At 09:13 PM 2/11/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>http://usmlo.org/archive2003/2003-02/07-06-05.htm
>2004 ELECTIONS
>
>The Powell Factor
>
>Retired General Colin Powell is widely considered a potential presidential
>candidate, though he has previously said he will not run. Of course running
>in 2004 may not be required to become president. That will depend on how war
>in Iraq and the elections themselves go. In any case, Powell, with strong
>support in the Army, is a factor to reckon with.
>
>In speaking before the UN February 5, Powell was given the job of trying to
>justify the U.S. drive for war at a time when the American people and those
>worldwide have adamantly said NO! As well, most governments, and U.S.
>big-power rivals like Russia, Germany and France, are also currently
>opposing war and calling for political solutions.
>
>In attempting to present the U.S. case, Powell did more to discredit himself
>than anything else. This perhaps was the purpose of choosing him to speak -
>it makes it difficult for him to keep his image as a person with standing
>and integrity.
>
>In a situation where the U.S. went from saying inspections were critical to
>saying inspections are useless, their current complaint that Iraq is making
>"false statements and omissions," and that this is grounds for war, fools no
>one. The actual situation revealed not only in this speech but by U.S.
>actions and UN Resolution 1441 itself is that Iraq is being asked to strip
>itself naked before the world and then told it is still hiding weapons. The
>aim is to utterly humiliate the Iraqis before the fighting begins.
>
>At a time when the U.S. is surrounding Iraq with 150,000 troops and bombers
>and ships, Iraq is supposed to agree to have spy planes fly overhead? And
>they are to accept that the U.S. is wiretapping phone calls inside Iraq
>inside its military? Can anyone imagine the U.S. military, openly
>threatening the world with the largest arsenal of weapons of mass
>destruction, accepting such a thing?
>
>Iraq has every right to prepare to defend itself. It is the only dignified
>thing to do. They are threatening no one, least of all the U.S.
>
>Powell, as the direct instrument of this humiliation and open voice for war,
>will now find it difficult to go on presenting himself as someone who
>defends minorities and youth. What will likely also come to the fore is his
>history as one of the butchers of Viet Nam and his wholehearted backing of
>U.S. empire-building.
>
>The aim of his speech and U.S. actions at the UN are also to eliminate the
>principles of the UN Charter, principles fought for and achieved with the
>blood of the peoples. War against Iraq is illegal, a crime, and neither the
>U.S. nor the Security Council can change this fact.
>
>The UN Charter says "all members shall refrain in their international
>relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity
>or political independence of any state." As well, the Nuremburg Principles
>arising directly out of the fight against fascism define as a crime against
>the peace: "planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of
>aggression."
>
>Having Powell be the champion of this attack on the UN and Iraq is an effort
>to lend it credibility when it has none. And, failing that, to ensure Powell
>is just as discredited as Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld. What the ruling circles
>are failing to take into account is that with Powell and all their
>candidates discredited, who can save the day?