The architects of the Iraq war: where are they today? TruthOut, April 5, 2006

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" Arlene Montemarano " <mikarl

Fri, 07 Apr 2006 09:08:32 -0400

[Fwd: The architects of the Iraq war: where are they today?

TruthOut, April 5, 2006

 

 

http://thinkprogress.org/the-architects-where-are-they-now

 

 

 

The Architects of War: Where are They Now?

ThinkProgress.com

 

Wednesday 05 April 2006

 

President Bush has not fired any of the architects of the Iraq

war. In fact, a review of the key planners of the conflict reveals

that they have been rewarded - not blamed - for their incompetence.

 

 

 

Paul Wolfowitz

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: Wolfowitz said the U.S. would be greeted as

liberators, that Iraqi oil money for pay for the reconstruction, and

that Gen. Eric Shinseki's estimate that several hundred thousand

troops would be needed was " wildly off the mark. " [Washington Post,

12/8/05]

 

Where He Is Now: Bush promoted Wolfowitz to head the World Bank in

March 2005. [Washington Post, 3/17/05]

 

Key Quote: " We are dealing with a country that can really finance

its own reconstruction and relatively soon. " [Wolfowitz, 3/27/03]

 

 

 

Douglas Feith

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: As Undersecretary of Defense for Policy,

Feith spearheaded two secretive groups at the Pentagon - the Counter

Terrorism Evaluation Group and the Office of Special Plans - that were

instrumental in drawing up documents that explained the supposed ties

between Saddam and al Qaeda. The groups were " created in order to find

evidence of what Wolfowitz and his boss, Defense Secretary Donald

Rumsfeld, believed to be true. " Colin Powell referred to Feith's

operation as the Gestapo. In Bob Woodward's Plan of Attack, former

CentCom Commander Gen. Tommy Franks called Feith the " f***ing

stupidest guy on the face of the earth. " [LAT, 1/27/05; NYT, 4/28/04;

New Yorker, 5/12/03; Plan of Attack, p.281]

 

Where He Is Now: Feith voluntarily resigned from the Defense

Department shortly after Bush's reelection. He is co-chairman of a

project at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government

to write an academic book on how to fight terrorism. Feith's secretive

groups at the Pentagon are under investigation by the Pentagon and the

Senate Intelligence Committee for intelligence failures. [Washington

Post, 1/27/05, 11/18/05; Washington Times, 3/3/06]

 

Key Quote: " I am not asserting to you that I know that the answer

is - we did it right. What I am saying is it's an extremely complex

judgment to know whether the course that we chose with its pros and

cons was more sensible. " [Washington Post, 7/13/05]

 

 

 

Stephen Hadley

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: As then-Deputy National Security Advisor,

Hadley disregarded memos from the CIA and a personal phone call from George Tenet warning that references to Iraq's pursuit of

uranium be dropped from Bush's speeches. The false information ended

up in Bush's 2003 State of the Union address. [Washington Post, 7/23/03]

 

Where He Is Now: On January 26, 2005, Stephen Hadley was promoted

to National Security Advisor. [White House bio]

 

Key Quote: " I should have recalled at the time of the State of the

Union speech that there was controversy associated with the uranium

issue. … And it is now clear to me that I failed in that

responsibility in connection with the inclusion of these 16 words in

the speech that he gave on the 28th of January. " [Hadley, 7/22/03]

 

 

 

Richard Perle

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: Richard Perle, the so-called " Prince of

Darkness, " was the chairman of Defense Policy Board during the run-up

to the Iraq war. He suggested Iraq had a hand in 9-11. In 1996, he

authored " Clean Break, " a paper that was co-signed by Douglas Feith,

David Wurmser, and others that argued for regime change in Iraq.

Shortly after the war began, Perle resigned from the Board because he

came under fire for having relationships with businesses that stood to

profit from the war. [Guardian, 9/3/02, 3/28/03; AFP, 8/9/02]

 

Where He Is Now: Currently, Perle is a resident fellow at the

American Enterprise Institute where he specializes in national

security and defense issues. He has been investigated for ethical

violations concerning war profiteering and other conflicts of

interest. [Washington Post, 9/1/04]

 

Key Quote: " And a year from now, I'll be very surprised if there

is not some grand square in Baghdad that is named after President

Bush. There is no doubt that, with the exception of a very small

number of people close to a vicious regime, the people of Iraq have

been liberated and they understand that they've been liberated. And it

is getting easier every day for Iraqis to express that sense of

liberation. " [Perle, 9/22/03]

 

 

 

Elliot Abrams

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: Abrams was one of the defendants in the

