Though he is rarely mentioned, I think Colin Powell has a share of the blame for the Iraq War. [View all]

[jamesatemple]

Living here in East Texas, I don't find many folks who share my "take" on most subjects involving politics. Thus it was that during discussions with my pals (read, arguments), with regard to precipitating a war with Iraq, I was alone in the opinion that we must not rush into a war based upon the purported "real" evidence.

I took a bit of "heat" with that position. I was and am comfortable with holding divergent views from my fellow Texans so long as those polemic discussions don't cause a rift in an otherwise good relationship. So it was that I conceded to hold my final decision in abeyance until I had the benefit of watching Colin Powell reveal the Bush Administrations "proof" before the United Nations assembly. You see, Colin Powell was the only member of that administration in whom I had any confidence at all. I felt that he wouldn't "roll over" merely to substantiate deliberate aggression. With his approval of the decision for war, I reluctantly conceded that war was inevitable.

Of course, in the days immediately following the initial strike of war, the "wind from Denmark" became particularly odorous as real evidence of the situation became available. Yet, every shred of actual evidence was ignored by the perpetrators of this trumped-up war. I was beginning to regret having confidence in Powell, seeing that the one fellow in whom I had confidence had "feet of clay."

During the years following the commencement of war against Iraq, I watched interviews in which Powell revealed what I considered to be arrogance in dealing with questions concerning the war decision. Later, I heard him declare that he thought that the war was necessary. I can't believe that a reasonable man would continue to hold an opinion that was proved false.

Anyway, it is my opinion that whenever condemnation is accorded to the authors of war in Iraq ~ Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, et al, ~ Colin Powell's name should be prominently mentioned.