Difference between revisions of "Tommy Franks"

On 12 September the Secretary of Defense directed the preparation of "credible military options" to respond to international terrorism. For Central Command, that directive guided the preparation of the warplan we see unfolding in Afghanistan today. The concept, which I briefed to the President on 21 September proposed that “US Central Command, as a part of America’s Global War on Terrorism…would destroy the Al Qaida network inside Afghanistan along with the illegitimate Taliban regime which was harboring and protecting the terrorists…”

When I returned to Tampa our headquarters and subordinate commanders were finalizing plans for combat operations. Planning involved not only the evaluation of the current enemy situation, but also the history of military operations in Afghanistan and the political and military situation across the region. This “mission analysis” resulted in my recommendation of a military course of action which was approved by Secretary Rumsfeld on 1 October. I briefed the concept to President Bush on 2 October, and he directed that combat operations should begin on 7 October--26 days after the attacks on New York and the Pentagon.
http://armed-services.senate.gov/testimony.cfm?wit_id=142&id=159