‘I tried to avoid this war.’
By on Jul 8th, 2007 at 9:20 am
‘I tried to avoid this war.’
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell revealed that he spent 2.5 hours “vainly trying to persuade President George W. Bush not to invade Iraq and believes today’s conflict cannot be resolved by U.S. forces. ‘I tried to avoid this war,’ Powell said at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado. ‘I took him through the consequences of going into an Arab country and becoming the occupiers.’” In terms of the current situation in Iraq, Powell said: “It is not a civil war that can be put down or solved by the armed forces of the United States.”
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hmmmm. any reason he didn't mention this BEFORE we went int Iraq???
July 8th, 2007 at 9:24 amF*ck Colin Powell. What a slimy self-serving weasel.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:24 amThanks for being such subtle opponent of the war Colin. WIth more of your kind of opposition we would be right where we are today.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:27 amAn interesting article in the Times (UK), which this is linked to, because most of the article isn't about Powell at all, but about plans to reduce US troops in Iraq in order to build a "bipartisan" agreement to maintain a large presence there indefinitely.
When politicians from either party start talking about a "phased withdrawal" let's make damn sure phase II isn't 50 years long.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:28 amPowell didn't do enough. He could have resigned, but instead continued to carry Bush's water.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:28 ampowell=Bush's personal Ball Washer...
July 8th, 2007 at 9:30 amtoo little too late. does he sleep well at night after performing that charade at the UN in feb 2003 ?
July 8th, 2007 at 9:33 am"With great power comes great responsibility."
Well, if you're Spiderman. If you're Colin Powell, not so much.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:34 amHe spent a whole 2.5 hours?
He spent almost that much time lying to the UN
July 8th, 2007 at 9:34 amAnd he spent 200 hours rewriting and rehearsing the "web of lies" speach
July 8th, 2007 at 9:36 amColin Powell now tries to remove his complicit body from the hook - not so quickly, Colin! Where was your integrity then when you ostensibly knew all of this and remained "mute" during the run up to the war? Where was your honesty when you went before the Security Council and made the case for yellow cake? Where was your patriotism when you parotted the talking points of this administration when now you claim that your opinion differed greatly from their "take" on things?? Where was your mouth then, Colin Powell?
Can it be easily said that your silence helped to enable and facilitate the deaths of our nearly 4,000 "true patriots" who believed in you, trusted what you were saying and led them to their early deaths? Can it now be easily said that you, Colin Powell, share in the blood of these innocents? I'd say that the ledger is stacking up against you, Mr. Powell and anything you NOW say is all "water under the bridge"....."day late/dollar short" as they say.
Mr. Powell, you are, yourself, a war criminal as well. You lied to the american people when you claim now that you disagreed with the "official story" of why we needed to invade Iraq.
This new statement of yours does little to absolve you from the crime which you've committed. This new statement of yours only serves to further indict you as a "complicit and willing participant" in the lies and crimes which led Congress astray and the american public.
This new blather of yours serves as further indictment of yourself, Mr. Powell and does absolutely nothing to exonerate you from any form of complicity in what will, undoubtedly, become an issue with The Hague.
It's a shame to see such a man, once honored and respected, sell his soul and integrity for a buck, Mr. Powell. Sad, but very true in your case.
When you look at yourself in the mirror these days, what do you see, Colin? I believe that you are haunted by your lies and will, in the words of Thomas Paine, "suffer the misery of devils" because you have "made a whole of your soul".
July 8th, 2007 at 9:36 amPowell sold his honor cheap.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:38 am.....Freudian slip....haha! I guess it could be easily said that a "whole/hole" in the soul would be a symptom of incessant whoring?? What I meant and what Thomas Paine actually said was "whore", Colin Powell..."whore".
How does the sound of that word strike you? It should resonate well with you, Colin.....because you epitomize the essence of the word in every single respect!
Colin Powell OWNS the word 'WHORE".
July 8th, 2007 at 9:40 am11. Comment by veritas
I agree. His past is not so easily forgiven. But I tell you what; why not try telling everything you know, NOW, about Cheney and the OVP in the lead up to the war?
Why keep trying to whitewash your involvement with this? You didn't fix the problem then, but you damn sure can now.
When one credible witness has the courage to step forward, another will follow. And that, Mr. Powell, is proof of treason; and that Mr. Powell ends this war in a week.
Do your duty. The one you now profess to have tried to do then; for 2.5 hours. Protect the nation as you swore you would.
Good post Veritas
July 8th, 2007 at 9:41 amAnd, as Thomas Hobbes said.....and the spiritual principle at work today is precisely this:
"Where men build on false grounds, the more they build the greater is the ruin".
And, unfortunately, for this country the ruin in this case IS this country!
July 8th, 2007 at 9:42 amThanks to the Bush Cabal!
Thanks Willoman. There is no doubt that Powell is haunted by his actions and will "suffer the misery of devils" as he continues to attempt to exonerate his wrongdoing.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:42 amColin Powell, today's Uncle Tom.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:43 amor, Colon Powell todays witness to treason #1
then just one more...and presto-chango... our world is a little brighter
July 8th, 2007 at 9:45 amIt looks like the Live Earth Movement which kicked off yesterday will be the beginning of the end for the Bush Cabal. Not only was this a unification of the american people against the status quo in this country but a unification on a global level against this administration. That message came through loud and clear. The People ARE uniting against this administration of smoke & mirrors, lies and corruption and will have no more of it.
