Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says he spent two and a half hours trying to persuade President George W. Bush not to invade Iraq.
'I tried to avoid this war. I took him through the consequences of going into an Arab country and becoming the occupiers,' Powell told a packed audience at the 2007 Aspen Ideas Festival at the Aspen Institute.
'When we became liberators, we also became occupiers,' he said. 'There was no governing structure and we had to become that structure.'
'The civil war will ultimately be resolved by a test of arms. It's not going to be pretty to watch, but I don't know any way to avoid it. It is happening now,' Powell added.
'It is not a civil war that can be put down or solved by the armed forces of the United States,' he said.
In a separate panel discussing Iraq, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said she had never known a time when 'Americans are hated as much as they are today. And that's a sobering thing.'
Political researcher Doug Schoen released new poll results that show 80 percent of the American public say U.S. relations with the world have worsened in the last five years, and 63 percent believe those relations continue to get worse. Voters of all parties agree that Iraq presents the major foreign policy challenge, most being pessimistic about the war in Iraq and thinking the United States will fail. That being said, Schoen told people at the Aspen Festival that the American people tend to believe the threat of terrorism “is very real.”
Former President Bill Clinton told the Aspen audience America has “no choice but to withdraw a substantial number of our military forces (from Iraq) this year.”
“You have to be prepared to use military force, but it’s a last choice,” Clinton said.
Clinton said the most dangerous countries in the world right now are Iraq, Iran and Pakistan. Iraq because of the war; Iran because of nuclear weapons; and Pakistan because “if radical Islamics took over they woud be in charge of a nuclear arsenal.”
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 01:53 AM |
poster o553 pmgalljdaj, youre a nasty son of a bitch and you have nothing to say good about anyone. Are you working for Al-Qaeda? Because youre sure as hell not working for the United States. Youre a Low Life Dirt Bag traitor. |
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 01:36 AM |
| Colin Powell has been in government for more than 20 years. He is an honest man. He got caught up in this war by believing the intelligence reports and after he made his famous speech at the UN he soon realized his mistake. After long consideration he resigned his position. He alone could not convince the president and the pentagon not to invade Iraq. He may have hurt his standing with the american people but he still is an honorable man and these posters here know little about the man so they should not make judgements on a man they know little about....... |
| By drez, 07-09-07, 02:22 AM |
What a wankLol. Who didn’t know it was the worst possible action even before Powell’s sycophantic speech to the UN.
My sincere compassion to those in Iraq bearing the brunt of US incompetence. |
| By Splat, 07-09-07, 04:07 AM |
Vote and be countedIf all Americans were made to vote this war would never have happened, Bush never would have been voted in and the middle east would have been a much safer place than the current environment it is today. |
| By powbow, 07-09-07, 02:51 AM |
anonymousthis guy is dumber then a bag of hammers and bush. |
| By powbow, 07-09-07, 02:48 AM |
Powell, Clinton and ?Makes no difference who spreads the lies. Powell at one time showed promise, Mrs. Clinton is a “good old boy” who will sell you out. Bush is dumber then a bag of hangers, and it is you idiots that put these people in power!!!! You all deserve what you vote for (or not vote for)@@ |
| By FANN22, 07-09-07, 09:56 PM |
TO THE Soldier In Afghanistan,YOU ARE FULL OF SO MUCH BULLSHIT.
