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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: T L Comiskey who wrote (45044)	5/5/2004 10:52:38 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Respond to of 89467

Helen Thomas... Powell Needed To Speak Up About War Objections Woodward Book Shows Secretary's Hesitance To Invade Iraq WASHINGTON -- Some pundits and columnists have suggested that Secretary of State Colin Powell should have resigned, considering his ambivalence over President George W. Bush's fateful decision to go to war against Iraq. Now it's too late for him to earn a profile in courage by taking a heroic stand against the war. Had he been more vocal in urging a diplomatic approach, Powell may have given Bush second thoughts about invading Iraq. Generals don't make war, politicians do. And Powell, a retired Army four-star general and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the first Gulf War, has often been portrayed as the lonesome "dove" among Bush's hawkish coterie. A new book "Plan of Attack" by Washington Post writer Bob Woodward makes it eminently clear that there was no love lost between Powell and Vice President Dick Cheney, the super hawk. Woodward writes of a dinner party Cheney hosted on Sunday, April 13, 2003, to celebrate the impending military victory in Iraq. The guests were predominantly hawks in Republican circles. Woodward said Powell's name came up at the dinner and there were "chuckles around the table." He did not explain why. He quoted Cheney as dismissing Powell because he "sure likes to be popular." When Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz praised the secretary as a "good, loyal member of the team," Cheney shook his head no, indicating Powell was a problem. "Colin always had major reservations about what we were trying to do," Cheney said. Woodward wrote that Cheney had a "fever" to go to war against Iraq and resented Powell's insistence that the administration at least seek the approval of the United Nations. The administration's "with-us-or-against-us" attitude has made Powell's caution unwelcome in the Oval Office. To keep his credibility intact within the administration, Powell sometimes goes to extremes to show that he, too, is with the Bush program. He has insisted in recent interviews that he is "glad" the United States attacked Iraq and happy that the nation has a president who was willing to take out a ruthless dictator. Since publication of Woodward's book, Powell has stepped up his support of the president. He has denied Woodward's claim that he was out of the loop when Bush made his decision to go to war. On the contrary, he said, he helped develop the war plans. At the same time, Woodward claims that Prince Bandar bin Sultan -- Saudi Arabia's longtime ambassador to Washington -- was briefed about the war plan and shown a map of the planned attack before Powell had seen it. Not so, Powell insists. But Bush told Woodward that he didn't consult Powell very often because he said he already knew what the secretary thought. When Powell told the president he had his support, Bush replied that it was "time to put your uniform on." Powell proved himself a loyal team member by his ability to communicate hardline White House policies in a moderate voice. On Feb. 5, 2002, Powell appeared before the United Nations to argue the U.S. case for military intervention in Iraq based on Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. The Central Intelligence Agency had primed him with data for his mesmerizing two-hour televised show about Iraq's alleged possession of tons of chemical and biological weapons. Powell's prestige and leadership had a lot to do with convincing Americans that they were under imminent threat. He helped win public backing for the war -- but failed to persuade the United Nations. He now concedes that he may have been wrong in his allegations about Iraqi weapons. Maybe the real Powell will stand up someday. His ambivalence has created a dilemma for his fans. Woodward's book depicts a president who was willing to humor Powell and his preferences for diplomatic approaches to the administration's goal of ousting Saddam. Bush acquiesced to Powell's recommendation that he should address the United Nations. But Bush told him that he doubted the U.N. diplomatic track would work. "If it doesn't, you know we're going to have to go to war," the president told Powell. It may not be time for Powell to quit, but he must be embarrassed for his major contributions to the Iraqi debacle. (Helen Thomas can be reached at the e-mail address hthomas@hearstdc.com) thebostonchannel.com