Iran-Contra Affair, and he pled guilty to two misdemeanor counts of

withholding information from Congress. He was appointed Special

Assistant to the President and Senior Director on the National

Security Council for Near East and North African Affairs during Bush's

first term, where he served as Bush's chief advisor on the Middle

East. His name surfaced as part of the investigation into who leaked

the name of a undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame. [Washington

Post, 5/27/03, 2/3/05]

 

Where He Is Now: Abrams was promoted to deputy national security

adviser in February of 2005. [slate, 2/17/05]

 

Key Quote: " We recognize that military action in Iraq, if

necessary, will have adverse humanitarian consequences. We have been

planning over the last several months, across all relevant agencies,

to limit any such consequences and provide relief quickly. " [CNN, 2/25/03]

 

 

 

David Wurmser

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: At the time of the war, Wurmser was a

special assistant to John Bolton in the State Department. Wurmser has

long advocated the belief that both Syria and Iraq represented threats

to the stability of the Middle East. In early 2001, Wurmser had issued

a call for air strikes against Iraq and Syria. Along with Perle, he is

considered a main author of " Clean Break. " [Asia Times, 4/17/03;

Guardian, 9/3/02]

 

Where He Is Now: Wurmser was promoted to Principal Deputy

Assistant to the Vice President for National Security Affairs; he is

in charge of coordinating Middle East strategy. His name has been

associated with the Plame Affair and with an FBI investigation into

the passing of classified information to Chalabi and AIPAC. [Raw

Story, 10/19/05; Washington Post, 9/4/04]

 

Key Quote: " Syria, Iran, Iraq, the PLO and Sudan are playing a

skillful game, but have consistently worked to undermine US interests

and influence in the region for years, and certainly will continue to

do so now, even if they momentarily, out of fear, seem more

forthcoming. " [Washington Post, 9/24/01]

 

 

 

Andrew Natsios

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: Shortly after the invasion of Iraq, Andrew

Natsios, then the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International

Development, went on Nightline and claimed that the U.S. contribution

to the rebuilding of Iraq would be just $1.7 billion. When it became

quickly apparent that Natsios' prediction would fall woefully short of

reality, the government came under fire for scrubbing his comments

from the USAID Web site. [Washington Post, 12/18/03; ABC News, 4/23/03]

 

Where He Is Now: Natsios stepped down as the head of USAID in

January and is currently teaching at Georgetown University's Edmund A.

Walsh's School of Foreign Service as a Distinguished Professor in the

Practice of Diplomacy and Advisor on International Development. [AP,

2/20/06; Georgetown, 12/2/05]

 

Key Quote: " [T]he American part of this will be $1.7 billion. We

have no plans for any further-on funding for this. " [Nightline, 4/23/03]

 

 

 

Dan Bartlett

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: Dan Bartlett was the White House

Communications Director at the time of the war and was a mouthpiece in

hyping the Iraq threat. Bartlett was also a regular participant in the

weekly meetings of the White House Iraq Group (WHIG). The main purpose

of the group was the systematic coordination of the " marketing " of

going to war with Iraq as well as selling the war here at home.

[Washington Post, 8/10/03]

 

Where He Is Now: Bartlett was promoted to Counselor to the

President on January 5, 2005, and is responsible for the formulation

of policy and implementation of the President's agenda. [White House]

 

Key Quote: " President Bush understands that the need to disarm

Saddam Hussein is necessary. He has made that case to the United

Nations Security Council. He's made that case to the United States

Congress. The entire world rallied behind this resolution that gives

him one last chance. He has that chance, but time is running out. "

[CNN, 1/26/03]

 

 

 

Mitch Daniels

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: Mitch Daniels was the director of the Office

of Management and Budget from January 2001 through June of 2003. In

this capacity, he was responsible for releasing the initial budget

estimates for the Iraq War which he pegged at $50 to $60 billion. The

estimated cost of the war, including the full economic ramifications,

is approaching $1 trillion. [MSNBC, 3/17/06]

 

Where He Is Now: In 2004, Daniels was elected Governor of Indiana.

[uSA Today, 11/3/04]

 

Key Quote: Mitch Daniels had said the war would be an " affordable

endeavor " and rejected an estimate by the chief White House economic

adviser that the war would cost between $100 billion and $200 billion

as " very, very high. " [Christian Science Monitor, 1/10/06]

 

 

 

George Tenet

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: As CIA Director, Tenet was responsible for

gathering information on Iraq and the potential threat posted by

Saddam Hussein. According to author Bob Woodward, Tenet told President

Bush before the war that there was a " slam dunk case " that Saddam

possessed weapons of mass destruction. Tenet remained publicly silent

while the Bush administration made pre-war statements on Iraq's

supposed nuclear program and ties to al Qaeda that were contrary to

the CIA's judgments. Tenet issued a statement in July 2003, drafted by

Karl Rove and Scooter Libby, taking responsibility for Bush's false

statements in his State of the Union address. [CNN, 4/19/04; NYT, 7/22/05]

