Who identified "Seven countries in five years" and for what purpose?

 

Retired U.S. Army General and former Supreme Allied Commander Europe, 

Wesley Clark

, identified the "seven countries in five years" plan in 2007. 

According to Clark, he was shown a classified memo in November 2001 by a senior military staff officer in the Pentagon, which outlined a strategy to "take out" seven nations in five years, starting with 

Iraq

, followed by 

Syria

, 

Lebanon

, 

Libya

, 

Somalia

, 

Sudan

, and finally, 

Iran

. 

Purpose and Context

• Purpose: The stated goal was to destabilize or "take out" these countries to reshape the map of the Middle East and North Africa following the 9/11 attacks.
• The Intent: 
  Clark
   stated that officials in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (then Donald Rumsfeld's office) aimed to use the post-9/11 atmosphere to aggressively intervene in countries they considered "old Soviet surrogate" governments or hostile to US-Israeli interests.
• Initial Action: The campaign was designed to start with 
  Iraq
   (2003) and proceed from there. 

Clark

 revealed this information, which he detailed in his book Winning Modern Wars (2003) and in a 2007 interview on Democracy Now!, to illustrate the "policy coup" he believed was occurring, where the US was pushing for war without sufficient public debate or evidence of involvement in the 9/11 attacks.

The list actually contained seven countries, as identified by General Wesley Clark during his 2007 interview with Democracy Now!. According to Clark, the classified memo from the Office of the Secretary of Defense outlined a plan to "take out" the following nations within a five-year period: 

• Iraq
   (the starting point)
• Syria
• Lebanon
• Libya
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Iran
   (intended as the final target) 

Clark stated that he first learned of the general intention to attack Iraq just weeks after 9/11, and was shown the expanded list of seven countries shortly thereafter during a subsequent visit to the Pentagon. 

While the timeline was significantly longer than the "five years" originally mentioned to General Clark in 2001, almost every country on the list eventually faced significant U.S. or allied military intervention. 

Actual Outcomes vs. The Plan

Country

Iraq Full invasion and regime change began in March 2003. U.S. forces remain for ongoing counter-ISIS operations as of 2024–2026. Syria Direct military intervention began in 2014 via airstrikes against ISIS (Operation Inherent Resolve). The U.S. continues to maintain a troop presence and conduct strikes in Syria. Libya Regime change occurred in 2011 after a U.S.-led NATO bombing campaign supported rebels, leading to the fall and death of Muammar Gaddafi. Somal Ongoing counterterrorism strikes and occasional troop deployments have targeted Al-Shabaab for decades. Sudan Internal destabilization and civil wars led to the country splitting into two ( Sudan  and  South Sudan ) in 2011. While not a direct "invasion," it has faced heavy U.S. sanctions and political pressure. Lebanon Military destabilization occurred via the 2006 war with Israel. While the U.S. did not invade, it provided significant intelligence and military support to regional allies involved in the conflict. Iran High-level escalation has included major sanctions, the 2020 assassination of Qasem Soleimani, and direct retaliatory strikes in early 2026 following drone attacks on U.S. bases.

Summary of Deviations

• The Timeline: The memo suggested five years, but the process has stretched over 25 years.
• The Method: Only 
  Iraq
   and 
  Libya
   saw total government collapse directly precipitated by U.S.-led military force. In others, like 
  Syria
   and 
  Somalia
  , the U.S. has focused on long-term "counterterrorism" rather than immediate regime replacement.
• Recent Escalations: As of 2025–2026, the current administration has reportedly intensified strikes in countries like 
  Iran
   and 
  Syria
  , mirroring the aggressive doctrine described in Clark's initial warning.