To Start a War: How the Bush Administration Took America Into Iraq

Robert Draper presents a detailed examination of the decision-making process that led the United States to war with Iraq in 2003. Through interviews with over 300 participants and access to previously unreleased documents, the book reconstructs the crucial period between 9/11 and the Iraq invasion. The narrative tracks the key players in the Bush administration, including Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, and Condoleezza Rice. Draper reveals the internal discussions, intelligence assessments, and policy debates that shaped the path to war. The book documents how intelligence was gathered, interpreted, and presented to various stakeholders including Congress and the American public. The role of media coverage and public opinion receives particular focus through this period of heightened national security concerns. This account raises fundamental questions about executive power, the relationship between intelligence and policy, and the impact of institutional dynamics on national decision-making. The implications for modern American foreign policy and presidential administration continue to resonate.

Readers describe the book as a detailed chronological account of how the Bush administration made its case for the Iraq War, based on extensive interviews and documents. Readers appreciated: - Clear explanation of complex bureaucratic processes - Thorough research and sourcing - Focus on specific decisions and personalities rather than partisan arguments - New revelations about internal disagreements Common criticisms: - Narrative can become dense with details and names - Some readers wanted more analysis of broader geopolitical context - Limited coverage of events after 2003 invasion Ratings: Goodreads: 4.29/5 (426 ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (245 ratings) Sample reader comment: "Draper lets the facts speak for themselves rather than editorializing. The level of detail can be overwhelming but it helps show how many small choices and assumptions led to such massive consequences." - Goodreads reviewer Several readers noted the book pairs well with other Iraq War accounts by focusing specifically on the decision-making process within the administration.

The Afghanistan Papers by Craig Whitlock This investigative report reveals how U.S. government officials misled the public about the war in Afghanistan through documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests.

Plan of Attack by Bob Woodward This account details the 18-month period in which President George W. Bush and his advisers moved toward war with Iraq based on interviews with key administration officials.

The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright This narrative traces the path to 9/11 through the parallel stories of Al-Qaeda's evolution and the FBI and CIA's failed attempts to prevent the attacks.

Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq by Thomas E. Ricks This chronicle examines the planning and execution of the Iraq War through hundreds of interviews with military personnel and access to internal documents.

Chain of Command by Seymour Hersh This investigation uncovers the decision-making processes and intelligence failures that led to both the Iraq War and the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.

📚 According to interviews with more than 300 people involved in the Iraq War decision-making process, Secretary of State Colin Powell privately referred to Vice President Dick Cheney's staff as "the Gestapo office" due to their aggressive push for war. 🏛️ Author Robert Draper spent over 5 years researching and conducting interviews for this book, including unprecedented access to key figures in the Bush administration who had never previously spoken about their roles. 🗣️ The book reveals that CIA Director George Tenet's famous "slam dunk" comment about WMD intelligence was taken out of context and later used as a scapegoat for the administration's decision to go to war. 📊 The Pentagon's Office of Special Plans, created by Donald Rumsfeld, deliberately sidelined CIA analysts and created its own intelligence assessments that supported the case for war, despite lacking credible evidence. 🔍 Despite claims of a connection between Saddam Hussein and Al-Qaeda, intercepted communications revealed that Osama bin Laden actually referred to Saddam as an "infidel" whose "regime has lost its mind."