From Covid complications. Family said he was vaccinated.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/18/politics/colin-powell-dies/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/18/politics/colin-powell-dies/index.html
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That he did - something I always admired in him. RIP.I was never a fan of his politically, but he was a good guy who served his country with honor.
Always admired him. Many thought he would have made a good President although I don’t think he ever considered it.
Didn't his wife put the kabosh on the idea before he could consider it,
Always admired him. Many thought he would have made a good President although I don’t think he ever considered it.
He was considering the presidential run in '96Probably wouldn't have gone very far in a Presidential run if he had considered it IMO. His slide show presentation supposedly showing WMDs is what helped sell the war in Iraq to the American public and would have been brought up against him. Now I think he actually believed what he testified too, but it turned out to be false.
Probably wouldn't have gone very far in a Presidential run if he had considered it IMO. His slide show presentation supposedly showing WMDs is what helped sell the war in Iraq to the American public and would have been brought up against him. Now I think he actually believed what he testified too, but it turned out to be false.
He was considering the presidential run in '96
Carter, Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden all with supportive positive words.Lots of people talk about their love and belief in the country. Very few so clearly prove it.
RIP
Former President’s Speak On Powell’s Behalf
RIP. Always like how he carried himself and came across as a man of honor
It’s a shame he’s the face of the WMD debacle. He took one on the chin for the Administration.
All that’s fair for sure, and victim is not what I’d call him. But he has become the face of this whole thing, because of the testimony we’ve all seen 100’s of times, while Chaney was truly the one driving the bus. He’s not faultless for sure and likely gambled something would be uncovered. But the forces working behind him were the power.I don't understand why people paint him as a victim in this. He chose to wager his rather impeccable credibility on a matter that was causing debate and division. I personally saw him as being trustworthy and it cost hundreds of thousands of lives. It was his job to be responsible for what is coming out of his mouth and he failed a generation of Americans.
Interesting. One name notably missing from this list. I suspect it'll never be added.Carter, Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden all with supportive positive words.
I agree with you that "just following orders" with the UN presentation is a pretty big stain, but I don't have it in me to dwell on that today. For Powell's sake I wish we could change time and put him in the role he was really meant to be in at that point in time - Secretary of Education. Bu it wasn't to be.I don't understand why people paint him as a victim in this. He chose to wager his rather impeccable credibility on a matter that was causing debate and division. I personally saw him as being trustworthy and it cost hundreds of thousands of lives. It was his job to be responsible for what is coming out of his mouth and he failed a generation of Americans.
Probably wouldn't have gone very far in a Presidential run if he had considered it IMO. His slide show presentation supposedly showing WMDs is what helped sell the war in Iraq to the American public and would have been brought up against him. Now I think he actually believed what he testified too, but it turned out to be false.
He’s Colin Powell. He was quite possibly at the time the most respected and admired man in America on both sides of the aisle, he doesn’t take a back seat to anyone. I know death invites a certain level of hagiography and listen, Godspeed to him on his journey. But his failure here ruined scores of lives so his celebrated life should be checked against the ones who’s names we will never know.I agree with you that "just following orders" with the UN presentation is a pretty big stain, but I don't have it in me to dwell on that today. For Powell's sake I wish we could change time and put him in the role he was really meant to be in at that point in time - Secretary of Education. Bu it wasn't to be.
Well, here we goInteresting. One name notably missing from this list. I suspect it'll never be added.Carter, Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden all with supportive positive words.
This from the guy 35% of the country still adores. Pathetic. Human. Being.Well, here we go
https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/1450455942714306566
Wonderful to see Colin Powell, who made big mistakes on Iraq and famously, so-called weapons of mass destruction, be treated in death so beautifully by the Fake News Media. Hope that happens to me someday. He was a classic RINO, if even that, always being the first to attack other Republicans. He made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!
What a ####### turd.
