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AP Picture/Alex Brandon; Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Picture by means of AP; AP Photograph/Alex Brandon
Bob Woodward’s new book Struggle outlined a few startling revelations about what went on behind the scenes as the arena’s most contentious overseas conflicts unfolded. CNN obtained an improve copy of the ebook, which comes out October 15, and shared probably the most most stunning highlights.
1. Biden referred to as Netanyahu a “fucking liar”
Woodward described the communications between President Joe Biden and Israeli High Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the October 7 terrorist attack by means of Hamas, and Biden used to be it seems that increasingly frustrated over Netanyahu’s lack of a method for retaliation:
“What’s your strategy, man?” Biden requested Netanyahu during an April cellphone name, Woodward reports.
“now We have to go into Rafah,” Netanyahu said.
“Bibi, you’ve obtained no technique,” Biden responded.
As allies rushed to Israel’s aspect in its war in opposition to Hamas, Biden warned Netanyahu to “take the win” and “do nothing.” Israel then launched a strike against Iran, and Biden adjusted the goalposts. Nevertheless it was once Israel going into Rafah that set Biden off:
“He’s a fucking liar,” Biden mentioned privately of Netanyahu, after Israel went into Rafah, Woodward writes.
“Bibi, what the fuck?” Biden yelled at Netanyahu in July after an Israeli airstrike killed a prime Hezbollah military commander and three civilians in Beirut, consistent with Woodward.
2. U.S. intelligence knew about Putin’s plan to invade Ukraine months beforehand of time — Zelenskyy didn’t believe it was once actual
In October 2021, the Biden administration obtained an influx of treasured intelligence that Russia was planning to invade Ukraine. Woodward wrote: “It used to be an amazing intelligence coup from the crown jewels of US intelligence, together with a human supply within the Kremlin,” adding: “It was once as if they’d secretly entered the enemy commander’s tent and have been hunched over the maps, examining the number and movement of brigades and your complete planned sequence on the multifront invasion.”
When CIA Director Bill Burns advised Biden that this used to be what Putin used to be planning, Biden stated: “This could be so loopy.”
Biden confronted Putin with the intelligence twice in December 2021, first in a video convention and then in what Woodward describes as a “scorching 50-minute call” that became so heated that at one level that Putin ‘raised the danger of nuclear conflict in a threatening means.”
Biden spoke back with the aid of reminding Putin that “it’s unimaginable to win” a nuclear conflict.
Regardless of repeated warnings, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the concept that Putin would in reality invade, even after Vice President Kamala Harris informed him right through a February 2022 assembly on the Munich Safety Convention that an invasion was once drawing close.
3. There used to be a 50 percent chance that Russia would use nuclear weapons
Months after the February 2022 invasion, U.S. intelligence developed a “deeply unnerving review” of Putin, who was once now being seen as so determined to win that he could resort to deploying nuclear weapons:
In response to the alarming new intelligence experiences, the White House believed there was a 50% chance Russia would use a tactical nuclear weapon — a putting evaluate that had skyrocketed up from 5% and then 10%, Woodward reports.
“On all channels, get on the road with the Russians,” Biden recommended his nationwide safety adviser, Jake Sullivan. “Tell them what we will do in response,” he stated, in step with Woodward.
The e-book recounts a annoying cellphone call between Safety Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Russian counterpart in October 2022.
“If you happen to did this, the entire restraints that now we have been running underneath in Ukraine can be reconsidered,” Austin stated to Security Minister Sergei Shoigu, in step with Woodward. “This is able to isolate Russia on the sector stage to a degree you Russians can’t fully appreciate.”
“I don’t take kindly to being threatened,” Shoigu answered.
“Mr. Minister,” Austin said, consistent with Woodward, “I’m the chief of probably the most highly effective militia within the history of the sector. I don’t make threats.”
4. Trump stayed in touch with Putin after leaving workplace
Former President Donald Trump had an awfully completely different relationship with Putin — the 2 apparently engaged in non-public calls after Trump left workplace:
In one scene, Woodward recounts a moment at Mar-a-Lago where Trump tells a senior aide to leave the room so “he will have what he stated was once an individual phone name with Russian President Vladimir Putin.”
“According to Trump’s aide, there were more than one cellphone calls between Trump and Putin, maybe as many as seven within the duration on account that Trump left the White Home in 2021,” Woodward writes.
Woodward asked Trump aide Jason Miller whether or not Trump and Putin had spoken due to the fact that he left the White House. “Um, ah, not that, ah, now not that I’m aware about,” Miller told Woodward.
5. Lindsey Graham compared Mar-a-Lago to North Korea
Trump critic-turned-ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) had an alarming technique to describe a talk over with he made to Mar-a-Lago:
“Going to Mar-a-Lago is just a little bit like going to North Korea,” Graham said. “Everyone stands up and claps each time Trump comes in.”
Additionally alarming was how Graham described Trump to Woodward on the record:
As Trump framed his presidential campaign round worry, Woodward writes that Graham said of the previous president: “Trump is changing into more erratic. These courtroom instances. I think they would rattle anybody.”
6. The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Has a Burner cellPhone Simply For Trump
Graham was once also a part of a noteworthy anecdote about Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. All the way through a visit to Saudi Arabia in March, Graham apparently mentioned to MBS: “Hey, let’s name Trump!”
What happened subsequent bargains an interesting window into how the Saudi chief operates and communicates with quite a lot of world leaders and govt officers. Woodward writes that bin Salman had an aide carry over a bag with about 50 burner phones, pulling out one labeled “TRUMP 45.”
Among the others within the bag, Woodward writes, used to be a burner labeled “JAKE SULLIVAN.”
7. Biden’s call with George W. Bush after the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal
Woodward recounted a couple of gripes Biden had with these in the very unique club of former presidents. Among his complaints was with former President Barack Obama, whom he believed “never took Putin severely.”
Ahead of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Biden complained that Obama didn’t do enough to stop Putin in 2014, when the Russian chief invaded Crimea.
“They fucked up in 2014,” Biden mentioned to a chum, consistent with Woodward. “That’s why we are right here. We fucked it up. Barack never took Putin significantly.”
Biden brought, “We did nothing. We gave Putin a license to continue!” Biden was offended: “Smartly, I’m revoking his fucking license!”
Biden is also pissed off with Obama, but when it got here to Trump, Woodward wrote that Biden talked about him in non-public as “that fucking asshole.”
However it was once any other former president, George W. Bush, who referred to as Biden after the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan:
“Oh boy, I will take note what you’re going via,” Bush mentioned to Biden. “I obtained fucked via my intel people, too,” Woodward writes.
Battle via Bob Woodward hits cabinets on October 15.
The put up 7 Craziest Details to Emerge from New Bob Woodward Book About Biden, Trump and Putin first appeared on Mediaite.
