Epilogue Summary and Analysis

Mar. 20 is the first full day of the Iraq War. SFO have prevented Scud attacks and oil field fires. The Hybrid Plan condenses 16 days of bombing to just nine hours of "shock and awe" on March 21, after ground troops enter. Precise ROCKSTAR intelligence makes this possible. Wolfowitz is delighted, because it will counter the image of Americans making war from the safety of the sky. Cheney wants there to be no ambiguity about victory (as in the World War I armistice). On March 21, the Army's 3rd Infantry Division pushes 60 miles into Iraq against light resistance, and Bush crows to Blair and Aznar. On March 22, Franks reports Iraqis are just melting away, but he worries his forces may be converging so rapidly on Baghdad they are open to WMD attack and rapidly adjust. On March 24, Putin commiserates with Bush's responsibility for massive...