Colin Powell

[Caressa Duval]

I am not sure, if I should post this here or in a thread about Covid, Politics, or just how important it is to get vaccinated.

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/colin-powell-dies-10-18-21/index.html

[gr8owl]

Intelligent, driven, patriotic to the max, and respected by folks on all sides of the aisles ............. gee, who needs that this day and age?

[Bit Banger]

Yes, we lost a great statesmen. Truly an outstanding individual. Youngest ever JCS; unusual for a ROTC graduate to make it that high in the ranks.

[ilovewomen]

He was a real man who put country above politics. His sensibility will be missed.  If he had run for President, he would have had my vote. Both major political parties need someone like him to run for president...not like the last 2 hacks in 2020 who only care about themselves.

[Kaduk]

What Working for Colin Powell Taught Me

•The former general and ex–secretary of state made hard work fun.

theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/10/colin-powell

"My favorite recollection of Colin Powell was the look he got when he was amused. He’d tilt his head up and look at you under the base of his glasses, smiling, and take joy in the moment. He had such a great capacity for merriment."

[average1]

I admired him a bunch, though I disagreed with his pushing of the war in Iraq.  I was impressed when he admitted his error in judgement.  He was honorable, was able to work with both sides of the aisle and was respected my members of both major parties.  Had he run for President, I would have voted for him.

[ilovewomen]

On 10/19/2021 at 10:49 AM, average1 said:

Had he run for President, I would have voted for him.

I'm 100% positive that if he had run for President, he would have won hands down in a runaway.

[Bit Banger]

10 hours ago, ilovewomen said:

I'm 100% positive that if he had run for President, he would have won hands down in a runaway.

While I probably would have voted for him, sadly I doubt he would have won.  He was just too clean cut for nasty politics, and they would have been nasty.  His own party (either R or D) during the primaries, and the other during the general election.

Chief among his weaknesses was his UN testimony regarding Hussain’s WMD/chemical weapons in Iraq.  Personally I think he was given weak intelligence data, and that Iraq had the weapons (used against the Kurds), but they were shipped to Syria before our troops could find them.  He would also have been hammered on domestic issues.

Edited October 22, 2021 by Bit Banger

[ilovewomen]

10 hours ago, Bit Banger said:

While I probably would have voted for him, sadly I doubt he would have won.  He was just too clean cut for nasty politics, and they would have been nasty.  His own party (either R or D) during the primaries, and the other during the general election.

Chief among his weaknesses was his UN testimony regarding Hussain’s WMD/chemical weapons in Iraq.  Personally I think he was given weak intelligence data, and that Iraq had the weapons (used against the Kurds), but they were shipped to Syria before our troops could find them.  He would also have been hammered on domestic issues.

I agree with you that General Powell was a very clean cut person and that politics is a very nasty business. And you are right that he would have had his hands full trying to deal with all of it.

Unfortunately, intelligence data always has issues.

[Bit Banger]

2 hours ago, ilovewomen said:

…

Unfortunately, intelligence data always has issues.

Having worked the S-2 shop and helped run the S-3 shop, I am well aware of this statement. 🥴