It was disheartening watching Colin Powell on CBS's "Face the Nation" this morning. I thought he had a real chance to redeem himself in the America people's eyes. He was the one after all, who left this administration, and there was speculation that he did so because he couldn't keep up the pretense of supporting Bush. In my own naive way, I thought that if he came on Face the Nation this morning, and told the American people that the war was wrong since it's inception, and that all hopes of achieving what Bush set out to achieve are now "off the table", and that we should pull our soldiers out of Iraq and out of harm's way, he could have vindicated himself to a point that he could have restored his political career and actually be in the running for a presidential nomination. Instead, Colin Powell ended up doing what any General does, end up politicking and shilling for the administration.
The way that I see it, the things that he said on TV this morning; let the Iraqi's stand up, give the Iraqi government what they need to succeed, if they can justify a "surge" then extend the troops and bring over troops that are in the pipeline sooner, are all things that Bush is asking for. He sat there and spoke as if the Iraqi's asked us there in the first place and that we were doing something for the benefit of the Iraqi people. He never acknowledged that we invaded another sovereign nation on the pretense that they had WMD's and that this was what Bush wanted to do since before 9/11 as shown in the Downing Street Memo's. He never acknowledged that we are responsible for the deaths of over 600,000 Iraqi's and thousands dead and injured American Soldiers that are still dying at the highest rate yet.
What Colin Powell really managed to do was probably get himself an invitation to the War Crimes Trial that should be convened after Bush and Cheney get impeached. He still acts as if what we did was lawful and reasonable. In fact, he even went on to say that the "1st Phase" of the Iraq War was a "huge success". Apart from admitting that we are in a "bad time" in our history, he still thinks that we can easily "bounce back" from this and that people are still lining up at embassies around the world to come here.
Bob Schieffer asked Powell about Cheney's statement at Rumsfeld's retirement speech that "Rumsfeld was the best Secretary of Defense this country had ever had". Powell said that history will judge us all on who was what. He is right on the money, that's exactly what history will do. I would also like to remind Powell that it has been said that "history is written by the winners". So I guess when they write about this war in Iraq, he won't have a glowing chapter written about his performance, or Rumsfeld's either. That statement by Cheney, supports my contention that Bush and Cheney are the wolds biggest liars. The saddest thing about that is... they believe their own lies.
The end of the show was also interesting. Bob Schieffer mentioned that Evan Bayh dropped out of his Presidential bid because he admitted he didn't have a chance. Bob Schieffer acknowledged that Bayh was "refreshingly honest" and that was unusual in politics. Bayh said that he wasn't "well known" enough to get the support he needed, and that his David couldn't compete with the giant Goliaths". Schieffer said, "That's why the smart money is on the giants". He went on to say that a politician that is so honest might have been a good thing for the country, and that it's too bad that we won't see more of his "honesty". I'd just like to tell you this Bob, you were right on the money when you said that why smart money is on the giants. As far as honesty, Bayh would have been truly honest if he would have said; "I couldn't get the financial backing from the corporate power brokers when I sent my exploratory committee out to get some cash. The corporate boys didn't think I was worth backing". It had nothing to do with the people's name recognition. Nobody knew who Clinton was when he entered the Presidential race either. He must have gotten the corporate people to give him the bucks though. If Bayh was really honest, he would have said that. Right.
The way that I see it, the things that he said on TV this morning; let the Iraqi's stand up, give the Iraqi government what they need to succeed, if they can justify a "surge" then extend the troops and bring over troops that are in the pipeline sooner, are all things that Bush is asking for. He sat there and spoke as if the Iraqi's asked us there in the first place and that we were doing something for the benefit of the Iraqi people. He never acknowledged that we invaded another sovereign nation on the pretense that they had WMD's and that this was what Bush wanted to do since before 9/11 as shown in the Downing Street Memo's. He never acknowledged that we are responsible for the deaths of over 600,000 Iraqi's and thousands dead and injured American Soldiers that are still dying at the highest rate yet.
What Colin Powell really managed to do was probably get himself an invitation to the War Crimes Trial that should be convened after Bush and Cheney get impeached. He still acts as if what we did was lawful and reasonable. In fact, he even went on to say that the "1st Phase" of the Iraq War was a "huge success". Apart from admitting that we are in a "bad time" in our history, he still thinks that we can easily "bounce back" from this and that people are still lining up at embassies around the world to come here.
Bob Schieffer asked Powell about Cheney's statement at Rumsfeld's retirement speech that "Rumsfeld was the best Secretary of Defense this country had ever had". Powell said that history will judge us all on who was what. He is right on the money, that's exactly what history will do. I would also like to remind Powell that it has been said that "history is written by the winners". So I guess when they write about this war in Iraq, he won't have a glowing chapter written about his performance, or Rumsfeld's either. That statement by Cheney, supports my contention that Bush and Cheney are the wolds biggest liars. The saddest thing about that is... they believe their own lies.
The end of the show was also interesting. Bob Schieffer mentioned that Evan Bayh dropped out of his Presidential bid because he admitted he didn't have a chance. Bob Schieffer acknowledged that Bayh was "refreshingly honest" and that was unusual in politics. Bayh said that he wasn't "well known" enough to get the support he needed, and that his David couldn't compete with the giant Goliaths". Schieffer said, "That's why the smart money is on the giants". He went on to say that a politician that is so honest might have been a good thing for the country, and that it's too bad that we won't see more of his "honesty". I'd just like to tell you this Bob, you were right on the money when you said that why smart money is on the giants. As far as honesty, Bayh would have been truly honest if he would have said; "I couldn't get the financial backing from the corporate power brokers when I sent my exploratory committee out to get some cash. The corporate boys didn't think I was worth backing". It had nothing to do with the people's name recognition. Nobody knew who Clinton was when he entered the Presidential race either. He must have gotten the corporate people to give him the bucks though. If Bayh was really honest, he would have said that. Right.