 

Where He Is Now: Tenet voluntarily resigned from the

administration on June 3, 2004. He was later awarded a Presidential

Medal of Freedom. [Washington Post, 6/3/04]

 

Key Quote: " It's a slam dunk case. " [CNN, 4/19/04]

 

 

 

Colin Powell

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: Despite stating in Feb. 2001 that Saddam had

not developed " any significant capability with respect to weapons of

mass destruction, " Powell made the case in front of the United Nations

for a United States-led invasion of Iraq, stating that, " There can be

no doubt that Saddam Hussein has biological weapons and the capability

to rapidly produce more, many more. And he has the ability to dispense

these lethal poisons and diseases in ways that can cause massive death

and destruction. " [Powell, 2/5/03; Powell, 2/24/01]

 

Where He Is Now: Shortly after Bush won reelection in 2004, Powell

resigned from the administration. Powell now sits on numerous

corporate boards. He is poised to succeed Henry Kissinger in May as

Chairman of the Eisenhower Fellowship Program at the City College of

New York. In September 2005, Powell said of his U.N. speech that it

was a " blot " on his record. He went on to say, " It will always be a

part of my record. It was painful. It's painful now. " [ABC News, 9/9/05]

 

Key Quote: " 'You are going to be the proud owner of 25 million

people,' he told the president. 'You will own all their hopes,

aspirations, and problems. You'll own it all.' Privately, Powell and

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage called this the Pottery

Barn rule: You break it, you own it. " [bob Woodward, Plan of Attack]

 

 

 

Donald Rumsfeld

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: Prior to the war, Rumsfeld repeatedly

suggested the war in Iraq would be short and swift. He said, " The Gulf

War in the 1990s lasted five days on the ground. I can't tell you if

the use of force in Iraq today would last five days, or five weeks, or

five months, but it certainly isn't going to last any longer than

that. " He also said, " It is unknowable how long that conflict will

last. It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months. "

[Rumsfeld, 11/14/02; USA Today, 4/1/03]

 

Where He Is Now: Despite increased calls for his resignation,

Donald Rumsfeld continues to be the most vocal supporter of staying

the course in Iraq. Recently, he claimed that an early U.S. pullout

would be the equivalent of leaving Germany in the hands of Nazis.

[bill Kristol, Washington Post, 12/15/04; Reuters, 3/19/06]

 

Key Quote: " You go to war with the Army you have. They're not the

Army you might want or wish to have at a later time. " [CNN, 12/9/04]

 

 

 

Condoleezza Rice

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: As National Security Adviser, Rice

disregarded at least two CIA memos and a personal phone call from George Tenet stating that the evidence behind Iraq's supposed

uranium acquisition was weak. She urged the necessity of war because

" we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud. " [Washington

Post, 7/27/03; CNN, 9/8/02]

 

Where She Is Now: In December of 2004, Condoleezza Rice was

promoted to Secretary of State and is being widely-mentioned as a

possible presidential candidate. [ABC News, 11/16/04]

 

Key Quote: " We did not know at the time - maybe someone knew down

in the bowels of the agency - but no one in our circles knew that

there were doubts and suspicions that this might be a forgery. Of

course it was information that was mistaken. " [Meet the Press, 6/8/03]

 

 

 

Dick Cheney

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: Among a host of false pre-war statements,

Cheney claimed that Iraq may have had a role in 9/11, stating that it

was " pretty well confirmed " that 9/11 hijacker Mohammed Atta met with

Iraqi intelligence officials. Cheney also claimed that Saddam was " in

fact reconstituting his nuclear program " and that the U.S. would be

" greeted as liberators. " [Meet the Press, 12/9/01, 3/16/03]

 

Where He Is Now: Cheney earned another four years in power when

Bush won re-election in 2004. Despite recent calls from conservatives

calling for him to be replaced, Cheney has said, " I've now been

elected to a second term; I'll serve out my term. " [CBS Face the

Nation, 3/19/06]

 

Key Quote: " I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of

the insurgency. " [Larry King Live, 6/20/05]

 

 

 

George W. Bush

 

 

(Photo: thinkprogress.org)

 

Role in Going to War: Emphasizing Saddam Hussein's supposed

stockpile of weapons of mass destruction, supposed ties to al Qaeda,

and supposed nuclear weapons program, Bush led the effort to build

public support for an invasion of Iraq. [state of the Union, 1/28/03]

 

Where He Is Now: In November 2004, Bush won re-election. Since

that time, popular support for the war and the President have reached

a low point. [Washington Post, 3/7/06]

 

Key Quote: " Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the

final proof - the smoking gun - that could come in the form of a

mushroom cloud. " [bush, 10/7/02]

 

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