First published 2012
Barack Obama enters the White House facing a world ablaze with threats. In the Situation Room, he learns about America's new cyberwar capabilities and immediately escalates covert operations against Iran's nuclear program. The president must balance undermining Iranian ambitions while preventing Israel from launching military strikes that could ignite regional war. Obama accelerates drone attacks in Pakistan as an alternative to ground troops and relies heavily on Special Forces hunting al-Qaeda to find an exit from Afghanistan's unwinnable conflict. He overrules advisers to take the riskiest approach in killing Osama bin Laden and ignores their counsel when helping remove Hosni Mubarak from power in Egypt. David Sanger reveals an administration struggling with a dysfunctional Pakistan relationship, Taliban nuclear fears, and the challenge of maintaining American influence through lighter engagement while pivoting toward Asia during economic constraints.
Genres: military-fiction, 21st-century, espionage, current-affairs, political-thriller, american-history
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-allies, political-intrigue
Setting: Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, United States
Period: 21st Century
496 pages · Hardcover · Crown