With what I'd researched last evening regarding the need for impeachment of both Bush & Cheney on the grounds of "national security risk" in their lack of protection in the handling of classified information, I'd say that their "gig is finally up". I believe that this article of impeachment will receive bipartisan support and, if it does not, then the Republicans will be signing their own "dismissal slip". After all, the onus of responsibility of each and every Congressman, regardless of party affiliation, is the protection of the people. It's clear that this administration, in it's handling of classified documents, has placed this country in a breach of national security.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:46 amIMPEACH NOW
IMPEACH NOW
IMPEACH NOW
IMPEACH NOW!!
July 8th, 2007 at 9:46 amVeritas :
as usual, your writing is brilliant. I could not have said it any better.
-kay
July 8th, 2007 at 9:47 amAll of a sudden nobody wanted to go to war. Then how did we get in to this war when nobody wanted it?
July 8th, 2007 at 9:48 amIf Powell truly feels contrite for this nightmare, then he can rehabilitate his legacy in one way, and one way only: start talking. Tell everything you know about the machinery behind this duplicitous war and the malice and criminal activities of its architects, and give this Congress irrevocable cause to start the impeachment process. If Powell cares for this republic and its armed forces as he claims, nothing less will suffice.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:50 am#20)
I agree wholheartedly, this Administration must be stripped of its powers. The people responsible for the war must go on trial for war crimes.
The people who so casually threw bombs on Baghdad and killed 25 - 30,000 innocent civilians must be held to account for their actions, and if convicted must receive the ultimate penalty.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:51 amColin, you could have avoided this war by telling the truth at the UN, and by being a man, and not the Bush's house-servant.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:51 amVERY GOOD NEWS! READ ON!
http://911truth.org/article.php?story=20070707121815886
July 8th, 2007 at 9:51 amHi Kay!
Thanks. Being a morning person, I start out with an uncluttered mind and can usually articulate my thoughts - but, these days, as the day goes on and I learn more about what's going on, my personal frustration interferes with my thought processes and my mind gets bogged down in all of the details.
I love your posts, too. I read everything that you write. Keep the good stuff coming.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:52 amColin Powell was an instrumental player of the war in Iraq from start...He can say whatever he wants now...but he stayed there until the war began in Mrach of 2003 and after.
Now he claims he was against this war,because he sees that war in Iraq is not going well,and now it is not popular overhere or abroad...
He is trying to leave himself a room so he can be excluded from criticism. But as a member of the team and a big player of that team that decided on this war...I wonder how can he lie to himself and us to believe him that he was the 'anti-war' man.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:52 amhttp://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/8573
Here's the post about why we need impeachment due to national security concerns. It's a "must read" for everyone written by an exceptionally credible source and needs to be shared with all of our congressmen today.
Let's circulate this immediately.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:53 amTarazan: This administration, like most sadists, knew precisely where Powell's vulnerability was located and they used his prestige and respect at the time to give their "hidden agenda" the credibility it needed with the people. Heck...at one point in time, I felt Colin Powell was Presidential material!! My, how he has declined since then.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:54 amVeritas,
I know what you mean. I am a morning person, too.
By late afternoon, sometimes all I can handle are reruns of "The Golden Girls"
I'm partly kidding. But, somedays this 6.5 year hangover nightmare does get to one.
-kay
July 8th, 2007 at 9:55 amColin Powell was the "human tool" of this fascist agenda.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:55 amUmagine the impact if Powell came out and apologized for helping Bush lie to us.
One of these days the Reublicans are going to figure our need for justice and honesty is far greater than our fear of terrorist acts.
I want to know how Powell can have the balls to take the high and mighty road. He's a piece of crap through and through.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:55 amColin Powell - Human Tool-cum-Human Fool??
July 8th, 2007 at 9:55 amTo read the Art II powers of the President as providing an absolute privilege as against a subpoena essential to enforcement of criminal statutes on no more than a generalized claim of the public interest in confidentiality of non-military and nondiplomatic discussions would upset the constitutional balance of a “workable government†and gravely impair the role of the courts under Art III.
United States v. Nixon [1974]
What the heck is wrong with you?!?!? I have friends who were so exited to be moving to San Fransisco, and to have you as their representative, but now, even they aren’t sure where you are coming from. A majority of the country wants impeachment BACK on the table, at least for (Vice) President Cheney. Do you need me to forward the absolutely RIDICULOUS amount of evidence that supports this call to action? I just don’t understand how you can claim to be for Democracy asnd Freedom, yet you are HURTING AMERICA by allowing this regime to run this country! A wise man once said(paraphrasing) that through INaction, you are just as guilty as those who perpetrated the crime. America will not forget that YOU let these thieves continue to ruin this once great country. YOU are the one who sat idly by and let them destroy America. YOU are the one who will not be back as Speaker of the House if you don’t actually take some action against the incredible amount of damage done to our Democracy and our country each and every day this cabal is still in power.
They are NOT going to “play niceâ€.
They are NOT going to turn over documents.
They are NOT going to let anyone who is employed by or has EVER worked at the White House EVER testify(which I thought wasn’t legal in and of itself. I thought Executive Priveledge only applied to current employees. Not the janitor who worked at the White House in 2004.
