Colin Powell's revenge

[Ugnmoose]

I believe Powell is still stinging from having to go before the U.N. and lie through his teeth about evidence of WMD in Iraq. He knows he was played for a patsy and would probably like nothing better than to stick it good to Bush/Cheney.
Round one in his revenge was fired over their bow the other day when Powell publicly criticized the Aministration for its stand on imprisonment and interrogation (torture). You could tell that Bush wemt absolutely batshit crazy by this when he addressed reporters at the Rose Garden press conference. Powell commands great respect from career military and flag officers in the Pentagon who are already known to despise the Neocons. I believe Round 2 will be more overt criticism and behind the scenes plotting to counteract the moves by the Neocons. You may even see the word "revolt" bandied around in the MSM. This could get really ugly. I smell a constitutional crisis.

[bullimiami]

1. he has a long long way to go to make up for the evil he has enabled.

[Aristus]

6. I agree. Long way to go. He could have been America's first black

President. But he chose to be an obsequious toady. One didn't have to be black to have been immensely proud of him when he was promoted to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Or to be bitterly disappointed in him for engaging in such blatantly awful, untruthful politicking for the Bushies.

[Hawkowl]

24. Indeed

Powell: "No massah, I likes bein a house negro, whats I gonna do wit freedom? I likesit here massah. Yesssirr."

Biggest Uncle Tom in the history of the U.S. Sold the military and his life's work down the river.

[magellan]

8. And he'll never make it up to some

He's covered with the blood of US soldiers and Iraqi civilians who've died or had their lives altered forever by this unnecessary war. He can take that up with his Maker, if he believes in one.

[Rosco T.]

22. Remember the words of Sun Tzu ..... n/m

[texpatriot2004]

2. Hi Ugnmoose, always nice to hear your point of view...

I think you might be on to something.

[razors edge]

3. for now

i think he will hold of to see what happens in the mid terms, then save the goodies for the hearings so as not to taint them in the public areana, or go balls out if need be. (at least thats what i hope)

[Subdivisions]

4. A military coup? Imagine Bush going in front of a military tribunal

with no right to see the evidence against him and no right to habeas corpus.

[emcguffie]

16. Gee, look what just happened in Thailand.

A military coup, while the PM was in New York to speak at the UN. Why? Because, since he became PM in 2001, he had done a lot of damage to their -- I'm not sure I remember this just right, I heard it on the radio driving home -- "constitutionally-protected rights"? Maybe "constitutional protections"? Something in that general vein.

Sounded ... encouraging, somehow.

[Xipe Totec]

5. Two years too late

two dollars short.

I'm too cynical to care what Colin Powell has to say anymore.

just my two cents.

[Vexatious Ape]

7. Hope your right but...

Powell knew the Bushies were lying us into Baghdad but he gave into the bastards and went along with it. He can only end up smearing himself.

[CoffeeCat]

9. I think you're right....

I can only imagine how bitter and morose Powell is.

I don't think he realized how much he was being used--from day one--until it was all over. He was picked to be SOS, because BushCo wanted a likable, popular face to sell his perverse war. They also needed a credible voice to sell a lie-based war at the UN.

Furthermore, Powell as witnessed BushCo operate. Can you imagine being a fly on the wall during cabinet meetings and seeing how these thugs truly operate? Powell was that fly. He knows what ruthless, amoral bastards these guys are. He holds their secrets.

Powell was in office, long after he realized that they lied to him and cajoled him into spewing lies at the United Nations. Let's just hope Powell was smart, after he continued to work with these thugs. Let's hope that he was wired during meetings or that he has some hot memos, emails or other correspondence that could bring down these jerks.

I think Powell left because of what they did to him--and because he realized that they were taking this country into hell. Let's just hope he was smart--and that he has some smoking gun that could sink this twisted neocon ship.

A girl can fantasize can't she?

[DURHAM D]

13. Powell has been used by others his entire career - only

he thought he was also using them.

There is nothing special about Powell - he made his bones covering up ugly crap in Vietnam for the military brass. Powell has no strong personal views - just soaks up the ideas and performs the services needed by others above him. There is a reason why insiders call him the "sponge".

In my opinion, he has no moral compass.

