Powell and The War

I think this is amusing. It is the clearest sign yet that the US is going to go to war, with or without UN approval.

Colin Powell as Secretary of State is the chief negotiator and diplomat for the US. His job (and that of the State Department) is to hold out for a diplomatic solution to a problem, until it is absolutely clear that diplomacy has failed. Powell performed his role as diplomat very, very well holding out hope of a diplomatic solution long after most of us thought it to be impractical. I believe that his first presentation to the UN was his final attempt at securing a diplomatic solution.

The instringence of the French and Germans after that first foray to the UN was the straw that broke the camel's back. Powell gave them what they wanted, and they scoffed. That presentation proved to Powell (and Foggy Bottom) that there was no hope of a diplomatic solution. The French and Germans showed their hands and we knew that they would not play along.

Now Powell is going back to the UN, not to negotiate, but to wield the big stick of the bully pulpit. Powell and his British counterpart Jack Straw are, I believe, going to throw down the gauntlet to the French, Germans, Russians and Chinese. I believe that the Brits are going to put forth a resolution defining the Iraqis in violation of 1441 and giving them a very short time in which to come into compliance. The Russians and the Chinese are going to recognize the significance of Powell supporting the resolution. They will either go along or abstain. The Germans will be irrelevant in the vote and the French will do the most stupid thing they can and they will veto the resolution. They will not understand how significant it is that Powell is there.

As soon as Powell switched from his role as pacifist to that of hawk, I knew that diplomacy was not an option with Iraq. I knew we were going to be going to war. It's too bad our "allies" couldn't understand that.