Please. PLEASE. Listen to America. DO NOT fail us, or YOU will become labeled as weak. We(Americans) want to support you, but you make it so hard, so very hard, for us to back what you say when you don’t listen to what America says it wants. You claim to be working for America, so prove it. PUT IMPEACHMENT BACK ON THE TABLE, or you may find yourself filling a new(and lesser) role in the House of Representatives. This is NOT to be construed as a threat in any way, this is just the truth. America is sick, you hold the cure in your hands, and you wont use the medicine.
A SEVERLY dissapointed(and a little bit scared) American.
***just posted this to Nancy Pelosi’s contact page***
***sigh****
July 8th, 2007 at 9:57 am#26 Wow!! Thanks for this news, Kay! As many of us recognize (as well as Dennis Kucinich) the genesis of this "coup on our democracy" WAS 911. The Patriot Act, the War in Iraq, the dissolution of our constitutional right of habeas corpus, the Geneva Conventions violations COULD NOT HAVE LEGITIMATELY OCCURRED WITHOUT 911 to fuel the level of fear within this country and the concept of 'preemptive strike'.
Some once said that when people trade their freedom for a false sense of security, they lose both their security AND their freedom. This is precisely what occurred following 911 and the fascist neocons counted on that and used the 'fear card' to control the people and to further their diabolical agenda.
July 8th, 2007 at 9:59 amWhat do you expect from the creep who jump-started his career by carrying water for the murderers responsible for the May Lai massacre?
July 8th, 2007 at 10:00 amRon Paul/ Kucinich '08!
July 8th, 2007 at 10:00 amIt's interesting to note the contrast: When Powell was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Clinton, he used every trick in the book -- including highly orchestrated leaks to the media -- to oppose and subvert military operations that he didn't like. But, as Secretary of State under a Republican president, he spent a couple of hours trying to talk numb nuts out of the worst foreign policy decision since the Gulf of Tonkin, then stood at attention, saluted and spent the next four years as an obedient soldier, carrying out orders.
I leave it others to speculate about the causes of this mysterious transformation.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:01 amWhiteyfresh: What needs to occur before this congress realizes that it is not their "option" but their "obligation" to proceed with impeachment charges when impeachable offenses have occurred?
What is it going to take? I suspect that they are "playing nice" because of the illegal wiretapping which has been done on each of them....which actually amounts to informal blackmail. This is why the Bush Cabal needs to have them know that they are illegally wiretapping them. It's a form of political blackmail.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:01 amPeter Principle: How many ways can you spell "blackmail"???
July 8th, 2007 at 10:02 amAs I recall, the rest of the Bush regime were considered lying sacks of shite and needed Powell’s credibility to sell the war – and just barely at that. Powell may have been the one person who could have spoken up and tipped the scale against the war. Nice job Colin. Enjoy your place in history.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:03 amI leave it others to speculate about the causes of this mysterious transformation:
Greed, Hegemony and Power.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:03 amFor fairness to him..Powell was not one of the PNAC(Project for New American Century) group who signed the document,while others like Cheney,Wolfowitz,Libby,Feith did.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:03 amThey are the ones who pushed for the war.
But his image as a diplomat helped the group in selling the war.
That this man was the leader of the most powerful military in the known universe is a spine-tingling realization. This is what the military considers a role model for leadership?
Now Powell is doomed to a legacy that no amount of revisionist history will ever redeem. The man is as much fighting a collosal battle with his own conscience as he is trying to convince the spin doctors when he makes statements like this in public.
It is perhaps the least bit of karmic justice that Powell will carry the heavy burden of the consequences of his inaction with him to his grave.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:12 amColin Powell is an interesting case. Harry Belafonte called him a "house slave"; a slur that has the ring of truth to it. But he's also something of an Eisenhower Republican.
He seldom has gone public, but his views are often recorded and repeated. He said of Saddam's invasion of Kuwait that it would be silly of America to go to war over it. He kept quiet when Bush did, but his words were still on record. Under the current Bush, the stories coming out of the State Dept were open about their contempt for Rumsfeld, Cheney, and the other neo-cons. Indeed, few remember the Powell was on the cover of TIME the week of 9/11 because the rumours were that he was about to resign.
Powell has the character of the loyal soldier. He's conservative, but he's not dishonest. Under a more responsible Republican administration, he would have done an excellent job. I suspect his 2 1/2 hour session with Bush was also at the pleading of some generals who were frustrated by Rumsfeld's denial that all military scenarios considered at the Pentagon ended in disaster. Sadly, we know Bush is a sucker and would be the chump to go for the long odds because it had the bigger payoff.
This administration has been too secretive. It will take some time before we learn how rotten it really was and who did what to whom and why.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:19 amPerhaps Powell should spend 2½ hours with each of the parents of the 3,592 (better hurry, this number is still going up) men and women killed (just from the US) in this charade to date.
Maybe then he'll spend a l;ttle more time verifying his facts before making false claims to jstify another war.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:27 amdamn, a whole '2 and a half hours' jawboning an ignorant/arrogant puppet not to embark on the most disastrous foreign policy decision in this country's history.
and powell is expecting what from us for that little revelation?
he sickens me.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:27 amColin Powell: mute and parallelized in standing up for what is right, right at the front of the line to abandon ship and promote himself. WHADAGUY!!!!! a true American, setting the high moral standard for all Americans.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:39 am.
So, he thought that all of us who protested before the start of the war were right, at the time? When the White House was all but calliing us terrorist supporters, he quietly went along?
If he's telling the truth, then he shouldn't just be saying it at some high-priced "Aspen Ideas Festival", or wherever the heck he was.
