I agree with your assessment, Maha. Powell was fed false information and real intel was withheld. I think Powell would have said the blame was his for trusting Cheney and his stooges. I don't think Powell knew he was being duped at the time he addressed the UN.
He entered military service at the end of 'Nam and stayed in to reform the chaos in the transition from a conscript army to a professional volunteer force with respect and equality for women and minorities. You might observe he was far from successful but I was in the military at the end of 'Nam and the improvement was profound.
He tried to warn us about home-grown fascism in his retirement. I think he passed with his integrity intact.
Doug,,,Powell entered the military in 1958. He served in Vietnam as an ARVN advisor from 1962 to 1963.
Whatever gains were made in implementing an all voluntary force they went out the window during the Iraq war with the issuing of moral and intellectual waivers used to meet the manpower shortage caused by the unpopularity of that war.
I put Colin in the decent and honorable guy who got played column.
R.I.P.
Colin Powell ling ago acknowledged his Iraq presentation and the part it played in getting that war on was wrong. An admission that, to this day, we’ve yet to hear from key figures who played similar integral roles in getting that war on. For that reason, the sum total of Powell's career should be viewed in a positive light, including what he did to reform military culture, and the benefit that effort, and his presence and accomplishments achieved for black soldiers and veterans.
He was a good man.
Powell handed Bush/Cheney a double victory, They got operation steal the oil and got rid of Powell as a formidable political rival for the rest of his life. The House of Saud got the diversion they needed and a war that played into their religious bent.
I guess he was just a messenger and one should not generally shoot the messenger.. I'm not sure that is true if the messenger has achieved the rank of general, but I do not think that the United States wanted revenge. Most of the revenge went to harm vast numbers of innocents, and the collateral damage to United State's hegemony will haunt us for many, many Halloweens to come.
When the invasion of a sovereign nation is in the balance and your and your country's credibility is on the line, it is a poor time to suspend your disbelief. Even us lowly troops knew that army intelligence was on the top ten oxymoron list – way above jumbo shrimp and periodic irregularity At the time I do remember yearning for a few more solid voices of skepticism at that time. Oh how hindsight brings all to focus.
I would guess the general would most appreciate us all learning from both his good example and his mistakes. In his defense he was riding on one huge groundswell. Anyway, R.I.P..
My father said of SoS Powell, "I thought he could be another George Marshall. Instead, we got another Oliver North."
I couldn't top that.
My late Pop had a knack for finding bullshit and exposing it! I miss ya, Pop!
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One million dead Iraqis thank the good general for his service.
I agree with your assessment, Maha. Powell was fed false information and real intel was withheld. I think Powell would have said the blame was his for trusting Cheney and his stooges. I don't think Powell knew he was being duped at the time he addressed the UN.
He entered military service at the end of 'Nam and stayed in to reform the chaos in the transition from a conscript army to a professional volunteer force with respect and equality for women and minorities. You might observe he was far from successful but I was in the military at the end of 'Nam and the improvement was profound.
He tried to warn us about home-grown fascism in his retirement. I think he passed with his integrity intact.
Doug,,,Powell entered the military in 1958. He served in Vietnam as an ARVN advisor from 1962 to 1963.
Whatever gains were made in implementing an all voluntary force they went out the window during the Iraq war with the issuing of moral and intellectual waivers used to meet the manpower shortage caused by the unpopularity of that war.
I put Colin in the decent and honorable guy who got played column.
R.I.P.
Colin Powell ling ago acknowledged his Iraq presentation and the part it played in getting that war on was wrong. An admission that, to this day, we’ve yet to hear from key figures who played similar integral roles in getting that war on. For that reason, the sum total of Powell's career should be viewed in a positive light, including what he did to reform military culture, and the benefit that effort, and his presence and accomplishments achieved for black soldiers and veterans.
He was a good man.
Powell handed Bush/Cheney a double victory, They got operation steal the oil and got rid of Powell as a formidable political rival for the rest of his life. The House of Saud got the diversion they needed and a war that played into their religious bent.
I guess he was just a messenger and one should not generally shoot the messenger.. I'm not sure that is true if the messenger has achieved the rank of general, but I do not think that the United States wanted revenge. Most of the revenge went to harm vast numbers of innocents, and the collateral damage to United State's hegemony will haunt us for many, many Halloweens to come.
When the invasion of a sovereign nation is in the balance and your and your country's credibility is on the line, it is a poor time to suspend your disbelief. Even us lowly troops knew that army intelligence was on the top ten oxymoron list – way above jumbo shrimp and periodic irregularity At the time I do remember yearning for a few more solid voices of skepticism at that time. Oh how hindsight brings all to focus.
I would guess the general would most appreciate us all learning from both his good example and his mistakes. In his defense he was riding on one huge groundswell. Anyway, R.I.P..
My father said of SoS Powell, "I thought he could be another George Marshall. Instead, we got another Oliver North."
I couldn't top that.
My late Pop had a knack for finding bullshit and exposing it! I miss ya, Pop!
One million dead Iraqis thank the good general for his service.