When you cannot avoid war, fight it well: Powell

Beijing, Feb. 24. (PTI): Objecting to being described as a "dove" or "hawk", US Secretary of State Colin Powell today said that when a war cannot be avoided, it should be fought well.

"If anything can be done to avoid a war, it should be done. When a war cannot be avoided fight it. Fight it well. What does that make me, you pick," he told a press conference when asked to characterise himself as a dove seeking peace in Afghanistan or hawk seeking conflict in Iraq and North Korea.

"It is very unwise to stereotype people with one-word label. I have always advocated peaceful solution in international crises. I've been a soldier. I have fought wars. I've lost friends in wars. I sent men and women to die in battles. So I hate war," Powell, the former US General who led the 1991 Gulf war, said.

"Avoid war, if you have to fight it, do it well and get it over and get back to building peace," he said, adding this was his personal philosophy.

Powell, who is here to seek China's support for a second UN Security Council resolution that would empower a US-led military action against Iraq as well as to prod Beijing to help resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, said Washington has been trying its best to resolve the two issues peacefully.

As former actor, modern strategic war expert George Cloony says, ~ '...We can't beat anyone anymore.'

IMHO, that has proven true because our professional political class won't allow total victory over our mortal enemies. Too many of these nations' tribal/ethnic/religious leaders loose face and forge revenge or maintain their will to outlast us. North Korea? North Vietnam? Iran? Syria? Somalia? Afganistan? Iraq? but to name a few...

If we weighed the total costs of defensive war when it is thrust upon us and our children, we would balance the books by utterly destroying our enemies' ability to continue to exist within their murderous social orders. A vanquished enemy must take time to reflect on what has brought them to the brink of extinction and stop it or pass from history; our enemies have little hesitation to do so to our children's children.

If we will not fight this fight to win, our children must. There is only far greater mortal risk to their families should we, in the shadows of the conspiringly arabesque UN, slink away from facing rampaging evil preaching "Death to America!"

Unconditional surrender should be the outcome in this Terror War against Western Civilization, aka USA and her seconds. Our enemies must learn that they will be "Shaken, not stirred." because our dead and maimed children may be unable to forgive our appeasements.

I think Powell's argument, as Secretary of State, was that we needed to try to work things out through the UN first. Frankly, I think this has been a great counter to the "cowboy" caricature of George W. Bush just looking for war. After the passion in Powell's evidence speech to the UN, I have little doubth that he'll be right behind the war unless Saddam rolls over for the UN (or leaves).

"I think this has been a great counter to the "cowboy" caricature of George W. Bush just looking for war"

Perhaps you haven't noticed but W is being tagged w/ that label any way. We should have been in and out of Iraq by now. Everyday the forces of stupidity gather strength.

I hear that Colin thinks he's got a majority in the Security Council and can prevent a veto, but my question is; if not, then what? If we intended to ignore the Security Council why bother giving them a vote on our national security issues?

I truly hope W has this all figured out, but I wonder sometimes.

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