He should be on every network, on every program, telling off each and every war-supporting "pundit" - because there's still a job to do, and that's to get the troops out of there.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:39 amHey, whiteyfresh! How's it hanging? Just keep in mind that CONGRESS is not enforcing any criminal statutes with these subpoenas -- that will be the key difference.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:42 amNo, Cautious Man -- at the time, he thought the intelligence was correct -- Powell made the case against, but realized the only person with the legal responsibility to protect 300 million Americans had to make the final decision.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:44 amoh, and I forgot powell's willingness to do evils bidding with his little UN show that put the warmongers over the top in dupping the American people. You could respect the insane, driveling, lying, craven neocons more for at least standing behind their own lies and insanity than you can powell for being a vacuous opportunist.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:44 am.
Colin Powell, once the most trusted of military leaders, someone who could have been where Obama is today, running for President, gave away everything with that lying speach to the UN. For him now to say "I was against it before I was for it" defies belief. Too little too late. Tell it to the widows and orphans.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:48 amJust saw this on Yahoo News. It's on CNN.com's main page too:
U.S. Aborted Raid on al Qaida in 2005
A secret military operation in early 2005 to capture senior members of Al Qaeda in Pakistan's tribal areas was aborted at the last minute after top Bush administration officials decided it was too risky and could jeopardize relations with Pakistan, according to intelligence and military officials.
The target was a meeting of Qaeda leaders that intelligence officials thought included Ayman al-Zawahri, Osama bin Laden’s top deputy and the man believed to run the terrorist group’s operations.
But the mission was called off after Donald H. Rumsfeld, then the defense secretary, rejected an 11th-hour appeal by Porter J. Goss, then the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, officials said.
Sounds like something Clinton would do..
July 8th, 2007 at 10:49 amAbove comment about Clinton was supposed to be sarcastic. Heh.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:50 amAvoid? Hell, Mr Powell, you led the charge! That will be your legacy. You see, integrity is a choice you and I have to decide in the moment. Once you decide (whatever your reason) to give that principle up, you can never recover it. You are as responsible to this world for the needless loss of life in Iraq (Americans and Iraqi) as is Mr. Cheney and Mr. Bush. Your actions, sir, are conspiratorial in these war crimes, indeed, your false testimony before the world was the motivating factor in persuading a reluctant United Nations to wage this war. This is the sad truth about you, who was once one of my most favored heroes.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:52 amFLASHBACK
Yesterday, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow was asked about new U.S. intelligence showing that bin Laden is in Pakistan actively re-establishing al Qaeda training camps.
At first Snow claimed that this was “an intelligence matter that I’m not going to be able to go into,†despite the fact that the new National Intelligence Director had testified about this topic the day before. He then suggested that bin Laden may now be “marginalized.†A reporter responded, “Isn’t he the leader of al Qaeda?†Snow answered, “Well, I don’t know. It’s a real question about who assumes operational command.â€
Link: http://thinkprogress.org/2007/03/01/snow-bin-laden/
When Bush said he no longer cared about bin Laden, no truer words had ever been spoken.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:53 amToo late, Colon Bowel.
You are a War Criminal and a Pathological Liar.
You were nothing but a Sychophant for the Worst Administration this country has ever seen.
When's your 3M book deal?
Gonna fess up about the Fraud of the Century : 9/11?
How you can sleep at night is beyond me.
How do you look at yourself in the mirroe everyday and not see a
War Criminal and a Pathological Liar.
You are a pathetic man.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:54 amC'mon guys! Don't be so hard on poor little Colin! He spent all of his lunch break trying to persuade W! And the lunches at the White House canteen are so-o-o-o-o-o good.
And he's not talking about everything now because... er... because... er... I know! He signed a confidentiality agreement!!
You wouldn't want him to violate an agreement he made, would you?!?!?!?!?!
July 8th, 2007 at 10:56 amAppologies in advance if this is a really stupid question:
Now that Powell is no longer a member of the Bush Administration can he be required to appear and testify at Congressional hearings? Or can Bush extend "executive privilege" to Powell as well? I mean legally.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:57 amBad luck Joke, Powell thought the UN case was "a crock of shit". Yet he still delivered it.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:59 amI can't remember, was he with us or against us?
July 8th, 2007 at 11:01 amTwo and one-half hours, Colin! How heroic!
July 8th, 2007 at 11:03 amYou let it be broken - it owns you.
July 8th, 2007 at 11:04 am-
At lest we know Cheney and Bush are 'honest' bastards. But Colin Powell is even worse them: he's a 'dishonest' bastard.
July 8th, 2007 at 11:07 amAny word on what the "crowd reaction" was to Colin's remarks?
July 8th, 2007 at 11:15 am"Ron Paul/ Kucinich ‘08!
Comment by Kay "
Ok Kay, you lost me on that one. Ron Paul, other than his stance on Iraq, is pretty much a right wing libertarian loon. Have you read any of his views other than on Iraq? I find it hard to reconcile your wanting to put him on the same ticket as Kucinich. Ron Paul is pretty much the opposite of Dennis Kucinich.
