Feith: Powell Should Have Told Bush How Stupid I Am
Feith: Powell Should Have Told Bush How Stupid I Am
In his new book “War and Decision,” former Pentagon official and Iraq war architect Douglas Feith blames many of his former Bush administration colleagues for the war’s failures. He chastizes former Secretary of State Colin Powell for “never express[ing] opposition to the invasion,” arguing that the war could have been avoided entirely if Powell had “persuaded the president” against overthrowing Saddam Hussein.
On Fox News this weekend, Feith again went after Powell, but this time, his criticism came with a slight twist. In the span of less than one minute, Feith attacked Powell for not strongly opposing the war — as he does in his book — but he then immediately criticized him for not “wholeheartedly support[ing] it” agreeing with host Paul Gigot that Powell’s “lack of support undermined” the war effort.
FEITH: Secretary Powell, I think, would have done the country a much greater service if he — since he didn’t quite agree with the president’s policy, as he’s made clear — if he had actually debated it and put forward an alternative strategy. But he didn’t do that, nor after the president made his decision, did he wholeheartedly support it. [...]
GIGOT: Is that what you’re saying? And that lack of support undermined the effort?
FEITH: I think that’s true.
Watch it:
So according to Feith — once called “the stupidest f****** guy on the planet” — the war could have been avoided if only Powell had done more to stop it. But at the same time, “victory” was at hand if only Powell had been “wholeheartedly” supporting it. Perhaps scapegoating can get confusing at times when you’re consistently blaming others for your failures.
Today, Spencer Ackerman has been taking a closer look at Feith’s book, and asks, “Can Doug Feith please stop playing himself?”
Transcript:
GIGOT: One of the fascinating things about your book is the degree to which it disagrees with so much of the conventional wisdom we’ve read about decision making in the Bush administration. For example, it’s often said that the president discouraged different points of view leading up to the war. But your book says, quote, “He encouraged an excessive tolerance sometimes of indiscipline, even of disloyalty, from his own officials,” unquote. Can you give me an example where that was the case?
FEITH: Well, what I’m talking about in there is that one of the principal problems I think this administration had was divided government. When I reviewed the debates in my book that occurred about Iraq policy, what struck me was how the president did not have the wholehearted support of the State Department and the CIA. And the point that I make is that Secretary Powell I think would have done the country a much greater service if he–since he didn’t quite agree with the president’s policy, as he’s made clear–if he had actually debated it and put forward an alternative strategy.
But he didn’t do that, nor after the president made his decision, did he wholeheartedly support it. And I think that the country would have been better off if he had either thrown in completely behind the policy or stepped aside in favor of somebody who would have.
GIGOT: So in a sense, the entire administration was not entirely behind it as we got into the occupation period and the attempt after Saddam Hussein was deposed in trying to develop a government there. Is that what you’re saying? And that lack of support undermined the effort.
FEITH: I think that’s true. It’s true, after Saddam was overthrown that there was actually a reversal of the policy that the president had adopted to put Iraqis in charge of their own government early on, and we wound up having a 14-month occupation where we ran the country, and I think that was a costly error.
And then also before the war, we actually lost ground diplomatically in the six months or so before the war, even though we took Secretary Powell’s suggestion to go to the U.N. as the main vehicle for out diplomacy.
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Today, Spencer Ackerman has been taking a closer look at Feith’s book, and asks, “Can Doug Feith please stop playing himself?”
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Com’on, Spencer… wouldn’t it make more sense to ask…
“Can’t Dough Feith please stop playing WITH himself”???
April 14th, 2008 at 4:19 pmColin Powell is evidently far more powerful than we ever knew. He and he alone determined the fate of the war and occupation, simply by using his Inside Voice. No wonder Feith such a great review for his brain.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:22 pmOh, so now, it’s Colin Powell’s fault…?
OIC.
Can I get an order of personal responsibility with that?
April 14th, 2008 at 4:23 pmThe more Douggie talks, the smarter Tommy Franks looks.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:26 pmAnd that’s no small feat.
Boy oh boy. For a “Party of Personal Responsibility”, those wingnuts love them some scapegoats, don’t they?
April 14th, 2008 at 4:30 pmDougie Howser Feith is obviously on the outside of Republican power ; he can’t even get it right when it comes to criticism.
Everyone knows it’s Clinton’s fault…………
April 14th, 2008 at 4:31 pmIt’s no wonder we’re in the mess we’re in with bush/cheney depending on an endless supply of low-intellect losers like this moron.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:36 pmWell, if Powell didn’t say it, then please allow me to…
Feith… yer one dumb son-of-a-Republican…
April 14th, 2008 at 4:37 pmDid anyone actually grit their teeth and sit through this clip?
The Faux anchor asks Feith to provide an example of “excessive tolerance” for dissent in the Bush adminsitration yet all he offers is a criticism of Powell’s failure to “step aside” for someone who would have supported the invasion-and-occupation policy.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:38 pmIf Edward Herrmann doesn’t have a lock on playing Feith in Oliver Stones new movie, “W” , then every casting agent in america is asleep.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:38 pmEvery time I look at Feith’s dopey mug, I think of “The lost boys”. They were a bunch of vampires too.
