The War Within (61 page)

On September 5, President Bush addressed:
Presidential Documents, September 5, 2006, pp. 1557ñ1565 (Vol. 42, No. 36), www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/v42no36.html.

The 29-page document:
"National Strategy for Combating Terrorism," The White House, www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/.

On September 11, 2006:
Presidential Documents, September 11, 2006, pp. 1597ñ1601 (Vol. 42, No. 37), www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/v42no37.html.

For the better part of an hour:
Interview with Congressman John Murtha, September 27, 2007, and interviews with other knowledgeable sources.

Several days later, on September 15:
Presidential Documents, September 15, 2006, pp. 1607ñ1620 (Vol. 42, No. 37), www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/v42no37.html.

So he wrote a memo:
Chuck Robb memo to Iraq Study Group members, September 18, 2006.

CHAPTER 13

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with a firsthand source and contemporaneous notes of a participant.

CHAPTER 14

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with five firsthand sources.

* * *

One Saturday morning in September 1991:
Interviews with several knowledgeable sources. See also Rick Atkinson,
In the Company of Soldiers
(New York: Henry Holt, 2004), pp. 37ñ38, and Lois Romano, "When Edwards Nips Senate, Dodd Bites Back,"
The Washington Post,
May 3, 2007, p. A23.

On September 19, the same day:
Presidential Documents, September 19, 2006, pp. 1638ñ1639 (Vol. 42, No. 38), www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/v42no38.html.

That same day, September 20:
Author's review and notes of a SECRET intelligence document dated September 20, 2006.

Later, when I asked the president:
Interview with President George W. Bush on May 20, 2008.

He forwarded copies of the report:
Author's review and notes of a SECRET snowflake.

CHAPTER 15

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with six firsthand sources.

CHAPTER 16

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with nine firsthand sources.

* * *

On September 30, General Casey presented:
SECRET document dated September 30, 2006, declassified by the White House in 2008 in response to specific questions asked by the author.

Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina senator:
Jim Davenport, "McCain Says Mistakes Made in Iraq War,"

Associated Press, October 25, 2006.

Virginia Senator George Allen:
Tom Raum, "Republicans Worry They'll Pay Heavy Political Price for War,"

Associated Press, October 23, 2006.

Kay Bailey Hutchison:
Ibid.

In Reno, Nevada, on October 2:
Presidential Documents, October 2, 2006, pp. 1713ñ1718 (Vol. 40, No. 40), www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/v42no40.html.

In Arizona, on October 4:
Presidential Documents, October 4, 2006, pp. 1734ñ1740 (Vol. 40, No. 40), www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/v42no40.html.

CHAPTER 17

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with nine firsthand sources.

* * *

They descended into the secure conference room:
Bernard E. Trainor, "Inside the 'Tank': Bowls of Candy and Big Brass,"
The New York Times,
January 11, 1988, p. A16.

At 10:45 A.M. on October 10:
Author's review and notes of a SECRET snowflake dated October 10, 2006.

At 11 A.M. on October 11:
Presidential Documents, October 11, 2006, pp. 1782ñ1796 (Vol. 42, No. 41), www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/v42no41.html.

On the Sunday, October 15, television talk shows:
Nedra Pickler, "Two Republican Senators Call for a New Strategy in Iraq," Associated Press, October 15, 2006.

At 7:40 the next morning:
Author's review and notes of a SECRET summary dated October 16, 2006.

CHAPTER 18

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with eight firsthand sources.

* * *

On Thursday, October 19, in Baghdad:
MNF-I press briefing, October 19, 2006, www.mnf-iraq.com.

A few days later, Rumsfeld sent a snowflake:
Author's review and notes of a SECRET snowflake dated October 23, 2006.

That same afternoon at the White House:
White House press briefing, October 23, 2006, www.whitehouse.gov/news.

As promised, Khalilzad and Casey:
MNF-I press conference, October 23, 2006, www.mnf-iraq.com.

