Bush saw himself as a “bold” and "decisive" leader.

[Montagnard]

Late in the evening before the planned start of the Iraq invasion, the Air Command was informed that it was being instructed to carry out a mission in Baghdad. The CIA had issued a finding that within 99.9 percent of certainty Saddam Hussein and his sons would be at one of his frequented compounds Dora Farm that evening. The Air Force was ordered to strike Dora Farm two hours after the Bush’s ultimatum to Hussein had expired.

In the process of confirming these orders, the Joint Chief, General Myers had informed the Air commander of the Iraq war, General Moseley that it was not his call; the order would come from the President.

Myers called the White House and then called General Moseley;

“The President has one question,” Myers said. “Can you get the pilots back?”

“I can get them to the target,” Moseley replied. “I don’t think I can get them back.”

Myers relayed Mosley’s answer to Bush and then relayed the president’s response. “Strike,” said Myers.

One funny thing happened on the way to launching the war early, no one had communicated to Tommy Franks, the commander of the Iraq invasion,that the war was starting without him. That was left to a Colonel on General Mosley’s staff.

The other thing that struck me when I read this in COBRA II (page 171) was Bush was might “bold” and “decisive” when it came to someone else’s life. Very bold and decisive for someone who had spent his military time hiding in an Alabama Senate campaign staff during Vietnam; rather than flying over Hanoi.


Oh, I forgot the rest of the story: Saddam, nor his sons were at Dora Farm. sigh, the Tenent F***ed up again.

[tularetom]

1. He is a sad deluded and naive child

Unfortunately he has been allowed to get his way too often and he harbors these delusions of competence.

[opihimoimoi]

Where was the bold decisive leader after Katrina hit? at the Aug 6th

01 meeting when told Osama is COMING?

Where was the Bush BEFORE KATRINA HIT?

[Bitter Cup]

5. He had an absent father and a controlling mother

who always told him he was a special boy and better than all those other people who would try and tear him down and deny him his birthright.

And mommy always made sure no one near him ever corrected him (except her of course). Wonder if he had an official whipping boy too?

[Demobrat]

2. Very bold

for the guy who ran like a scared rabbit on 9/11.

[marmar]

3. Cowards always adopt false bravado...

Mike Malloy said the other night that if you told Bush, Cheney and RumsFAILED to meet you outside the bar for a fight, they'd run like turkeys. I couldn't agree more.

[SnowGoose]

4. And does it say if the pilots actually made it back ok?

eom.

[Jacobin]

6. Of course they did

This is a bunch of hyped up drama. We had air superiority before the war even fricking started.

[Montagnard]

7. Not “hyped up drama” it is an insight into how this disaster came about.

No one knew a damn thing, or cared to find out the facts. They were playing war, with someone else doing the bleeding.

They sent in two F-117 with bunker busters and two live pilots. They had no idea of the capabilities of the Iraqi air defense and as it turned out there was no underground bunker, nor was the Hussein, or his sons, there that night.

[FormerRepublican]

8. More Bush misspeak. He meant bald and divisive speeder.

Coke, you know.

[jody]

9. Bush is bold and decisive but he's also stupid and pigheaded. n/t