Here's an example of his voting record:
Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Jan 2007)
Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)
Rated 67% by the ACLU, indicating a mixed civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
Voted YES on Bankruptcy Overhaul requiring partial debt repayment. (Mar 2001)
July 8th, 2007 at 11:18 amRated 46% by the US COC, indicating a mixed business voting record. (Dec 2003
Voted YES on vouchers for private & parochial schools. (Nov 1997)
Abolish the federal Department of Education. (Dec 2000)
Rated 67% by the NEA, indicating a mixed record on public education. (Dec 2003)
Supports a Constitutional Amendment for school prayer. (May 1997)
Voted NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels. (Aug 2001)
Voted NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR. (Aug 2001)
Voted NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol. (Jun 2000)
Rated 5% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes. (Dec 2003)
Foreign aid often more harmful than helpful . (Dec 2000)
Ban foreign aid to oil-producers who restrict production. (May 2001)
Close departments of Energy, Education & Homeland Security. (May 2007)
Voted NO on requiring lobbyist disclosure of bundled donations. (May 2007)
Voted NO on granting Washington DC an Electoral vote & vote in Congress. (Apr 2007)
Voted YES on requiring photo ID for voting in federal elections. (Sep 2006)
Voted NO on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions. (Feb 2002)
Voted NO on banning soft money and issue ads. (Sep 1999)
Unlimited campaign contributions; with full disclosure. (Dec 2000)
Ease procedures on the purchase and registration of firearms. (Nov 1996)
Allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms. (Nov 1996)
Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record. (Dec 2003)
Abolish federal Medicare entitlement; leave it to states. (Dec 2000)
Rated 56% by APHA, indicating a mixed record on public health issues. (Dec 2003)
Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border. (Sep 2006)
Rated 100% by FAIR, indicating a voting record restricting immigration. (Dec 2003)
Voted NO on increasing minimum wage to $7.25. (Jan 2007)
Rated 47% by the AFL-CIO, indicating a mixed record on union issues. (Dec 2003)
Voted NO on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox. (May 1999)
Rated 30% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record. (Dec 2003)
Voted YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends. (Dec 2005)
Voted YES on making the Bush tax cuts permanent. (Apr 2002)
Voted YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"). (Apr 2001)
Overhaul income tax; end capital gains & inheritance tax. (Dec 2000)
Phaseout the death tax. (Mar 2001)
Rated 89% by NTU, indicating a "Rich Taxpayer's Friend" on tax votes. (Dec 2003)
ok. you got me.
Feingold/ Kucinich '08!
July 8th, 2007 at 11:20 amForeign aid often more harmful than helpful . (Dec 2000)
Comment by Katie — July 8, 2007 @ 11:18 am
This one is actually kinda true, though I'm sure Ron Paul and I have radically different reasons for believing it.
July 8th, 2007 at 11:39 amPowell > well you failed to convince Bush to not invade Iraq, because Cheney already convinced him to invade Iraq.
July 8th, 2007 at 11:49 amIt's not Colin Powell we should be attacking ... 2.5 hours with George Bush is punishment enough ...
July 8th, 2007 at 12:01 pmThere are 300+ BushCONS that need to pay for what they have done to this country and Colon Powell is one of them. I hope that he understands that he enabled this whole mess and lied and deceived all of us (just like they all do - IOKIYAR) about it until now. Granted - if he was coerced into his actions that lead to this war by BuschCo then that is confession on National TV that I would like to know about. Not what he supposedly tried to do to stop the war- right - rememebr this > The UN "Theatre" performance can never be forgotten. Fear of them and what they might have done to him would be much more iinformative to hear about than the revisionist truth now - especially since his silence contributed to the GOP victory (theft) of the 2004 election. A victory that could not have happened with with the present sorry situaction that this administration is in. Even attenpting to to steal 2004 with what we know now would not have been possible. Shame Colon Shame !
July 8th, 2007 at 12:12 pmWow. 2 1/2 hours for a cabinet officer on a decision whether to commit the U.S. to war. Colin's commitment and that of Larry Wilkerson were huge, I tell you, absolutely HUGE. It's absolutely criminal that no one listened.
I'm certainly glad that they both have the opportunity to rewrite history after the fact to put themselves in the best possible light. There is absolutely nothing like opportunism!
July 8th, 2007 at 12:14 pmTwo and one half hours to prevent almost 3,600 American lives and over 600,000 Iraqi lives? If he felt as strong about it as he now claims, he should have resigned and spilled his guts to try to stop the attack. For a former Chief of Staff, I wish he would have had more guts in this situation. Even after he spent this time with George the Second, he still goes to the U.N. and spreads those filthy lies about WMD's in Iraq? If I was Barack Obama, I would not be using Colin Powell as an advisor.
July 8th, 2007 at 12:17 pm2.5 hours
Wow, a whole 2.5 hours? [sarcasm]What a hero.[/sarcasm]
July 8th, 2007 at 12:18 pmAlthough to be fair to Colin, talking earnestly to Dubya for 2.5 hours, with him looking back with that stare that means he's thinking about what he's going to have for dinner, really is something of an heroic effort...
July 8th, 2007 at 12:20 pmPowell has the character of the loyal soldier. He’s conservative, but he’s not dishonest.
Comment by david — July 8, 2007 @ 10:19 am
No, Cautious Man — at the time, he thought the intelligence was correct — Powell made the case against, but realized the only person with the legal responsibility to protect 300 million Americans had to make the final decision.
