General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Though he is rarely mentioned, I think Colin Powell has a share of the blame for the Iraq War. [View all]calimary
(81,085 posts)The night before or the day before he was supposed to go to the UN, he got pissed off and didn't want to do it, said it was bullshit, and made a stink, and said "I'm not gonna read that!"
Buuuuuuuuutttt - sure enough, the next day, there he is, at the UN, spouting all these lies so convincingly. Even my husband, who had tremendous respect for the guy, was one of many who said - "well... if colin powell says so, then I guess it must be true." At the time I remember seeing reports about cheney telling powell to do it because powell could afford to lose a few points in his public opinion ratings.
INFURIATING!!!!! And I'm sorry. If powell knew it was bullshit, and said so, and complained and balked, AND THEN CAVED, then he's as guilty as the rest of 'em. He could have said no. He could have refused. He could have - and SHOULD have - resigned. That would have gotten people's attention and MAYBE caused enough of the public to have second thoughts that we could have forestalled the damn war.
He's just as guilty. He was uniquely positioned to be able to mount a meaningful objection, using that clout that cheney looked at, hungrily, and decided deliberately and ruthlessly to exploit. colin powell should be held FULLY responsible and accountable, and if it means a war crimes tribunal for him, too, then so be it. He could have stopped this. He could have avoided this messy position he's in now. He had it in the palm of his hand. And he threw it away in order to get in bed with fucking Lucifer.