IF I WAS A YANK ESPECIALLY ONE IN THE ARMY I FEEL ASHAMED OF MY SELF. YOU CANT EVEN ELECT A PRESIDENT IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY WITH OUT LICKING JEWISH ASS FIRST. WHY DO YOU THINK THEY ALL GO RUNNING TO FLORIDA (NOT THE SUNSHINE.) YOU ARE COWARDS THAT YOU CANNOT SPEAK UP FOR YOUSELFS. THE BLACKS ARE FREE BONDAGE YANKS WILL NEVER BE. YOU THICK DUMB ASSES KEEP GOING AROUND THE WORLD LOOKING FOR W.M.D. LOOK IN YOUR OWN BACK YARD. |
| By bnonymous, 07-09-07, 08:51 PM |
americathis country is now the arm-pit of the world, and it smells like it !! all these idiots in the military think they are saving america. From what??? only a dumb idiot would join the military and fight for bush,cheney, and the rest of those pig farmer!!!!!!! |
| By ynonymous, 07-09-07, 08:53 PM |
for this guy anonymousYour just full of belly talk. get the hell off line and beat your wife somemore you moron!!!!!!!!!! |
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 03:38 PM |
| George Tenet, Donald Rumsfield, Paul Wolfowitz, and Dick Cheney were the ones who took us to war. Colin Powell was a military man most of his life was spent saluting and saying “yes Sir” and when he bacame Secretary of State he kept that mind set. So when George Tenet gave him the bad intelligence he accepted it as fact and with the pressure from the ones I mentioned above, he believed what they said and went in front of the UN with George Tenet sitting behind him and gave his famous speech. Later when he found out the intelligence was lies he stayed on hoping things would work out for the best in Iraq but after it started getting worse and Paul Bremer took over Mr Powell decided to quit and try to salvage his reputation. Powell is still an honest man but he got in over his head with the washington insiders and they used him for their own selfish reasons. |
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 03:49 PM |
| Bush was a green president and didnt have much expierence. He relied on Dick Cheney and Paul Wolfowitz for advice. Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfield had been in government since Richard Nixon’s days so Bush also trusted them, which was a mistake. Bush and Colin Powell were sucked in by these 2 washington insiders. So I fault Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfield, Paul Wolfowitz, and George Tenet for taking us to war in Iraq. Colin Powell told them if you break it you own it and he was right. |
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 02:06 PM |
| Wow such statements. I read with interest your veiws on this guy Powell. I can only say theres a question mark on him. If I had a freind who back stabbed me etc etc. I wonder what was so terrible so horrific that Bush Blair could’nt tell us. Maybe History told them something was happening again. The French acted as the french always do. But the Germans. I was surprised. Myself, I was shocked when blair went to war. I’m against any type of war. Could’nt get over the shock. Now as time goes by it becomes clearer. With Blair gone and Bush about to it seems the two of them were ment to be the fall guys. We are all still here - Me, i’m sitting here with my coffee feet up enjoying life not wondering where my next meal is comeing from and waiting for my wife and kids to come home BUT threaten my family and i’ll hunt you down. |
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 02:22 PM |
Post - 10 - 06 Forgot to say. I’m well aware about the good things in the US but its the last place i would go for a Holiday. Every country has its good and bad points but the world is too full of real beauty. |
| By Anonymous, 07-08-07, 09:40 PM |
Powell spent hours trying to persuade Bush not to invade Iraq I used to like Powell. Now its climb on bandwaggon time. Anyone like that cant be trusted. Lie and lies. Bet he’s got some top job in mind. Its like the TV program ROME where someone is about to stab you in the back. Shame because i liked him. |
| By Anonymous, 07-08-07, 10:24 PM |
| Tar for that. I dont know much about American politics. Just goes to show you - nothing or knowbody is what it seems. |
| By Gus Gus, 07-09-07, 12:54 AM |
General PowellThere was a time when I thought this man could be a presidential candidate. The day he accepted a position in the Bush administration he lost me. Was he bought?
Having said that, why was Clinton side by side with Bush at times? Why was Blair? Was it to try to be in a position to advise this nutter, and steer him away from even greater folly? Why was Bush re-elected? Should the American people accept responsibility for his re-election or was it fixed? I heard
he had a female cousin in charge of counting the votes. How could this happen? He has done incredible damage to the image of a really great people; more than Nixon ever did. Perhaps Powell, who seems such a focused man, joined Bush’s crew to spread some common sense. In doing so he sacrificed his career. If so, he’s a hero. |
| By Anonymous, 07-16-07, 03:01 AM |
powell cannot be trustedpowell is lying - he was totally for the war. remember his lies at the UN ?
powell wants to make a bid for teh presidency thats why he is saying all this shit now |
| By Listen, 08-08-07, 07:32 PM |
THE GENERALPowell, an experienced Middle East war General was highly decorated, and knew exactly what he was talking about when he told Bush ââ¦donât invade Iraqâ.
