Bush consults elder statesmen over war

America, United States, Times Online, The Times, Sunday Times:

“As part of a vigorous public relations offensive on Iraq Mr Bush spent more than an hour with former defence secretaries including Robert McNamara, the Vietnam-era Pentagon chief under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, Harold Brown, who oversaw the disastrous Iranian hostage rescue attempt under Jimmy Carter, and William Perry, Bill Clinton's Defence Secretary, who advised John Kerry during the 2004 election campaign.

Others briefed by Mr Bush and General George Casey, the US commander in Iraq, included Madeleine Albright, Lawrence Eagleburger, Alexander Haig and Colin Powell.

Scott McClellan, Mr Bush's spokesman, said that the purpose of the gathering was a hope by the White House that the prominent figures would be persuaded that there was 'a clear plan in place for victory in Iraq' and would spread the word.

After the meeting Mr Bush preferred to persuade people that it was he who had done the listening.
'Not everybody around this table agreed with my decision to go into Iraq. I fully understand that,' Mr Bush said.”