Powelled

I've got to admit, Colin Powell was never one of my favorites. But like many other traditional Republicans (unlike the fascist neocons), I trusted him to share certain fundamental principles with me regarding the constitution, seperation of powers, the operation of government, and respect for other peoples. And like everyone else, I was greatly disappointed to watch him fold like a cheap tent in the Bush administration.

Now this:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 - The former secretary of state, Colin L. Powell, says in a television interview to be broadcast Friday that his 2003 speech to the United Nations, in which he gave a detailed description of Iraqi weapons programs that turned out not to exist, was "painful" for him personally and would be a permanent "blot" on his record.

"I'm the one who presented it on behalf of the United States to the world," Mr. Powell told Barbara Walters of ABC News, adding that the presentation "will always be a part of my record."

Ohhh. Whaaaaa. Let's call the Waaambulance!

"Painful" for him and *gasp* blotting his record! Well Colin, unlike approximately 1900 American soldiers, and .... oh say.... 100,000+ (and counting Iraqi's), you still have a record!

The great American rehabilitation program. Go on TV, with Baba Wawa no less, doing the mea culpa/I'm so sorry routine. Sheeesh. Joining the ranks of many, and in the tradition of the rehab of other stellar characters like G. Gordon Liddy, Oliver North, assorted bad boy movie stars, and the king of shameful comeback, Richard Nixon. Thankfully, it appears that Powell's wife is adamant that he not run for President.

You might ask, where's my heart? Where's my forgiveness?

Well, later in the interview Powell said:

But with Iraq still violent and plagued by sectarian conflict, the United States has "little choice but to keep investing in the Iraqi armed forces and to do everything we can to increase their size and their capability and their strength."

Anyone remember that little thing called "The Powell Doctine"? Defined goals, limited engagement, and all that minor detail?

He acknowledged several times that intelligence failures lay behind his presentation on the eve of the Iraq war two years ago, but he has never expressed any regret about the war itself. Asked by Ms. Walters, "When the president made the decision to go to war, you were for it?" Mr. Powell said, "Yes."

That's right, let's blame the CIA. Not a word about President Cheney's pressure, the neocons in the Pentagon yadda yadda yadda. Oh, and what about that pottery barn discussion with President Shrub?

Asked if he blamed George Tenet, he said:

"No, George Tenet did not sit there for five days with me, misleading me," he said, referring to the week he spent at the Central Intelligence Agency reviewing the evidence on Iraq before making his presentation to the United Nations. "There were some people in the intelligence community who knew at that time that some of these sources were not good, and shouldn't be relied upon, and they didn't speak up. That devastated me."

Ok, let's see. Blame CIA but not Tenet? Who then? Where was the pressure coming from? Who IS responsible then? What's the point of the interview other than to try and rehabilitate his image?

Still covering up and playing the loyal soldier.

Paul Krugman in this editorial makes a really good point discussing all the screw ups of the Bush administration:

Why did the administration make the same mistakes twice? Because it paid no political price the first time.

It's looks to me like Powell spent too much time in the Bush administration. He continues to enable the Neocons who did everything they could to set him and use him like a cheap ho.

His mea culpa rings hollow given his unwillingness to level with the American people. He demonstrated his true character while in the administration.....he's just a another political animal who is willing to bend and amend his values in order to try and "have impact", which is just another way of saying to protect his ass and prolong his career.

This is time when we need leaders who are patriots, people who are willing to take stands because they are right even when it's painful, particularly when it comes to the operating of the highest levels of leadership in our government. Powell's most recent contribution is just to waste airtime and electricity in a nonsense interview.

UPDATE: OH...and I forgot about this little episode where Maj. Powell played clean-up man.