LESSONS ENCOUNTERED

Lamb with Franco
311
Dempsey, interview; Petraeus, interview.
312
McChrystal underscored the lack of team trust among senior leader echelons in particular.
McChrystal, interview.
313
See Bremer, 209, 235–236; Feith, 273, 514; Tenet, 364–365, 443; Clinton, 188.
314
Laurence H. Silberman makes the argument, for example: “The Dangerous Lie That
‘Bush Lied,’” Wall Street Journal, February 8, 2015, A13.
315
Myers, 297–298.
316
Feith, 527.
317
Hadley, interview.
318
Clinton notes foreign leaks undermined diplomacy (165); Myers notes the same (182).
319
Hadley states that once or twice a week he would invite the Vice President, Secretary of
State, Secretary of Defense, Chairman, CIA Director, and Director of National Intelligence
to his office for candid discussions of tough issues with “no note-takers” and “no leaks.”
Other senior leaders also comment on the value of such small, restricted groups. Cheney,
for example, cites Hadley’s small group meetings and observes the best decisionmaking
was done with no aides present to minimize the chance of leaks. Hadley, interview;
Cheney, 468.
320
For example, Cheney argues a State leak caused major problems (407) and that leaks
hurt careers (409); Bremer and the President note leaks are a persistent problem (Bremer,
227); Tenet’s resignation was fueled in part by what he believed were White House leaks
(481); Hadley argues leaks expose operational details that incur risks to the operations and
those executing them (Hadley, interview); Franks notes Rumsfeld insisted on working in
small groups because of leakers (344) and that leaks about Iraq war planning were incredibly
injurious (385) and complicated his relationship with senior civilians (441); DeLong
states leaks about Yemen hurt us (74); Gates notes leaks were a big problem, particularly
in the Obama administration (152, 370), which infuriated the President (298, 328), and
that in advance of the Osama bin Laden raid, everyone was terrified there would be a leak
that would spoil the operation (542).
321
Tenet, 434.
322
Franks, 382–383.
323
David Petraeus, interview by Frank G. Hoffman, December 31, 2014.
324
Hadley mentioned the determination among national leaders immediately following
9/11 to defend the country, stating they were “strong willed” about it and, in retrospect,
“should have listened a lot more carefully to our regional friends and allies seeking the
counsel of other countries.” Hadley, interview.
325
Lute, interview; Franks, commenting on President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld (374).
326
Preventing terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction is still a critical
objective but one that has lost its place of central importance. In discussing the future
274