Monday, April 10, 2006

What else is new?

"We made some serious mistakes in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Baghdad. We didn't have enough troops on the ground. We didn't impose our will. And as a result, an insurgency got started, and ... it got out of control."

Who said it? Colin Powell. And just in last day or so. How much attention has it gotten? Zero. Maybe if Powell had said something 3 years ago it might have made a difference. As it stands Powell gets some ridiculous amount of money per speech, probably around $100,000, to go around the country and sign books and say, "We made some serious mistakes in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Baghdad. We didn't have enough troops on the ground. We didn't impose our will. And as a result, an insurgency got started, and ... it got out of control." All with a shrug of the shoulders like, "hey, at least we tried. Give us credit."

The list of people I used to have respect for has grown by one. Powell is another company man who cared more about his career and his loyalty to our dear leader than to speaking truth to power. Saying you, "you broke it you bought it," referring to Iraq and what he called "the Pottery Barn Rule" is cute but not enough. After he gave that embarrassing speech at the U.N. before the war, a speech he has called a "stain" on his record forever Powell should have resigned. He didn't. He's no different than the executives who earned millions from Enron and even though they knew things at the company were fishy, they stayed on because the money was too good. Forget about what's right do what's personally for the best even if its wrong.

So "mistakes" were made and Iraq went down a violent rathole. Oh, well. Next up Iran. Just another opportunity for another Secretary of State to make strategic errors and later cash in on lucrative speeches explaining all about those mistakes that other people had to pay for with their lives. And by the way, there is no Pottery Barn rule at their stores that if you brake it, you bought it. Just another mistake Powell made. Wonder if its worthy of being included in his $100,000 speeches.

3 Comments:

Blogger Capt. Fogg said...

I had to check it out - went to Pottery Barn and smashed some pottery, shot the manager, pointed a gun at the employees and told them they wer now free to run the store, but my family would be moving in to take whatever furniture they wanted. Don't believe the police report - we're really making great progress now that gangsters have moved in to use it as a hangout and the employees are trying to throw us out. Some people just don't appreciate freedom.

2:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You just lost respect for Powell now? He lost me at the vial of talcum powder before the UN.

2:59 PM  
Blogger Crankyboy said...

No, I did before but I like to make it official. Once he said, yes we were incompetent but we pretended we weren't and I stayed on to get my tenure there long enough to warrant $100,000 speeches I decided to declassify my opinion.

3:06 PM  

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