Five Years Ago Today

Colin Powell walked into the United nations and used his universally high credibility to sell the idea that Iraq presented some form of real threat to the US. In 1962 this tactic had provided a home run for the US when Adlai Stevenson presented evidence against the USSR and Cuba at the UN. The Bush administration hopped that Powell’s talk could do the same

Powell's dog and pony show lacked the punch of Stevenson's but his perceived integrity was enough for most viewers to allow him to carry the day. The US's position was stated, and generally accepted as at least probable, if not 100% factual.

Only in hindsight has we learned how badly Mr. Powell had served his nation and all of humanity for that matter. We are caught in an endless occupation. Our troops continue to bleed and the number of Iraqi dead continue to grow. All of this was purchased, in part, by Colin Powell, who traded his honor for Bush's war.

Only now is the scale of the lying of the Bush administration being made publically clear. That does not mean that there were many who, more than five years ago, thought the case for Saddam presenting a threat to the US was very weak. Many of these people would not believe Bush, or Cheney or Rice but they would believe Powell.

The result is a war that has lasted longer than World War Two, and has cost more (in adjusted dollar value) than any war except World War Two.

Thanks Mr. Powell.




Tags
Iraq, Bush Administrtion, Powell