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Colin Powell never had a chance
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America swooned over Colin Powell during and after the Gulf War. Despite his uncomfortable first name, Powell struck a dignified stance as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was the ultimate soldier and he could have been president. Powell's stint as Secretary of State under George W. Bush proved to become his political undoing. The question is, was he a noble scapegoat or a cowardly stooge?
Powell was the first cabinet member chosen by Bush. It was a transparent effort to provide the chimera of moderation to the administration. The team of Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld were going to be running the show and that set up an untenable role for the Secretary of State. Powell did succeed at installing his lifelong buddy Richard Armitage as Rumsfeld's deputy. Armitage shared Powell's philosophies, which caused a lot of trouble at the Pentagon. Rumsfeld and Armitage did not have a collegial relationship.
An instinctual impatience was the modus operandi of the Bush Administration. Powell took the opposite approach. As a general, Powell earned the nickname "The Reluctant Warrior." Armed conflict was always to be the last resort, after all diplomatic attempts have failed. In addition, if war became inevitable, victory must be uncomplicated. Overwhelming force was the key component of acheiving the desired goal.
Diplomatic efforts by Colin Powell as Secretary of State yielded very few successes. Missions regarding Iraq, North Korea, and Israel often showed how at odds Powell was with the rest of Bush's team. If the U.S. did not seem to take it's own top diplomat seriously, why would another country? More than once, Powell would make a seemingly honest public statement, only to be reprimanded immediately. For someone as conscious about his public image as Powell, these were humiliating events. 
The climactic act of Powell's tragedy was when he presented to the U.N the case for an invasion of Iraq. Before the trusted Powell made his argument, American public opinion was on the fence. Overnight, Powell won the support of citizens, who had concluded this action was needed for self-defense.
It turned out that Colin Powell spewed a litany of, if not outright lies, than at least conscious untruths. There were no WMD's, at least not in Iraq, and the claim of Saddam's attempt to obtain yellowcake from Africa was a forgery. Do we feel sorry for this formerly sanctified statesman, or be disgusted at his playing the role of good soldier to a fault?
Powell was extraordinarily skeptical of the Iraq invasion. He thought he had made his case to the president. When it became clear that he did not, he should have left his post. Ever the loyal soldier, Powell was compelled to serve his president and country. In the end, Powell was fired.
Rumsfeld and Cheney continue to quarrel with Powell as both sides jockey for the right to define history. Powell donated the maximum amount to John McCain in 2008, but ultimately publicly threw his support to Obama. Despite a well-earned distate for the political theater, it would not be a surprise to see Powell emerge as an elder statesmen for the Democratic Party.
Coming up next: Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
If you enjoyed this article, check out: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-11800-Bush-Legacy-Examiner~y2009m6d25-Dick-Cheney-was-brutal-and-effective
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