On September 20, 2001, “a saber-rattling ‘open letter‘ signed by [conservatives] William Bennett, Richard Perle, Gary Bauer, and editors of The New Republic and The Weekly Standard threatened to brand the president [Bush] a wimp–guilty of ‘surrender in the war on international terrorism’–should he buck their demand to make ‘a determined effort’ to oust Saddam Hussein ‘even if evidence does not link Iraq directly to the attack.’ ”
– Frank Rich, The Greatest Story Ever Sold, Page 28