Bush At War
When Dick Cheney "was presenting the rough game plan and sequence" for the invasion of Afghanistan with timing that was "totally up in the air," Colin Powell pressed for a more definite strategy (Woodward, 2002). As Woodward points out in Bush at War, the former Secretary of State advocated a clear-cut plan when addressing the attacks of September 11. His views on how the United States should pursue a military strategy and especially his views on Iraq would isolate Colin Powell, ostracizing him from the rest of the cabinet. Yet Powell noticed that the administration was developing a politically expedient response without developing an effective strategy. Because of his differing views and his candor, Powell has been called a "reluctant warrior," (Woodward, 2002, p. 331). Often his views clashed considerably with those of the administration and he has allegedly launched severe verbal attacks at the administration (Bright, 2004). Basing his beliefs on 35 years of military experience including work with the Department of Defense, Powell knew more than any other senior official how potentially disastrous a poorly planned military mission could be. On p. 150 of Bush at War, Woodward notes how "surprised" Powell was by the ill-advised p
He indicated concern for the political ramifications, the reverberations that would resonate throughout the Arab world (Woodward, 2002, p. A botched war backed by spurious intelligence has diminished the reputation of the United States abroad. The former Secretary of State also noted that "the context was being lost" during the buildup for the Iraq war (Woodward, 2002, p. to investigate possibilities other than military pursuits. They almost seemed deliberately antagonistic. Any appearance of discord was intolerable for the President, as it would show signs of weakness and indecision in a crucial time (Woodward, 2002). Powell had cultivated a far more reasoned, diplomatic response while the rest of the administration brewed their plans for Iraq. As if prescient of things to come, Powell feared the economic repercussions as well. In particular, Powell remained preeminently concerned with the lack of preparation and planning evident during the initial response to September 11. Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld appeared more than disinterested in what the rest of the world had to say regarding Iraq. What the rest of the administration saw as a plan for a strong America, Powell perceived as imprudent policy.
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Acceptance Essays
