Colin Powell dead age 84, Covid related

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/18/health/colin-powell-multiple-myeloma-covid-19-wellness/index.html

See, even a pandemic has a positive side.
Go Covid!

84? He lived a long life. I hope to make it to 84.

@sonhouse said
https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/18/health/colin-powell-multiple-myeloma-covid-19-wellness/index.html

Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t this the guy who lied to the United Nations in order to secure support for the Iraq War?

Which btw achieved the grand sum of no positive outcomes, destabilised the entire middle-east, created an upswell in anti-west sentiment, drove the terrorist agenda, triggered a landslide of refugee and economic migration and created hardship for millions upon millions of people.

If I’m misrepresenting his key impact please correct me.

@divegeester said
Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t this the guy who lied to the United Nations in order to secure support for the Iraq War?

Which btw achieved the grand sum of no positive outcomes, destabilised the entire middle-east, created an upswell in anti-west sentiment, drove the terrorist agenda, triggered a landslide of refugee and economic migration and created hardship for millions upon millions of people.

If I’m misrepresenting his key impact please correct me.

Yes. It was a stain on an otherwise exemplary military and civilian career. He said so himself. I believe the blame lies with Rumsfeld and Cheney though; they were still fighting the first Iraq war.

@sonhouse said
https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/18/health/colin-powell-multiple-myeloma-covid-19-wellness/index.html

RIP

A great man and American hero.

@sh76 said
RIP

A great man and American hero.

Agreed. He seemed to be something of a centrist, with similar views to that of of John McCain, both real war hero's. They sure didn't fit in with the Trump crowd.

@mchill said
Agreed. He seemed to be something of a centrist, with similar views to that of of John McCain, both real war hero's. They sure didn't fit in with the Trump crowd.

He was also a person who did his best for his country at every level and was not afraid to admit when he'd been wrong. He placed his perception of truth above the human tendency to dig in and double down.

He was also, by every account, a nice person, which ought to count for something.

I also considered it a missed opportunity for the country that he decided not to run for President in 1996 (when he probably would have won). I don't blame him for not wanting to get involved in the mess that is running for President (and his niceness would have been a liability); but it was a shame for the country.

@sh76 said
RIP

A great man and American hero.

He argued that Iraq had nuclear weapons at the UN, when his own intelligence service was telling him they didn’t and the UN inspectors couldn’t find anything either.

For that, the man deserves no respect. And he, even in death, will get none from me.
Do you know how many civilians were murdered because of that man’s lies.

Truly disgusting.

@divegeester said
Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t this the guy who lied to the United Nations in order to secure support for the Iraq War?

Which btw achieved the grand sum of no positive outcomes, destabilised the entire middle-east, created an upswell in anti-west sentiment, drove the terrorist agenda, triggered a landslide of refugee and economic migration and created hardship for millions upon millions of people.

If I’m misrepresenting his key impact please correct me.

Absolutely correct.

The man’s body should be dug up, put on trial and burnt with white phosphorus… or whatever the hell they used to kill the civilians in Fallujah…

Complete bastard.

@shavixmir said
He argued that Iraq had nuclear weapons at the UN, when his own intelligence service was telling him they didn’t and the UN inspectors couldn’t find anything either.

For that, the man deserves no respect. And he, even in death, will get none from me.
Do you know how many civilians were murdered because of that man’s lies.

Truly disgusting.

The revisionist history on this issue is truly amazing.

That everyone conveniently forgets that pretty much every major politician (at least in the US) took the position that Iraq had or was developing WMDs.

""In the next century, the community of nations may see more and more the very kind of threat Iraq poses now: a rogue state with weapons of mass destruction, ready to use them or provide them to terrorists, drug traffickers, or organized criminals, who travel the world among us unnoticed."

- Bill Clinton, Feb. 18, 1998

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/iraq/stories/president021898.htm

“Let me be clear, the vote I will give to the president is for one reason and one reason only: To disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, if we cannot accomplish that objective through new, tough weapons inspections in joint concert with our allies,”

- John Kerry, 2002

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2013/09/10/kerrys-claim-that-he-opposed-bushs-invasion-of-iraq/

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock"

- Hillary Clinton, March 10, 2002

https://awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu/2017/03/09/hillary-clinton-iraq-war-vote-speech-oct-10-2002/

Blaming Powell for echoing what pretty much every powerful American politician believed is absurd.

@sh76 said
The revisionist history on this issue is truly amazing.

That everyone conveniently forgets that pretty much every major politician (at least in the US) took the position that Iraq had or was developing WMDs.

""In the next century, the community of nations may see more and more the very kind of threat Iraq poses now: a rogue state with weapons of mass destruction, ready to ...[text shortened]...
Blaming Powell for echoing what pretty much every powerful American politician believed is absurd.

so if enough people go along it becomes ok? it was his job to know

@sh76 said
The revisionist history on this issue is truly amazing.

That everyone conveniently forgets that pretty much every major politician (at least in the US) took the position that Iraq had or was developing WMDs.

""In the next century, the community of nations may see more and more the very kind of threat Iraq poses now: a rogue state with weapons of mass destruction, ready to ...[text shortened]...
Blaming Powell for echoing what pretty much every powerful American politician believed is absurd.

He is the one who sold the blatant lie to the UN.
And, yes, I hold Bush and Blair equally reaponsible.