Bush: "Hey, Jay, you want to do Iran?" (Woodward Excerpt)

[Hissyspit]

I'm not sure if this tidbit from "State of Denial" has been previously highlighted or not, but it caught my eye when I got my print edition of Newsweek today:

Jay Garner, retired three-star general and defense industry exec, Rumsfeld's pick to run the "Iraq post-war effort" or whatever you want to call it, met with Rumsfeld in June of 2003. They then both met with Bush.

Rumsfeld and Garner went to the White House to see Bush. It was Garner's second time witht he president. "Mr. President, let me tell you a couple of stories," Garner said. Describing meetings with Iraqis, Garner painted a positive picture. "I'd get ready to leave," Garner said, "and this is true - as I leave they're all thumbs-up and they'd say, 'God bless George Bush and Mr. Tony Blair. Thank you for taking away Saddam Hussein.' That was in 70 meetings. That always was the final response.."

"Oh, that's good," Bush said.

On the way out, Bush slapped Garner on the back. "Hey, Jay, you want to do Iran?"

"Sir, the boys and I talked about that and we want to hold out for Cuba. We think the rum and the cigars are a little better... The women are prettier."

Bush laughed. "You got it. You got Cuba."

Of course with all the stories, jocularity, buddy-buddy talk, bluster and confidence int he Oval Office, Garner had left out the headline. He had not mentioned the problems he saw, or even hinted at them.

It is presented in the book as a joke, but we all know jokes reveal more than just a person's sense of humor.

[npincus]

1. Holy shit. Steph Miller gave some

incredible tidbits this morning. Must read this book.

[Missy M]

2. There is no doubt in my mind that Bush belongs in a mental...

institution. He is evil to the core and his cohorts are no better. I think every American should read Woodwards book.

[patrice]

5. As soon as I finish Isikoff & Corn's HUBRIS.

I knew what was going on the whole time it was all going down. I'm enjoying having the details colored in.

[radfringe]

3. Garner had left out the headline.

Garner had left out the headline. He had not mentioned the problems he saw, or even hinted at them.

-----------

Well, from the 60 minutes story this past sunday

-- Rumsfeld has the joint chiefs cowed, and staff refers to them as the pentagon parrots

-- NO ONE - absolutely NO ONE - tells bush ANY bad news...

[patrice]

4. I don't make anything near 6 figures a year, and I could have told

them (if I had been at those meetings in Iraq before the Invasion) that there is a distinct possibility that the Iraqis don't care whether this works for U.S. or not - THEY JUST WANT TO GET RID OF SADDAM!

But then real fiscal conservativism and the truth are of no interest to BushCo.

[robinlynne]

6. That is hugh. How I would like to see that quote on the front pages.

[wakeme2008]

7. Get your Parrot Picture Here

[Hissyspit]

8. KICK! Relative to this: "Why An Iran Attack May Be Imminent"

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