| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-Misc |
| User: |
"Gandalf Grey" |
| Date: |
27 Apr 2004 05:14:49 PM |
| Object: |
Powell Needed to Speak Up About War Objections |
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/helenthomas/3036280/detail.html
Powell Needed To Speak Up About War Objections
Woodward Book Shows Secretary's Hesitance To Invade Iraq
POSTED: 6:05 p.m. EDT April 23, 2004
WASHINGTON -- Some pundits and columnists have suggested that Secretary of
State Colin Powell should have resigned, considering his ambivalence over
President George W. Bush's fateful decision to go to war against Iraq.
Now it's too late for him to earn a profile in courage by taking a heroic
stand against the war.
Had he been more vocal in urging a diplomatic approach, Powell may have
given Bush second thoughts about invading Iraq.
Generals don't make war, politicians do. And Powell, a retired Army
four-star general and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the first
Gulf War, has often been portrayed as the lonesome "dove" among Bush's
hawkish coterie.
A new book "Plan of Attack" by Washington Post writer Bob Woodward makes it
eminently clear that there was no love lost between Powell and Vice
President ***** Cheney, the super hawk.
Woodward writes of a dinner party Cheney hosted on Sunday, April 13, 2003,
to celebrate the impending military victory in Iraq.
The guests were predominantly hawks in Republican circles.
Woodward said Powell's name came up at the dinner and there were "chuckles
around the table." He did not explain why. He quoted Cheney as dismissing
Powell because he "sure likes to be popular."
When Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz praised the secretary as a
"good, loyal member of the team," Cheney shook his head no, indicating
Powell was a problem.
"Colin always had major reservations about what we were trying to do,"
Cheney said.
Woodward wrote that Cheney had a "fever" to go to war against Iraq and
resented Powell's insistence that the administration at least seek the
approval of the United Nations.
The administration's "with-us-or-against-us" attitude has made Powell's
caution unwelcome in the Oval Office.
To keep his credibility intact within the administration, Powell sometimes
goes to extremes to show that he, too, is with the Bush program.
He has insisted in recent interviews that he is "glad" the United States
attacked Iraq and happy that the nation has a president who was willing to
take out a ruthless dictator.
Since publication of Woodward's book, Powell has stepped up his support of
the president. He has denied Woodward's claim that he was out of the loop
when Bush made his decision to go to war. On the contrary, he said, he
helped develop the war plans.
At the same time, Woodward claims that Prince Bandar bin Sultan -- Saudi
Arabia's longtime ambassador to Washington -- was briefed about the war plan
and shown a map of the planned attack before Powell had seen it.
Not so, Powell insists.
But Bush told Woodward that he didn't consult Powell very often because he
said he already knew what the secretary thought.
When Powell told the president he had his support, Bush replied that it was
"time to put your uniform on."
Powell proved himself a loyal team member by his ability to communicate
hardline White House policies in a moderate voice.
On Feb. 5, 2002, Powell appeared before the United Nations to argue the U.S.
case for military intervention in Iraq based on Saddam Hussein's weapons of
mass destruction.
The Central Intelligence Agency had primed him with data for his mesmerizing
two-hour televised show about Iraq's alleged possession of tons of chemical
and biological weapons.
Powell's prestige and leadership had a lot to do with convincing Americans
that they were under imminent threat.
He helped win public backing for the war -- but failed to persuade the
United Nations. He now concedes that he may have been wrong in his
allegations about Iraqi weapons.
Maybe the real Powell will stand up someday. His ambivalence has created a
dilemma for his fans.
Woodward's book depicts a president who was willing to humor Powell and his
preferences for diplomatic approaches to the administration's goal of
ousting Saddam.
Bush acquiesced to Powell's recommendation that he should address the United
Nations. But Bush told him that he doubted the U.N. diplomatic track would
work.
"If it doesn't, you know we're going to have to go to war," the president
told Powell.
It may not be time for Powell to quit, but he must be embarrassed for his
major contributions to the Iraqi debacle.
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FAIR USE NOTICE: This post contains copyrighted material the use of which
has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I am
making such material available in an effort to advance understanding of
environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and
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such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107
"If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so
long as I'm the dictator." - GW Bush 12/18/2000.
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that
we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic
and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
---Theodore Roosevelt
"For us to get bogged down in the quagmire
of an Iraqi civil war would be the height of foolishness."
---Defense Secretary ***** Cheney, 1991
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