“On Sept. 19 and 20 [2001], the Defense Policy Board, a prestigious bipartisan board of national security experts that advises the Pentagon, met for 19 hours to discuss the ramifications of the attacks of Sept. 11. The members of the group agreed on the need to turn to Iraq as soon as the initial phase of the war against Afghanistan and bin Laden and his organization is over, people familiar with the meetings said. Both Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and [Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul] Wolfowitz took part in the meetings for part of both days.”
– Patrick E. Tyler and Elaine Sciolino, “Some Pentagon Officials and Advisers Seek to Oust Iraq’s Leader in War’s Next Phase,” The New York Times, Oct. 12, 2001