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Plan of Attack
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Plot Summary of Plan of Attack
"Plan of Attack is Bob Woodward's journalistic account of the Bush Administration's planning process for the second Gulf War. Early in his presidency Bush decided that Saddam Hussein needed to be removed from power, and that it would have to be done through war. He asked General Tommy Franks to draft a war plan. Franks came up with a brilliant plan to win the war, but very little planning was done about securing the peace. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, National Security Adviser Condaleeza Rice and Vice President Dick Cheney were all very enthousiastic about the plan. Secretary of Defense Colin Powell, however, was worried about the "Pottery Barn" problem, which states "you break it, you own it".
"

Susanna Marlowe, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of Plan of Attack
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Kind Of History
History of military? Yes
Armed Forces: - Army
Specific war? - Iraq/Gulf War II

Subjects of this Historical Account
Ethnicity (if plays a major part) - European/White
Is the portrayal sympathetic? - Somewhat sympathetic
From a certain profession/group? - politicians
Intelligence of subject of history: - Smart

Main Adversary
From a certain profession/group? - dictators
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount
Religion? (if plays a major part) - Muslims!
Ethnicity? (if plays big part) - Arabic
Is the portrayal sympathetic? - Unsympathetic

Setting
United States Yes
Big City? Yes
City: - Washington D.C.
Middle East? Yes
If applicable, liberal/conservative? - Historian is very moderate

Style
How much gore? - 2 (a little)
How fast-paced is the book? - 6 (an above average amount)
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
Book makes you feel... - concerned
How much focus on stories of individuals? - Focuses mostly on history of key players
How much romance? - 1 (None)
Minor characters feature lots of: - politicians
Is this a kid's book? - Ages 16-Adult
Pictures/Illustrations? - A handful
Maps necessary? - Not enough maps
Length of book - 400-450 pages
How much emphasis on small details? - 7 (a good amount)
Most similar books to Plan of Attack
In the Company of Soldiers: A Chronicle of Combat by Rick Atkinson
The Thirty Years War by C. V. Wedgwood
We Were Soldiers....Once and Young by Hal Moore and Joe Galloway
The Tunnels of Cu Chi by Tom Mangold
Battles In Britain 1066-1547 by William Seymour


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Bob Woodward Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Susanna Marlowe  

SCHOLARS:
David Loftus  


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