To Colin Powell: Now is the time to reclaim your dignity
General Powell, God knows you’ve put in your time playing the good soldier, dutifully following the desires of your Commander in Chief, staying silent even when every fiber of your soul cried out in protest. During your term as Secretary of State, you were belittled, ignored and ridiculed by many in your own party (and administration). And you suffered this fate at the hands of the very people who have themselves led this nation into disaster in Iraq.
Still you soldiered on in silence, even allowing yourself to be played for a sucker when you gave that speech to the UN. You know, the one you yourself have rightfully called a blot on your reputation.
But I guess even the ultimate “good soldier” has his breaking point: And yours was apparently (finally) reached when the President of the United States actually set out to rewrite the protections of the Geneva Convention so as to allow the continued use of torture during interrogations. You said:
The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism. To redefine Common Article 3 would add to those doubts. Furthermore, it would put our own troops at risk.
As I’m sure you’ve heard, General Powell, Bush’s response to your letter has been, shall we say, a tad cool: More specifically, he’s accused you of “flawed logic” that is “unacceptable.” Of course, in making this statement he grossly misrepresented what you actually said, but then what else is new?
QUESTION: Mr. President, former Secretary of State Colin Powell says, “The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism.” If a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and former secretary of state feels this way, don’t you think that Americans and the rest of the world are beginning to wonder whether you’re following a flawed strategy?
BUSH: If there’s any comparison between the compassion and decency of the American people and the terrorist tactics of extremists, it’s flawed logic.
It’s just — I simply can’t accept that.It’s unacceptable to think that there’s any kind of comparison between the behavior of the United States of America and the action of Islamic extremists who kill innocent women and children to achieve an objective.
Jeez, what a skunk.
But that’s okay, General, because I am the bearer of glad tidings. You see, sir, you’re free — as free as a bird. When Bush attacked you that way, without even bothering to hide behind subordinates, and all because you had the audacity to oppose the legalization of torture, he officially handed you your discharge papers.
You are no longer the good soldier; you’re a free man.
Now the question becomes what you’re going to do with this new found freedom. Here’s a thought: How about reclaiming your dignity (and serving your nation well at the same time) by speaking out forcibly and publicly about the damage Bush & Co. is doing to the military and the security of this country.
It’ll feel good, I promise.
September 16th, 2006 at 12:48 am
I would like to see Colin Powell redeem himself. He has made mistakes that were grievous, like the My Lai coverup, and his period of insanity in the Bush Administration. Nevertheless, he can be given another chance. For the sake of the man’s own personal integrity, I hope he becomes a vocal and very active opponent of the vicious and dehumanizing agenda that George W. Bush and Richard Cheney want to foist upon this country. Millions of us have your back, General Powell. America needs a good wake-up call. You can do it.
September 16th, 2006 at 8:16 pm
It may be too late for the General to recover his credibility. I stayed home from work on the day he spoke at the UN about WMD and the “dangers” of Iraq. I hung on his every word. His word was the only one I trusted to be truthful in that administration — but he turned out to be a bold faced liar.
To recover his postion on the world stage he would have to verbalize the corruption and criminal activites of the Bush administration and would have to apologize persoanlly to the world that he deceived. I don’t him ever doing that.
September 16th, 2006 at 9:50 pm
TIME IS UP…
Jail the Bush Family of Global Gangsters
and
Play Earth Ball - NOT WAR
http://www.EarthBall.org
Take Back OUR Earth… NOW
END all WAR
and
Clean Up OUR Planet
.
September 17th, 2006 at 9:37 am
first:
comparison means to determine “similarities and differences”, means to measure observables and their values
==> fact is, that comparisons can be made as long as you can measure something
second:
to achievean objective - that’s true for both. Both the USA and the extremists do things to “to gain something with effort”…
==> similarity
third:
killinnocentwomenand children - that’s also true for both: Both the USA and the extremists fulfill the definition of taking lives of mothers and their kids who never did anything wrong. It doesn’t matter that the USA has the better PR calling it “collateral damage”
==> similarity
==> both behave similarly under all mentioned conditions ==> “any kind of comparison” can be made: QED - proven by example
now let us focus on the interesting part of the statement:
“It’s unacceptable to think”
it’s not about arguments, observables and values - it’s about acceptance and thoughts - it’s about faith. So, dear Mr. president, you proved just one thing: you couldn’t see “logic” even when it would bite you - and so you may be able to kill innocent children, but to decide, what’s “flawed logic” is nothing your skills would support
but that doesn’t matter, does it?
because you are the decider - you and the Pope and any other dictator - and so it is of no importance what is logic, what is flawed logic or what is lie, because the only important fact is:
“It’s just — I simply can’t accept that.”
Hey, Mr. Bush, Beloved Leader and Mentor of the Mental Slaves - you might be able to destroy the whole world…
but that doesn’t give you the right to think and act for me…
It’s just — I simply can’t accept that democracy is over, that only the things the Kings and the Popes allow us to think - shall be thought…
It’s just — I simply can’t accept that…
September 17th, 2006 at 9:06 pm
Well said, Again.
As for Powell, I have no more trust in him. He betrayed us and he’ll do it again. He won’t rock the boat, he never does, never will. I don’t know why he’s considered such a “good soldier” when he has shone no courage under fire. He can take orders, he can make excuses, but he can’t stand on any high ground anymore. I’ll bet McCain caves too. In the end, Bush & Co. will do whatever they want either under a new law or under the table, doesn’t matter to them. Dictators make their own rules and force us to live by them.
I don’t care about them, I care about my country and its citizens. Will Americans accept torture as a new American ideal? That’s what scares me.
After all, we saw the pictures from Abu Ghraib and now we’re debating whether or not we should continue those practices. If we need to debate that, we’ve got a problem.