Remember he’s a proud cowboy Texan. Tried desperately to save his fatherâs reputation after failing to capture Saddam Hussein. But, maybe, just maybe he was trying to save America from weapons of mass destruction, if out there, would kill his country. He believed he was saving his country.
You Choose. And you’ll never have the right answer.
Bush didnât listen to his own General, who 27 years earlier, fought in a trench for his own life against the Viet Cong.
⦠and the General falls with the president who never went to war. |
| By Herenow, 03-13-08, 05:54 PM |
To AnonymousDo you really believe that crap you spew? |
| By Herenow, 03-13-08, 05:55 PM |
To AnonymousDo you really believe that crap you spew? |
| By Anonymous, 07-08-07, 09:53 PM |
gE E! I am glad uncle toms liked...... , However Mr. Powell showed his colors when he did the bidding of a Criminal!
Powell was in a position to know the Truth, and He did not Resign! Some of his People Did! But He stayed! He did not tell the American People the Truth, and He lied to everyone at the UN!
Powell betrayed his Oath that he spent a lifetime under! Begs the question did he just get lost or was he just a wanabee pUNDIT supporter?
Just like the old crow above, dishonest at the core! and such is the 'Powell Legacy'! |
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 03:13 AM |
Evidence so what is the evidence that colin said such thing to bush. why did not colin managed to do press conference at that very time and told american public about adverse effect of iraq war?
about clinton speech, pakistan blasted atomic bomb at clinton administration. if his administration failed to stop pakistan, how much accountability clinton administration was (is ) going to take? |
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 09:03 PM |
| But Powell went before the U.N. with lies. Now he tells us! Too little too late. |
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 02:29 PM |
Powell sold his solePowell was too anxious to get a position in the administration, to the point of allowing himself to be used, misused, and abused. Even though he was the best that the idiot president had in the bunch, he knew he was not part of the inside group, that bush trusted or even wanted to listen to. Cheney-Rumsfeld-Wolfowitz-Rove- Gonzales-& last but not least Rise. Those are the Bush A team, all are criminals against this country and the world. How sad that we have reached a stage in our country, where international criminals are not held accountable for their action. That is what happened to the German nation, the Russian Empire. Are we on the same path as they were on before us. |
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 05:37 AM |
All evidence points to the contrary.
Splat;34603:
If all Americans were made to vote this war would never have happened, Bush never would have been voted in and the middle east would have been a much safer place than the current environment it is today.
Militant Muslims are waging war on each other and everyone around them directly and thru proxies in the middle east and elsewhere.
To name a few players in the escaluating global war:
Hamas, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Iran, Syria sponsored by(China, Russia, North Korea ), Pakistan playing all sides, Afghanistan, Thailand, Morocco, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Bosnia Israel, England and the US all tied up in a nice messy ball of crap most have little to nothing in common with Iraq. |
| By Soldier In Afghanistan, 07-09-07, 10:14 AM |
| Who cares if our relations with the rest of the world have eroded? Screw the USA bashers. We may have our issues, but ask ANYONE on ANY STREET in Anywhere, World where they would live if they had the choice...Case closed! |
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 12:28 PM |
|
Soldier In Afghanistan;34625:
Who cares if our relations with the rest of the world have eroded? Screw the USA bashers. We may have our issues, but ask ANYONE on ANY STREET in Anywhere, World where they would live if they had the choice...Case closed!
I don’t live in America and even if someone gave me a green card I would’nt live there!!!!!!!!!!
