Posted on 03/31/2005 10:53:43 AM PST by areafiftyone
FORMER US secretary of state Colin Powell claims he is "furious and angry" about being misinformed over Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and has criticised George W.Bush and Donald Rumsfeld for their clumsy rhetoric in the lead-up to the war.
In a candid magazine interview, Mr Powell hinted that his infamous testimony to the UN Security Council in February 2003, when he built the case for the coalition invasion of Iraq, left him a political lame duck.
"Hundreds of millions followed it on television," Mr Powell said of his testimony. "I will always be the one who presented it.
"I have to live with that."
Mr Powell told Germany's Stern magazine that before appearing at the UN he had spent four days with the Central Intelligence Agency inspecting every photograph and word.
"The CIA believed there were weapons of mass destruction," Mr Powell said. "The President believed it. I believed it.
"Still, it was wrong. I did not know this at the time."
In his February 5, 2003, testimony to the UN, Mr Powell used the phrase "weapons of mass destruction" 18 times and concluded: "Leaving Saddam Hussein in possession of weapons of mass destruction for a few more months or years is not an option, not in a post-September 11 world." Mr Powell, who announced his resignation in November after Mr Bush won a second term as President, has said previously that his testimony was "not solid".
But the Stern interview is his most candid yet, also extending his criticism to Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who angered Europeans when he used the phrase "old Europe" as trans-Atlantic tensions rose over Iraq.
"We were sometimes too loud, too direct, perhaps we made too much noise," Mr Powell said. "That certainly shocked the Europeans sometimes -- words like 'Old Europe'."
He said that the rhetoric of Mr Rumsfeld "contributed to pitting European public opinion against us".
And Mr Bush came in for criticism too, with Mr Powell saying he "presented some positions in a perhaps overstated way, but that's how changes begin, just look at the Middle East," referring to what appears to be some democratic momentum in the region.
But Mr Powell stressed that, despite mild criticism, he had left the White House on good terms with the President and spoke of a warm relationship with him.
"We are friends," he said.
Despite the fallout from the WMD farce, Mr Powell, 68, claimed he never considered resigning.
He stressed that he had no presidential ambitions and appeared determined to present his legacy as the voice of moderation in the Bush White House.
He added that despite the problems facing US troops in Iraq now, it was better that Saddam Hussein was no longer in power.
"Yes, the insurgency is much bigger than we anticipated. But I'm glad that Saddam is in jail," he said.
Mr Powell stepped down as secretary of state in January, replaced by Condoleezza Rice.
A career as a statesman flushed down the toilet. Why can't people just shut up?
Everyone knew he was just giving a wink and a nod to the President.
Further, in a very short time, Dr. Rice has proven herself more of a credit to this country than Powell did in his four years.
Why do they always have to do these kind of bashing interviews to German papers like STERN and DER SPIEGEL!
The article really doesn't support the headline.
Gee, we didn't see this coming, Mr. Powell. You never fooled me.
A very naive and DANGEROUS state of mind.
This second term appears more geared to merit and less to political considerations.
We are definitely seeing in very clear and certain terms why Powell was let go and Condi was given the job.
FORMER US secretary of state Colin Powell claims he is "furious and angry" about being misinformed over Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and has criticised George W.Bush and Donald Rumsfeld for their clumsy rhetoric in the lead-up to the war.
Notice how the reporter juxtaposes Powell's separate and unrelated statements - about his being angry at the intelligence servies for being misinformed about the WMDs and his criticism of Bush and Rumsfeld for the language they used to describe "old Europe" - so as to create the impression that Powell was angry at Bush and Rumsfeld for misleading him about the WMDs.
It's not an accident - the paper is very clearly trying to create a false impression.
"U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell holds up a vial that he said could contain anthrax as he presents evidence of Iraq's alleged weapons programs to the United Nations Security Council Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2003."
The state dept. has been a big mess for a long time. It has a lot of career diplomats who aren't necessarily the best qualified and who are often focused on what Europe thinks. I hope Condi can fix some things over there.
And this interview helps the situation, and your country, how, Mr. Powell?
I'd say if anything was overstated, it's this headline
Just another reminder of how good it is to have Condi at State rather than the weak Powell.
So you'd prefer that he lie and "revise" the historical facts?
This is why you are no longer employed, Colin.
Colon Bowell = idiot.
You are so right. The article and the headline are like night is to day.
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