He’s Colin Powell. He was quite possibly at the time the most respected and admired man in America on both sides of the aisle, he doesn’t take a back seat to anyone. I know death invites a certain level of hagiography and listen, Godspeed to him on his journey. But his failure here ruined scores of lives so his celebrated life should be checked against the ones who’s names we will never know.
Powell had a chance to standup and make a difference in many places and whiffed or was too small repeatedly. He was by far a net negative in this world and this should be be acknowledged.
In his sick worldview, Rush Limbaugh is a hero, and Colin Powell is a villain.Well, here we go
https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/1450455942714306566
Wonderful to see Colin Powell, who made big mistakes on Iraq and famously, so-called weapons of mass destruction, be treated in death so beautifully by the Fake News Media. Hope that happens to me someday. He was a classic RINO, if even that, always being the first to attack other Republicans. He made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!
What a ####### turd.
What exactly was heroic in Powell’s life? My Lai?In his sick worldview, Rush Limbaugh is a hero, and Colin Powell is a villain.
And of course inserts that donate button.This from the guy 35% of the country still adores. Pathetic. Human. Being.
I'm being generous in my statement here as I don't believe he resembles anything close to a human being. He is so very much lower on the evolutionary scale.
What a total disgrace.Well, here we go
https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/1450455942714306566
Wonderful to see Colin Powell, who made big mistakes on Iraq and famously, so-called weapons of mass destruction, be treated in death so beautifully by the Fake News Media. Hope that happens to me someday. He was a classic RINO, if even that, always being the first to attack other Republicans. He made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!
What a ####### turd.
Well, here we go
https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/1450455942714306566
Wonderful to see Colin Powell, who made big mistakes on Iraq and famously, so-called weapons of mass destruction, be treated in death so beautifully by the Fake News Media. Hope that happens to me someday. He was a classic RINO, if even that, always being the first to attack other Republicans. He made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!
What a ####### turd.
He was hardly the worst person in terms of pushing the Iraq War, but the fact that he lent his stature to the effort made a big difference. He also deserves credit for showing far more introspection on the issue than just about anyone else who served in the Bush Administration.He’s Colin Powell. He was quite possibly at the time the most respected and admired man in America on both sides of the aisle, he doesn’t take a back seat to anyone. I know death invites a certain level of hagiography and listen, Godspeed to him on his journey. But his failure here ruined scores of lives so his celebrated life should be checked against the ones who’s names we will never know.
Powell had a chance to standup and make a difference in many places and whiffed or was too small repeatedly. He was by far a net negative in this world and this should be be acknowledged.
I don't like the idea of criticizing someone after death. But the way these public figures are completely whitewashed and valorized as heroes after death is disturbing. Younger generations watching the news would probably have no idea that Powell used his stature to sell the Bush administration's lies on Iraq, a war that killed a million people and caused untold suffering. It changed the world forever, for the worse. He almost certainly could have ended the whole thing himself but chose to lie instead.
Like I say, it's not fun going there, but the way news media bathes these people in praise makes it seem necessary to be at least somewhat critical about their record. Political figures that make hugely consequential decisions that ruined millions of people's lives need to have it reflected in their legacy, otherwise it will happen again and again.
I agree with most of this, but question your assertion - "He almost certainly could have ended the whole thing himself." Bush and Cheney were leading the charge on behalf of their constituents on this war and they had plenty of lackeys to back them - Rumsfeld and Rice obviously, among others, and a compliant media. Powell's fraud of course helped tremendously with the public perception, but I don't think he alone could have stopped this multi-trillion dollar fraud.
We all knew! Most of us (me included) just didn't think it mattered. And if the administration that ran for office explicitly rejecting "nation building" didn't get us started in two endless nation building projects we might still think that way, but....Are you insinuating that Powell knew it was fraud?