Comment by Jake — July 8, 2007 @ 10:44 am
I was totally convinced in 2003 that going to war in Iraq was wrong, and a huge mistake. Because of his high integrity, Powell's U.N. presentation caused me to think for a bit, that maybe there were WMD. Fortunately, the truth was available to us on the internets; primarily people like Scott Ritter, who I believed had far more credibility than Powell. Still, he obviously convinced many people for the same reasons I hesitated to doubt him: Because of his reputation. That's surely shot now
July 8th, 2007 at 12:20 pm"Feingold/ Kucinich ‘08!"
Comment by Kay — July 8, 2007 @ 11:20 am
That's better, Kay!;-)
I think that we're all so pissed at Powell not just because of what he did (or didn't do, more accurately.) It's because we had trusted him more than anyone else in this administration. It's been devastating having that trust broken, especially in such a criminally unethical way.
Veritas, willyloman, great posts!
July 8th, 2007 at 12:21 pmPowell could have been president. Instead he made Bush president. Without Powell next to him in the campaign Bush loses. Recall a huge portion of voters thought Bush was an ignorant slacker but thought he would have "good advisors".
Cheney tried to derail Powell's ascension to the SoS office but failed. From then on it was continual humiliation for Cash in Colin.
Powell is a toady and a boot licker. From covering up MaiLai to fighting tooth and nail for 10 years to deny Gulf War Syndrome his job was to put on his gravitas act, and then cash in.
The war is Powell's war. The Bush presidency is Powell's presidency. Rove's contribution to Bush's election pales in comparison to Powell's.
Oh yea, his son is a mindless wingnug welfare queen.
July 8th, 2007 at 12:35 pmYou came to your moral "fork in the path", Colin, tow the line or resign. You chose your path. End of story, shut up.
July 8th, 2007 at 12:36 pmColin spent a whole 2.5 hrs trying to stop the invasion!?
WOW!!!!
Someone quick, please nominate the man for next year's Nobel Prize!
July 8th, 2007 at 12:40 pmEisenhower Republican? Powell is NOT in this league. To be a statesman means duty, honor, country...
The duty to tell the truth to this country as soon as you know it that this nation, its soldiers, economy and reputation, is being asked to go to war against a country that did not threaten us and was being inspected successfully by a UN that we helped found on our principles against the type of ghastly war that we started.
What Powell enabled will be reviled in history as a totally unecessary war, as our country and ourselves were lied to by an administration who began it with no conscience and no honor and to this day remains untrustworthy to both us and the world. Every last one of them should be impeached and thrown out of office -- too bad Mr. Powell is not there to experience the same. Where are the constitutionalists?
July 8th, 2007 at 12:42 pm"Where are the constitutionalists?"
Comment by DITY — July 8, 2007 @ 12:42 pm
Hiding under that non-existent impeachment table.
July 8th, 2007 at 12:48 pmPowell is a republican. He says so. His undercutting of Clinton, often secretly, were thought by some to display principle. In reality, he displayed the galling double standard that is s.o.p. for the modern republican party: attack democrats, don't criticise republicans.
Powell is a discrace. As others have said, he could help restore our country if he spoke fully and openly about this national shame that is Iraq. If he would just tell the truth. But he won't. And it is not because he's ethically bound or because he is being the loyal soldier. He does it to sheild himself from personal embarassment. He is content preventing the lies and the truths from being shared with the nation at the time it would most matter.
Powell is a republican. He would rather the nation continue to suffer, that men and women die in Iraq, that countless sums be spent, and that America's reputation continue to sink, then speak the truth. Because doing so would damage him firstly, but also because it would damage Bush, Cheney, and the Republican administration and congress. Powell simply adheres to Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment: republicans don't criticise republicans. And Powell is a loyal republican. His loyalty is not first to America, but to his party.
Powell will never speak the truth fully and openly until doing so would not hurt him or his party. If he speaks at all it is only done selectively and selfishly for his benefit, for his P.R.
July 8th, 2007 at 12:57 pmPowell gets no sympathy whatsoever from me. I'm sure it's true that, compared to other members of the administration, he was a voice of reason. But when push came to shove, he rolled over and lied to the United Nations. The fact that he knew better does not excuse him from responsibility.
July 8th, 2007 at 1:02 pmYou're going down with the ship, Colin. Your speech at the UN will never be forgotten. You should have left Picasso's Guernica in full view.
July 8th, 2007 at 1:25 pmAt the risk of redundancy, Jonathan Gems, the writer of "Mars Attacks!", nailed Powell a decade ago in the character of General Casey (played by the late Paul Winfield).
As Gen. Casey told his wife:
Gen Casey: . . . I get to meet the Martian Ambassador! Ain't that great? Oh, it's a hell of an honor. But didn't I always tell you honey, if I just stayed in place and never spoke up, good things are bound to happen. . . .
July 8th, 2007 at 1:35 pmI would honestly like to hear exactly what Powell said to Bush. I would like to know what Bush said during that time, if anything (Bush is notorius for not asking questions). Was Cheney there? Did he say anything?
How could two and half hours of explanation about the consequences of qoing into Iraq from your own Secretary of State not give Bush pause?
We must impeach now. It is clearly obvious that we have a dangerously incompetent elected leader that refuses to cry Uncle and admit what the rest of the world already knows. Iraq is lost.
Impeach Bush and Cheney NOW.
July 8th, 2007 at 1:49 pmYep, Powell did his best to cover up as much of My Lai as possible, in addition to being a loyal GOP lackey at every possible opportunity
Powell has never shown integrity when it counts most, and hopefully, he's as permanently and publicly reviled as W, Cheney, Rummy, Rice & Joe McCarthy
July 8th, 2007 at 1:59 pmColin didn't want sonny-boy to lose his job at the FCC.
