Bill Sykes' Newsletter
from America.
(May 2004)
An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear
or favor)---of the American Scene
Another day, another book:
 Distinguished
journalist Bob Woodward of Watergate/Deep Throat fame,
has written a new book entitled, "Plan of Attack",
which gives some disturbing behind the scenes accounts
of how and why President Bush decided to go to war with
Iraq.
Mr. Woodward, (and some of the details in his book), were
the subject of an interview held on the CBS TV program
"Sixty Minutes" which was broadcast on the evening
of Sunday the 18th of April 2004.
The following is a synopsis of some of the material discussed
during the program.
Apparently Mr. Woodward spoke to, or interviewed, seventy-five
unidentified key sources including President Bush himself
for the book. Of course there will always be some doubts
as to the motives of the people Mr. Woodward interviewed.
CBS, "Sixty Minutes" program executive producers
were allowed to listen to the tapes produced during the
interviews conducted by Woodward, and the information
provided was verified by comparing it to transcripts taken
from the tapes.
Here is a brief synopsis of some of the more enlightening,
and somewhat politically frightening, information that
Woodward apparently gained from the interviews.
(Note: These are not my words, they are taken from the
program interview which I have tried to quote as accurately
as possible. There were occasions that I found it very
difficult to separate or differentiate between Woodward’s
comments and actual recorded transcript conversations,
so it is pretty obvious that I cannot vouchsafe for the
authenticity of the material published.
-
Woodward reported that just five days after the
11th of September terrorist attack, 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 Hussein.
Woodward went on to say that the President’s
conversation went as follows, "There’s
some pressure to go after Saddam Hussein. Donald 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"
(My comment: Shades of the old British comedy radio
show with Tommy Handley - "Can I do you now sir"
- Great stuff this, but someone obviously needs lessons
in the spoken word and correct English grammar).
-
Woodward speaking: This is part of a secret history.
President Bush, after a National Security Council
Meeting takes Don Rumsfeld aside, collars him physically,
and takes him into a little cubby hole 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".
Question: If President Bush and Donald Rumsfeld were
sort of sequestered in a little cubby hole room, how
on earth could the conversation have been recorded.
-
Woodward describes Cheney in his book as a "powerful,
steamrolling force  obsessed
with Saddam and taking him out. "Colin Powell,
the Secretary for State, saw this in Cheney to such
an extent, he, Powell, told colleagues that 'Cheney
has a fever. It is an absolute fever. It’s almost
as if nothing else exists,'" says Woodward.
My Comments: Not having read Mr. Woodward’s
book, I can only anticipate that there is much more
cloak and dagger intrigue reported, but it suffices
to say that it all appears to boil down to the fact
that the President’s aims appeared to be more
of a thrust against Saddam Hussein and Iraq, than
retribution against Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda.
The above scenarios and claims in Mr. Woodward’s
book have of course been challenged and refuted by
the White house and the Administration.
We welcome feedback about any of the contents of these
newsletters. Please send all correspondence to bill_sykes@huddersfield1.co.uk
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