You’re entitled to your opinion and your perception is your own but I do wonder, what was admirable to him beyond stoic charisma and measured speech? He showed no integrity with My Lai, and he had first hand knowledge of war and still sent thousands of Americans and a million Iraqis to their death pursuing.. take your pick… ineptitude, a bush vendetta, corporate treasure.He was hardly the worst person in terms of pushing the Iraq War, but the fact that he lent his stature to the effort made a big difference. He also deserves credit for showing far more introspection on the issue than just about anyone else who served in the Bush Administration.
On a personal level, I always found him to be admirable. If you think that we have to render a single thumbs-up/down verdict on his life, well, that's a big part of what's wrong with society today.
If he was duped did he ever demand accountability from those that allegedly duped him?Are you insinuating that Powell knew it was fraud? I always figured he was duped by the intelligence reports.
If he was duped did he ever demand accountability from those that allegedly duped him?
In this case Powell owns it. The evidence was flimsy at the time. He was the fulcrum of support for the invasion. It’s weak noise if he passed the buck to his subordinates.I'm not sure if did personally. If so, I'm unaware of it,
But we as a people do not demand accountability from anyone, and haven't for some time now, and how could you when only half the media will investigate and do the work to find out who is accountable. Then the other tribe just laughs at the source, and claims it to be false.
In this case Powell owns it. The evidence was flimsy at the time. He was the fulcrum of support for the invasion. It’s weak noise if he passed the buck to his subordinates.
Powell was uniquely positioned as a universally respected figure in the Bush admin. He could have probably blown the whole thing up during his testimony at the UN, or at the very least resigned in protest. There just wasn’t much pushback at all from people in power at the time- everyone just sort of went along with it.CletiusMaximus said:I agree with most of this, but question your assertion - "He almost certainly could have ended the whole thing himself." Bush and Cheney were leading the charge on behalf of their constituents on this war and they had plenty of lackeys to back them - Rumsfeld and Rice obviously, among others, and a compliant media. Powell's fraud of course helped tremendously with the public perception, but I don't think he alone could have stopped this multi-trillion dollar fraud.
90% of the US population was pro-invasion. This was even before Powell gave his UN speech. I would have loved to have seen him resign instead of going along. But he would have been crucified back home and his career would have been over. Look what happened to other Americans who were denouncing the invasion at the time.Powell was uniquely positioned as a universally respected figure in the Bush admin. He could have probably blown the whole thing up during his testimony at the UN, or at the very least resigned in protest. There just wasn’t much pushback at all from people in power at the time- everyone just sort of went along with it.
Afghan war yes90% of the US population was pro-invasion. This was even before Powell gave his UN speech. I would have loved to have seen him resign instead of going along. But he would have been crucified back home and his career would have been over. Look what happened to other Americans who were denouncing the invasion at the time.
Class act for sure.the moops said:Well, here we go
https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/1450455942714306566
Wonderful to see Colin Powell, who made big mistakes on Iraq and famously, so-called weapons of mass destruction, be treated in death so beautifully by the Fake News Media. Hope that happens to me someday. He was a classic RINO, if even that, always being the first to attack other Republicans. He made plenty of mistakes, but anyway, may he rest in peace!
What a ####### turd.
They were close. I'm from Canada and the place I worked it at the time had 2 guys from the US. One was a Dem and one was a Republican. I used to argue with them constantly during the pre-invasion. They were both completely dug in (as was most of the US). I tried pointing out how Israel had Iraq only listed as a moderate threat, and other evidence that went contrary to what Bush was trying to sell the public. And then when that joke of a UN presentation happened, I pointed out that all Powell really did was point out that some Iraqi's have class 1 licenses and they are allowed to drive around rigs. This still didn't sway them.Afghan war yes
No way were they at that level prior to Powell testifying
90% of the US population was pro-invasion. This was even before Powell gave his UN speech. I would have loved to have seen him resign instead of going along. But he would have been crucified back home and his career would have been over. Look what happened to other Americans who were denouncing the invasion at the time.