Posted on 11/25/2005 9:58:25 AM PST by Carl/NewsMax
An angry former Secretary of State Colin Powell is blasting the Bush White House for attacking Rep. Jack Murtha, who undermined troop morale and encouraged al Qaida last week with his call for an immediate U.S. pullout from Iraq.
"To attack him the way he was attacked, accusing him of being a Michael Moore, was disgraceful and was not worthy," a Powell told the New York Post's Deborah Orin, who described him as "livid."
"Jack Murtha is great friend of mine," Powell declared. "He's a great patriot.
"I don't agree with his position," the former top Bush diplomat said. "But he has started a debate which is a good debate to have as to how long we should be there."
Hours after Murtha called for an immediate pullout last Thursday, White House press secretary Scott McClellan compared him to Michael Moore. Two days later, however, both President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney went out of their way to describe Murtha as "honorable."
Still, Powell focused instead on the earlier remark, and said nothing about the olive branch offered by Bush and Cheney.
The one-time chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also suggested that the war on terror wasn't quite as serious as other challenges the U.S. has faced.
"We're not facing a world war anymore," Powell told the Post. "We have pretty much convinced the world that democracy is a better system than communism or fascism or totalitarianism."
Interesting points. Perhaps we shall never really understand how Collin felt during those days prior to the invasion of Iraq. It would appear that if he really was dead set against going in he would have bowed out gracefully and let Wilkerson step in as a temp until the POTUS could have found a more permenant SoS. Perhaps he is of a quiet demeanor and just does not offer things unless asked directly. Who knows, I just think as you, he was not/is not a conservative in the strict sense and that perhaps he served the POTUS out respect. But then why turn around and point fingers afterward. Perhaps it will boil down to as was written earlier on he did not want us to invade, but had to bow to the wills of Rummy and think tank advisors etc., and just put on a face of compliance during his reign. Guess I can't add beyond this point. Since I don't know what is in the man's mind.
Righ Mr. Powell; so tell me about Venezuela, and a bunch of countries in Latin America that want to form a marxist bloc. Do you know how many have already elected a left winger to the presidency? Did you know that they are actually full blown marxists? What about countries that have or are about to be taken over by Islamofacists? Are they convinced?
I am sure he will be on the $50,000 dollar a night speaking circuit soon....and MAY espouse some of those differences, but I wouldn't count on it....
I find books and speeches (which are for making $$$$, after all)...more self-serving, than enlightening. See: My Life by Bill Clinton....and of course Hillary's book...
I also really don't care what he has done up until now at this point....I just wish he wouldn't do anything to hurt our country's WOT...and latching on to Murtha's opinions just doesn't help right now.
Remember when he was thought about for a white house bid? How all the groupies around here got wet over the idea? funny how none are saying anything these days...
Actually 4 administrations, he left under Clinton over a disagreement about gays in the military (he was opposed).
Powell likes being the maverick moderate guy.
He has to go against the grain all the time, when GWB was president, he was the liberal, when it was Clinton, then Powell was the conservative.
Powell would find a way to argue with himself if need be.
He loves the limelight and the press, interestingly, the only President he never gave a hard time to, and pretty much followed, loyally, was Reagan.
Dick Cheney as SofD felt Powell was a royal pain, as did Clinton and his folks.
ALbright hated Powell with a passion after he used to snap at her.
Powell is a public relations guy, if Hillary Clinton was President, he would snap at her too, he just has to independent and gravitate away from whomever is in charge so that he call himself an independent.
Maybe later I'll try not to hold back and tell you what I really think!
He is not running.
He is pushing himself for more money for his motivational speeches (between 25 and 50 G's a pop) and probably writing another book.
Powell is many things, and brilliant self promoter is one of them.
"We're not facing a world war anymore," Powell told the Post.
Thank you. It took 68 posts for someone to clarify what exactly McClellan said, and just as I expected, he did not call Murtha a Michael Moore. He merely said that Murtha was endorsing Moore's position on the war, which is a simple fact.
Now, when Colin Powell or anyone else wants to complain about someone lying, I'll be willing to pay attention to him, but don't waste my time griping about the White House spokesman stating a simple and obvious fact.
Reagan made Powell, without Reagan, Powell would be still be pushing pencils in an office somewhere and no one would know who he is or was.
No chance.
Him and Hillary Clinton hate, loathe each other to no point.
Say the name of one to the other and watch the faces.
Powell is about the money not the politics anymore, this is a self publicity thing that has a nice payoff to him.
Powell had tantrums and fights and quit because of the Clintons, don't confuse his greed with ambition.
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.."FREEDOM for the WORLD"..
...was our Freeper chant covered by local TV Stations as we Freepers were demonstrating outside a Grand Opening of a Senior Center in Southern California.
...BUSH was seen triumphantly riding by us afterwards as one day later water dikes were suddenly flattened in New Orleans.
I wonder which event got all the TV Coverage from then on out and which one didn't..?
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I am certain it was Bush Sr. tho who was mentioned in the article, and not Reagan.
those kind of numbers makes me think it was from Bird COL to Brigadier General or maybe Lt Col or Colonel....
We don't have 3000 4 stars, 3 stars and 2 stars combined. Not even close.
Generally Lt Col to Col and Colonel to Brigadier are the big tripwires....
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NEVER FORGET
Just 3 floors below the exploding Jetliner you see in your Post No. 4 photo of a just hit Tower II...
...was a Lifesaving Hero who was already in the process of getting everybody outta there, saving 1,000's of lives in the process of losing his own.
RICK RESCORLA: 9/11 Lifesaving Hero, R.I.P.
http://www.RickRescorla.com
http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24361
NEVER FORGET
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It very well could have been 300 instead of 3000. Really wondering what it was. I do recall discussing it with my Sister and Brother-in-Law who were visiting so it must have been on the TV instead of an article. My BIL is a retired Naval Aviator so he would have known what they were talking about. My Sister is politically active and made some comment about it too.
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