I think the fact the former Secretary purchased a gas guzzler speaks volumes as to the real justification behind the occupation. We are gonna need that oil. I wonder, were the Chinese ready to pounce had we not??? Oh yeah, it's all about democracy, I forgot.

Christopher Hitchens once said before he staggered over to the right wing that Powell was the most over-rated man in Washington. Nevertheless, he has the qualities that endear him to most Americans - affability, power and an awareness that Mencken was right when he noted that no one ever lost money underestimating the intelligence of the American public.

What did you expect him to say? "I am complicit in one of the greatest tragedies in our nation's history, I lied to the world and expurgated my supposed ethical authority. Frog-march me to the gulag"?

Sucker.

Isn't Willamette the college with an endowment already several times larger than it's annual budget? $212,290,000 according to US News. Time they spent some of that $ instead of banking it and fundraising in a finate loop ahead of far more worthwhile charities.

Sheesh.

BRAVO!!! Cicolini... Well said. Colin Powell reminds me of another great American statesman. Chief Justice Erroll Warren. As Governor Warren of California, he was one of the shrillest voices to demand putting Japanese-Americans from the West Coast into concentration camps after Pearl Harbor.

Even after he freed African-Americans from the legacy of slavery with the landmark Brown vs. Education and Montgomery bus boycott decisions, he never would apologize to the Japanese-American community for what he said about the internment. Many times Sansei activists would corner him after speeches like Colin Powell gave at Willamette and Warren would look shocked and run away.

It is truly sad that American statesmen from Erroll Warren to Robert McNamara to Colin Powell can not apologize for the dasturdly deeds that they performed for their bosses. At least Daniel Ellsberg has seen the light. It was truly inspiring to see him realize the gravity of his actions in Vietnam in the movie HEARTS AND MINDS.

Cicolini:

Endowments are what allows colleges and universities - especially private ones - to continue providing programs like biology class and financial aid. Insitutions spend the interest from endowments. Spending down the principle usually means the institution is in a bad economic situation (or plans on shutting itself down).

Some institutions have outrageous endowments, but $219 million isn't really a whole lot. I'm guessing the interest doesn't even come close to financing the university's operations.

I wonder how many "soldiers-per-mile" Colin's Vette gets on the highway?

"I wonder how many "soldiers-per-mile" Colin's Vette gets on the highway?"

the reason they ship all those bodybags back in secret is so they can send them to Powell's secret, alchemical blood-to-oil conversion factory...he gets a half tank per soldier. 3/4 a tank if they're under 20 and were killed by friendly-fire.

I was at Powell's talk and I didn't think it was all that bad, but I must have missed something. I hesitate to spend my energy bashing Powell, who is about as moderate a Republican as currently exists. Is the point of being a good leftie that I must hate all Republicans and love all Democrats? Oops, got to go, Senator Lieberman is holding on line 2.

T.A.: Your intel source on Powell's pack of lies at the U.N. echoed statements by other intel people on a "60 Minutes" broadcast a year or so ago, including the State Department's former intelligence chief - Google "Greg Thielmann". Powell's standards and values can also be seen in how well he raised his son, Michael, who while he was at the FCC worked to consolidate media ownership in fewer corporations and help to undermine the last remnants of a responsible mainstream media.

Bluenote: Your question, "Is the point of being a good leftie that I must hate all Republicans and love all Democrats?" Some of us that are offended by the likes of Powell, De Lay, Bush, Cheney and other Republicans are almost as much offended by Democrats such as Bill and Hillary Clinton, Rahm Emanuel, Al From, Joe Lieberman (DINO-Aetna and AIPAC), Biden and others. What does that make us? Good middle of the roadies?

Perhaps Colin Powell is better informed on the "real" reasons we went to war than the majority of us? Do you really expect him to share these reasons with you? Perhaps it had less to do with "weapons of mass destruction" and more to do with reigning in an unstable dictator. Perhaps the war in Iraq was less "imperialist oil grab" and more "let's deal with him now, instead of four years from now." Saddam had 48 hours to get out of town. He chose to stay.

I believe the community of peace loving nations are much safer without Saddam Hussein. I believe the Kuwaitis and (possibly) the Iranians would agree.

Wendy: is there anything Colin Powell could have said to persuade you this was a just war? I think not.

I'm no fan of Powell, but the Corvette, although a fast V-8 powered car, gets decent fuel economy. The 2005, for instance, gets 18mpg city/28mpg hiway, according to EPA.

A 'Vette? When did Powell get divorced?

WHEREAS, the President of the United States repudiates his administration, his appointees, and himself speaking sedition and treason in intolerable irremedial ignorance: Bush on the Constitution: 'It's just a goddamned piece of paper,'

Now, THEREFOR:

I demand that the Governor of Oregon immediately and irrevocably denounce the federal executive administration; and,

I demand the Governor of Oregon demand to have the names published of every elected person attending in said meeting and witness to seditious speech; and,

I demand every elected Oregon Member of Congress immediately and irrevocably denounce the federal chief exectutive and signature sponsorship of an Article of Seditious Impeachment; and,

I call upon every federal public employee serving in Oregon to vacate work or risk denunciation like as the federal executive; and,

I call upon all Oregonians for a uniform boycott of every newspaper circulated in Oregon which censors the pertaining news, and including the boycott of every advertiser in the targetted newspapers.

