Powell Scolds Hill Staffer At Hearing

[Rose Siding]

The general chewed out the buck private yesterday.

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, a retired four-star general known for his even temperament, paused yesterday during a congressional hearing to berate a Hill staffer for shaking his head as Powell offered a defense of his prewar statements on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction.

The public scolding came after Powell had already endured a number of attacks by Democrats on the administration's Iraq policy during an appearance before the House International Relations Committee. He had just snapped at a member of Congress who had casually declared President Bush "AWOL" from the Vietnam War.

Powell was recalling for the panel his review of the prewar intelligence. "I went and lived at the CIA for about four days to make sure that nothing was," he began, when he paused and glared at a staffer seated behind the members of Congress.

"Are you shaking your head for something, young man, back there?" Powell asked. "Are you part of these proceedings?"

Powell's unusual remarks threatened to derail the hearing. Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), a 12-year veteran of the House, objected, "Mr. Chairman, I've never heard a witness reprimand a staff person in the middle of a question."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A34636-2004Feb11?language=printer

[ithacan]

1. BINGO!!!!

As the article notes, Powell is very even tempered.

The fact that he is losing it on this issue, the awol issue, etc., means he KNOWS the shit is hitting the fan, and the end is near.

he knows that the whole Iraq thing was made up, possibly that he was deceived (or maybe he hasn't consciously accepted that yet).

AWOL's a great issue to keep them on the defensive.

But the manipulation of intelligence over Iraq is the real prize here. That's the issue on which they are SOOOO vulnerable.

[Skittles]

6. he knows he's been outed as the f***ing fool he is

imagine how bad that feels. GOOD.

[loudnclear]

70. I thought Bush was going to crack up first, but his honcho are beating him

to the punch. I think they are all going mad. And to the madness is spilling over to thier favorite talk jocks such as Rush. I was in the car today during Rush's show. He is really going mad...blaming all of Kerry's woes on Clinton and saying it's a set up for Hillary to be drafted at the convention. Amazing! That these people are in control of our nation is truly amazing...it's amazing that we aren't more screwed up than we are.

[Carolina]

71. complicit, guilty as sin

lying snake that he is. He wasn't fooled. He went along with it. He knew people would believe HIM and so he went before the UN and gave that speech. He lent his aura of credibilty to manipulated intelligance and outright lies. Remember, he knew: this is bullshit.

Now that the veritable crap is hitting the fan, he's losing it. Screw him.

[rexcat]

12. I would disagree with one point you made...

Powell was not deceived, he is a part of the well orchestrated deception by the Bush* administration.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

40. That's an absolute certainty. Powell is no "good guy".

[King_Crimson]

50. Colin Powell: Not the Man You Think...

Damn right Powell is no good guy...Check these goodies out

http://anderson.ath.cx:8000/Blair/bpowell.html
www.usvetdsp.com/story13.htm

[LiberalFighter]

57. Gee I wonder if Powell is worse than Clarence Thomas

[LiberalFighter]

56. Absolutey not deceived

He became a member of the Cabinet because they knew he would be loyal. Just as he did when covering up the Mai Lai Massacre.

[RedEarth]

2. Finally some Democrats are

getting gonads and going after these liars.

I really appreciated the following......

"Truth is the first casualty of war," said Ackerman, who had voted for the war resolution. "I would contend truth was murdered before a shot was fired."

[Just Me]

15. Wowie!!! What a great (and accurate) quote by Ackerman!!!

And I tee-totally agree that the "truth" was slaughtered not as a casualty of war but rather as a means to get to war.

[Sugarbleus]

65. I only saw snippets of his flare up but

Woooooooooooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooooooooo that was a "telling" event. Too bad the staffer didn't reply:
BITE ME


I would not be offended if they all got into a brawl. WTG Dems, for a change!

:bounce:

[peekaloo]

3. lol....cue Dr. Phil...."So you lied to the U.N., How's that working out

for you?".

*shakes head* :P

[fishnfla]

4. What the hell?

Thats very unusual. Temper,temper, Mr Secretary.

[Rose Siding]

9. They say he was rolling marbles in his hand

and beads of sweat formed on his brow.

