📖 Overview
Douglas Feith served as U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from 2001 to 2005 during the George W. Bush administration, where he played a significant role in developing military strategy following the September 11 attacks. His tenure included involvement in planning operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Feith is known for his 2008 memoir "War and Decision: Inside the Pentagon at the Dawn of the War on Terrorism," which provided his account of the decision-making processes within the Defense Department during the early years of the War on Terror. He has also been a frequent contributor to major publications including The Wall Street Journal and Commentary, writing extensively on foreign policy and national security issues.
As a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and former professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, Feith has focused on international relations and strategic studies. His academic work has centered on national security strategy, the Middle East, and U.S. foreign policy.
Prior to his role in the Bush administration, Feith served in the Reagan administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Negotiations Policy and as Special Counsel to Assistant Secretary of Defense Richard Perle. He received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and practiced law between his periods of government service.
👀 Reviews
Reader reviews of Douglas Feith's work, particularly "War and Decision," reflect sharp political divisions in reactions to Bush administration policies.
Readers appreciated:
- Detailed insider perspective on Pentagon decision-making
- Extensive documentation and footnotes supporting claims
- Clear explanations of complex policy processes
- Direct challenges to media narratives about the Iraq War
Common criticisms:
- Defensive tone in justifying controversial decisions
- Limited acknowledgment of policy failures
- Selective use of evidence
- Writing style called "dry" and "bureaucratic"
On Amazon, "War and Decision" maintains a 3.7/5 rating from 86 reviews. Goodreads shows 3.5/5 from 112 ratings.
One reader noted: "Valuable primary source material, but reads like a long legal brief." Another wrote: "Too focused on defending his record rather than providing objective analysis."
His academic articles and policy papers receive similar polarized responses, with readers' views often aligning with their position on Bush-era foreign policy.
📚 Books by Douglas Feith
War and Decision: Inside the Pentagon at the Dawn of the War on Terrorism (2008)
A firsthand account of Pentagon decision-making during the early years of the War on Terror, detailing military strategy development and policy discussions in the aftermath of September 11th, written by the former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.
👥 Similar authors
Paul Wolfowitz served as Deputy Secretary of Defense during the Bush administration and wrote extensively about national security strategy and the War on Terror. His views on foreign policy align with Feith's perspectives on American military intervention and democracy promotion in the Middle East.
Richard Perle worked closely with Feith in the Reagan administration and authored works on defense policy and counterterrorism. His books focus on similar themes of national security strategy and the challenges of confronting international threats.
Donald Rumsfeld served as Secretary of Defense during Feith's tenure and wrote detailed accounts of Pentagon decision-making in the post-9/11 era. His memoir "Known and Unknown" covers many of the same events and policy discussions that Feith addresses in his work.
John Bolton held multiple senior positions in the Bush administration and writes about American foreign policy and national security. His books examine many of the same policy debates and strategic decisions that characterized the post-9/11 period Feith documents.
Kenneth Adelman worked in the Reagan administration and writes about defense policy and international relations. His insider perspective on government decision-making and national security strategy shares common ground with Feith's analytical approach.
Richard Perle worked closely with Feith in the Reagan administration and authored works on defense policy and counterterrorism. His books focus on similar themes of national security strategy and the challenges of confronting international threats.
Donald Rumsfeld served as Secretary of Defense during Feith's tenure and wrote detailed accounts of Pentagon decision-making in the post-9/11 era. His memoir "Known and Unknown" covers many of the same events and policy discussions that Feith addresses in his work.
John Bolton held multiple senior positions in the Bush administration and writes about American foreign policy and national security. His books examine many of the same policy debates and strategic decisions that characterized the post-9/11 period Feith documents.
Kenneth Adelman worked in the Reagan administration and writes about defense policy and international relations. His insider perspective on government decision-making and national security strategy shares common ground with Feith's analytical approach.