284, 366–67

  President’s Daily Brief (PDB), 120–22, 166, 370

  PRT (Provincial Reconstruction Team), 135, 136, 248

  Quetta, Baluchistan, Pakistan, 7, 162, 286

  Quetta Shura Taliban, 7, 178, 241, 261, 356, 364, 365

  Qureshi, Shah Mehmood, 366

  RAND Corporation, 149

  Rangel, Robert, 331

  RDI (Rendition, Detention and Interrogation), 50, 53

  Reagan National Airport, 18, 23

  Reagan, Ronald, 19, 31

  Reed, Jack, 23

  Regional Command East, 70

  Regional Command South, 70

  Regional Command West, 155

  Reid, Chip, 337

  Republican Party, 17, 19, 32, 57, 62, 73, 204, 207, 298, 326, 371

  Rhodes, Benjamin, 113, 114, 213–14, 277, 298, 301, 305, 306–7, 331

  Rice, Condoleezza, 36, 44

  Rice, Susan, 224–25, 240

  Riedel, Bruce O., Riedel review, 88–90, 96, 97, 99–109, 111, 113, 114, 119, 124, 141, 144, 145, 164, 165, 168, 169–70, 183–84

  Rolling Stone magazine, 371–72

  RTRG (Real Time, Regional Gateway), 7, 10

  RT10 project, 7

  Ruggiero, Frank, 248

  Rule, Amy, 14

  Rumsfeld, Donald H., 17, 20, 21, 32, 36, 379

  Russell, Cathy, 40

  Russert, Tim, 48

  safe havens, in Pakistan, 44, 63, 121, 122, 215, 216, 224, 288–89, 297, 302–3, 328, 356, 363–69, 379

  Saleh, Ali Abdullah, 340

  Saleh, Amrullah, 215

  Saudi Arabia, 9, 170, 190, 216, 240–41

  Schlesinger, James, 84

  SEALs, Navy, 8, 315

  Search for al Qaeda, The (Riedel), 89

  Senate Armed Services Committee, 82, 123, 155, 172, 334, 335–36

  Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 62

  Senate Intelligence Committee, 91–93

  Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF), 3, 51

  September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks of, 1, 5, 10, 45, 49, 106, 122, 207

  Shahzad, Faisal, 361, 363, 364, 365

  SHARKFINN, 7

  Shedd, David, 54

  Sherman, Gen. William Tecumseh, 375–76

  Sigma Series, 244

  Singh, Manmohan, 46

  60 Minutes, 193

  Smith, Jeff, 92

  Somalia, 35, 227, 228, 297

  South Korea, 60, 248

  South Waziristan (region in FATA), 188, 201

  Southern Command (SouthCom), 342

  Special Access Programs, 235

  Special Forces, 149, 236, 315

  Special Operations Forces, 160, 170, 190, 287

  Status of Forces Agreement in Iraq, 76

  Steinberg, James, 1, 2, 203, 250, 371

  Strategic Command (U.S.), 235

  Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP), 145–46, 168

  Sudan, Darfur region, 53

  Surge of Hope (film), 16

  Swat Valley, 115–16, 188, 286

  SYLVAN-MAGNOLIA, 6

  Taliban

  Afghan Taliban, 3, 65, 100, 145, 187, 189, 203, 215, 241, 356–57

  in Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy, 185, 186–90, 202–4, 219–21, 224, 225–26, 228, 229–30, 259, 269–71, 297

  control of Kandahar, 42, 249, 349–50

  insurgency, 3, 42, 44, 70, 75, 83, 107, 128, 133–34, 249

  JSOC attacks against the, 315–16

&nbs
p; and McChrystal assessment, 155, 162, 163–64, 167, 170, 177–78

  Pakistani Taliban (TTP), 115, 116–17, 136, 137, 188, 203, 361, 364, 365

  propaganda campaign, 150, 238

  Quetta Shura Taliban, 7, 178, 241, 261, 356, 364, 365

  Tapper, Jake, 371

  Tarbela, Pakistan, 115, 188

  Task Force Falcon, 274, 275

  Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP), 115, 116–17, 136, 137, 188, 203, 361, 364, 365 see also Pakistani Taliban

  Taliban

  Texas A & M University, 23

  Thomas, Helen, 112–13

  Tien, Col. John, 311–12, 319–20, 322, 354, 360

  Tillman, Cpl. Pat, 154

  Times Square bomber, 361, 363, 364, 365

  The Tonight Show, 104, 109

  torture, 49, 54, 60, 91, 92–93

  trilateral summit, Afghanistan and Pakistan, 115, 116–17

  Turkey, 53

  Tweed, Boss, 65

  Tyson, Ann Scott, 142

  United Nations, 224, 357

  University of North Carolina, 109

  Urdu (language), 86

  USA Today, 21

  Veil: The Secret Wars of the CIA, 1981–1987 (Woodward), 128

  Vietnam War, 25, 50, 82, 97, 112, 129–30, 158, 170, 179, 195, 231, 244, 249, 250, 254, 258, 279, 306, 377

  Wall Street Journal, 171, 268–69, 273

  war game (Poignant Vision), 244–45, 275

  Wardak, Abdul Rahim, 67

  The Washington Post, 59, 113, 140–41, 142, 154, 157, 174, 178, 179, 182–83, 198, 246, 268, 307, 343

  waterboarding, 49, 55

  Watergate, 50

  Weekly Standard, 143

  Wesa, Tooryalai, 350

  Westmoreland, Gen. William, 195

  White House

  Oval Office, 11, 141, 174, 232, 301, 306, 307–9, 311, 313, 319, 325, 329, 354, 361, 378

  press briefings, 142–43, 247–48, 337, 342, 373

  Rose Garden, 116, 214, 373

  Situation Room, 75, 79, 93, 132, 161, 169, 173, 185, 206, 212, 247, 250, 268, 329

  State Dining Room, 204

  Wood, Col. John, 102, 113–14

  Wood, William, 69, 70

  World War II, 15, 25, 257

  WTF (Whiskey Tango Foxtrot), 132, 133, 141, 143, 194, 308, 358

  Yemen, 8, 35, 227, 228, 297, 340, 341–42

  Zabul province, 79

  Zardari, Asif Ali, 25, 26, 62–65, 115–17, 136–37, 200, 208, 284–85, 286, 287, 364–66, 367

  Zardari, Bilawal, 115, 116

  Zarqawi, Abu al-, 85, 190

  Zawahiri, Ayman, 18, 106

  Zazi, Najibullah, 122, 284, 285

  Zinni, Anthony, 138–39

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

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