Intelligence

About This Series; Plan of Attack - Wodward

About This Series (washingtonpost.com)

Thursday, April 22, 2004; Page A19
This series of articles was adapted from "Plan of Attack" by Bob Woodward. Information in the book comes from more than 75 key people directly involved in the events, including President Bush, war cabinet members, the White House staff and officials serving at various levels of the State and Defense departments and the Central Intelligence Agency. These interviews were conducted on background, meaning the information could be used but the sources would not be identified. Bush was interviewed on the record for more than 31/2 hours over two days, Dec. 10 and 11, 2003. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld was interviewed for more than three hours in the fall of 2003. Many of the direct quotations of dialogue, dates, times and other details of this history come from documents, including personal notes, calendars, chronologies, official and unofficial records, phone transcripts and memos. Where thoughts, judgments or feelings are attributed to participants, they were obtained from the person directly, a colleague with firsthand knowledge or the written record.

Sunday

Deciding on War

Soon after New Year's in 2003, President Bush made up his mind to attack Iraq. One by one, he told key members of his Cabinet -- and one prominent foreign ambassador.

Monday

Making the Case

In telling Bush that military action was the only feasible way of removing Saddam Hussein and then that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, the CIA contributed to the gathering momentum for war.

Tuesday

Cabinet Divided

Vice President Cheney and Secretary of State Colin L. Powell were longtime colleagues, but on Iraq they were bitterly divided. When it came time, however, Powell did as the president urged and put on his war uniform.

WEDNESday

The Special Relationship

For President Bush, the political future of his closest ally, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, was a powerful consideration.

TOday

Countdown to War

The frenzied day when President Bush launched an attack on Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

© 2004 The Washington Post Company

April 28, 2004 at 04:26 AM in Iraq | Permalink | TrackBack (2) | Top of page | Blog Home