New book: Woodward Shares War Secrets

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Registered: 03-18-2000
New book: Woodward Shares War Secrets
18
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 8:40am

See link at the bottom for complete text of the interview. Very interesting.


>"Journalist Bob Woodward calls his new book, “Plan of Attack,” the first detailed, behind-the-scenes account of how and why the president decided to wage war in Iraq.

It’s an insider’s account written after Woodward spoke with 75 of the key decision makers, including President Bush himself.

The president permitted Woodward to quote him directly. Others spoke on the condition that Woodward not identify them as sources."<



>"Woodward says that many of the quotes came directly from the president: “When I interviewed him for the first time several months ago up in the residence of the White House, he just kind of out of the blue said, ‘It's the story of the 21st Century,’ his decision to undertake this war and start a preemptive attack on another country."

Woodward reports that just five days after Sept. 11, President Bush indicated to National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice that while he had to do Afghanistan first, he was also determined to do something about Saddam Hussein.

”There's some pressure to go after Saddam Hussein. Don Rumsfeld has said, ‘This is an opportunity to take out Saddam Hussein, perhaps. We should consider it.’ And the president says to Condi Rice meeting head to head, ‘We won't do Iraq now.’ But it is a question we're gonna have to return to,’” says Woodward.



“And there's this low boil on Iraq until the day before Thanksgiving, Nov. 21, 2001. This is 72 days after 9/11. This is part of this secret history. 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.’"

Woodward says immediately after that, Rumsfeld told Gen. Tommy Franks to develop a war plan to invade Iraq and remove Saddam - and that Rumsfeld gave Franks a blank check.



”Rumsfeld and Franks work out a deal essentially where Franks can spend any money he needs. And so he starts building runways and pipelines and doing all the preparations in Kuwait, specifically to make war possible,” says Woodward.

“Gets to a point where in July, 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." "<


>"”A year before the war started, three things are going on. Franks is secretly developing this war plan that he's briefing the president in detail on,” says Woodward. “Franks simultaneously is publicly denying that he's ever been asked to do any plan.”

For example, here's Gen. Franks’ response to a question about invading Iraq, in May 2002, after he's been working on war plans for five months: “That’s a great question and one for which I don’t have an answer, because my boss has not yet asked me to put together a plan to do that.”

But according to Woodward, the general had been perfecting his war plan, and Vice President Dick Cheney knew all about it. Woodward reports that Cheney was the driving force in the White House to get Saddam. Cheney had been Secretary of Defense during the first Gulf War, and to him, Saddam was unfinished business – and a threat to the United States. "<


>"“That decision was first conveyed to Condi Rice in early January 2003 when he said, ‘We're gonna have to go. It's war.’ He was frustrated with the weapons inspections. He had promised the United Nations and the world and the country that either the UN would disarm Saddam or he, George Bush, would do it and do it alone if necessary,” says Woodward. “So he told Condi Rice. He told Rumsfeld. He knew Cheney wanted to do this. And they realized they haven’t told Colin Powell, the Secretary of State.”

“So Condi Rice said, ‘You better call Colin in and tell him.’ So, I think probably one of the most interesting meetings in this whole story. He calls Colin Powell in alone, sitting in those two famous chairs in the Oval Office and the president said, ‘Looks like war. I'm gonna have to do this,’”"<


>"“And then Powell says to him, somewhat in a chilly way, ‘Are you aware of the consequences?’ Because he'd been pounding for months on the president, on everyone - and Powell directly says, ‘You know, you're gonna be owning this place.’ And the president says, ‘I understand that.’ The president knows that Powell is the one who doesn't want to go to war. He says, ‘Will you be with me?’ And Powell, the soldier, 35 years in the army, the president has decided and he says, ‘I'll do my best. Yes, Mr. President. I'll be with you.’” And then, the president says, ‘Time to put your war uniform on.’" "<


>"But, it turns out, two days before the president told Powell, Cheney and Rumsfeld had already briefed Prince Bandar, the Saudi ambassador. "<


>"this wasn’t enough for Prince Bandar, who Woodward says wanted confirmation from the president. “Then, two days later, Bandar is called to meet with the president and the president says, ‘Their message is my message,’” "<


>"For his book, Woodward interviewed 75 top military and Bush administration officials, including two long interviews with the president himself. Mr. Bush spoke on the record, but others talked to Woodward on condition that he not reveal their identities.