It’s a damn shame these neocon losers and failures are making blood money off the toil of American soldiers and Iraqi anguish. Some day they’re gonna have to answer, “Just what have you clowns ever done correctly?” FOX ain’t gonna ask.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:41 pmWhat happened to the Recommend (0) | Report Abuse buttons?
April 14th, 2008 at 4:45 pmAny Georgetown grads out there? He’s Professor Feith to you!
http://explore.georgetown.edu/news/?ID=15320
April 14th, 2008 at 4:46 pmWow what a sad desperate attempt to rewrite history
April 14th, 2008 at 4:46 pmI am not the poopidest piece of pit!
April 14th, 2008 at 4:47 pmCan someone please explain why a group of feeble-minded , dim-witted fools led by a military deserting imbecile , while all others in the godawful group had never even gotten close to a recruiting office let alone serving , are part of a debate in relation to deploying the entire US military ?
Do Super Bowl coaches ask the locker room custodians for an idea for a game plan idea before the game ?
April 14th, 2008 at 4:47 pmThe buck stops there.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:50 pmForget Feith. He’s obviously an idiot and a liar.
O/T:
JERUSALEM – Israel’s secret service has declined to assist U.S. agents guarding former U.S. President Jimmy Carter during a visit in which Israeli leaders have shunned him, U.S. sources told Reuters on Monday.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24107417/
April 14th, 2008 at 4:51 pmDouglas J. Feith Joins Georgetown Faculty
Georgetown University today announced that former United States Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Douglas J. Feith (L’78) was appointed Visiting Professor and Distinguished Practitioner in National Security Policy. Beginning Fall 2006, he will teach a course on the Bush Administration’s strategy behind the war on terrorism to students in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.
Parents and their kids are taking out loans so kids can be taught what the basis is to be idiots and incompetent losers?
Man , talk about a waste of money ……………..
April 14th, 2008 at 4:52 pmThe illegitimate gangster Bush regime members are all worthless lying warmongering traitors to a “man” …
April 14th, 2008 at 4:55 pmParents and their kids are taking out loans so kids can be taught what the basis is to be idiots and incompetent losers?
Man , talk about a waste of money …………….
If that class simply discussed what went right during the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq, the lesson would be over in about 10 minutes. That seems like a more efficient use of time.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:59 pmFeith: Powell Should Have Told Bush How Stupid I Am
Would that retard have understood Powell anyway?
April 14th, 2008 at 5:02 pmSo typical Republican thinking….soldiers want free tuition and should realize they, like the police can get killed for this freebie. However, many solders enlisted thinking they were helping America, not fighting an illegal takeover of a country for oil.
How many here remember, those of us saying “it is all about oil.” And we were blown off. And now we see it is about oil. How is it America is storing 77,000,000 bbls a day when we already have plenty in storage instead of releasing some to the public.
April 14th, 2008 at 5:08 pmFEITH: I think that’s true. It’s true, after Saddam was overthrown that there was actually a reversal of the policy that the president had adopted to put Iraqis in charge of their own government early on, and we wound up having a 14-month occupation where we ran the country, and I think that was a costly error.
And just what does Feith think we are doing now? If the war is over and the occupation is over…..?
April 14th, 2008 at 5:08 pmFeith’s IQ is under 100–cut him a break!
April 14th, 2008 at 5:22 pmSo Powell was against being for the war after he was for being against it?
April 14th, 2008 at 5:26 pmWould it be OK, Duggie, if I told everyone just how f*(king stupid you were, are, and always will be, once and for all?
April 14th, 2008 at 5:28 pmOne thing I agree with, Colin Powell and those that saw what corruptness was happening had the responsibility to speak up and nobody did. I do remember stories that Powell was left out of the loop on many major decisions.
April 14th, 2008 at 5:40 pmBlinded by his own idealism.
April 14th, 2008 at 5:44 pmI will never, ever understand allowing a crime for the sake of the “party”. So many people, myself included, respected Powell and he blew it.
April 14th, 2008 at 5:55 pmThis follows the usual pattern for the Bush administration. First, the policy was predetermined. We already knew what the outcome would be. We saw the same thing with the torture policy memo wherein Yoo wrote the legal justification (even worse, after-the-fact) and for the purpose of supporting the already determined answer. Feith makes a big show of explaining all the potential downside of invading Iraq. We know that this was just more window dressing to provide the appearance of considered decision making. The real funny part is how willing some of these loyal minions have been to defend themselves at this point.
April 14th, 2008 at 5:55 pmjdc Says:
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MCMetal Says:
Can someone please explain why a group of feeble-minded , dim-witted fools led by a military deserting imbecile , while all others in the godawful group had never even gotten close to a recruiting office let alone serving , are part of a debate in relation to deploying the entire US military ?
Do Super Bowl coaches ask the locker room custodians for an idea for a game plan idea before the game ?
I’m a bit surprised to see you support McCain for POTUS.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Guess you’ll be more surprised then to hear that McStupid has no business in the Oval Office (not that the moron there now does) , and that I do not support below-average NAVY FIGHTER PILOTS to become president.
