Chapter 15 Summary and Analysis

On August 14, with Bush in Texas, Rice chairs a line-by-line review of a draft National Security Presidential Directive (NSPD), "Iraq: Goals, Objectives, and Strategy." The goal is to free Iraqis from tyranny and help them form a moderate, pluralistic, democratic, and non-threatening government. Objectives include minimizing WMD threat, regional instability, and oil market disruption. Strategy includes using diplomacy, military, CIA, and economic sanctions. It is preferable to work with other nations, but, if necessary, the U.S. will go it alone. Cheney and Powell differ sharply over what is possible and what is necessary. Bush is scheduled to address the General Assembly on September 12, and Gerson has given him a draft emphasizing the "soft side" of his agenda. With all living ex-secretaries of state and NSAs weighing in on Iraq, Powell says Bush must discuss Iraq at the U.N., while...