Tenskwatawa Native American

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Colin Powell -- at any price he sells his public-employment celebrity access to us -- is not welcome in my state under the upheld U.S. Constitution, so long as Gen. Powell's silence continues tacitly endorsing his Chief's declaration it is nothing but "a goddamned piece of paper."

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Sounds like y'all believe George Bush is the ruthless dictator and Saddam Hussein is the aggrieved victim. Have you ever heard of the "Rape of Kuwait"? Did that comply with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, or the Geneva Conventions? Plllleeeeeaaasssse.

If you believe the U.S./President Bush is the villain: you are delusional. You see the world not as it is, but as some rosy cheeked 13 year old would like it to be. Fortunately, we don't run our foreign policy based on a consensus of the loudest or shrillest voices. Tenskwatawa: I'm surprised you can inhale, smoke, or imbibe whatever it is your doing without losing the ability to type. Truly.

You need to chill dude. Maybe you ought to try decaf.

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"I'm surprised ... whatever it is your [sic] doing," per Throckmorton. Throck, baby, get this: 'You need to .... Maybe you ought to ....' See a mirror.

When sex energy adds frustration and urgency to the left brain, satisfaction comes from being certain. The feeling of finality it brings may become more satisfying than the truth.

As the need for certainty worsens so does the need to avoid uncertainty.

'Whatever it is' -- Throckmorton is UNCERTAIN -- 'what someone is doing ...'

The inability to avoid general or particular uncertainties, such as unexplainable and uncontrollable aspects of nature, may create insecurity, stress, and fear. In order to avoid sources of uncertainty the left brain becomes more and more selective, limiting information and options and undermining objectivity. Input from the creative right brain is reduced, limiting the curiosity, intelligence, and wisdom of the whole brain.

In order to minimize uncertainty, a variety of belief systems and value structures have evolved to explain or destroy the uncertainties of nature and apply absolute value judgments to uncertain and chaotic aspects of life. They strive to provide order, control, and a predictable framework in which to find certainty. They offer opportunities for conformity and subjective correctness and a ready supply of reassuring answers. Being part of a larger group that can constantly judge the world with certitude in absolute terms of good/evil, black/white, winner/loser, and yes/no can be deeply comforting and perhaps even life-saving for a left brain fueled with sex energy.

To protect the dominant value structures and the artificial certainty they provide anything that doesn’t fit or can’t be controlled may be attacked or ignored. Extreme levels of denial, hypocrisy, and injustice are possible.

Self destructing empires and the need for certainty. In populations suffering high levels of sex on the wrong brain the need for certainty may override important survival considerations when choosing or tolerating leaders and futures. Leaders or ruling groups may be worshipped for the high levels of certitude they project while comparable levels of incompetence, hypocrisy, and cruelty in the same leaders are ignored. Certainty is better than truth. For centuries ruling groups suffering high levels of sex on the wrong brain have supplied certitude like a drug, using uncertainty and fear to increase its value. [...] Miscellaneous symptoms of moderate and severe sex on the wrong brain include an obsessive need to be correct, hypersensitivity to criticism, and fear of individuality, diversity, and creativity. Relative value systems that threaten certainty represent a constant source of frustration. Control and order may become obsessions. Worshiping and repeating known but painful pasts is preferable to change and exploration of new and uncertain futures. Levels of artificial certainty may be developed to allow snap decisions with no thought for consequences. Within sex on the wrong brain value structures rigid left brain intelligence that favors memory of detail is promoted even if it develops in parallel with a proportional lack of objectivity and wisdom.

And among your kindred, should you need understanding of any who suffer wedded personal dysfunction gone wrong to the point they say they have left only 'a lump in the bed' wife, relate this:

Sex and violence. Combining sex and imagined, threatened, or actual physical violence with willing or unwilling partners may be a common way to trigger the emotions necessary to transfer sex energy to the right brain for pleasure. Satisfaction may be proportional to the intensity of the emotions created and the amount of sex energy rushing from the left to the right brain.

Have you ever heard of you're guilty of imbecility.

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You have determined that sexual frustration is preventing me from thinking clearly and has made me complicit in the destruction of our misbegotten empire. Uh-huh. You nailed it: guilty as charged. I'm surprised nobody else figured me out sooner.

Tenskwatawa, ever the enlightened poet, is on the cusp of achieving global peace and harmony (in our time!). Good for you Tenskey: you keep pounding away on the blogs, making the world a better place one keystroke at a time. It's your turn on the big bong, dude.

Wendy, my experience for the last few years has been the bigger the name, the more inocuous the lecture.

