The Soapbox

Joined: 01/04/2001 Posts: 26993
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Not a chance. I used to argue that Bush would go right up to his deadline

But would find a way out if our closest allies continued to balk because we couldn’t make the case. Somebody basically slapped me in the face and suggested I wake up - we were engaged in the largest military buildup since WWII. The train had left the station. We were invading. With the coalition we had, if any. Inside the country and out.

If Powell resigned, some other Sec of State would have been there for the invasion. That’s all it would have achieved. We are talking about the prancing neocons here. Unless you’ve completely forgotten the hubris of that mindset and those who held it, the inescapable conclusion is that there was pretty much a 0% chance that Powell’s resignation would have prevented that war.

(In response to this post by 81_Hokie)

Posted: 10/18/2021 at 09:33AM

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Colin Powell has died of COVID complications. Age 84. RIP. ** -- SixerHoo 10/18/2021 08:00AM

Great American, despite the run-up to Iraq bullshit which he regretted. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 10/18/2021 2:37PM

RIP. Good man, great leader, surprisingly funny when he wanted to be -- orangenblue 10/18/2021 1:30PM

Big loss for his family and country ** -- WaxHoo 10/18/2021 09:15AM

That really stinks :>( Should he lie in State at the Capitol?** -- Tuckahokie 10/18/2021 08:46AM

Bipartisan honoring of a public servant would be a nice change. ** -- hokie in cville 10/18/2021 09:48AM

Yes ** -- 06 Hoo 10/18/2021 09:06AM

If only xe had been vaccinated... ** -- ResistHoo 10/18/2021 08:36AM

You = asshole ** -- DTsBicep 10/18/2021 12:58PM

Okay, internet tough guy. ** -- ResistHoo 10/18/2021 1:02PM

Only shitbags like wax can make remarks like that ** -- HokieDan95 10/18/2021 10:11AM

Then why not call out this one? -- DTsBicep 10/18/2021 1:04PM

FFS ** -- Faz d. Hoo 10/18/2021 09:54AM

Do you ever stop? The man died. RIP General Powell. ** -- Blah 10/18/2021 08:40AM

Tampermonkey ** -- 81_Hokie 10/18/2021 09:02AM

The poster poster for Tampermonkey ** -- Hoo TV 10/18/2021 09:16AM

Yeah. Such an asshole. The vaccine is -- BocaHoo91 10/18/2021 08:58AM

… and fighting cancer as well … ** -- WaxHoo 10/18/2021 09:14AM

Didn’t know that. Well I guess his -- BocaHoo91 10/18/2021 09:19AM

Stop wut?!? ** -- ResistHoo 10/18/2021 08:43AM

Aren’t xu cute … ** -- WaxHoo 10/18/2021 08:54AM

Unfortunately, no woman in her right mind would think so ** -- TomGlansAski 10/18/2021 09:29AM

Throwing your lot in with Blah - sounds like a winning move. ** -- ResistHoo 10/18/2021 1:02PM

An appropriate figure for our times -- Fuzzy Dunlop 10/18/2021 08:24AM

He spent a lifetime respecting the chain of the command. -- hoolstoptheheels 10/18/2021 08:43AM

That's one way of putting it -- Fuzzy Dunlop 10/18/2021 08:48AM

As in a soldier obeying an ill-advised order. IMO, Powell was a soldier -- hoolstoptheheels 10/18/2021 09:08AM

Perhaps without his strong leadership the ill-advised order may have -- Tuckahokie 10/18/2021 09:11AM

Perhaps if he had resigned we would not have gone ** -- 81_Hokie 10/18/2021 09:15AM

Not a chance. I used to argue that Bush would go right up to his deadline -- hoolstoptheheels 10/18/2021 09:33AM

That sounds like a big stretch 81 ** -- Tuckahokie 10/18/2021 09:17AM

I'm not sure how things would have been different with the execution of the -- 81_Hokie 10/18/2021 09:26AM

That's the first war's vote count. 2nd war's authorization was 77-23 -- JohnHoo2 10/18/2021 10:16AM

Yep, see below. damned old memory and work causing hurried googles. ** -- 81_Hokie 10/18/2021 10:37AM

IMO, not a chance in hell. Not with the mood the country was in at that -- hoolstoptheheels 10/18/2021 09:37AM

Just to be perfectly clear, I was talking about the more recent Iraq War ** -- Fuzzy Dunlop 10/18/2021 09:41AM

That’s what we are talking about. ** -- hoolstoptheheels 10/18/2021 09:43AM

You sure everyone is? 81 is talking about Stormin' Norman upthread ** -- Fuzzy Dunlop 10/18/2021 09:44AM

Yep, my bad. I was remembering the UN presentation, etc. and conflated that -- 81_Hokie 10/18/2021 09:49AM

Powell was the guy standing before the UN Sec Council talking about -- hoolstoptheheels 10/18/2021 09:56AM

Yes, see below... right scenario but blew the Schwartzkopf reference ** -- 81_Hokie 10/18/2021 10:36AM

I can actually help with that! -- Fuzzy Dunlop 10/18/2021 09:54AM

So it's more or less as I recalled but I blew it with the Schwartzkopf -- 81_Hokie 10/18/2021 10:34AM

Fair enough...I'll downgrade to a somewhat of a stretch :>) ** -- Tuckahokie 10/18/2021 09:30AM

Can we trash him tomorrow? Jeez.... ** -- Tuckahokie 10/18/2021 08:51AM

Fair - I'll hold off until tomorrow -- Fuzzy Dunlop 10/18/2021 09:00AM

He wasn't perfect, but he tried to be the best he can be. ** -- Blah 10/18/2021 08:44AM

We humans don’t get to be perfect. ** -- hoolstoptheheels 10/18/2021 08:46AM

Yep, but he always tried to better himself. ** -- Blah 10/18/2021 08:50AM

And in the world of politics, was refreshingly honest, including about his -- hoolstoptheheels 10/18/2021 09:09AM

He would have had my vote had he run. A truly great American no matter -- graycalhoo 10/18/2021 08:21AM

That stinks. -- fphoo 10/18/2021 08:17AM

Very sad. He was a good man and great leader who stood on principles. -- CMUHoo 10/18/2021 08:15AM

Dang. At one point, he was my favorite to run for President. ** -- HoosWillWin 10/18/2021 08:13AM

Yup. Would’ve made a good one. ** -- SixerHoo 10/18/2021 08:15AM

Yeah. After the WOMD issue, I became -- HoosWillWin 10/18/2021 08:17AM

A good man compromised by a dishonest administration. ** -- SixerHoo 10/18/2021 08:18AM

Yep. ** -- HoosWillWin 10/18/2021 08:30AM

Oh crap. That’s terrible news. One of the last good Republicans. ** -- WahooRQ 10/18/2021 08:11AM

Good man, RIP. ** -- Lupos 10/18/2021 08:05AM

Sad. (Link) -- WahooMatt05 10/18/2021 08:03AM