Exclusive: Powell Rebuts Media Reports Claiming He Supports Escalation

[Ian David]

Yesterday, former Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke at Purdue University. Articles on the event by the Lafayette Indiana Journal and Courier and the Associated Press report that Powell “said he supported President Bush’s decision to send more U.S. troops to Iraq”:



These reports are wrong. This morning, ThinkProgress spoke with Powell’s office, who told us that he never indicated his support for the escalation. According to his office, Powell simply said that the escalation is proceeding whether we like it or not:

The surge is on, and will soon be finished while Congress debates it. And we’ll have to see whether it works, and we’ll have to pass off to the Iraqis sooner or later.

Jeanne Norberg, a spokeswoman for Purdue who attended the speech, confirmed with us that Powell did not say he supported Bush’s escalation.

Powell has previously stated his opposition to Bush’s escalation strategy. On Dec. 17, he said on CBS’s Face the Nation that “I have not seen a case that persuades me that would be better” with more forces.

More:
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/02/23/ap-powell-escalation/

See prior thread:

Powell backs surge, time frame to quell 'civil war'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2742531

[madrchsod]

1. how can people still lie for bush?

how far can these go before they realize they are drowning?

[NewJeffCT]

7. money trumps peace

and the truth

[originalpckelly]

2. Lying SOBs. I will never, never forget what happened to Powell on MTP...

ever in my entire life.

[Buzz Clik]

3. Thanks for posting to the other thread on this subject

Specifically, this subthread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2742531&mesg_id=2742582

[redqueen]

4. Well that's good news.

I wish he'd spoken his mind louder much earlier... like back in 2002.

[Tin Man]

5. Journal & Courier has revised headline

Former headline: Powell backs surge, timeframe to quell civil war

Current headline: Powell tells Purdue audience that Iraq situation 'getting more and more confused'

link: http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

[Lasher]

11. But the Indianapolis Star still has this up:

February 23, 2007
By Dan Shaw

Powell backs troop increase to help end 'civil war' in Iraq

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell told an audience at Purdue University that he supports sending more American soldiers to Iraq.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070223/LOCAL/702230500/-1/ZONES04

There's a place at the above site where you can email the author and post comments about the article. I'm on my way!

[Jacobin]

6. "See this tiny tube? You're ALL GONNA DIE!!!!"

Fuck Colin Powell and the horse he rode in on. He knew damn well what he was doing and I don't want to hear him whine about the consequences of giving 'gravitas' and 'credibility' to the unprovoked attack, invasion and attempted conquest of Iraq.

[EVDebs]

8. Does he still support the "Powell Doctrine" ?

"Essentially, the Doctrine expresses that military action should be used only as a last resort and only if there is a clear risk to national security by the intended target; the force, when used, should be overwhelming and disproportionate to the force used by the enemy; there must be strong support for the campaign by the general public; and there must be a clear exit strategy from the conflict in which the military is engaged."

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/lessonplans/iraq/powelldoctrine_short.html

[Skink]

10. Replaced by Shock and Awe.

Followed by photo op.

[bonito]

9. Powell was the silver bullet in 2000

And they used him to deceive the rest of us, to me he's still the sliver bullet just as the constitution they have stomped on to further their goals.

[Hulk]

12. Don't you get it?...it doesn't matter what he said!

That's right, it doesn't matter if he said he is dead ass opposed to the escalation. What matters is THEY have gotten out the lie that he supports it, and for the simple minded and busy shoppers, that's all that matters. The corrections will go unnoticed...because of the "liberal biased media (bullshit. <cough, cough>)

That's the way they play the game. The lie...broadcast it to all the potato heads in front of the propaganda network and in the WaPo, and the retractions are back on page 47 of the sports section. Nobody reads it, nobody cares. It's how they have operated since ronnie. They simply toss shit in the air, and wherever it lands, it's profit.

[mainer]

13. The reporter and/or editor should be fired

And Powell should say loud and clear that this was journalistic malpractice. This is actually an opening for MORE negative publicity than the rightwing ever imagined.