At the heart of this book lies President Obama’s quiet rebellion against the entrenched Washington Playbook, the unwritten rulebook urging military intervention as the default response to global crises. Drawing from exclusive interviews and in-depth policy analysis, Steward chronicles Obama’s calculated defiance of conventional wisdom, especially in the Middle East, where every decision carried global repercussions.
Obama’s foreign policy was governed by a singular principle: “Zero means zero.” No ambiguous half-measures. No sliding into conflicts without end. For Obama, military intervention was not a solution but often a trap—one that drained resources, destabilized regions, and clouded America’s moral authority.
The book dissects the tension between political realism and the moral imperatives of the 21st century, exploring how Obama’s worldview clashed with military generals, political hawks, and foreign allies alike. It also raises the provocative question: can a superpower truly lead without the use of force?
 
Publication date: 16th January 2026
978-1-912440-83-2 pbk
978-1-912440-84-9 hbk
978-1-912440-85-6 EPUB