60 Minutes won’t name those Woodward interviewed, but we've listened to the tapes and read the transcripts of his key interviews to verify that his accounts are based on recollections from people who took part in the meetings he describes, including a historic meeting on March 19, when Bush gives the order to go to war. "<


>"Did Mr. Bush ask his father for any advice? “I asked the president about this. And President Bush said, ‘Well, no,’ and then he got defensive about it,” says Woodward. “Then he said something that really struck me. He said of his father, ‘He is the wrong father to appeal to for advice. The wrong father to go to, to appeal to in terms of strength.’ And then he said, ‘There's a higher Father that I appeal to.’"


Beyond not asking his father about going to war, Woodward was startled to learn that the president did not ask key cabinet members either. "<


>"”The relationship between Cheney and Powell is essentially broken down. They can't talk. They don't communicate,” says Woodward. “Powell feels that Cheney drove the decision to go to war in Iraq. And Cheney feels that Powell has not been sufficiently supportive of the president in the war or in the aftermath.”

Which of the two was more prescient about how Iraq would turn out? “All of Powell's warnings think of the consequences, Pottery Barn rules: If you break it, you own it. And that's exactly what has happened in Iraq. We own it. In a way, they've had victory without success,”"<


Quotes from 60 Minutes interview with journalist Bob Woodward...........


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/04/15/60minutes/main612067.shtml

cl-Libraone~

 


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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 11:43am
In January, I was posting that "the president has made up his mind" on the Hot Topics board, I had been arguing against the war since Oct; and had just become resolved to the uselessness of any war debate. When we started moving troops into the Middle East, war was imminent. I also read an article in the "Observer" that a aide of Tony Blairs says that he knew two weeks after 9-11 that Iraq was a target. Unfortunately, don't remember the link.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 11:44am
CNN Larry King.

Woodward on Iraq






Monday, April 19
Reporter and author Bob Woodward takes you inside the White House and the war in Iraq in his new explosive book, "Plan of Attack." Tune in at 9 p.m. ET as he takes your calls in his first live primetime interview.
cl-Libraone~

 


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Avatar for independentgrrrl
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 12:09pm
This was a promotional hit piece. Viacom owns CBS and the publisher of Woodward's book.

There are many other books out there that CBS won't cover because it doesn't fit in with the *bash Bush* agenda. The fact that the mainstream media is doing a blitz against our president is not lost on average Americans. From my conversations with friends (who just about cover the political spectrum) many are turning away from the mainstream press. They (especially a conservative Dem friend) are disgusted at what they describe as the *Bush-bashing Orgy*. This further supports my contention that the press is liberally biased.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 1:01pm

>"Viacom owns CBS and the publisher of Woodward's book."<


Yes 60 Mins. stated this clearly.

 


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Avatar for independentgrrrl
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 1:26pm
<>

Unlike with Clarke's book. The public outcry forced CBS to make the disclaimer. However, I find it interesting that they didn't state this in the beginning of the program but rather after the program. In most infomercials--which is what this was--the disclaimer is stated in no uncertain terms in the BEGINNING of the program. Were they afraid that viewership would drop after the disclaimer?

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I am aware of this. But don't you find it odd that there are too many unnamed sources that purport to corroborate Woodward's claims? It is hard to verify these sources if they are unnamed, KWIM?

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That's right. Are these allegations from these unnamed sources even verifiable as FACTS?

Until CBS does other book reviews with other veiwpoints, then I believe 'bashing' is the correct term.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2004
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 1:32pm
I seem to remember a few years ago when Woodward was discredited for claiming that someone told him something on their deathbed and the family of the deceased claimed he was lying and that he was never there and asked him to described the interior of the hospital room which he could not do. After that I don't believe *any* of his "facts" that cannot be verified.
Avatar for independentgrrrl
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 5:17pm
Apparently, Woodward has a history of fabricating stories.

*********************************************

Can You Trust Bob Woodward?