[Ugnmoose]

10. I'm no Colin Powell fan

but, I am realistic to know that he still carries great weight and influence with career military. He knows that Bushco fucked up in Iraq and he knows how badly the military is being abused right now. If nothing else he is a loyal soldier. His allegiance is with the men/women in uniform.

[Divernan]

11. Top military brass really expected Powell to stand up to Bush

Talking to a recently retired Navy Rear Admiral last week - said military knew how strongly Powell opposed invading Iraq. They expected him to resign when Bush refused Powell's advice and were stunned at how Powell let himself be used by Bush.

[Ugnmoose]

12. Must have been incredibly conflicted or threatened

One or the other. Either he felt incredible loyalty to the office of the Presidency, or Karl Rove threatened to cut off his balls.

[Bluerthanblue]

19. your second

choice is the one I thought fueled him- Not necessarily rove- but I can't help but believe there was some pretty nasty coercion going on.

Watching an NPR special on Desert Storm, I believe he cares a lot about the lives of soldiers and civilians alike. The highway of death was something that Powell said couldn't be defended, or ignored- and to continue the war, with such an imbalance of fire-power was not productive, or right.
I respect that he did that, though there is much he's done I don't respect.


(edit because I'm a spelling bee drop-out)

[JohnnyLib2]

14. His voice still resonates, IMO

and probably influences a lot of military family (and traditional Repub.)
voters. I'm taking this as a case of "better late than never." He got a lot of press this time around.

[Disturbed]

15. Powell could have resigned before that UN Lie Fest.

There is no way that he did not know that that the speech they gave him was Bullshit. He lost all integrity that day. Can he redeem himself now?

[Bluerthanblue]

18. I remember watching and listening

to him with my oldest child- We both had the feeling that he was doing what he did, because he was forced to- As my son said, "wow, they must really have threatened him with something he couldn't face". I honestly believe he didn't want to make that speech- but did.

People can do some rotten things when they are threatened. That wouldn't excuse his actions, but might explain them. He was fighting an up-hill battle against some hard heads who had never been to war.

[Nikki Stone 1]

20. Maybe they threatened his son at the FCC

I always thought the * cabal had done something to coerce Powell. You have to remember that Powell was not a rich clique member. The Powells have always struck me as real people and not Bush sycophants.

[Bluerthanblue]

21. don't know what

it was, but I sincerly believe it wasn't a 'free-will' presentation. And I don't believe he felt good about it-

He's done some pretty disapointing things- but fighting a trumped up war, surprises me- rushing headlong into a non-critical confrontation seems off character. Didn't he push for TAKING it to the UN, rather than saying screw them, lets set off on our own, which is what we have done.

:blush:

[PsN2Wind]

25. Maybe not rich by your standards

but hardly having to live hand-to-mouth. With his Army retirement of around 100K, book deals worth a ton and giving "inspirational speeches" for $100,000 a pop, he could have probably given his fat kid a buck or two.

[Nikki Stone 1]

28. I was actually speaking of the time before that

Back in the 70s, 80s when he was raising his kids. They were regular middle class folk. His superstardom in the mid 90s brought money in for sure. But this was not a man born with $$ and his kids had a middle class up bringing. Bush and his silly frat buddies, by comparison, were all born to money and unable to really accomplish anything other than a stupid, rich boy petulance. It's not just about money--it's about being born into a monied class.

And I hate to tell you, but 100K in DC just ain't that much. Sounds hard to believe, but that still leaves you pretty solidly middle/upper middle class--not wealthy by any means.

TO those of us who never made above 50K (and you can count me in that group) 100K seems amazingly rich. But it really isn't. It's not even comfortably well off in many major US cities, especially with a family.

[janx]

17. Revenge might not be the exact word,

but it's clear he's not going to let this one slide.

[EarthNeedsHope]

23. Back to Powell the Liberal Hero?

I'm sick of this casting of Powell as an underground liberal who was forced to do all the awful things by Bush. He was integral in the crimes of this war, and he is on record on the Daily Show before the world denying the Downing Street Memos and saying he was certain about WMD and that Bush was fine about it.

[samsingh]

26. powell is an evil being

he's supported a lot of terrible things.

[walldude]

27. Powell knows how much blood he has on his hands

and while I obviously think he's doing the right thing here it's coming awfully late in the game. If he were truly going to get "revenge" he would have been making noise on other issues long ago. One can always hope though ;)