This is the kind of thing that really frustrates me about Colin Powell. Just like his coming out with what’s wrong with the Shrub War after the election, instead of during the election, when it could have really helped.
Now he’s talking to senators in private about what a loose cannon John Bolton is.
Why can’t he come out and say what he knows publicly? He could blow this guy out of the water with two sentances. He could save us from the horrible fate of letting this war monger lead the nation into
WW III.
Some of you will think I’m overreacting, but I truly believe that I am calmly stating one likely possibility. Granted, it’s already a possibility, with this administration in power, but it’s a far more likely possibility with Bolton as our UN Ambassador.
Powell Plays Behind the Scenes Role in Bolton Debate
By Jim VandeHei and Robin Wright for the Washington Post.
(via
t r u t h o u t)
Former secretary of state Colin L. Powell is emerging as a behind the scenes player in the battle over John Bolton’s nomination to the United Nations, privately telling at least two key Republican lawmakers that Bolton is smart, but a very problematic government official, according to Republican sources.
Powell spoke in recent days with Sens. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), two of three GOP members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who have raised concerns about Bolton’s confirmation, the sources said. Powell did not advise the senators to oppose Bolton, but offered a frank assessment of the nominee as a man who was challenging to work with on personnel and policy matters, according to two people familiar with the conversation.
“General Powell has returned calls from senators who wanted to discuss specific questions that have been raised,” said Margaret Cifrino, a Powell spokeswoman. “He has not reached out to senators” and considers the discussions private. A Chafee spokesman confirmed that at least two conversations took place. Bolton served under Powell as his undersecretary of state for arms control, and the two were known to have serious clashes.
Powell has stayed out of the confirmation fight in public, but influenced it in direct and indirect ways, according to several Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill. It is not Powell’s style to weigh in strongly against a former colleague, but rather direct people to what he sees as flaws and potential problems, they say. Powell’s views are highly influential with many Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill.
Those who know Powell best said two recent events provide insight into his thinking. Powell did not sign a letter from seven former US secretaries of state and defense supporting Bolton, and his former chief of staff Lawrence Wilkerson recently told the New York Times that Bolton would be an “abysmal ambassador.”
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