The Internationalists: The Fight to Restore American Foreign Policy After Trump

Well researched, very readable for experts and general readers, fascinating new insights on the inner workings of U.S. foreign policy from one of the most well-sourced journalists in WashingtonI’d definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in foreign policy and national security

If you want to know and understand Biden's foreing policy, this is the book to read. It is clearly explained, well researched, and engaging.

He writes very well but his scope is extremely limited to the usual msm. He is totally unaware of the fact they have less credibility.He is a party hack. I would like more info from outside sources. Independents will like the view of how the insiders perceive themselves and how they did things. Otherwise, they*ll find this author*scope severely limited to establishment cafe society of Washington, DC.

It’s an interesting topic but the book is poorly written. Topics are discussed without the needed context. The prose often turns purple, with terms like “rock-ribbed” showing up again and again. All in all it reads like an early draft from a first-time author who is still struggling to tell a coherent story.

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I have one ironclad rule regarding historical accounts - even those discussing recent events - they should at least attempt to be somewhat objective. If a book lacks any pretense at objectivity, then everything the author writes can be called into question.I did not sense that this book treated the events it discussed in an objective manner, hence I returned it after reading perhaps the first third of the narrative. I am not suggesting the author deliberately manipulated his account, but perhaps he preferred to write about events as he saw them rather than seek different viewpoints of those events.As a result, this book merely offers up another example of how difficult it is to write about history before the dust settles and before detailed analysis is available to help shape how events should be presented to interested readers. I freely admit my views are influenced by my own experiences writing history where I managed to not inject my personal opinions into my published works even though I had strong feelings about the material.Three stars for attempting to tackle such a complex and difficult topic with a fourth star for actually completing the book. That accomplishment alone is far more difficult to achieve than most people believe it to be.

Ward's book is similar in some respects to Bob Woodward's books. He drills down into how the administration made decisions and worked to implement its policies, describes who did what, and where people stood on various issues.I don't always agree with Biden's decisions on foreign policy, but the book describes a President and administration that are unusually experienced and competent. Biden's clearly running the show, and he's a got a deep understanding the issues he's facing and the facts on the ground. The team seems to be made up of well chosen people who are working as Biden's lieutenants. The dynamic seems different from what we've seen with less experienced presidents, who sometimes seem to be spun or managed by more seasoned officials or generals.As I write this, the 2024 campaign is heating up and many people believe that Biden is cognitively impaired. Ward's book never addresses that issue directly, but it's clear from the book that this can't be true. He's far too involved in everything that's happening.I hope Ward will write a follow up.

A fantastic account illustrating the wide range of foreign and national security policy aspirations, achievements, and blunders of the Biden administration.Ward weaves a masterful narrative of the Biden Dream Team’s time in the wilderness during the Trump Administration; the decision to leave Afghanistan and its corresponding disastrous fall; up to their fight to rally US Allies in an effort to thwart Putin’s second invasion of Ukraine. Ward expertly chronicles the efforts of the Biden administration to traverse the road to redemption through a collection of sources and accounts ranging from the President’s closest advisors and Washington insiders, to the special interest groups and foreign leaders that constantly challenged the administration’s efforts.The book is written to be approachable for the political/policy curious, but presents a depth only first hand accounts can provide that will keep the wonkiest among us turning the pages. It is an exceptionally fair account for fans of the administration, but tough enough to satisfy its harshest detractors. This book sets a high bar for future accounts of the Biden administration.