[Concerning military action against Iran] “The question is simply not on the agenda at this point,” Rice said at a news conference"
versus
"As I've said repeatedly, I have no plans on my desk at this point in time." [Bush about war in Iraq.]
He used variants of "no plans on my desk" several times in 2002 and 2003. From NewsHour
GWEN IFILL: Up until literally weeks before the first bombs fell, the president used a certain formulation with foreign leaders, with members of Congress, with members of the press. He said, "I have no war plans on my desk." Was that literally true?Woodward usually paints Bush with the best possible brush. When we're further wrecking our military, I'm sure Woodward will point out that Bush is good to puppies. If they're not in a country he's ordered attacked.
BOB WOODWARD: I've seen his desk a number of times and there's nothing on it, so I guess literally that's true. But, as I write in the book, it was not full disclosure, and he had used some formulations earlier when he said, "I'm going to keep my options close to my vest."
And that probably would have been the proper response. At the same time, there were leaks about the war plans. There was this kind of war fever, march to war, building in the country, particularly in the summer of 2002. And I think it was his way of calming things down.
But sure people shouldn't give away war plans. However, the phrasing is similar enough so that I'm pretty sure plans for war (probably with Iran, possibly other countries) are working their way up to somewhere very near -- but not exactly upon -- Bush's desk.
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