Powell's going rate is 100k. I don't know what he charges educational institutions, but the "discount" is nowhere near the 90% mentioned by Kari--I've been booking major speakers for five years and speak from experience. I'd be surprised if they got more than a 25% discount. That Carville discount is unbelievably good--but if Kari was booking into USC, they may have been willing. It also depends on whether the speaker has other gigs at the same time and where the gig is. Portland is definitely off the lecture circuit.

The event that Wendy attended was not the moneymaker. Powell spoke at a high roller dinner that raised $265k for Willamette (according to press reports); the visit also included the large event at the Convention Center.

I'm interested in people trashing Powell here. Remember, he joined the first Republican administration in eight years. He joined the administration of the son of the president for whom Powell was joint chief of staff.

Whatever Powell knew or did not know before Iraq, he clearly did not agree with administration policy and got out.

What else would you have expected him to do? This is the biggest of big league politics, folks, not for wilting violets.

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Wendy, your latest comment is my sentiment: "...heartbroken and disgusted by ... apparent disregard both for the seriousness of the events still taking place in Iraq and for the ability of ordinary citizens to think hard about the acts undertaken on our behalf."

All the benefits of ordinary citizens extending doubt that national leaders are lying to our faces, has accrued to no benefit. They lied to us for a 'war.' All the deadly serious events, and all dead and maimed lives, come from their lies. Powell included, as active a liar as any of them. He 'got away' perhaps, but wears his guilt over the graves of others and to his own.

Powell's eternal ignominy was completely established when he whitewashed his My Lai atrocities report, circa 1974, or when he stepped from his UN dias of lies in 2003, or anywhere in between when an ordinary citizen's ability could see, were it to look, or "think hard." So I expect no reputable college would invite Powell, a pariah, and if one did, no aware citizen would listen to more of his disgusting criminality. It quite surprised me to read your admission.

I'm thinking I could see your perspective on personal duty to dissent, if you could help me understand the distance between "some deep concerns about the events preceding the invasion of Iraq" and abhorence at being bald-faced lied to.

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Tensk hit me first, and he was sitting on my side of the car. If I promise not to hit him again, will you unblock my I.P.?

Ironically, Tenkse chose the low road ("Bruce should be ignored because he's sexually frustrated?"), rather than responding with a rebuttal to my considered opinion.

George Bush is the democratically elected President of the United States and leader of the free world. This is a statement of fact, whether (or not), the French or MoveOn.org are willing to accept it. September 11th was his "Lee Iaccoca moment" (Lead, Follow, or Get out of the Way). President Bush decided to lead.

Saddam Hussein, in contrast, siezed power through a bloody coup in which dozens of his "friends" and fellow Baath Party members were executed on the spot. Hussein remained in power with a bloodthirsty singlemindedness, even going so far as to murder his own son in law. Saddam, by most accounts, relished the power to murder and torture. President Bush has repeatedly acknowledged the deep personal loss he feels every time an American is killed (whether on September 11th or the battlefields of Iraq, Afghanistan). Unlike our enemies, President Bush has also expressed his condolences for the loss of innocent lives in Iraq. If you haven't read Friedman's "From Beirut to Jerusalem" you ought to at least investigate what he means by "Hama Rules" (see below).

If you can't distinguish between these two men in the simple language of good and bad, then all the subtleties in the world aren't going provide a more transparent understanding of your views.

War is hell. Women and children will die, as will noncombatant men and members of the NGO's, the clergy, and the elderly. President Bush did not take the decision to go to war lightly, and he would be the first to admit that it is the most humbling decision a President will ever make.

The below was originally published in the New York Times. When Syria's Baath regime feels its back up against the wall, it always resorts to "Hama Rules." Hama Rules is a term I coined after the Syrian Army leveled - and I mean leveled - a portion of its own city, Hama, to put down a rebellion by Sunni Muslim fundamentalists there in 1982. Some 10,000 to 20,000 Syrians were buried in the ruble. Monday's murder of Mr. Hariri, a self-made billionaire who devoted his money and energy to rebuilding Lebanon after its civil war, had all the hallmarks of Hama Rules - beginning with 650 pounds of dynamite to incinerate an armor-plated motorcade.

Message from the Syrian regime to Washington, Paris and Lebanon's opposition: "You want to play here, you'd better be ready to play by Hama Rules - and Hama Rules are no rules at all. You want to squeeze us with Iraq on one side and the Lebanese opposition on the other, you'd better be able to put more than U.N. resolutions on the table. You'd better be ready to go all the way - because we will. But you Americans are exhausted by Iraq, and you Lebanese don't have the guts to stand up to us, and you French make a mean croissant but you've got no Hama Rules in your arsenal. So remember, we blow up prime ministers here. We shoot journalists. We fire on the Red Cross. We leveled one of our own cities. You want to play by Hama Rules, let's see what you've got. Otherwise, hasta la vista, baby."

Thomas Friedman, February 17th 2005, New york Times

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