Contents page lists "index" beginning on page 771; index not included in the book, but unnumbered page 771 refers to an online index at charliesavage.com/powerwarsindex.

Includes annotated bibliographical references (p. 705-769).

p.1. Obama's 9/11 -- The captive -- Acting like Bush -- Things fall apart -- p.2. War in the twenty-first century -- Look forward, not back (captives 2009) -- Stellarwind (surveillance 1928-2009) -- Targeted killing -- p.3. The security state -- Ratchet (captives 2010-2011) -- The leak crackdown -- Secrecy and secret law -- p.4. American-style democracy -- Wounds that won't heal (captives 2011-2015) -- Institutionalized (surveillance 2009-2015) -- The tug of war.

Barack Obama promised change from George W. Bush's global war on terrorism. But the Obama administration used drones to kill suspected militants and vacuumed data on Americans' phone calls. Obama criticized Bush's unilateralism and secrecy, but launched wars without going to Congress and presided over an unprecedented crackdown on leaks. With extensive reporting, Savage explores how and why Obama and his legal team--an elite, liberal group who vowed to restore the rule of law--end up accused of entrenching the sweeping powers of the post-9/11 security state. If legitimate, the accusation stands to change the legacy of Obama's entire presidency.