That wrinkled old moron knows as much about a ground war as Chimpy does literary figures , shithead………..
April 14th, 2008 at 5:57 pmBTW JustADopeyCorky
Military service is not the only qualification that decides who should be president ; intelligence , an inate ability to deal with others (especially FOREIGN Heads Of State) , and an intuitive grasp of the US economy should be mandatory.
Topics that McStupid fails miserably with ; between the 3 remaining candidates , he’s so awful and clueless , he’s not even in the Top 3……….
April 14th, 2008 at 6:00 pmLet me see if I have this right Gonzo Torquemada Gonzalez can’t find a job but this stupid two face mother raper is teaching at Georgetown?
April 14th, 2008 at 6:09 pmThe folks in charge of Catholic education must be so proud.
It’s like the drunk driver blaming the bar when he leaves and crashes his car. “They should have stopped me before I got drunk”
April 14th, 2008 at 6:52 pmIt’s pretty obvious that Bush tolerates no dissent, so Powell would have been fired if he disagreed and Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Wolfowitz/Feith would have done what they wanted to do anyway and the war would still be a disaster.
Doug Feith must have some seriously soiled diapers about now, he can see the writing on the wall. He knows he’s at the front of the line for sacrificial lambs in the years to come as the prosecutions begin climbing up the ladder.
April 14th, 2008 at 7:02 pmI hope General Powell realizes that this Zionist traitor/thug is trying to throw him under the bus.
Question: How does “the stupidest f****** guy on the planet” manage to get a job at Harvard University?
April 14th, 2008 at 7:09 pmIt’s my opinion that Powell turned evidence over to Fitzgerald and became enemy #1 of the Neo Con socialists like Feith. A factions battle has been raging in the junta for years.
I think Gen. Powell reacted to the Cons’ outing of Plame and Brewster Jennings in much the same way any patriot would for any other brazen act of treason.
This image goes to that fateful night aboard Air Force One in the summer of ‘03, when Powell brought a stack of top secret CIA Plame memos for distribution to the W.H.I.G., Ari Fleischer, Bush, and others.
Feith appears to know something is coming and acts anxiously, almost as if he needs to taint the jury pool preemptively.
http://www.light-to-dark.com/coffee_tea_or_treason.html
Will it work?
April 14th, 2008 at 7:37 pmI’m not proud of this — but I have read Feith’s book.
The scary part is that he seems to really believe the stuff he writes — and fails to recognize that many of his views make absolutely no sense.
The Powell “didn’t support” but “didn’t object loudly enough” argument is just one example.
He also criticizes the CIA for believing shortly after 9/11 — that the attacks were conducted by Al Qaida. (Memo to Doug: They were).
He also goes after the intelligence community for thinking and saying that there was no evidence of Saddam supporting Bin Ladin. (Memo #2 – He didn’t)
Feith’s theme can be summarized as: “How dare these people come to the correct conclusions without fully considering my idiotic views?”
April 14th, 2008 at 8:01 pmI love MAN IS SEEKING HIS FIRST MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP scrolling across your screen capture.
Ain’t gonna happen, Doug. You’re for sure going to be an example in some history books, but not the kind you think. And you might even make it into a couple of ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY text books…
April 14th, 2008 at 11:22 pmOne thing about George W Bush, he never has hired anyone who is smarter than himself!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:37 pmDouglas Feith is a War Criminal trying to blame everybody else for this administration’s WAR CRIMES. His bubble must be getting smaller and unconfortable. Specially now that we know that Top officials OK torture in those secret meeting in the WH. Hey Douglas Feith… why don’t you go for a trip in Europe. You think you have immunity for war crimes, do you?!
April 15th, 2008 at 1:09 amI meant a trip TO Europe… get a tap in the shoulders and hear the words: You are under arrest, come with us!
April 15th, 2008 at 1:10 am.
These Fascist NeoCons sure do enjoy a good game of “pass the buck”… NO?
Why is it ALWAYS someone Else’s fault for personal incompetence?
So, I can run a red light and kill the pedestrians crossing the street and blame it on the traffic? O.K.! In other words, what is happening here, by these Fascist NeoCons is an attempt at the justification of anarchy. Is that what they promote for us all? ANARCHY…
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April 15th, 2008 at 2:04 amFieth says there was a division among Gov’t?
Republican lock step robots had the Executive Branch, the Senate, the House, Bush politicized the justice Dept with Repub loyalists, the CIA was converted to appease, Rumsfeld moved an office into the Pentagon.
What part of Gov’t did the republican zealot loyalists not have control of ?
April 15th, 2008 at 4:00 amHowever, many solders enlisted thinking they were helping America, not fighting an illegal takeover of a country for oil.
How many here remember, those of us saying “it is all about oil.” And we were blown off. And now we see it is about oil. How is it America is storing 77,000,000 bbls a day when we already have plenty in storage fujitsu fu-cbp109 battery,fujitsu s7011 battery instead of releasing some to the public.
October 15th, 2008 at 8:17 am