Prologue Summary and Analysis

Pres. George W. Bush takes aside Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld on November 21, 2001, 72 days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and 11 months in office, and tells him to start planning in strict secrecy how to remove Saddam Hussein. On the heels of his invasion of Afghanistan, word of war planning in Iraq will ignite a firestorm. Bush has mentioned this task to National Security Adviser (NSA), Condoleeza Rice, and (probably) Vice President Cheney, who is obsessed with Saddam and Osama bin Laden. The CIA is developing covert contacts in Afghanistan and U.S. Special Operation Forces (SOF) commando teams are directing successful precision bombing. Rumsfeld orders General Tommy Franks to deliver a "commander's estimate" on Iraq within a week. Franks learns the Pentagon is reviewing the massive Iraq war plan through Major General Renuart, his Director of Operations, and cannot believe they would do...