Colin Powell's departure -- Not a "big deal"?

I am quite struck that the departure, apparently very welcome at the WH, of Colin Powell has not generated much "buzz" in the media. He has been a star for many years; there was talk of a Powell presidency years ago. He has a very sensible Doctrine named after him. Despite his flaws, he was as highly regarded as you can get nationally or globally these days....

His departure was a signal lightning bolt to me. Cue "This is The End" by the Doors.

Its really creepy that it is getting out that this once highly revered man was KICKED OUT by this administration. Is this the genesis of a Chimperial face-saving character assassination? A controlled disinformation campaign It's a dramatic story, but there's no proportional buzz.... and I wam wondering what's up....

It wasn't enough for them that HE got them his war. That he was the only person who could have. No -- they hate him because he didn't have the FAITH in His Chimperial Highness -- and this is a faith-based administration.

Look at his face now


It's the face he deserves. It's also the face of one who sees what's coming. Of someone who laid his cards on the table at last. Oh yes, he sees it, and fears it.

Here's another guy who has a chance to go down in history as a REAL hero -- and as usual, he will do nothing. Imagine being the guy who could have fingered Hitler before the holocaust....and just lettin' it go....

And now -- BOLTEN is going to be Condi's deputy. Yes, THAT Bolten. If anyone has been waiting for hard evidence that the madmen have taken over the asylum -- well, here you are.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/11/21/wpow21.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/11/21/ixnewstop.html

Who is the last Sec of State who held the job for more than 4 years?

news before the election, correct?

George Shultz is the first exception that comes to my mind.

but everywhere I looked -- before the election -- there was somebody saying Powell would be gone afterwards. I would have been stunned if he didn't leave.

on it. I would have noticed if it were.

Not big news because it was pretty much expected to happen.

... said many months ago that he would only serve one term.

wanted to stay on a little longer & work on Mideast Peace with Israelis & Palestinians...he was told no.

Cheney lobbied hard to get him out.

And Bush doesn't want to challenge Sharon.

It's very sad, IMO.

I'll try & find it.

is that honest dialog with Iran was his other condition.

I don't know if I believe it or if it matters -- he had no role in this administration and wasn't about to find one.

It's right in the posted article in the Telegraph!!!!

No shit Sherlock -- I read the papers, and knew months ago Powell was on his way out. Did I say I was shocked? Hell no. I knew it was pure BS that His Chimperial Highness was going to do ANYTHING but Let The End Times Roll.

The point of this post is NOT historical trivia about previous adminstrations, and all the minutia one can regurgitate about Secretaries of State throughout American History blah blah blah blah.

It is rather the **fucking obvious.** The guy was a icon, respected worldwide. Now, apparently, he's dogmeat, and not only is everyone okay with it, they don't even think his fall from his former stratospheric height is the slightest bit interesting. Everyone seems to be totally okay with the fact that the most respected man in America was humiliated and given the boot quite rudely by a controversial President. Most natural thing in the world. Happens every day. Nothing to see here, move on.

Powell was one of the most loved and respected men in America. He was widely considered as a potential President.

SUDDENLY, it has become super cool to be totally okay with this American icon's departure -- and some here are even yawning that it's just so so so common for such transitions to happen zzzzzzzzz.....

This is not just some DC inside bureaucrat player no one outside the Beltway heard about 4 years ago -- this is Colin Fucking Powell!!

People on the left are yawning, people on the right are so totally okay with it -- I just don't get it.

These guys are so powerful they can spit on **Colin Powell**? And its not news? It's not controversial?

After all, we're Democrats and we shouldn't make a fuss over anything as "ordinary" as the controversial President and his highly secretive circle of advisors demanding the resignation of one of the most respected Americans in the world, who had been the crown jewel of the administration at its inception.

Colin Powell was not only marginalized, but now is in the early stages of character assassination by this administration.... Talk about a high profile monkey on a stick!

In the end, Powell will be shown to be the "banal" element in this evil -- the guy who knew better who didn't have the guts to use HIS personal power to stop it. Maybe the military and racist America had emasculated him already, keeping him on as a useful tool, but not REALLY caring doodly-squat about what he thought. Yeah, it was like many of us said -- window-dressing.

But this guy was the closest thing to brakes on the highway to hell. Now, no brakes.

Maybe they've arranged a cushy job for him, an offer he couldn't refuse. And young Michael seems to be doing so well such a better fit than his old Dad among the proto-fascists.

The reason it's not generating much buzz is because the Left lost almost all its respect for Powell over the last four years. His UN presentation on Iraq was the moment that most of us realized that he wasn't going to be willing to stand up to the administration when it mattered the most. Before that, there was a lot of hope that he was going to be a strong voice of moderation in a radical right-wing government. But he was chewed up, swallowed and spit out, and he let them do it. No one cares that he lost his job, because he is no longer respected by the Right OR the Left.

If he had been a strong and constant voice over the four years, and had actually shown some tangible results for being that voice, there would be much more rage over his resignation.

Sometimes being the "good soldier" demands not playing it safe. Colin wanted it both ways -- to be a good little bureacrat to his Commander in Chief AND prevent a very unnecessary Armageddon. He did not have the insight that these two aims were mutually exclusive.

Therefore, you're right -- Colin didn't have the guts to do what he needed to do. So, it's zzzzzzzzz over his forced resignation. Here's another old general who WILL just fade away....

remain sky-high, and he no doubt could make a serious run at the Presidency -- if he wanted to.

He was seen by most as a voice of reason within the * administration.

He'll probably get an Ambassadorship.

The point is wrong. He was not summarily dismissed. He left after one term just as most people that pay attention thought he would. He is still highly respected.

And as MoDo said yesterday, it's just as well that any dissenters are leaving "since (Shrub & Co.) didn't listen to them anyway." That he "got them their war" ain't a plus, izzit?

Colin had baggage to begin with, and created a whole new matched set of baggage by using HIS good reputation to launch an unrighteous war for a fratboy chimp no one with sense trusted. His Chimperial Majesty played Colin as a pawn to get his rotten war....

As for the "so what?" part -- you're right. They never listened to his good judgement anyway, and he was dumb enough to let them use HIS good name to launch their evil deeds from.

Well, at least there is NO CONFUSION or ambiguity about what these motherfuckers are up to now.... 100% bastards in the administration now.

Still, despite his flaws, I remain troubled by his departure.