Journalist Shares War Secrets

CBSNEWS.com ^ | April 16, 2004 | CBS News Staff

[Hibernius Druid]

Legendary journalist Bob Woodward discusses his new book, which reveals secret details of the White House’s plans to attack Iraq, for the first time on television in an interview with correspondent Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes, Sunday, April 18, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Woodward interviewed 75 of the people who helped prepare for the war, including President Bush – the only source who speaks for attribution -- in the upcoming book, “Plan of Attack,” published by Simon & Schuster. Both CBSNews.com and Simon & Schuster are units of Viacom.

In the interview, Woodward talked about how the administration was able to finance secret preparations for the Iraq war.

"President Bush, after a National Security Council meeting, takes Don Rumsfeld aside, collars him physically and takes him into a little cubbyhole room and closes the door and says, 'What have you got in terms of plans for Iraq?' What is the status of the war plan? I want you to get on it. I want you to keep it secret," says Woodward.

"... The end of July 2002, they need $700 million, a large amount of money for all these tasks. And the president approves it. But Congress doesn't know and it is done. They get the money from a supplemental appropriation for the Afghan War, which Congress has approved. ... Some people are gonna look at a document called the Constitution which says that no money will be drawn from the treasury unless appropriated by Congress. Congress was totally in the dark on this."

In a preview of Sunday's piece, Wallace described a conversation between Mr. Bush and CIA director George Tenet in which Tenet assured Mr. Bush that finding weapons of mass destruction was a "slam dunk."

Woodward writes of a White House meeting on Dec. 21, 2002, attended by CIA Director George Tenet and his top deputy John McLaughlin, who briefed the president and the vice president assuring them that Saddam Hussein definitely possessed weapons of mass destruction.

"McLaughlin has access to all the satellite photos, and he goes in and he has flip charts in the Oval Office," Woodward tells Wallace. "The president listens to all of this and McLaughlin's done. And and the president kind of, as he's inclined to do, says, 'Nice try,' but that isn't going to sell Joe Public. That isn't going to convince Joe Public."

Woodward writes in his book, "The presentation was a flop. The photos were not gripping. The intercepts were less than compelling. And then George Bush turns to George Tenet and says, 'this is the best we've got?'"

Says Woodward: "George Tenet's sitting on the couch, stands up, and says, 'Don't worry, it's a slam dunk case." And the president challenges him again and Tenet says, 'the case it's a slam dunk.'"

And that reassured the president?

"I asked the president about this and he said it was very important to have the CIA director, 'slam-dunk' is as I interpreted it, a sure thing, guaranteed."

Wallace tells Woodward this is an extraordinary statement to come from Tenet.

"It's a mistake," says Woodward. "Now the significance of that mistake, that was the key rationale for war."

Woodward will answer the following questions, among others, in the interview with Wallace Sunday night: • How early did President Bush begin planning the war on Iraq? • In the war’s wake, which top administration officials now barely speak to each other? • What did the CIA say to President Bush to convince him that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction? • Which foreign dignitary was told of the plans to attack Iraq days before even key cabinet members were briefed? • Which key advisers did President Bush ask – and not ask – about whether he should go to war with Iraq? • Why did the CIA think Saddam had been killed before the ground war even began?

[Hibernius Druid]

Tonight the East Coast Liberal establishment is crowing "game over" for President Bush. A rapie, complete, and persuasive White House counterargument will be called for.

[speedy]

Exactly how many of these "bombshell" books are there? Seems like one a week. Not that this is being coordinated by Viacom or anything like that. Ho ho, no.

[Qwinn]

I'll care about crap like this the day I actually see CBS, the NY Times, the Wash. Post, etc., excerpt or cite a single line from Gary Aldrich's book, or "Losing bin Laden", or Lowry's "Legacy". These books are simply deemed not to exist by the media, meanwhile the Bush-bashing books get extreme and continuous coverage. A "persuasive White House counterargument" is pointless in the face of massive media bias this extreme, because the press will simply misrepresent that counterargument no matter how well crafted it is. The media must be exposed for the Soviet-style propaganda tools they have become - it's the only way.

