White House attacks Woodward's book again

Washington, Sept 13 : The White House has again launched an attack on Bob Woodward's new book "The War Within: A Secret White House History, 2006-2008" that criticizes President Bush's handling of the Iraq war.

It argues that the author's opinions in the book are not supported by his own reporting.

According to the Washington Post, the book depicts an administration riven by dissension over Iraq war strategy in 2006 and says Bush privately believed U.S. efforts were failing even while declaring publicly that the war was being won.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said: "A thorough and careful reading of the book leads us to conclude that Woodward's prologue and epilogue are not supported by his own reporting in the body of the manuscript."

Woodward's depiction of the military establishment as being marginalized in the debate over troop levels in Iraq, and his assertion that Bush "maintained an odd detachment" from the management of the war, had been the focus of the criticism.

The White House also faults Woodward's assertion that Bush "rarely leveled with the public" and "rarely was the voice of realism on the Iraq war." The statement again cites Bush quotations: "I know many Americans are not satisfied with the situation in Iraq," he said in October 2006. "I'm not satisfied, either."

However, the statement did not include another, widely noted quote from the same news conference: "Absolutely, we're winning," the president said at the time.

Yesterday's White House statement criticizing Woodward was the second in a week.

ANI