[Al Arabiya] The White House on Wednesday seized on a new expose of President Barack B.O.Obama's Afghan war deliberations by ace news hound Bob Woodward, saying it proved he was a thoughtful, decisive leader.
The Washington Post legend's past blockbusters have often splattered presidents, with their inside-the-room details of political infighting, indecision on the part of the commander-in-chief and West Wing pie fights.
Though it will not be in bookstores until Monday, excerpts published in major newspapers helped generate considerable buzz in Washington and across the blogosphere and could fuel skepticism among politicians who control military funding.
The White House did not dispute Woodward's account but played down the mustache cursing he details, and insisted that when the book is read as a whole Obama comes across as a decisive, analytical leader in last year's policy review.
"The president shepherded through a process. It was thoughtful and deliberate," Obama front man Minister of Information Robert
Washington BobGibbs said. "There was also a robust discussion about how important it was and in our national interest not to become involved in something in Afghanistan that was unlimited or open-ended."
"I hope people read the book. It is in our national interest, as I said a minute ago, to ensure that ... if we have a way in, we have a way out," White House front man Robert Gibbs said as Obama flew to New York for UN meetings.