On August 1, 2002, in a meeting of top U.S. military commanders, Central Command leader General Tommy Franks said: ” ‘The end state for this operation [in Iraq] is regime change. …Success is defined as regime leadership and power base destroyed; WMD capability destroyed or controlled; territorial integrity intact; ability to threaten neighbors eliminated; an acceptable provisional/permanent government in place.’ ”
– Michael R. Gordon and Bernard E. Trainor, Cobra II, Pages 76-77