Powell says Woodward wrong

Shotgun · Apr 19, 2004

First Condi says Woodward lies, now Powell. Powell just said on the radio that he helped develop the war plan and knew Bander was going to meet with Rumsfeld. Kind of blows Woodward's big claim out of the water.

Maybe Woodward should use some named sources if he wants his stuff taken seriously.

WildBill · Apr 19, 2004

What would you expect him to say? Unless he doesn't want his job I think he would stick to the party line. I agree that nothing will come of this book, but I have to think there is some truth to the assertion. Why else would Woodward make it? No amount of money for a book can make up for the future books he could write, nor the salary and clout you pull in the position he holds at one of the most influential papers in the world. If he just made this all up, his career and reputation are shot. I don't think he would even think about that option.

dickman · Apr 20, 2004

In spite of all the allegations from two of Bush's former cabinet members: Richard Clarke and Paul O'neil regarding the president's ineficency. I tend to believe that Woodward's allegations are much more credibable due to the fact of his longstanding reputation.

Shotgun · Apr 20, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by WildBill:
What would you expect him to say? Unless he doesn't want his job I think he would stick to the party line. I agree that nothing will come of this book, but I have to think there is some truth to the assertion. Why else would Woodward make it? No amount of money for a book can make up for the future books he could write, nor the salary and clout you pull in the position he holds at one of the most influential papers in the world. If he just made this all up, his career and reputation are shot. I don't think he would even think about that option.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Bill, any denial of any charge is expected and should be dismissed? What if Woodward had written that Bush was from the outskirts of Jupiter...should we say "what else would he say" and ignore the denial? Or do we go back to Woodward's book and look at the sources for the claim?

The problem is there is no source for the claim. He can create (as he has done in the past) stuff out of thin air without any worry of having his legs cut out from under him; not naming ANY sources allows him to do so. He may not have made the stuff up, but his source very likely could have an agenda. Since we don't know his sources' agenda (I'll assume briefly he didn't make it up) we can't blindly take Woodward's word that it happened...particularly since Powell, Rice,et al have come out so strongly in disputing several of the book's claims.

D2bets · Apr 20, 2004

Bill, I don't agree that nothing will come of the book. The bombshell is about Bush illegally diverting funds appropriated by Congress for the Afghan war to Iraq war planning. I would be surprised if Congress doesn't launch an investigation on this. They should. It is an extremely serious charge of Constitutional magnitude.

xpanda · Apr 20, 2004

Woodward was on Larry King last night. On Powell statements he notes that Powell is refuting the notion that he knew of the plan before Bandar and knew of Bandar's briefing. Woodward states that Powell is not directly refuting the book's claim that Powell was not informed of the decision to invade before Bandar. Is it safe to say that a decision would be announced before a plan would be made available?

Also, you have to note that this book is recommended reading on the Bush/Cheney website -- it can't be complete bunk if that's the case. I get the impression that Woodward is evenly presenting this story and that there is enough pro-Bush and anti-Bush in it to satisfy both sides of the argument.

D2bets · Apr 20, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by xpanda:
Woodward was on Larry King last night. On Powell statements he notes that Powell is refuting the notion that he knew of the _plan_ before Bandar and knew of Bandar's briefing. Woodward states that Powell is not directly refuting the book's claim that Powell was not informed of the _decision_ to invade before Bandar. Is it safe to say that a decision would be announced before a plan would be made available?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

No. A plan has to be in place well before a decision can be made, otherwise you don't really know what you're deciding on.