July 8th, 2007 at 2:04 pmColin also allowed the cover up of Dick Armitage as the Plamegate leaker to perpetuate that farce. Thanks Colin!
July 8th, 2007 at 2:51 pmPowell, can regain his good name by testifying. He has the potential to become this generations John Dean.
July 8th, 2007 at 3:03 pmThe long road toward making amends begins by endorsing the Democratic candidate for president in 2008, and perhaps by attending the DNC Convention.
July 8th, 2007 at 3:35 pmI heard Larry Wilkerson give a speech, during which he said that Powell was furious at the Bushies (he called Cheney and Rumsfeld 'amoral men who crave only power), but didn't think he could resign because he wanted some control over the China situation. Perhaps, unlike the DFH crowd, he couldn't see that we would be where we are and thought that it would be wrapped up and over before the neocons decided to strike Eastasia.
Not defending the prick, but maybe his reasoning was a little deeper than we give him credit for.
July 8th, 2007 at 3:36 pm#78: No, Cautious Man — at the time, he thought the intelligence was correct.
If that's true, why then did he initially say, "I'm not reading this. This is bullshit"?
July 8th, 2007 at 3:38 pmOn the one hand, I'm tempted to feel a bit sorry for Powell, who managed a (mostly) honorable Army career; just at the point that he might have thought that the verdict was in on his public life, he made the mistake of signing up with Bush, and discovered that he had never really been tested before.
On the other hand, he failed the test, and failed it miserably. He could have made a difference in this whole disgraceful affair, and he is probably the only person who could have: his resignation might well have convinced more people to pay attention to what was going on. But he didn't, and I am not impressed in the least by anything he has said or done in the years afterward. It's the same sort of self-serving crap that we've heard from McNamara, and Powell gets no extra points for not waiting thirty years to dish it out. If he can do anything now to turn people against this catastrophe, fine; but in my mind it's just penance rather than virtue.
July 8th, 2007 at 3:39 pmUp yours Colin. In February 2003 you sat in front of the United Nations General Assembly and laid out what appeared to be an iron-clad case for invading Iraq based on "solid" intelligence. Dont come back now trying to save your ass. You lied. You are complict in the instigation of an illegal war. You have as much blood on your hands as Bush and Cheney have. Go Cheney yourself Colin. Find someone who cares what you say.
July 8th, 2007 at 4:11 pmWah-wah-wah. Poor little Colin Powell. So eager to please, he goes in front of the whole world and lies his ass off on behalf of a lying sack of shit draft dodger like George Bush.
Colin: your reputation is destroyed forever -- and you so deserve it.
July 8th, 2007 at 4:12 pmWith all the different stories Colin's been spinning, he's got about as much credibility as Broadway Joe Wilson. In other words - zippo.
July 8th, 2007 at 4:57 pmColin,
Do you think you deserve a ph*cking cookie for your weak-a$$ so-called resistance to this moron presiDunce? Give me a complete ph*cking break moron!!
Did you resign? NO!!
Did you speak out in public? NO!!
Did you continue to resist beyond your "2.5 hours?" NO!!
Did you redouble your efforts to resist this illegal and sloppy war? NO!!
Did you speak out about the costof this war? NO!!
Did you stand up for the Generals that were speaking truth to power? NO!!
Did you stand up to the VP's office and their complete munipulation of the intelligence/facts on the ground? NO!!
Did you look into the true intelligence available outside of the VP's corrupt office? NO!!
Did you ever question any of the stupidity and/or corruptness you found yourself surrounded by? NO!!
What did you do just yesterday to end this corrupt adminstration?
NOTHING!!!!
July 8th, 2007 at 5:00 pmColin had the most to lose in this administration and he lost it all!!!
Loser!!!
July 8th, 2007 at 5:01 pmColin Powerll--you disgust me!!! PUKE...uhhggg..PUKE...hgghh..PUKE!!!
July 8th, 2007 at 5:03 pmAnd when did he have this futile heart to heart with Bush? Was it before or after he presented 90 minutes of lies and fabrications to the UN and the world? What's the point of lamely saying now that you tried to stop him? Self serving maybe, but it doesn't absolve you. You should have told him then - this plan is no plan, this is a war based on speculation and assumption and if you go ahead with this I will resign. I will tell the country and the congress what I have told you, and they will have the facts.
July 8th, 2007 at 5:10 pmso many former hawks have come out saying they were against the war all along, it's a wonder how it happened in the first place....
July 8th, 2007 at 5:13 pm"ok. you got me.
Feingold/ Kucinich ‘08!"
Now you're talking. But even better Gore/Kucinich '08. That would be a dynamite team!
July 8th, 2007 at 5:20 pmso many former hawks have come out saying they were against the war all along, it’s a wonder how it happened in the first place….
Comment by r€nato — July 8, 2007 @ 5:13 pm
Just like Viet-phucking-Nam!!
Everyone of them are a$$holes!!
July 8th, 2007 at 5:21 pmColin Powell should have spoken up before. His words before the UN will always haunt him. Other members of this administration must also come clean. Congress must continue its investigations into the run up to this war and how Plamegate is closely connected to it. The decision to go to war was made even before the intelligence was presented to Bush. The intelligence was cherry picked to make the case for war. The intelligence was made to fit around this faulty policy.
