2/5/2001

“On the 17th day of the Bush presidency, Monday, February 5 [2001], [National Security Advisor Condoleezza] Rice chaired a principals committee meeting that included [Vice President Dick] Cheney, [Secretary of State Colin] Powell, and [Secretary of Defense Donald] Rumsfeld. Deputy CIA Director John McLaughlin substituted for Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet. The purpose was to review Iraq policy, the status of diplomatic military and covert options. Among the first taskings…were to consider how intelligence collection could be increased on Iraq’s suspected weapons of mass destruction.”

 – Bob Woodward, Plan of Attack, Page 13