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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe tragedy of Colin Powell's life
That is the tragedy of his life.
...One October night in 1973, an attorney general named Eliot Richardson was ordered by Richard Nixon to fire a special prosecutor. This was Richardsons chance to be a great man, and to influence history for the better, and he took it. He resigned and he told the country why. In February 2003, Colin Powell faced the same choice. I always will believe that he could have stopped the whole catastrophe, or at least tossed a ton of sand in the gears, with one press conference after hed resigned as Secretary of State. That's if hed used that sterling public reputation on which Cheney had counted so heavily to tell the country that there were people who wanted a war and who did not care how they got it.
They got their war. Colin Powell helped when he didnt have to do so, when he knew he didnt have to do so. Hundreds of thousands of people died. The moment needed an Eliot Richardson. It got Colin Powell, may he rest in peace, a guy who was a good soldier once too often.
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a37991036/colin-powell-obituary-george-w-bush-iraq-war/?fbclid=IwAR0aVW6vnxKvaeRi8YYTfzB8OVDD4t5giUtohjlB72xc5Z-7Yn4lEjYNfpI
Skittles
(153,160 posts)fuck him, I will sympathize with all his victims
zipplewrath
(16,646 posts)Being a good soldier is about serving others. Powell never understood that at some point, leadership is about being true to the truth, regardless of the consequences. He was a good soldier too long, and never understood the burden of leadership.
Response to mia (Original post)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
Intel told them there was no yellow cake.
Remember Valeri Plame?
Powell killed millions with his cowardice.
Skittles
(153,160 posts)I could tell he did not even believe what he was saying. Disgusting.
NH Ethylene
(30,811 posts)Whether that would have prevented the war or not is anyone's guess.
I was bitterly disappointed with him at the time. I hold no longstanding grudge against him though. He was weak at a time when great strength was needed. And he was just one of the many 'players' who contributed to the forward march to war. This includes the majority who voted to allow the invasion. They are all equally culpable to each other.
I am not a vengeful person. We all make mistakes in our lives, some of them big ones. There is only one man I will never forgive foir this atrocity. He is the one who constructed the false WMD evidence and knew it was wrong to invade Iraq. He did it for power and money. He knew many people would die and he just didn't care. And of course, that is Darth Vader himself, Dick Cheney. Everyone else played a supporting role.
I am saving my wrath for HIS epitat.
Thank you.
Skittles
(153,160 posts)he need others to pimp for his lies - people like Powell
NH Ethylene
(30,811 posts)There is plenty of blame to go around. If you like simmering in rage each time one of them dies, then enjoy. I save my contempt for the truly evil among us.
Skittles
(153,160 posts)Colin went ABOVE AND BEYOND, pimping for a senseless war, like he had learned NOTHING from Vietnam
Hav
(5,969 posts)That is true but for some strange reason people are less charitable in their assessment of Powell's role and influence. Reading some posts here, one could almost believe that Powell could have single-handedly prevented the Iraq war. It's all on him.
He knowingly lied and lacked the courage to do what was right when he neither believed the fake intel nor in the need for military intervention. But I also think this focus on blaming Powell is minimizing the roles of the likes of Rumsfeld and Cheney
Withywindle
(9,988 posts)I'm angry at him for not even trying. At the very least, resigning to not attach his name to the shameful legacy, and having it stated on the record that he was opposed.
If he had done that, the conversation around his death here would be very different.
When Cheney dies, we're all going to metaphorically guzzle a keg of beer so our tanks are fully loaded for the grave-pissing party. I haven't seen anyone here saying Cheney wasn't the worst of the worst.
I think Powell could have chosen to be better, and he just didn't.
malaise
(268,993 posts)The truth - rec
Response to mia (Original post)
malaise This message was self-deleted by its author.
Hekate
(90,681 posts)KnR