[Fovea]

11. And everything is ship shape

here on the USS. Caine.

[UpInArms]

14. I thought we were sailing

on the USS Titanic

[LiberalFighter]

60. Caine Mutiny or Titantic... such a difficult choice

[Aristus]

22. Ah, but the strawberries!

What do I care for strawberries? It was a question of principle, pilfering is pilfering, and on my ship - not that we had so many treats, either. With those slow-motion mess treasurers of ours - not like when I was an ensign, believe me, they made me jump sure enough - when we did get soemthing pleasant like strawberries once in a blue moon, it was an outrage not to have another helping if I felt like it, and I wsn't going to let them get away with that, and I didn't.................................

[kodi]

28. now it can be told, saddam stole the strawberries

.

[LiberalFighter]

58. Mutiny time.. but Powell doesn't have guts to tell the truth

[CaptainClark23]

29. We know Saddam had Strawberries! n/t

[Zero Gravitas]

32. No strawberries

but there might have been strawberry growing program related activity in Iraq sometime in the last decade or so. Or not as the case may be.

[wryter2000]

33. OMG

but there might have been strawberry growing program related activity

Too funny! :yourock:

[radfringe]

45. but it's Clinton's fault

he cut the CIA's budget on strawberry surviellance special ops projects

[BiggJawn]

38. No Program. Just a "Stark Bros." catalogue...

With smudgey fingerprints on the Strawberry page.....

[GreenGreenLimaBean]

5. This is the democratic party that I signed up for!!!!

Where the fuck were they in '02??? They would've clobbered the
GOP is they exhibited this kind of fury back then...

[NNN0LHI]

16. In '02 the Dems along with me and many others thought there were WMD's

Hope that helps.

Don

[Media_Lies_Daily]

41. Don't lump me in with your ability to be easily deceived by the WMD...

...issue. The same information available now was also available in 2002.

I'd be willing to bet that within the Democratic Party of 2002 there were FAR more skeptics than there were believers about WMDs in Iraq.

[nolabels]

49. The cake walk of Iraq was not to be

The people who knew the stories were B.S. also had them cake walk stories planted in their heads. Some here told them that was not going to be the case either. Not that military could not do everything, it's just harder to win the peace when people perceive you not to be on the side that is trying to help them. Frankly I never perceived * and cabal ever wanting to help too many people in the U.S. either.

[Carolina]

72. exactly

we knew it was lies then.

How does a nation devastated by an 8 year war with neighboring Iran (1980-1988), followed shortly thereafter by decimation by the US (1991), followed by 12 years of sanctions, followed by Clinton's bombings in 1998 ... have much of anything or be much of a threat?

[keopeli]

43. Don, thanks for your honesty!

It does not bother me that so many people were fooled by this cadre of liars. It bothers me that leaders did not shine the light of truth through this falsehood (i.e. the media leaders should have investigated, the Congress leaders should have questioned (Congress was lead by Repubs).

I would just suggest that the Dems in 02 had a strong opposition voice that was quelched, exemplified best by the loss of Wellstone at that very time. I'm not saying he was murdered, but his loss was a huge factor.

Thanks again, Don!

Keo

[Kolesar]

44. yes, and those who questioned Bush would be "necklaced"

Which was Dan Rather's analogy to having a gasoline-soaked burning tire put around their necks.

Personally, I thought that there would be some weapons found, but I followed Pelosi's advice that the threat was not worth going to war over.

Good idea on the media inquest--let's start with NPR.

[tom_paine]

67. Wow, Don, I thought you were with me in the "never fooled by Bush"

category.

Thanks for being honest, though.

As for me, I have followed one very simple rule since Bush stole the office:

I don't think of him as leader of a Free Nation, but as a Third World dictator. I think of Ferd Marcos, something like WWMD (and, YES, multiple puns intended), which is of course:

What would Marcos do?

By asking that question always about Bush, I have successfully predicted his actions and lies 80-90% of the time.

Which is scary in and of itself. If this was a truly strong, healthy Republic, the wild cacophony of liberty governing itself would, as always, be surprising and unfathomable.

