Rice Refutes New Book on Date That Bush Decided to Go to War

New York Times via Drudge ^ | 4/18/04 | KIRK SEMPLE

[Alissa]

Condoleezza Rice, President Bush's national security adviser, said today that the president decided in March 2003 to go to war against Saddam Hussein, not in January 2003, as a new book contends.

She said she was with Mr. Bush in Crawford, Tex., in January 2003 when he expressed his frustration with how weapons inspections were proceeding in Iraq. "He said, `Now, I think we probably are going to have to go to war, we're going to have to go to war,' " Ms. Rice recalled today on the CBS News program "Face the Nation." "It was not a decision to go to war. That decision he made in March when he finally decided to do that."

Ms. Rice's recollection corresponds with Mr. Bush's contention made in a televised news conference on March 6, 2003, that he had not yet decided whether to invade Iraq. "I've not made up our mind about military action," he said at the time.

But the new book — "Plan of Attack," by Bob Woodward of The Washington Post — contends that Mr. Bush decided in January to go to war and informed Secretary of State Colin L. Powell after the fact, in a 12-minute conversation that also covered other matters. Mr. Powell was the most skeptical among Mr. Bush's senior advisers about the wisdom of invading Iraq.

Ms. Rice, who appeared on three of the Sunday morning news programs, denied that Mr. Bush had kept Mr. Powell in the dark about the president's thinking on a possible invasion of Iraq.

In his book, Mr. Woodward said that at the request of Mr. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, even briefed Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Washington, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, on the American war plans before telling Mr. Powell. Mr. Cheney and Mr. Rumsfeld used a top-secret war map, supposedly off-limits to foreigners, to describe the administration's plan, the book contends.

"I just can't let this impression stand," Ms. Rice said on CBS. "The secretary of state was privy to all of the conversations with the president, all of the briefings for the president. They were in almost daily contact about what was going on at the United Nations."

She added: "It's just not the proper impression that somehow Prince Bandar was in the know in the way that Secretary Powell was not. It's just not right. Secretary Powell had been privy to all of this. He knew what the war plan was."

Ms. Rice's comments were the most extensive response so far by an administration official to Mr. Woodward's book, which began circulating earlier this week. The book provides the most detailed account to date of the debate and tensions between senior Bush administration officials in the 16-month period of planning and preparation that ended with the attack on Iraq last March.

Ms. Rice also defended the president's private request of Mr. Rumsfeld in November 2001 to devise a war plan against Iraq even though the United States was still heavily engaged in Afghanistan.

"By the end of November, things are starting to wind down in Afghanistan, and I do think the president's mind was beginning to move to what else he would have to do to deal with the blow, with the threat that had emerged as a result of 9/11," Ms. Rice said on Fox News Sunday. Iraq represented "the most hostile relationship that we had in the Middle East," she said.

"It's not at all surprising that the president wanted to know what his options were before he began a course of diplomatic activity," she said.

Ms. Rice, who repeatedly said on the news programs today that she had not read Mr. Woodward's book, denied an assertion in the book that differences between Mr. Powell and Mr. Cheney had poisoned their relationship and that they remained hostile toward each other. The book describes Mr. Powell clashing with Mr. Cheney, whom Mr. Woodward describes as being preoccupied with reports of links between Saddam Hussein and the Qaeda terrorist network. Mr. Powell regarded Mr. Cheney's intense focus on Mr. Hussein and Al Qaeda as a "fever," the book says, and he believed that the vice president misread and exaggerated intelligence about the Iraq threat and supposed terrorist ties.

"I can tell you, I've had lunch on a number of occasions with Vice President Cheney and with Colin Powell, and they're more than on speaking terms," Ms. Rice said on Fox News Sunday. "They're very friendly."

[Blue Highway]

And yet another attempt to discredit GWB. This anti-Bush campaign is like a weed. Just when one allegation is proven false, 2 more pop up in it's place. Anyone have any Round-Up?

[alloysteel]

Mr. Woodward pretty much made up the "conversations" he records in his book, much as he quoted from an unconscious Mr. William J. Casey of the CIA, and a mysterious figure known only as "Deep Throat", who may or may not have been a real person.

Woodward puts forth a series of guesses and passes it off as research. Considering the reliability of his citations, he would probably get a "D" on a high school course paper on this same subject.

But an "A" on originality and imagination.

[cyncooper]

Ms. Rice, who repeatedly said on the news programs today that she had not read Mr. Woodward's book

Notice the phrasing. Sounds like the NY Times doesn't believe her or wishes to convey to the reader a doubt about her credibility.

