Die Literaturbeilage der New York Times, die "New York Review of Books" druckt auch Essays und Recherchen. Mark Danner berichtet in der aktuellen Ausgabe aufgrund von neuem Material ausführlich, wie G. W. Bush sich bereits für Krieg entschieden hatte, als er der Öffentlichkeit noch monatelang den Abwägenden vormachte. Ausschnitt, beginnend mit einem Zitat aus dem Bericht von "C", den dieser in einer Kabinettssitzung Tony Blair vorbrachte über seine Eindrücke aus Washington:

"C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action."
Seen from today's perspective this short paragraph is a strikingly clear template for the future, establishing these points:

1. By mid-July 2002, eight months before the war began, President Bush had decided to invade and occupy Iraq.
2. Bush had decided to "justify" the war "by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD."
3. Already "the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."
4. Many at the top of the administration did not want to seek approval from the United Nations (going "the UN route").
5. Few in Washington seemed much interested in the aftermath of the war.