Previous administrations (Clinton) have always had their policies fit around the intelligence. The intelligence was not bad, as the president claims. Bush manipulated the intelligence because he wanted to go to war with Iraq at any cost. He did at the cost of our troops. Under Bush's leadership we have lost this civil war. This civil war is between the Shiias and the Sunnis and our troops are caught in the middle of it. Iraq has nothing to do with al Qaeda or 9-11.
July 8th, 2007 at 5:32 pmPowell missed his best chance of being remembered as a man of integrity and principle. Now, he's just a snot-nosed whining little soldier boy.
July 8th, 2007 at 7:56 pmYou might be interested in this if you're pissed off at Colin Powell:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0b9OHCLzDRA
July 8th, 2007 at 8:10 pmI've been checking memeorandum and other blog:news clustering sites. Why is this not mainstream news?
Seriously ... I mean, is the Aspen Conference bound by a traditional 'what is said here stays here' rule?
July 8th, 2007 at 8:53 pmYou have too give it too bush, he totaly destroyed 2 militarymen highly regarded by the american people, john mcCain and collin powell, not bad for a dumb smuck.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:11 pm#100: With all the different stories Colin’s been spinning, he’s got about as much credibility as Broadway Joe Wilson.
I'd trust Wilson long before I'd trust Powell.
One crucial difference between these two men: Wilson not only knew the truth about the Bush administration's lies, but he tried to do something about it. That, to me, is admirable. For his trouble, his wife had her career destroyed by White House Republicans, and Wilson has received years of hateful taunts from idiots like you.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:55 pmIn a totally different world depicted in Paul Schrader's film Blue Collar one character played by Yaphet Kotto is murdered on the job for his complaints against the working conditions at an auto plant and the corruption of the union,Harvey Keitel is left in the same wage trap, while Richard Pryor hooks up with the union. Mr. Powell and many others did the same as Richard 's character,willingly blinding themselves to the political puffery,cynicism,and ideological stupidity that marks this outfit in order to get a gate code to the exclusive suburb on the mesa that is the current administration. Every once he remembers his origins his pride( the statue of a black cavalryman at Fort Riley,Kansas,seemingly putting a party hack in her place during a televised interview) but then he places his snout in the trough son is rewarded with the FCC which he promptly says monopolies should own,he rolls over for The Speech. He is an Eisenhower era Negro Republican, not to aggressive, appreciative and complacent. He had his chance to constantly bring Facts all during the run up to war not just a 2.5 hour one to five you know Cheney was in the room to make sure Jr.s eyes didn't waver. Sad but hey Condi ain't no problem.
July 9th, 2007 at 12:06 amIMPEACH NOW
IMPEACH NOW
IMPEACH NOW
IMPEACH NOW!!
Comment by veritas — July 8, 2007 @ 9:46 am
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July 9th, 2007 at 5:33 amIndeed. Impeach Sen. Leahy and Rep. Conyers
Kucinich appears to be the only Congressman to earn his salary. Impeach Now.
July 9th, 2007 at 11:34 amHey guys & gals. Do a little thought experiment, keeping in mind the capitalist society we live in. Put yourself in the shoes of this so-called man of integrity and enabler of the worst foreign policy disaster of this country. I suspect your thinking would be as follows:
July 9th, 2007 at 1:35 pm"I used to be a SOS, before that a C-JCS, in short a person held in high esteem. My financial security is guaranteed as long as I dont make waves and keep the corporate big shots happy. Plus I have made the bed soft and comfortable for my son by getting him this fabulous job in regulating the communications industry. Surely, he is assured of big bucks later, again as long as he keeps the corporate big shots happy. I know he's not dumb enough to blow that.
"Back to Iraq, the debate over WMD and what I should do now. Heck, I'm not going to rock the boat now. I'm able to draw huge high speaking fees at any conservative function I speak to. "Public intellectuals" they call themselves, hmmm, not too many of the public can come to Aspen can they? Anyway, I do need though to address some of the questions raised by the left. Let me see if I can finesse that, plus Mr.28% can hardly raise a stink about what my relatively mild criticisms now can he. After all, he's hearing a lot worse from his sycophantic crew in the Repub party. This way, I can maintain later that I answered to my conscience. But I still will have nothing that will be put to risk. Heck, I may even be able to raise my speaking fees and get some more corporate directorships. My comfortable lifestyle is in no way threatened"
Cynical you say. Heck this is America, at least as the world sees it.
It's always been amusing to me how Colon Powell went from being universally admired pre-2000, to having a disctintly underwhelming aura after jumping on the Loyal Bushie bandwagon.
It's a good thing Colon never became a Democrat. We don't need weak-willed chumps like him in our party.
July 9th, 2007 at 2:15 pmHe kept quiet, and in return his unqualified son got the cushy job at the FCC, fighting Janet Jackson's nipple. Obviously, that was more important to Powell than the lives of US servicemembers.
July 9th, 2007 at 2:33 pmMr. Powell, I have just finished your autobiography. I believe you are a man of integrity. I believe your impartiality and clear-thinking helped the presidents you served under, both Democratic and Republican. It's a shame that members of a party want to tear you apart because you served Republican presidents. I personally want to thank you for the sacrifice you made to your country in the Vietnam War and later in office. I don't believe you lied and I don't believe you dishonored the African-American race. You have always upheld fairness and equality. I wish all Americans no matter what their skin color or party happens to be, could read your book with an unbiased mind.
July 15th, 2007 at 5:16 pm