Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Colin Powell Endorses Obama

General Colin Powell (USA Ret.), former US Secretary of State, the man who delivered to the United Nations the U.S. case for the ongoing war against Iraq, announced on Sunday that he is going to vote for Barack Obama for president.

I have always respected General Powell who has held very important positions for the 3 most recent Republican presidents. He was Ronald Reagan's National Security Advisor, George H.W. Bush's Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and George W. Bush's Secretary of State. He was nicknamed, "the reluctant warrior" as he rarely advocated military intervention as the first solution to an international crisis, and instead usually prescribed diplomacy and containment. But when military action was necessary such as the operations he oversaw; his use of overwhelming force was justified. Amongst almost 30 crises during his command, he oversaw the invasion of Panama to remove General Manuel Noriega from power and Operation Desert Storm in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. However he was not on board 100% for the current war in Iraq and regrets acting on incomplete intelligence concerning WMDs. He has been critical of the war in Iraq since his resignation as Secretary of State in 2004, despite repeatedly saying he supported the decision to go in, said he is more concerned with the future than the past. "We now see that things are a lot better in Iraq. Maybe if we had put a surge in in the beginning, it would've been a lot better," he said.

Politically Powell is a Republican but moderate and has supported both liberal and centrist issues if he believes in them. In the 2000 U.S. Presidential Election Powell campaigned for Sen. McCain and later Gov Bush. In 2007, Powell donated the maximum to John McCain's campaign and earlier this year, Powell's name was mentioned as a possible running mate of McCain but Powell told CNN that "I will vote for the candidate I think can do the best job in America—whether that candidate is a Republican or Democrat or an independent."

Even from understanding this statement and noting his past actions even up to last year, Powell said the next individual to serve as president of the United States will have to reach out to the world community, and he believes Obama has both style and substance to be successful in that role "I think he is a transformational figure, he is a new generation coming into, onto the world stage and the American stage, and for that reason I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama."

However, Powell said with two weeks left until the election, he will not campaign for the Democratic presidential candidate. He said that part of the reason he is supporting him is because he did not like the negative tone of John McCain's campaign, which has noted the links between Obama and domestic terrorist William Ayers.

John McCain responded to the news of Powell's endorsement by saying he still admires and respects his old friend. "Well, I have always admired and respected General Powell. We are longtime friends. This doesn't come as a surprise. But I am also very pleased to have the endorsement of four former secretaries of state ... and I am proud to have the endorsement of well over 200 retired army generals and admirals," McCain said, noting the support offered by Henry Kissinger, James Baker, Lawrence Eagleburger and Alexander Haig.


Picture: General Colin Powell, (Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Of Staff ) and Major (Sel.) "Whopper" Creedon, (Department of Defense Office of Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict) during the Persian Gulf War, Welcome Home Parade, New York City June 10, 1991.

Source: Fox News, CNN, Some info from Wikipedia

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Shame about Powell. But remember any good dog can turn on his masters.

Oh and HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLONEL!!!!

Anonymous said...

I am also very pleased to have the endorsement of four former secretaries of state ... and I am proud to have the endorsement of well over 200 retired army generals and admirals," McCain said

One notes that McCain did not mention being pleased to have your support, Lt.Col has there been a falling out in Republican HQ?

Anonymous said...

Or could it mean that you don't support McCain?, horror of horrors, have you flipflopped and now support Obama?

Bruce Russell said...

I hear Obama thinks Powell is really an "Uncle Tom."

Major General Creedon said...

@ Grunt: Cheers Grunt.

@ Civvy: That's because a serving military officer is forbidden from making endorsements or claims of support of candidates for office as it can be misconstrued as a suggestion of how to vote to those under your command.

@ Bruce: Really? I'm not surprised. Have you hear how he's treated his family back home? Disgraceful.

Anonymous said...

If that is the case, Lt.Col, then why do you only have a link to the McCain/Palin campaign website and not one to the Obama/Biden one?.

Don't give me any jip about only being a fictional military officer, remember you a serving fictional military officer. Kindly remember your fictional oath of service and act like one.

Major General Creedon said...

What is this fiction you speak of? I don't understand.

Federal Law (specifically sections of Titles 2, 10 and 18, of the United States Code), several Department of Defense Directives, and specific military regulations prohibit me from actively supporting presidential candidates.

I placed an Obama link [in the 2nd links section beneath the NSA's link] at the exact same time I created the McCain one.

Sith Apologist actually commented [or he may have E-mailed me] on the existence of the link worried that I was going a bit soft.

As I provide the means to obtain knowledge about or give support to both candidates by placing links to their respective websites, then my blog is legally non-partisan and my true message translates into simply "to vote".

Anonymous said...

Point of order Creedon!

1) adding link text that's a few shades lighter than the background color is not non-partisan.

2) adding a link that's several screens down is not non-partisan.

3) adding a link that requires you actively pointing out where you put it is not non-partisan.

Will you do the right thing and follow the rules, or will you make one of us have to do the right thing and report you to the authorities?

Surely a big, strong, handsome, intelligent USMC officer such as your fine self will be manly enough, courageous enough, righteous enough to truly serve your brethren in a non-partisan way.

Anonymous said...

a big, strong, handsome, intelligent USMC officer

Connie have you ever met the Lt.Col in person? If you have not, I fear you have been mislead by the Lt.Col ;)

Anonymous said...

@ Constance
lol .. I think the Lt.Col is more likely to remove both links and put up something along the lines of a "make sure you vote/register to vote" link

Anonymous said...

I operate under the "flattery will get you everywhere" philosophy of life :D