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Pitting two respected individuals in the same administration is just another anti-Bush play. The media pitted Powell against Bush all through the first term. This is just a continuation of "THE PLAN".
Powell is a back-biting, back-stabbing political underweight who was one of Bush's worst choices. Probably selected on a recommendation from Bush I, another diplomatic lightweight.
Powell would have made a great Democrat secretary of state.
He amply illustrated that an ability to worm oneself upwards in the U.S. military hierarchy bears no connection with the Realpolitick of dealing with far shrewder, manipulative and duplicitous foreign diplomats.
He was out of his league.
Powel proved himself to be compatable with the anti-american, anti-republican HACKS infesting the state department. The culture that just delayed to keep information out of the presidents hands until kerry could be elected to office.
Bolton was what was needed in the fight against institutional incompetence of the bureacrats.
Lucky for us that he served a term as Secretary of State. Otherwise his weak, spineless, Carter-era approach to foreign policy might not have been exposed. Notice that he is no longer being pursued by the media as a Republican candidate for President.
Democrat Party = Obstruction for Political Gain
If Colin Powell thinks he could do a better job, then he should run for the office of the presidency and get his chance to do it his way. but, for now, President Bush is the man in charge.