Book Review [Plan of Attack by Bob Woodward]

Abstract

In his Plan of Attack, Bob Woodward concentrates on behind the scenes accounts of how & why President Bush decided to go to war against Iraq. He reports that just 5 days after Sept. 11, President Bush indicated to National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice that while he had to do Afghanistan first, he was also determined to do something about Saddam Hussain. In his own words: “We won’t do Iraq now. But it is a question we are gonna have to return to”. On Nov. 21, 2001 (72 days after 9/11) President Bush after a National Security Council meeting takes Rumsfeld aside, closes the door & says, “what have you got in terms of plans for Iraq? What is the status of the war plan?” When Rumsfeld replied that his plans were out-dated, the President asked him to get them fresh. “I want you to get on it. I want you to keep it secret”.