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50. NSC memo,"Conclusions of National Security Council Meeting," Sept. 17, 2001.
51. See NSC memo, Rice to Cheney, Powell, O'Neill, Rumsfeld,Ashcroft, Gonzales, Card,Tenet, and Shelton,
Sept. 16, 2001.
52. NSC memo,"Conclusions of National Security Council Meeting," Sept. 17, 2001.
53. NSC memo, Summary of Conclusions of Terrorist Fund-raising Meeting Held on September 18, 2001.
54. DOS briefing materials,"Fact Sheet on Response to Terrorist Attacks in US," Sept. 17, 2001.
55. DOS cable, State 161279,"Deputy Secretary Armitage­Mamoud Phone Call," Sept. 18, 2001.
56.White House transcript,Vice President Cheney interview with Dan Balz and Bob Woodward, Jan. 18, 2002,
pp. 7­8.
57. Stephen Hadley meeting (Jan. 31, 2004).
58. See National Security Presidential Directive 9, Oct. 25, 2001.
59. President Bush and Vice President Cheney meeting (Apr. 29, 2004). On Iran, see Condoleezza Rice testi-
mony, Apr. 8, 2004.
60. Richard A. Clarke, Against All Enemies: Inside America's War on Terror (Free Press, 2004), p. 32. According to
Clarke, he responded that "al Qaeda did this."When the President pressed Clarke to check if Saddam was involved
and said that he wanted to learn of any shred of evidence, Clarke promised to look at the question again, but added
that the NSC and the intelligence community had looked in the past for linkages between al Qaeda and Iraq and
never found any real linkages. Ibid.
61. President Bush told us that Clarke had mischaracterized this exchange. On the evening of September 12,
the President was at the Pentagon and then went to the White House residence. He dismissed the idea that he had
been wandering around the Situation Room alone, saying,"I don't do that." He said that he did not think that any
president would roam around looking for something to do.While Clarke said he had found the President's tone
"very intimidating," ("Clarke's Take on Terror," CBSnews.com, Mar. 21, 2004, online at www.cbsnews.com/stories
/2004/03/19/60minutes/printable607356.shtml), President Bush doubted that anyone would have found his man-
ner intimidating. President Bush and Vice President Cheney meeting (Apr. 29, 2004). Roger Cressey, Clarke's deputy,
recalls this exchange with the President and Clarke concerning Iraq shortly after 9/11, but did not believe the Pres-
ident's manner was intimidating. Roger Cressey interview (June 23, 2004).
62. NSC memo, Kurtz to Rice, Survey of Intelligence Information on any Iraq Involvement in the Septem-
ber 11 Attacks, Sept. 18, 2001. On 60 Minutes (CBS, Mar. 21, 2004), Clarke said that the first draft of this memo
was returned by the NSC Front Office because it did not find a tie between Iraq and al Qaeda; Rice and Hadley
deny that they asked to have the memo redone for this reason.
63. See DOD notes,Victoria Clarke notes, Sept. 11, 2001; DOD notes, Stephen Cambone notes, Sept. 11, 2001.
Cambone's notes indicate this exchange took place at 2:40
P
.
M
. on September 11, 2001. Steven Cambone inter-
view (July 15, 2004).
64. Condoleezza Rice meeting (Feb. 7, 2004). For an account of Rumsfeld's and Wolfowitz's position on Iraq,
see Bob Woodward, Bush at War (Simon & Schuster, 2002), pp. 83­84. Rice told us that the Bush at War account of
the Camp David discussions on Iraq accorded with her memory.
65. DOD memo, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy,"War on Terrorism: Strategic Concept,"
Sept. 14, 2001.
66. Colin Powell interview (Jan. 21, 2004). Rumsfeld told Bob Woodward that he had no recollection of
Wolfowitz's remarks at Camp David. DOD transcript,"Secretary Rumsfeld Interview with the Washington Post,"
Jan. 9, 2002 (online at www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2002/t02052002_t0109wp.html).
67. Colin Powell interview (Jan. 21, 2004). Powell raised concerns that a focus on Iraq might negate progress
made with the international coalition the administration was putting together for Afghanistan. Taking on Iraq at
this time could destroy the international coalition. Ibid.
68. Colin Powell interview (Jan. 21, 2004).
69.White House transcript, President Bush interview with Bob Woodward and Dan Balz, Dec. 20, 2001.
70. Condoleezza Rice meeting (Feb. 7, 2004).
71. NSC memo,"Conclusions of National Security Council Meeting," Sept. 17, 2001.
72. Condoleezza Rice testimony, Apr. 8, 2004; see also Bob Woodward, Plan of Attack (Simon & Schuster, 2004),
p. 22.
73. DOD memo, Wolfowitz to Rumsfeld, "Preventing More Events," Sept. 17, 2001. We review contacts
between Iraq and al Qaeda in chapter 2.We have found no credible evidence to support theories of Iraqi govern-
ment involvement in the 1993 WTC bombing.Wolfowitz added in his memo that he had attempted in June to get
the CIA to explore these theories.
74. DOD memo,Wolfowitz to Rumsfeld,"Were We Asleep?" Sept. 18, 2001.
75. DOD memo, Rumsfeld to Shelton,"Some Thoughts for CINCs as They Prepare Plans," Sept. 19, 2001. In
a memo that appears to be from Under Secretary of Defense Douglas Feith to Rumsfeld, dated September 20, the
author expressed disappointment at the limited options immediately available in Afghanistan and the lack of ground
options.The author suggested instead hitting terrorists outside the Middle East in the initial offensive, perhaps delib-
NOTES TO CHAPTER 10
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