The Iraq War retrospective Thread

[--Pete]

Hi,

I had a vast respect for Powell, to the point that I'd have voted for him in a presidential election. I admired him for his hands on leadership, his knowledge, his ability to work with all people. I actually thought (and I hardly need tell the Lounge that I'm a cynic) that he was that extreme rarity, an honest man in the public service. When I was totally in opposition to our proposed invasion of Iraq, he was the only person in the administration who could have won my (extremely reluctant) support, which he did with his presentation to the UN. A presentation which, in retrospect, was almost entirely false.

There is a third option you leave out Pete, that Powell was trying to be loyal to Bush Sr and was trying to do the right thing, yet he was walked upon for his loyalty because Bush Jr and the Texas Oil Gang knew they could exploit his loyalty.

If he didn't know the 'data' he was working with were lies, then he was duped. If he did, then he sold out and the reason he did so does not matter, though in small part it might mitigate.

Powell was in a lose-lose and he really didn't have a good way out.

True, but for a man of principle, resignation would have been preferable, and that was an option he did have. Hell, an astute political animal would have realized that when the truth came out he would have been, in all probability, better off maintaining his image of integrity. As it is, Powell's political career seems to be yet another casualty of the Iraqi war.

--Pete