Anyway, at the time of March 2003 my EXACT reasoning was "Well I am absolutely 100% sure that Blix is right and Bush lying. It is possible that Saddam has the TINIEST FRACTION of what the Busheviks said he had, but even that is 50-50."

And he didn't even have that.

The worst part is the cold deadness of knowing what they are going to do and what is eventually turning up that they did at the time (God help us when it stops coming out even 6 months after the facts).

It is reminiscent of how I used to look at the Soviet Union as a child. You know, "Oh, those bastards. They're lying. And their lies are so clumsy. F*cking Commies."

This is a nightmare, where now I have to think that way about my own government. I used to laugh at the Soviets, feel contempt for the Good Germans.

Now I empathize through my (admittedly tiniest) taste of what they knew. I keep saying, let this be the "best case scenario" where the spiral is slow and gentle and we are deceived into thinking things are much worse than they are.

My fereverent hope...Kerry in '04!

[NNN0LHI]

69. I thought they had them until the UN inspectors were there for a month

And then when Hussein offered to let the FBI come in and look, and Bush turned them down on the offer I knew the jig was up and they didn't have them. Take care Tom.

Don

Anybody But Bush!

[Renew Deal]

7. Shit, if Powell cracks, they are really in trouble.

Wow

[LiberalFighter]

61. What can we all do to help Powell??? I mean really crack

[UpInArms]

8. Powell is a war criminal

and a liar-in-fact

He was a staff officer who helped cover up the Mai Lai massacre and was up to his neck in Iran-Contra dealings.

This lying sack deserves a trial at the Hague.

[qanda]

10. Maybe he's off his meds

Perhaps Skinner can add Powell up there with Rush for a dose of pills.

[trogdor]

39. or a stiff belt.

:beer:

[LiberalFighter]

62. Or maybe he is using oxcycontin??

[tedzbear]

77. He loves Ambien and that's a direct quote...

...from the horse's mouth. He said everybody in the state dept. uses it. Ambien is a sleeping pill that effects the brain in a manner similar to the addicting benzodiazepines (Valium). Ambien is very addicting and shouldn't be taken for longer than two weeks.


:kick:

[mazzarro]

13. I think that Powell has been given too much benefit of the doubt

and as such has not been lumped together with the known neo-cons. I believe that he, Powell, is part and parcel of the group of neo-cons. The only seperation he has is that he does not advocated brazen military solution at any cost to all the issues the neo-cons as pursuing.

[priller]

17. "Let's not go there"

Yeah, the administration would just love for this whole AWOL thing to go away. Wow, they're really riled up over this. Since Dubya will never ever admit he lied about this, he'll continue to dig a deeper and deeper hole for himself. So much fun watching this bunch of crooks implode.

[LiberalFighter]

63. Rebut Powell with "We are going to go there!!!!!"

And we will keep you here until we are satisfied with your answers. If we have to subpoena and/or have you jailed we will!!

So sit your ass down and behave yourself!

[Say_What]

18. My, my. Things seem to be unraveling--how nice

it's about f*ck'n time. :bounce:

[deutsey]

19. RE: AWOL...they should have quoted Powell back to himself

"I am angry that so many of the sons of the powerful and well-placed... managed to wangle slots in Reserve and National Guard units...Of the many tragedies of Vietnam, this raw class discrimination strikes me as the most damaging to the ideal that all Americans are created equal and owe equal allegiance to their country." (Colin Powell’s autobiography, My American Journey, p. 148) Quoted on www.awolbush.com

Perhaps they could have asked him how he felt about the "raw class discrimination" that the son of the powerful and well-placed for whom he currently works participated in.

[yellowcanine]

20. Powell loses it over a staffer shaking his head?

Gee, mighty thin skinned these days aren't we Colin? Trouble sleeping? Stomach a little knotted up? Maybe it is time for a long vacation? Or maybe you should ask yourself if all of this shit detail on behalf of the Shrub is really worth it?

[Algorem]

21. Got all puffed up and raised a stink?Colon's full of crap.

[joeunderdog]

37. I think Unemployment is now an issue near and dear to him.

When Shrub goes down, so will he, along with his legacy of lying and sending us to war against an unarmed nation. When a Dem gets in, protection won't be there for him.

