Powell resigns

uberwolf

Strange this wasn't posted already, Ireland.com have had it for a few hours.
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State Department confirms resignation of Colin Powell
Last updated: 15-11-04, 14:42

Officials at the US State Department have confirmed that the Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell has resigned.

The former general, who headed the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the first Gulf War, was regarded as a dove in a White House full of hawks, and his resignation will not come as a great surprise.
US National Security Adviser, Condoleeza Rice, is favourite to succeed MrPowell
US National Security Adviser, Condoleeza Rice, is a possible successor to Mr Powell

It has been reported that Mr Powell told his staff he had handed his resignation to President Bush on Friday and that he will remain in office until a successor is appointed.

Mr Powell had long been rumoured to be determined to serve only one term as Bush's Secretary of State.

The White House is preparing an announcement to confirm his resignation.

US Ambassador to the United Nations John Danforth and Bush's national security adviser Condoleezza Rice are leading candidates to replace Mr Powell, according to Republican party and diplomatic sources.

Mr Powell has had a controversial tenure in the chief of state's job, reportedly differing on some key issues at various times with Defence Secretary Mr Donald Rumsfeld.

But Mr Powell has generally had good relations with his counterparts around the world, although his image standing has been strained by the US-led war in Iraq.

Mr Powell led the Bush administration argument at the United Nations for a military attack to oust Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, arguing a weapons-of-mass-destruction threat that the administration could never back up.

In addition to his work to take the case for a war against Iraq to the United Nations, he pressed for negotiations with North Korea over its suspected nuclear arsenal and has acquiesced on European talks with Iran over its atomic programs.

Powell leaves in the wake of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's death, which the Bush administration has said presents a new opportunity for peace.He will initially lead the US diplomatic push to help Palestinians hold elections on a successor.

His departure starts a week of Cabinet shuffling for Mr Bush, who is planning his second term. Education Secretary Mr Rod Paige also wants to leave, and last week, the administration announced the departures of Commerce Secretary Mr Donald Evans and Attorney General Mr John Ashcroft.
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Bushes cabinet becoming more and more hardline? Would seem so - without seeing powells replacement

mr_angry

:eek:

Not that I'm a particular fan of Colin Powell, but at least he seemed to be a man with a smidgen of intelligence, and not one of the evil Cheney / Rumdsfeld / Wolfowitz cabaal. On the other face of things, there seems to be little need for the rest of Bush's administration to present a diplomatic face to the world anymore, so why bother? Condoleeza Rice as Secretary of State? Pfft. Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...

krattapopov

seems a few people are jumping ship

Third_Echelon

My god.. what will the world be like with Condeleeza Rice at the helm as Secretary of State :eek:

I think Powell had the intelligence alright to jump ship as mr_angry stated. It'll be interesting to see what he does now... We'll have to wait and see i suppose...

ArthurDent

Any bets on Powell for 2008?

RuggieBear

ArthurDent wrote:

Any bets on Powell for 2008?

before the iraq war....i'd have put money on it.....not now. Altho he does have 4 years to ressurect his image....

uberwolf

RuggieBear wrote:

before the iraq war....i'd have put money on it.....not now. Altho he does have 4 years to ressurect his image....

distance himself from this admin before he is overly associated with it

OfflerCrocGod

Not a surprise.

Third_Echelon

That sounds like what he's up to alright...

sovtek

Powell was set to run against Clinton a few years ago and he declined. Maybe the memory of that ol' Mai Lai cover up changed his mind.
From the Bushies POV, they are putting the house "you know what" out to pasture.

sovtek

Sorry I misspoke. Here's the new stupider one

Sand

From the Bushies POV, they are putting the house "you know what" out to pasture.

No, I dont - whats the you know what?

BattleBoar

Sand wrote:

No, I dont - whats the you know what?

A very derogatory term that some left wingers use to refer to African Americans that side with the right on a given issue or two. Sovtek should be banned.

chill

Powell is the only Cabinet member who is leaving of his own accord. All the others are clearly being pushed out.
Powell is a relatively moderate Republican and found that he couldn't live with the kind of fundamentalist Bush agenda that considered diplomacy an optional extra in world affairs. He was seriously betrayed and damaged by the Bush and his interlligence services in the UN and I don't believe he is a presidential candidate. He just doesn't have the killer instinct.

bonkey

chill wrote:

Powell is the only Cabinet member who is leaving of his own accord. All the others are clearly being pushed out.

I wouldn't be so sure its entirely of his own accord.

Powell always stated his wish to only serve four years, but in the days prior to the announcement, I heard more than one report that he had made comments to the effect that he would remain at the President's wish.

At the very least, I'd say it was a mutual agreement. Had Bush asked him to stay, I believe Powell's sense of duty would have compelled him to remain, albeit after bargaining for a lesser term (say 2 years). Perhaps not, though...

jc