I was watching some "This Week" on ABC this past weekend and recalled hearing one of the analysts hinting that Bush should get rid of Powell. Then today, I read this story on Newsweek about Powell's Humiliation: http://www.msnbc.com/news/741620.asp.
Here are some quotes from the article:
<< When George W. Bush was assembling his ?dream team? of foreign-policy advisers, many wondered who would resolve the inevitable clashes between the Olympians. Not to worry, we were told. Once the president made a decision, everyone would fall in line. There would be no leaks, no backstabbing, no second-guessing. These were professionals. That was the theory. The reality over the last three weeks has been a bitter internal war resulting in feckless foreign policy and the erosion of American credibility around the world. >>
<< On April 4, Bush stood with Colin Powell in the Rose Garden and announced a new policy. It was a superb speech, condemning terrorism and pointing out, correctly, that Yasir Arafat had brought his troubles upon himself. Bush called on Arafat to condemn terrorism. He also called on Israel to ?halt the incursions and begin withdrawal.? >>
<< By then, the Defense Department and the vice president?s office had declared war on the president?s policy. Having counseled the White House to ignore the Israel-Palestine problem for 15 months?advice that proved disastrously wrong?they were now determined to cripple Powell?s mission. They recommended that the president stop issuing statements supporting the secretary. Congress jumped in, with Democrats and Republicans falling all over themselves to side with Ariel Sharon rather than George W. Bush. The Christian right and the neoconservatives lobbied the White House nonstop, denouncing the secretary of State while he was meeting foreign leaders. >>
<< It worked. The White House caved. By April 11, Ari Fleischer was explaining that ?the president believes that Ariel Sharon is a man of peace.? No further statements urging withdrawal or supporting Powell were issued. On April 15 the White House sent Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz to speak at a rally whose purpose was to urge Israel not to withdraw?at the very moment that the secretary of State was in Jerusalem calling on Israel to withdraw! This was a Clintonian moment, recalling Clinton?s comments in Seattle that he sympathized with the protesters?who were protesting his policies. >>
<< However we get out of this mess, one thing is clear. The president cannot pursue an effective policy without an undisputed foreign-policy spokesman. If he will not back his secretary of State out of conviction, he should do so out of calculation?or else replace him. For now he is following in the footsteps of another Southern governor with little foreign-policy experience who allowed his advisers to battle perpetually for control of foreign policy. Do we really want to go back to the Carter years? >>
Seems like there's a conflict in policy between Condi Rice/Powell and Rumsfeld/Cheney. I personally agree with what Powell is trying to accomplish but I want the US to have "an undisputed foreign-policy spokesman". So which side will win out? Should/will Powell get replaced? Hopefully, this gets ironed out soon.
Here are some quotes from the article:
<< When George W. Bush was assembling his ?dream team? of foreign-policy advisers, many wondered who would resolve the inevitable clashes between the Olympians. Not to worry, we were told. Once the president made a decision, everyone would fall in line. There would be no leaks, no backstabbing, no second-guessing. These were professionals. That was the theory. The reality over the last three weeks has been a bitter internal war resulting in feckless foreign policy and the erosion of American credibility around the world. >>
<< On April 4, Bush stood with Colin Powell in the Rose Garden and announced a new policy. It was a superb speech, condemning terrorism and pointing out, correctly, that Yasir Arafat had brought his troubles upon himself. Bush called on Arafat to condemn terrorism. He also called on Israel to ?halt the incursions and begin withdrawal.? >>
<< By then, the Defense Department and the vice president?s office had declared war on the president?s policy. Having counseled the White House to ignore the Israel-Palestine problem for 15 months?advice that proved disastrously wrong?they were now determined to cripple Powell?s mission. They recommended that the president stop issuing statements supporting the secretary. Congress jumped in, with Democrats and Republicans falling all over themselves to side with Ariel Sharon rather than George W. Bush. The Christian right and the neoconservatives lobbied the White House nonstop, denouncing the secretary of State while he was meeting foreign leaders. >>
<< It worked. The White House caved. By April 11, Ari Fleischer was explaining that ?the president believes that Ariel Sharon is a man of peace.? No further statements urging withdrawal or supporting Powell were issued. On April 15 the White House sent Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz to speak at a rally whose purpose was to urge Israel not to withdraw?at the very moment that the secretary of State was in Jerusalem calling on Israel to withdraw! This was a Clintonian moment, recalling Clinton?s comments in Seattle that he sympathized with the protesters?who were protesting his policies. >>
<< However we get out of this mess, one thing is clear. The president cannot pursue an effective policy without an undisputed foreign-policy spokesman. If he will not back his secretary of State out of conviction, he should do so out of calculation?or else replace him. For now he is following in the footsteps of another Southern governor with little foreign-policy experience who allowed his advisers to battle perpetually for control of foreign policy. Do we really want to go back to the Carter years? >>
Seems like there's a conflict in policy between Condi Rice/Powell and Rumsfeld/Cheney. I personally agree with what Powell is trying to accomplish but I want the US to have "an undisputed foreign-policy spokesman". So which side will win out? Should/will Powell get replaced? Hopefully, this gets ironed out soon.
Facebook
Twitter