On Wednesday, October 25:
Presidential Documents, October 25, 2006, pp. 1877ñ1890 (Vol. 42, No. 43), www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/v42no43.html.

CHAPTER 19

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with four firsthand sources.

* * *

Satterfield drafted a SECRET/NODIS:
Notes of a SECRET document dated October 31, 2006.

"The outcome will determine":
Presidential Documents, October 25, 2006, pp. 1877ñ1890 (Vol. 42, No. 43), www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/v42no43.html.

She called it "The Way Forward":
SECRET document declassified by the White House in 2008 in response to specific questions asked by the author.

CHAPTER 20

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with 11 firsthand sources.

* * *

Bush later told me:
Interview with President George W. Bush, May 20, 2008.

How did you pick Gates:
Ibid.

The colonels eventually pieced together slides:
According to the notes of a participant.

On Sunday, November 5, Bush welcomed Gates:
Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Jim Rutenberg, "Rumsfeld Resigns; Bush Vows 'to Find Common Ground'; Focus Is on Virginia,"
The New York Times,
November 9, 2006, p. A1.

"He worked in, you know":
Interview with President George W. Bush, May 20, 2008.

They debated a list:
According to the notes of a participant.

On November 6, the day before:
"Rumsfeld's Memo of Options for Iraq War,"
The New York Times,
p. A28.

Contents confirmed by a knowledgeable administration source in 2008.

When I asked the president two years later:
Interview with President George W. Bush, May 20, 2008.

In a five-page SECRET memo:
Michael Gordon, "Bush Adviser's Memo Cites Doubts About Iraqi Leader,"
The New
York Times,
November 29, 2006, p. A1; "Text of the National Security Adviser's Memorandum on the Political Situation in Iraq,"
The New York Times,
November 29, 2006, p. A19. Contents confirmed by a knowledgeable administration source in 2008.

Hadley dispatched a SECRET memo:
SECRET document dated November 11, 2006, and declassified by the White House in 2008 in response to specific questions asked by the author.

CHAPTER 21

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with ten firsthand sources and contemporaneous notes by two participants.

* * *

Just after 8 A.M. on November 13:
This study group session with President Bush is based on dictated notes from the Iraq Study Group's record, dated November 13, 2006.

I later asked the president:
Interview with President Bush, May 20, 2008.

When I spoke to the president later:
Ibid.

After the president left:
This study group session with Casey is based on dictated notes from the Iraq Study Group's record, dated November 13, 2006.

After the video teleconference:
This study group session with Hayden is based on dictated notes from the Iraq Study Group's record, dated November 13, 2006.

Next up was Khalilzad:
This study group session with Khalilzad is based on dictated notes from the Iraq Study Group's record, dated November 13, 2006.

CHAPTER 22

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with seven firsthand sources and contemporaneous notes by two participants.

* * *

At 1 P.M., Secretary Rice sat down:
This study group session with Rice is based on dictated notes from the IraqStudy Group's record, dated November 13, 2006.

Rumsfeld and Pace arrived at 2 P.M.:
This study group session with Rumsfeld and Pace is based on dictated notes from the Iraq Study Group's record, dated November 13, 2006.

The next day, November 14:
This study group session with Blair is based on dictated notes from the Iraq Study Group's record, dated November 14, 2006.

At 2:30 that afternoon:
This study group session with President Clinton is based on dictated notes from the Iraq Study Group's record, dated November 14, 2006.

CHAPTER 23

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with nine firsthand sources.

* * *

His SECRET briefing paper had read:
Author's review and notes of a SECRET document dated November 16, 2006.

"The original objectives of America's invasion":
Author's review and notes of "Advancing America's Interests: Preserving Iraq's Independence," a SECRET document dated November 17, 2006.

On November 18, the Defense Department representatives:
Author's review and notes of a SECRET document dated November 18, 2006.

The SECRET paper from the two Joint Staff generals:
Author's review and notes of a SECRET document.

