About the Book
Book: WAR
Author: Bob Woodward
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Price: Rs 999
In 2024, Donald Trump made a surprising return to the White House, defying expectations after his 2020 loss. His victory, alongside Modi's re-election, marked a pivotal moment in global politics, says KUMAR CHELLAPPAN
The year 2024 will be remembered by political historians for two major developments: the re-election of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister of India for a third term and that of Donald Trump as President of the United States. Modi’s victory was as expected, but Trump’s victory, having lost his re-election bid in 2020, was not so certain. The left-leaning media had written off Trump after his 2020 defeat, and it is rare for a defeated president to stage a comeback. However, Trump, a master at making the impossible possible, won a landslide in the 2024 election, defeating the entire left-liberal establishment. He proved that hard work is often the key to success.
You may either love or loathe Trump, depending on your political views, but the truth is, he can never be ignored. He first became President in 2016 when the US economy was struggling, and the country’s global image was tarnished. The infrastructure was in decline, and the US had become an industrial wasteland. “My mission is to make America great again. We have to retrieve the lost ground and make the people happy and content,” Trump declared during his campaign speeches.
Despite relentless attacks from Hillary Clinton, Trump held firm and focused on his mission. His dedication earned him significant support from voters. When he was declared the winner by a substantial margin, Washington and other major cities saw rioting by anti-Trump forces. The media quickly pointed the finger at Trump’s followers for the unrest.
The period between 2016 and 2020 saw the US recover from economic stagnation and terrorism-related challenges. For Trump, America remained his top priority, and he aimed to keep the US out of foreign conflicts. His main goal was to ensure no more coffins with US soldiers’ remains were returned from Asia and Africa. Under Trump, illegal immigration from Mexico and Latin America came to a halt, as he warned against job theft by outsiders. Drug trafficking from Colombia and Mexico, which had been a major issue, was also reduced, strengthening the US social security system. Like a soldier guarding his nation’s borders, Trump, at the helm of a major business empire, defended the social fabric of America. However, many in the US and abroad resented Trump’s patriotism and worked to oust him from the White House. It seemed a foregone conclusion that Trump would easily win re-election in 2020.
However, overconfidence led to his defeat by a narrow margin. Bob Woodward, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, had predicted in his book Rage (2020) that Trump was likely to lose. Despite strong economic performance, record-low unemployment, and the US staying out of international conflicts, Trump lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Woodward claimed that Trump was warned about the virus as early as January 2020, but he ignored the threat and paid the price for his inaction.
Other factors also played a role. The 2020 election was marred by allegations of fraud, with many believing it was manipulated by Trump’s rivals and hostile forces. Shiv Ayyadurai, an Indian-origin computer scientist credited with inventing email, raised concerns about the election’s integrity. According to Ayyadurai, the mail-in ballots used in Arizona had mismatched signatures, which were overlooked by election officials. Despite Ayyadurai’s efforts to prove these discrepancies, little attention was given to the alleged fraud.
In his book War, Woodward examines Joe Biden’s presidency and highlights three major failures during his four-year tenure. Biden’s inability to deal with Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is central to the critique. Woodward argues that Biden’s handling of the Ukraine crisis, in particular, was ineffective, and his approach to the Jewish state was also disappointing. The brutal 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which resulted in widespread death and destruction, will remain a painful memory for humanity. Protests in India, where groups like Hamas and Hezbollah have influence, added to the turmoil.
Woodward also reveals that US intelligence agencies had warned Biden in October 2021 about Putin’s plans to attack Ukraine. Yet, Biden seemed reluctant to take decisive action. The cause for his hesitation may lie in his son Hunter Biden’s involvement with Burisma, a major Ukrainian energy company, potentially jeopardising his ability to challenge Russia.
As I write this review, TV channels are reporting that President-elect Trump has issued a stern warning for all illegal immigrants to leave the US within two months. This is one of the promises he made during his campaign, and he seems determined to see it through. The Democrats and liberals have already expressed their opposition to this move. The next four years will be filled with action, and it will be fascinating to see how Trump’s administration navigates issues like Iran, Hamas, West Asia, Russia, and Ukraine. Woodward will no doubt continue to provide in-depth coverage of these developments.