Whether due to malevolence or idiocy is a toss-up, since she's demonstrated she is honest and forthright and not a dissembler.

[Maria S]

It's my understanding that Woodward actually credits only one person by name...there are apparently about 75 other "anonymous" or "unnamed" sources that he uses in the book. Don't quote me...I THINK that's what I've read.

[Maria S]

"Anyone have any Round-Up?"

Do you reckon any of the northerners on this thread know what Round-Up is? Don't you just luvvvv bindweed? We've gone to Spectracide...works a lot faster and is cheaper.

(LOL! This really has a LOT to do with the important stuff in the world, doesn't it?)

[prairiebreeze]

Will somebody kindly explain WHY the reader should be concerned about a January 2003 date vs. a March 2003 date? What is issue about a two-month time span in deciding "when to go to war with Iraq"?

What the heck difference does this make?! (Except for the press needing to make headlines and attack Bush that is).

Prairie

[OldFriend]

Perhaps Woodward too, channels Eleanor Roosevelt and she gave him the incorrect date.

[Cobra64]

Kudzu in NC is tought to fight as well. I'd like to harvest a few of these vines, grind 'em up, and sprinkle it on Stainman's Chappaqua estate.

FWIW, Spectracide, full strength is my recipe in killing this nasty weed. Wonder if it would work on Libs and other Socialists.

[El Gato]

And yet another attempt to discredit GWB. This anti-Bush campaign is like a weed. Just when one allegation is proven false, 2 more pop up in it's place. Anyone have any Round-Up?

I think something more akin to DDT might be required. I think swarming insects is a better analogy than weeds.

[Maria S]

"Kudzu in NC is tought to fight as well. I'd like to harvest a few of these vines, grind 'em up, and sprinkle it on Stainman's Chappaqua estate.
FWIW, Spectracide, full strength is my recipe in killing this nasty weed. Wonder if it would work on Libs and other Socialists."


Kudzu just fascinated me when we were in NC! The stuff apparently grows (literally) about a foot a day. I read that Kudzu may be used to help with alcoholism...somehow it cuts the craving. I understand that Kudzu was apparently brought in during the great drought to help feed the cattle; the stuff grows under adverse conditions, I guess. Ha! It does NOT grow in the Texas Panhandle...I guess it doesn't like blue northers, bone-chilling wind, and snow.

Spectracide, full strength, would probably give a few liberals a bad stomachache. Not a good idea (no matter how much we'd like to!)

[GEC]

Doesn't Condi have a PhD?

Why isn't the NYT using an appropriate title?

[LibFreeUSA]

-"Condoleezza Rice, President Bush's national security adviser, said today that the president decided in March 2003 to go to war against Saddam Hussein, not in January 2003, as a new book contends."

Folks, please, let's stay calm here. All I can tell you, rgarding this Woodward book, is to calmly treat it as a big..."SO WHAT!".

This is nothing but more crapola coming from the Left. They gave it their best shot with Clarke, and they lost. Now. Take a deep breadth, and go about your normal business.

[Big Horn]

Woodward may get a "c" for fiction.

[pepperhead]

In his book, Mr. Woodward said that at the request of Mr. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, even briefed Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Washington, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, on the American war plans before telling Mr. Powell. Mr. Cheney and Mr. Rumsfeld used a top-secret war map, supposedly off-limits to foreigners, to describe the administration's plan, the book contends.

If what Woodward says is true and who knows with him. Maybe there is a reason no WMD were found, there could be Saudi leak.

[litany_of_lies]

I've been thinking (dangerous).

We have been too smug about the power of Talk Radio and the Internet to get out the truth.

The fact is, "they" (Reuters, AP, CNN, the oldline nets, BBC, NYT, LAT, et al) still have the cameras and still set the agenda. Talk Radio and the Internet is still reactive, not proactive. Fox News has tilted the imbalance a little bit domestically, but has had very little impact internationally since the end of primary hostilities in Iraq.

I'm beginning to think that a protracted and organized boycott of all of the "theys" above is the only way to change things. They can count their viewers and their subscribers, and will notice when they're losing them in big enough numbers. They need to lose a LOT of them (half or more), or they won't care, because for the most part, they don't mind losing money in the name of "the agenda."

Also, "somebody" needs to establish a non-leftist wire service with power and teeth. UPI is too small to matter. Are you listening, Rupert Murdoch?