Reed Irvine

June 25, 1999

Bob Woodward's new book, "Shadow: Five Presidents and the Legacy of Watergate," contains material that has given rise to new charges that revive old memories of how "Mortuary Bob" has relied on lies, fabricated stories and other ethical violations to produce the bestsellers that have made him rich. Mr. Woodward is famous for his ability to come up with what he presents as verbatim accounts of confidential one-on-one conversations. "Shadow" contains many of these.

When Mr. Woodward appeared on "Meet the Press" on June 20, Tim Russert asked him how it was possible to find out what President Clinton and his attorney, Bob Bennett, said when they were talking one-on-one. For example, Woodward describes them strolling on the White House grounds, discussing the rumors "connecting Clinton sexually with various women." He writes: "'If you're caught...in the White House,' Bennett said, 'I'm not good enough to help you.' 'This is a prison,' Clinton responded. 'I purposefully have no drapes on the windows.' As for women, 'I'm retired,' the president declared, repeating himself emphatically, 'I'm retired.'"

Here is Mr. Woodward's answer: "There are all kinds of avenues and sources where you can get information, documents, notes and figure out- - - and significantly no one has challenged any of those conversations." Figure out what? It appears that he started to say, "figure out what was said." That would have been an admission that he makes up the dialogue and puts quotation marks around it, but he caught himself and abruptly changed course. Larry King pressed him on the same issue and got essentially the same answer, minus the revealing slip.

Mr. Woodward told Larry King, "The only thing I'm interested in is no one has questioned any of the information. They're discussing, like you are, who, what, where? I think the significance is that the information is exhaustively reported. It's not challenged."

But that is not true. Many of the conversations Mr. Woodward included in earlier books have been challenged. Victor Lasky, veteran journalist and author, found 36 statements in an earlier book, "The Final Days," that were denied by the attributed sources or declared false by those in the best position to know. In his 1987 book, "Veil," Mr. Woodward quoted 19 words that he said William J. Casey, the CIA director, had spoken in an interview with him not long after Mr. Casey had undergone brain surgery. This was a complete fabrication. Bill Casey could never speak intelligibly after his operation, and Bob Woodward never entered his carefully guarded hospital room. Mrs. Casey accused Woodward of lying, a charge he never challenged.

Jane Sherburne, a former assistant counsel in the Clinton White House, in a deposition taken by Larry Klayman of Judicial Watch on June 21, testified that Mr. Woodward had put words in her mouth in "Shadow" about a conversation she had with Hillary Clinton concerning a Newsweek article. She testified that the "dialogue does not resemble what I recall of the conversation."

She also testified that the interview was entirely off the record. She said Mr. Woodward called to tell her that when she saw the excerpts from his book that were to be published in The Washington Post she might think he had broken this agreement. He claimed there was no violation because he had heard of Hillary's reaction to the Newsweek article from many other people, and so he decided to put the words in her mouth.

Ms. Sherburne said that she had not expected to see anything she told Mr. Woodward in quotes because of their agreement and the fact that she had rejected a subsequent request that he be allowed to put some of it on the record. She testified that she sent a written apology to Mrs. Clinton, saying that "as she well knew, the dialogue was made up" by Mr. Woodward and that "to believe in Woodward's professionalism" was not good judgment.

Journalists have been fired for fabricating stories, lying and violating their commitments to keep material off the record. Bob Woodward's publishers and peers take no notice of his sins.

Pleas visit Mr. Irvine's site, AIM.ORG.

http://www.newsmax.com/articles/print.shtml?a=1999/7/15/65038

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 5:39pm

AIM.org???


iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2004
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 5:46pm
What do you know about AIM.org? I hadn't heard of them until today so I went to their mission statement; "Accuracy In Media is a non-profit, grassroots citizens watchdog of the news media that critiques botched and bungled news stories and sets the record straight on important issues that have received slanted coverage."

That doesn't sound untrustworthy to me. Explain what you know about them so that I can decide for myself how much credence to give them in the future.




Avatar for independentgrrrl
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 5:49pm
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And the NYT, Boston Globe, and CNN (to cite some examples) are? LOL

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How does one determine what is fabricated and what is truth in Woodward's works?

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