[rexcat]

23. Here is my e-mail to Colin Powell...

http://contact-us.state.gov/ask_form_cat/ask_form_secretary.html

I reviewed the comments you made to the Congressional Staffer at the recent House International Relations Committee Hearings and I found your comments offensive. We still live in a democratic society, despite you and the Bush administrations efforts to destroy our democratic way of life. According to the Washington Post column the staffer made no verbal comments, just non-verbal facial expressions. Shame on you! You are a disgrace to the position you hold.

I think that you lied to the American people concerning the weapons of mass destruction and that Saddam Hussein was an imminent threat to the United States. You have no honor. About the only honorable thing you could do now is to resign from your position as US Secretary of State.

As a Veit Nam era veteran with an honorable discharge, who did not go AWOL the four years that I served in the armed forces, it appears that Bush did not serve all of his required time (after reviewing his military information just released). He also lost is flight status because he refused his flight physical in 1972. This was a blatant disregard of orders and he should have been held accountable but wasn’t. It appears that conservative Republicans like you have double-standards when it comes to Republicans vs. Democrats. Is it about time you dealt with the facts about G. W. Bush or are you going to let your ideology get in the way.

[Kolesar]

42. thanks for writing that, eom

[9215]

75. Good letter. I hope the Colon reads it.

[rexcat]

80. I doubt he will read it but...

I am expecting the FBI to drop in for a visit!

[rhino91063]

24. Just another symptom

of the uncontrollable arrogance of the bush thugs. Even once good men like Powell have become infected by it.

Rich

[UpInArms]

26. "once good"?

this is the thing that has even denied that there was ever a "Powell Doctrine" stating that there must be a clear mission and an exit plan for any conflict.

Pu-leeze don't give this guy the time of day. I wouldn't piss on him to put him out if he were on fire.

[Carolina]

82. sorry, I don't

even give Powell credit for ever being good. He was always an Uncle Tom (Mods please don't zing me for that since I say it based on my Black friends in the military who knew him back in the day).

He talked a good talk and concealed his slime.

[shrike]

25. I agree

I saw his speech on television. The lies were all over his face.

[DinahMoeHum]

27. What did you expect from a sell-out ??

n/t

:evilfrown:

[loudsue]

30. And you saw his son's testimony before the FCC hearings...

If you don't think the two are linked, think again!! Michael Powell, chairman of the FCC is trying to consolidate the media -- yet again -- to allow fewer & fewer voices among the media network giants.

They need MORE control, so the right wing media can avoid this type of publicity against the bush regime.

I'm sure Colin Powell HATES it that some media outlets are FINALLY running with this. His son probably only wants Rupert Murdoch in charge of ALL the news. That way the public won't have to hear any of this.

:kick:

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[donsu]

34. I saw the threatening way Powell stared at the Sen. as he said:

"don't go there" about AWOL smirk.

and you could actually see the threat hit the Sen. and he leaned back.
boy, what a moment.

[0007]

36. Sorry I missed it!

Powell looked like he was in a great deal of pain today at the hearing, especially while Senator Biden was addressing him.

[kurtyboy]

35. Jeez, he won't like it if he ever has to speak to Parliament

They'll cut him to ribbons!

[truthisfreedom]

46. at least he didn't choke. or throw up on someone.

[Manix]

47. Powell is an "Uncle Tom"

[NightNurse]

53. Let's Not Forget that Sonny Boy got the Job at the FCC

That Oreo Pig of a son Michael!
Everyone has a price: The Great Generalissimo's was a Job for His Son!:puke:

[bushisanidiot]

48. Hey Powell. You're a Proven Liar! Sit down and shut up!

you have about as much credibility as Drudge.. 0%!!!

[Malva Zebrina]

51. I watched a lot of that

while I am working on a project. I saw Powell throwing dirty looks, almost sneers, at Barbara Boxer and Joe Biden. There was a look in his eyes that resembled Bush's evil eye.