David Gordon, the representative:
Details from the document given to the author by a knowledgeable source.

CHAPTER 24

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with nine firsthand sources.

* * *

Tom Ricks, a well-sourced Pentagon reporter:
Thomas E. Ricks, "Pentagon May Suggest Short-Term Buildup Leading to Iraqi Exit,"
The Washington Post,
November 20, 2006, p. A1.

On November 26, the Sunday after Thanksgiving:
Author's review and notes of a SECRET document. A similar document was declassified by the White House in 2008 in response to specific questions asked by the author.

He then presented a chart of nine key assumptions:
Author's review and notes of a SECRET chart. A similar chart was declassified by the White House in 2008 in response to specific questions asked by the author.

Meese recounted how Reagan had made the decision:
Author interview with Edwin Meese, June 15, 2007. The United States invaded the tiny Caribbean island of Grenada in 1983 after extremists, allegedly supported by Cuba and possibly the Soviet Union, staged a coup and overthrew the government. In addition, about 1,000 Americans were on the island and potentially needed protection or rescue.

CHAPTER 25

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with four firsthand sources.

* * *

"He was proud of his plan":
Interview with President George W. Bush, May 20, 2008.

Later, Bush told me about Maliki in Amman:
Ibid.

In a joint press conference:
Presidential Documents, November 30, 2006, pp. 2104ñ2121 (Vol. 42, No. 48), www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/v42no48.html.

And in a joint statement:
Presidential Documents, November 30, 2006, p. 2112 (Vol. 42, No. 48), www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/v42no48.html.

The week before, a barrage of car bombs:
Sudarsan Raghavan, "Sadr Casts a Shadow over Bush-Maliki Meeting,"

The Washington Post,
November 30, 2006, p. A19.

About this time, reporter David Sanger:
David Sanger, "Panel to Weigh Overture by U.S. to Iran and Syria,"
The
New York Times,
November 27, 2006, p. A1; David Sanger, "Iraq Panel to Recommend Pullback of Combat Troops,"
The New York Times,
November 30, 2006, p. A1.

On December 5, former President George H. W. Bush:
Peggy Noonan, "A Father's Tears,"
The Wall Street Journal,
December 8, 2006.

CHAPTER 26

The information in this chapter comes primarily from background interviews with 13 firsthand sources and contemporaneous notes by two participants.

* * *

Bob Gates headed to the Senate:
Congressional Quarterly Transcriptions, "U.S. Senator John Warner Holds a Hearing on the Nomination of Robert Gates to Be U.S. Secretary of Defense," Senate Armed Services Committee, December 5, 2006.

When I later asked the president:
Interview with President George W. Bush, May 21, 2008.

"I just received":
Presidential Documents, December 6, 2006, pp. 2126ñ2127 (Vol. 42, No. 49), www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/v42no49.html.

Bush said later that he understood:
Interview with President George W. Bush, May 20, 2008.

The news media treated:
Michael Abramowitz and Robin Wright, "Iraq Panel Proposes Major Strategy Shift,"
The
Washington Post,
December 7, 2006, p. A1; David Sanger, "Panel Urges Basic Shift in U.S. Policy in Iraq,"
The
New York Times,
December 7, 2006, p. A1.

"This was such a sobering report!":
David Montgomery, "Footnote to History: Rituals of Delivering the Iraq Report,"
The Washington Post,
December 7, 2006, p. C1.

"There's almost a biblical thing":
Ibid.

One SECRET document:
Document dated December 7, 2006, and declassified by the White House in 2008 in response to specific questions asked by the author.

Another five-page SECRET document:
Document dated December 7, 2006, and declassified by the White House in 2008 in response to specific questions asked by the author.

At the NSC meeting December 8:
Notes of a participant at the December 8, 2006, NSC meeting and interviews with other knowledgeable sources.

In a later interview, Bush told me:
Interview with President George W. Bush, May 20, 2008.