War by Other Means: An Insider's Account of the War on Terror

John Yoo, the key legal architect of the Bush administrations response to 9/11, delivers a fascinating insider account of the War on Terror. While America reeled from the cataclysmic events of September 11, 2001, Yoo and a skeletal staff of the Office of Legal Counsel found themselves on the phone with the White House. In a series of memos, Yoo offered his legal opinions on the presidents authority to respond, and in the process had an almost unmatched impact on America's fight against terrorism. His analysis led to many of the Bush administrations most controversial policies, including detention at Guantanamo Bay, coercive interrogation, military trials for terrorists, preemptive attacks, and the National Security Agencys wiretapping program. In fascinating detail, Yoo takes us inside the corridors of power and examines specific cases, from John Walker Lindh and Jose Padilla to an American al-Qaeda leader assassinated by a CIA pilotless drone in the deserts of Yemen. In a midterm election year, when the controversies over the presidents handling of the War on Terror are sure to wage more forcefully than ever before, John Yoos War by Other Means is set to become one of the falls most talked about books.