Obama's Wars: Scorecard for the Inside Game

But seeing it in black and white is sure to sting anyway. Bob Woodward’s new book depicts in unnerving detail the personal sniping among the president’s senior staff as they debated the administration’s policy in Afghanistan in the past year-and-a-half.
The book, “Obama’s Wars,” comes out Monday, but it is already generating plenty of buzz on the Internet after the Times acquired an early copy on Tuesday. The Washington Post headline today reads: “Obama Aides Split Over War.” ABC’s George Stephanopoulos tags it as one of his “must reads,” calling it an “explosive new Woodward book.”
The picture that emerges is of an administration grappling with tough questions of war and peace, but doing so amid the palace intrigue of who’s up, who’s down and who’s not on speaking terms. It’s standard fare from Mr. Woodward, who has trained the same withering lens on previous presidents and their circle of advisers.
Some of the headline-grabbing passages from the 441-page book are already detailed in an account today by my colleague, Peter Baker. But The Caucus would like to offer few more tidbits, culled by the staff at the Times:

Gen. James L. Jones, national security adviser: Resented the president’s political aides including Rahm Emanuel, chief of staff; David Axelrod, senior adviser; Robert Gibbs, press secretary; and Denis McDonough and Mark Lippert, National Security Council officials. Called them “the water bugs,” “the Politburo,” the “Mafia” or “the campaign set.” At one point, almost threatened to quit when he was denied access to the president. Ultimately pressured Mr. Lippert to leave.