Many people in Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, wealthier parts of Asia would tell u the same thing, this is the problem with American such as yourself. A mixture of Arrogance and Ignorance. Your not even a true democracy anymore and there is so many guns there it is not as safe as most of the developed world. The gap between rich & poor in America is obscene for such a wealthy country. The greatest 2ND world country in the world. I live in a 1st world country
Powell should’ve said this publicly b4 the Iraq war, now its meaningless and only trying to deflect blame from himself who is as guilty as anyone else in the administraiton at the time. |
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 11:10 AM |
The Honest Heart Powell would...... , protected himself, told the lil pUNDIT, “I resign”; And taken his case to the American People!
And such is what the Oathes Mr. Powell has taken demand ! Not loyalty to criminal actors! |
| By wow, 07-09-07, 12:00 PM |
ListenWhen glory is up , we are in one, arms around our shoulders,sying hurry,hurry, I am with you. But when we are not succesfull,we are finger pointing,????????
Go inthe political arena and start your prsidential bid...Be the president and be in hot seat.....Woweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee |
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 12:21 PM |
Prior to 911...There were plenty of Americans that were chastising the Bush Administration for the War Crimes against Iraq!
Rice has admitted to trying to move the lil pUNDIT away from attacking Iraq!
Now Powell is admitting it.
Why woowe, should we not believe they tried? With all the Americans that were adament about the 'Wrong' why is it hard to believe they did not voice their concerns? I was ONE OF THE VOICE.
I fault both Rice and Powell for their 'Failures' to their Oathes! They are not alone, but they are both on the edge of the 'gang' and they choose the gang! Nothing to do with after thoughts. Rice and Powell need to speak for themselves, about after thoughts. |
| By Soldier In Afghanistan, 07-09-07, 12:38 PM |
| Hey, NZdr, man I since the jealous rage. Man, I’m I glad you don’t want a green card...keep your jealous ass out of the Greatest Country the World has ever known!....OK, ask 99.9% of people in the world where they would live if they had the choice.... |
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 01:10 PM |
QuestionFirst off Powell is a traitor, he abandoned his post under the Commander and Chief Bush has kept this coutry safe from radicals and terroist, that have no compassion for our families our way of life. Know this Johnny come lately ..... ..... ...... wants to turn his back when things aren’t looking good what kinda soldier is he? Never trust a ........., I’ve found that out myself. Where America went wrong is when we abanndoned our principels that made us strong. Close the borders take back our schools and bring Christ back into our goverment. Thats what Mr. Bush is doing saving America! Who else is? |
| By Anonymous, 07-09-07, 05:34 PM |
Soldier In AfghanistanI think you are so ignorant about other part of the world, except thinking America is the only place to live on earth. Shame on you, the world is changing, I will never want to live in US, Coz, they hv the people like you live there. It is no longer a GREAT country as you said, it only has a lot of weapons that will kill other country people. Look at China, Russia, India, etc....They are coming strongly behind you blinded American, the future for America will be like the old British Empire as it now has no good standing in front of the world. Pls pray for your own life in Afganistan, coz you guys need to pay one way or the other for your actions in killing people covered under the name of “freedom” which I think, in your heart, it is not true. Nature will take its course, believed me, American got to pay on what they have been doing on humanity...God is fair on all of us. Just wait and see if you still alive for the next many many years to come...Wish you well, poor soul... |
| By From the field, 07-23-07, 02:45 PM |
A few words to Pres. ClintonDear Mr President! I read your comment on three most dangerous countries. While respecting your analysis and being appreciative of many of your policies, I would like to draw your attention to this FOx of the Subcontinent. Musharraf I mean. He & Co. feel themselvs in the Seventh Heaven of Merry when a great leader of your calibre says “if radical Islamics took over they woud be in charge of a nuclear arsenal.â Dear sir! Why “if”? The radical Islamics have already taken over with Musharraf being one of them. Army of the country and their fundamentalist mullahs have been parasites on Afghan and the aid from the free world in general and USA in particular right from April 1978. They can not leave with your money and you are not sending him money unless there is unrest in Afghanistan and there are those whom you call “radical Islamics”. As long as leaders like you justify the Army in this country, you would never ever be safe from those radicals. May I ask you to read the history of the country before it is too late for the US as a superpower. |