Qwinn

[Hibernius Druid]

Dunno, Speedy, but it's getting to be the dirtiest presidential election campaign I can recall -- and I can recall more than I want to admit. Hibernius

[Hibernius Druid]

You're completely right, Qwinn, yet we've just got to keep trying to get our message out. Thank heaven for FR, talk radio, and a host of weblogs that are on our side. Hibernius

[bygolly]

"President Bush, after a National Security Council meeting, takes Don Rumsfeld aside, collars him physically and takes him into a little cubbyhole room and closes the door and says, 'What have you got in terms of plans for Iraq?' What is the status of the war plan? I want you to get on it. I want you to keep it secret," says Woodward."

OK, if they were in a little cubbyhole room with door closed, how does Woodward know what was said? Did Rumsfeld or Bush tell Woodward what was said? Who else was there? I'd say he likely has made some of this stuff up...with maybe a few facts thrown in to add some illusion of credibility.

[speedy]

Concur, HD, and I can remember a few myself. Even the campaign against Reagan, hysterical as the Libs were about him, was not this insane. You almost have to go back to Civil War times to find one this nasty, although being as objective as a congenital reactionary can be, it really does seem as if 99 percent of the nastiness comes from the Dems. I do think they may be overplaying their hand -- the Wellstone Funeral approach -- and this may be hurting them more than helping them. But it sure is infuriating to live through. And it will only get much, much dirtier. October is going to be Hell.

[Hibernius Druid]

We all know that Woodward is out to bag a big one (big like President Bush) before he retires, just as the modest Bill O'Reilly wants to bag Jesse Jackson, Hostage Negotiator sans Portfolio.

Problem is, the $700 million will be played up like Iran Contra money -- so we'd best get ready for the liberal deluge! It'll be torrential.

[Cicero]

I don't think this will get much traction. Even if it does, they published it too soon. It will be gone and forgotten by next November.

[dts32041]

Thats what I have been saying this campaign will be as nasty or nastier than the 1864 campaign.

A revered hero against a dumb as dirt republican president.

Copperheads are again rising from the swamp.

[wattsup]

I worked on plans to fight a middle east war in the 80's. Do you think someone can work up military plans for the 4 main branches plus civilian help in 2 months? Give me a break

[cyborg]

This is going to be a long election :(

[what's up]

This is a typical device used by Woodward in his books.

I tried to read one of his books a few years back but found this type of dialogue highly un-credible and corny.

[speedy]

"Copperheads are again rising from the swamp."

Yep, those snakes are back -- hard to tell them from Quislings sometimes. The GOP needs to start making that comparison more explicitly -- really drive the Dems into a frenzy. The truth CAN hurt.

[woofie]

"President Bush, after a National Security Council meeting, takes Don Rumsfeld aside, collars him physically and takes him into a little cubbyhole room and closes the door and says, 'What have you got in terms of plans for Iraq?' What is the status of the war plan? I want you to get on it. I want you to keep it secret," says Woodward.

If it was Clinton he'd be asking for a hummer.

[sgtbono2002]

I spotted that right offhand too, Does woodward have the closets bugged? Its a bald faced lie.

[MinuteGal]

Thank God that GW had a plan for an Iraq War.

I hope he also has one on the shelf for the White House press room.

Leni

[isthisnickcool]

Wait a minute! This does not make any sense! The Bush Administration is very secretive! It was just published in another book! By John Dean.

Didn't Howard Dean accuse Bush of "secrecy"? If I recall a lot of other Democrats have mentioned Bush and how secrecy is such a big deal. Here is something from the DU site. If you do a google news search on Bush secrecy you get all sorts of stuff!

I don't get it. How could Bob Woodward have gotten any information out of the Bush admnistration? It's all "secret"!!!! /sarcasm off

[ozzymandus]

Woodward is a has-been who hasn't gotten over his watergate glory days. His credibility is zero, even though the RAT lapdog media will idolize him for a few days. Eleanor rodham clift and molly ivens will swallow whatever woodward puts in their mouths, but so what? Remember when woodward claimed he interviewed Bill Casey when Casey was in a coma? How can the RAT media even pretend to take him seriously? The net effect of this latest propaganda book will be zero.

[G Larry]

A couple of Retired Col's were discussing on Fox, that we're pretty clear about the shipment of WMDs from Iraq to Syria.
How many months did we telegraph our intent, prior to setting foot in Iraq?
Saddam could have moved several palaces out of the country in the time we gave him.