We're grabbing onto something else from Obsidian Wings' hilzoy, guesting chez Sully. She posts something from NYT op-edder Roger Cohen. Here's the part Just Another Blog™ likes best: Alluding to former Secretary of State Colin Powell and his successor, Condoleezza Rice, who was then national security adviser, Khalilzad continued: “Powell and Condi were incredulous. Powell called me and asked: ‘What happened?’The next time some neo-fascist dipstick says something to the effect of: "Oh no, there's no racism in the Bush administration, look at Condie Rice & Colin Powell," remember that they have been/were so completely marginalized by the warmongers that they're barely tokens. And you don't think their somewhat darker skin tones would make it easier for the good ol' boys to ignore them, do you? Go ahead, call us cynical. We are, & we have every reason to be so.
And I said, ‘You’re secretary of state and you’re asking me what happened!’ ”
Powell confirmed his astonishment. “The plan was for Zal to go back,” he said. “He was the one guy who knew this place better than anyone. I thought this was part of the deal with Bremer. But with no discussion, no debate, things changed. I was stunned.”
One can't expect much of Dr. Rice, erstwhile member of the Chevron board of directors (fill in your own blanks about her relationship w/ Mr. Bush) but one can hope General Powell will write a book about how he was essentially fucked royally at every turn by Cheney & the neo-cons. He really should be doing that right now, if he's got any guts. Oops. Forgot about his role covering up the My Lai massacre back there in 'Nam. Never mind.
Powell in Viet Nam, 1963.
Jeeeee-zus, they still carried sulfa pouches on their pistol belts in '63? Oh well, at least he got to carry a cool 1911, with that manly .45 ACP cartridge, not like the Beretta with its pussy EURO-PEE-IN 9mm Parabellum. I once busted a firing pin on a Beretta, harumph, you'd never do that on a 1911. Some troops used 1911s as hammers.
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P.S. I notice no West Point ring on Capt. Powell's left hand. Don't tell me he went thru ROTC or, even cruder, OCS?
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From The Editor's Perspiration-Soaked Armchair:
ReplyDeleteSez in Wikipedia he joined ROTC while @ CCNY. Good looking out, as they say.
The Editor was more fascinated w/ the web belt, mighty clean (damn near pressed) '60s style fatigues (cap & all) and newer style grenade. Didn't know that was a sulfa pouch. Whole thing looks pretty posed, but it was the coolest shot I could find, mostly 'cause of the gear.
You broke the firing pin on a Beretta? Dang!
Oh, my Italian heritage!
Fix
It
Again,
Tony!
Damn, my Beretta isn't even Eye-talian, it was made in Maryland. And hey, how about that grenade on the Capt.'s belt, what with no helmet and all? I mean, is he in a combat zone? If you need grenades on your belt, I'd say you need a steel pot helmet. And yeah, in "Combat", they use those little pouches on the pistol belt or M1 cartridge belt to hold sulfa. I've seen 'em dump it right into a wound numerous times. I dunno what they were using them for in 'Nam. I can't believe they still issued sulfa powder to the troops in The First War America Lost.
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