The upcoming book quotes President Obama telling White House aides: "Everything we're doing has to be focused on how we're going to get to the point where we can reduce our footprint. It's in our national security interest. There cannot be any wiggle room."
Marvin Joseph-The Washington Post
Vice President Biden warned Obama that a major escalation would mean "we're locked into Vietnam."
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel.
Linda Davidson-The Washington Post
Obama senior adviser David Axelrod was considered "a complete spin doctor" by Gen. David Petraeus, head of U.S. Central Command during the 2009 strategy review.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Defense Secretary Robert Gates was told by Obama: "I'm not doing long-term nation-building. I am not spending a trillion dollars." The president rejected a request for 40,000 troops for an expansive mission.
Bill O'Leary-The Washington Post
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was at the meeting in October 2009 with Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Obama. They were told by the president, "I'm not doing 10 years" in Afghanistan.
Linda Davidson-The Washington Post
U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry said of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, whom Eikenberry says is a manic depressive: "He's on his meds, he's off his meds."
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs.
Marvin Joseph-The Washington Post
Obama had private meetings in May 2009 with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, left, and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.
Bill O'Leary-The Washington Post
CIA Director Leon Panetta.
Bill O'Leary-The Washington Post
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, is reported in Woodward's book to have been at odds with the president on Afghan strategy.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Dennis Blair was director of national intelligence for 16 months, resigning in May 2010 after an embattled tenure.
Linda Davidson-The Washington Post
Gen. David Petraeus is reported to have felt shut out by the Obama administration.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
During a hearing in June 2010 by the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) asked pointed questions about the Afghan war.
Linda Davidson-The Washington Post
Obama told Woodward in an interview that he didn't think about the Afghan war in the "classic" terms of the United States winning or losing: "I think about it more in terms of: Do you successfully prosecute a strategy that results in the country being stronger rather than weaker at the end?"
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Gen. Michael Hayden was CIA director from 2006 to 2009. He has been critical of the Obama administration.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
John Brennan has been assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism since May 2009.
Marvin Joseph-The Washington Post
Antony Blinken has been national security adviser to Vice President Biden since January 2009.
Robert A. Reeder-The Washington Post
Testifying on the Hill in February 2008 on the annual threat assessment are, from left, Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research Randall Fort, FBI Director Robert Mueller, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and CIA Director Michael Hayden.
Nikki Kahn-The Washington Post
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan in late 2009, joined Gen. David Petraeus in urging Obama to commit to 40,000 troops. The military leaders sought to fight the Afghan counterinsurgency in a fashion similar to the war in Iraq.
Melina Mara-The Washington Post
Gallery Credits:
Bob Woodward - White House "Inside Man"