Confront and Conceal: Obama's Secret Wars and Surprising Use of American Power

In "Confront and Conceal, or "The Reckoning" as it's CD release is called, David Sanger, the Chief Washington Correspondent for The New York Times, provides an insider's look at the Foreign Policy President Obama, and how it transitioned from that of George W. Bush to his own.

There may be some individuals hesitant to read this book given that Mr. Sanger has three strikes against him (he's from NY, a Harvard graduate, and working for the NY Times). But being bright and having the credentials to gain access to administration insiders are keys to being able to compile and explain the facts. And Sanger does a good job of explaining where he thinks Obama has done a good job, and where he thinks the Obama decisions are problematic.

Sanger's show more book offers great insights into Obama's foreign policy decisions, and how they track or differ from the Bush decisions and policies he inherited. The topics covered are extensive, and include the decisions to take out Bin Laden, continued and expanded use of drones, Egypt and the Arab Spring, the different and conflicted decisions on Libya and Syria, the China dilemma, North Korea, etc. I thought one of the more interesting aspects of the book were the details provided on the Stuxnet cyber attack on Iran's nuclear program, and of the need for enhanced cyber security. I believe the book will provide anyone with a much better picture of the complexities of foreign policy decisions, and of the complex relations with our allies and enemies. show less

While this is a topical, important, and useful overview of Obama’s foreign policy posture thus far, it is not likely to be either politically or historically relevant after the upcoming election (i.e., Tuesday, November 6, 2012). In other words, this is a true “current events” title.

Some critics have rightfully pointed to the chapter on U.S. cyber-warfare efforts against Iran (aka “Olympic Games”) as revelatory. It certainly is a fascinating exposé, one that may very well justify the price of the book, but I found that the overall purpose of the book – to explore a wide-ranging survey of reportage dealing with the emerging “Obama Doctrine” – served a much more serviceable purpose. Sanger covers U.S. policy with show more respect to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, drone warfare, China, North Korea, and the “Arab Spring” (i.e., Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Syria). That’s a lot of territory for one politically oriented trade book.

Sanger is clearly sympathetic to the Obama administration’s plight, and generally paints a favorable portrait of their tenure (“Confront and Conceal” is a follow-up to its favorably-reviewed predecessor, “The Inheritance: The World Obama Confronts and the Challenges to American Power”). Still, it’s hardly a fawning encomium. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in current foreign policy challenges; however, it may be rather dull for policy wonks who are, perhaps, more well-informed than an average low-information voter. show less

Wonderfully informative re the wars in Afghanistan And Iran. A good expose on the use of predator drones and their effectiveness on the war on terror. They seem to be a reasonably precise weapon, if not perfect. There are collateral kills. Author is sycophantic and hagiographic re Obama which stretches his credibility.

If you like this kind of stuff it is a great read, current as of three months ago. Fascinating insight into Obama and his administration and fills in all the blanks of the last year and a half with respect to American foreign policy. Highly recommend it, Sanger writes well and has a good sense of narrative.

Pretty fascinating look at all the foreign policy issues and threats to national security from the last 3 years.