Powell was born in the South Bronx to immigrant parents. He graduated from City College of New York, and rose through the ranks of U.S. forces to become the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Bush during the Persian Gulf War. He was America's first Black secretary-of-state during George W. Bush's presidency. He died today, at the age of 84, from complications resulting from Covid-19.
Iraq is a different story. Millions of Iraqis likely agree with Muntadher Alzaidi's sentiments. He famously threw his shoes at George W. Bush in 2008 during a press conference in Baghdad. Alzaidi, reacting to Powell's death, expressed sadness that he didn't face a war crimes trial because of his crucial role in the invasion. Alzaidi tweeted, "I am certain that the court of God is waiting for him."
His American contemporaries cannot praise him enough. Retired Adm. James Stavridis wrote that Colin Powell was the North Star for a whole generation of American military officers, including myself. Richard Haass, the head of the Council on Foreign Relations, said that Powell was one of the most intellectually honest people he had ever met.
Friends in America tend not to forget that Powell's most important act in his life was the one he regrets. Powell gave a 76 minute speech to the United Nations Security Council on February 5, 2003 in which he presented the Bush administration's case for invasion of Iraq. He claimed that Saddam Hussein was the Iraqi leader and that he was in charge of a secret program to create weapons of mass destruction. Powell showed satellite photos that he claimed were of decontamination trucks, aluminum tubes and other WMD paraphernalia. Powell even showed off a vial he claimed could have anthrax.
His assertions were, however, flawed. His speech was not emphatic. It was falsified, manipulated and fabricated. The trucks were only trucks. The tubes were tubes. There wasn't anthrax. More fundamentally, there was no reason to invade Iraq. Powell's presentation notwithstanding, the Bush administration continued with its plans. In the aftermath of the catastrophe, more than 4,000 U.S. troops and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis died.
There were many Bush officials who had higher levels of intentional malignance than Powell. Their names are well-known: Condoleezza Rice (Dick Cheney), Donald Rumsfeld (David Rumsfeld), Condoleezza rice (Condora Rice), George Tenet, Paul Wolfowitz and, of course Bush himself. Powell's legacy is not flattering. He was the only person who could have stopped President Bush from launching his lunatic invasion. Robert Draper, a writer, explored the what-ifs of Powell, Bush's most beloved post-9/11 Cabinet member, and told the truth when it was important:
What if the same voice who publicly declared the necessity of invading Iraq told Bush privately that it wasn't merely an invitation for unintended consequences, but a mistake? What if he refused to give a speech to Bush before the U.N. Powell would have almost certainly been obliged to resign and many, if not all, of his top staffers involved in the Iraq problem would have also resigned.
The Dominoes would still have fallen. Jack Straw, the British foreign secretary would almost certainly have followed Powell's lead, which would have meant that crucial British support for invasion would have plummeted. Draper pointed out that there were many Doubters at the top of the American military. Intelligence would have been reexamined and the Democrats, who are now free from the political pressures of midterm elections, would have likely joined the chorus.
This was not the right path, as Powell wouldn't stand for Bush.
Powell said that Powell had no choice but to tell Draper. What other choice was there? He is the president.
Ironically, Powell's career and the careers of many American generals are marked by their abject lack of courage, which is the only thing soldiers should have in abundance. U.S. generals have been lauded for their heroic actions, but they lack the courage or honesty to resist the dictates of their superiors. This is evident in the history of the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 9/11, millions have been injured and killed as a result of their failing watch.