I think Powell is losing it too. He has memorized the 'look" and the "talk"--he made stupid comments about Bush , stating all the countries that "support" Bush when Biden said Bush is not trusted in the world. Powell named Japan and South Korea and he said there were many others.

Biden just nodded his head at this reply and to me, Biden looked almost sad as he looked out at Powell. Perhaps at one time, Biden also admired Powell and respected him. Now he sees a Bush shill.

[Rex]

52. I'd love to meet Colon Bowels face-to-face so I could say

TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR TRAITOR!!!!!

[Catherine Vincent]

54. Dhamm!!

I wish this was on tape somewhere!

[Mel]

55. it will

be shown again on C-Span? I think, I found the right one it should be the first one. I haven't watched it so if I'm wrong please forgive. I'm waiting for it to load still! Maybe you will have better luck than I.
http://www.c-span.org/Search/basic.asp?BasicQueryText=Powell&SortBy=date

[tom_paine]

59. Imperial Bootlickers and Stooges are notoriously touchy

Whgy should Colon Foul be any different.

After all, in his heart of hearts and no matter how much he tries to deny it, if he has any conscience and integrity, he MUST know what a coardly traitor he is. A reviled man and a disgrace to the nation he is trying to help loot and destroy.

A coward and a sellout. A pull-toy with a string in his back.

As bad as Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Condy, or any other of the Bushevik Stooges.

They took his credibility and tried to smear it all over themselves like KY jelly. It didn't work and now EVERYONE knows Colon Foul for what he is.

An Imperial Stoioge who (other than his color) would have been made right at home on the German General Staff under Hitler, who would have appreciate his loyalty to Der Fuhrer as well as his willingness to prostitute himself out and lie for his Fuhrer.
Somewhere deep inside, the Colon's conscience is unquietly daed and struggle to wake from it's stony tomb.

So it is no wonder Colon Foul is a touchy sonovabitch. If I had whored out my credibility and betrayed my nation and my own ethnic group and history and decency. If I had stood up and showed the entire world what a Lying Whore I was and now EVERYONE knew it, maybe I would berate a couple peons myself.

Plus, Powell is an aristocrat, even if he ISN'T really a member of the Bush Crime Family and they would cap his ass in a second if it benefitted them without an ounce of remorse or hesitation.

And aristocrats often berate the powerless when feelingbad. It makes them feel strong and superior.

Colon Foul, fuck you, you traitorous piece of sh*t!

[Rose Siding]

64. I predict a new trend among staffers

Head shaking around! Gets 'em every time! There *may* even be some eye rolling involved.

Really, if *I* were a Dem staffer, I would completely lose control of my neck muscles about now. I wouldn't be able to hold my head still to save my life!

[eridani]

68. What Powell once said about the National Guard

http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache:TZV7blfPQd0J:www.augustachronicle.com/stories/042903/let_124-5535.shtml+My+American+Journey%2Bcolin+powell%2Bnational+guard&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

(regular link requires sign-up, if you need the direct link its at the top center)


In Secretary of State Colin Powell's autobiography, My American Journey, he says, "I am angry that so many of the sons of the powerful and well-placed managed to wangle slots in the Army Reserve and National Guard units... Of the many tragedies of Vietnam, this raw class discrimination strikes me as the most damaging to the ideal that all Americans are created equal and owe equal allegiance to their country."

As a Purple Heart veteran and former infantryman in South Korea in 1950 with orders to "hold or die," I assure you that no Vietnam War coward who makes it to the White House and the title "Mr. President" will ever have my respect, let alone honor.

[tabasco]

66. Try the decaf next time, Colon Bowell.

What's the matter Colie? You thought you and your cabal would be ruling the world by now, didn't you? Can't wait to see you in the docks on trial for crimes against humanity.

[maggrwaggr]

73. I guess it's "getting on his nerves" again

fucking asshole. Hey, Colon, you know what gets on my nerves is having the country taken over by a bunch of warmongering fascists who kill thousands of people including 535 (and counting) American soldiers and LIE about the reasons why they wanted to do it.

You know what gets on my nerves, Colon, is that you're not in jail yet, you goddamn criminal.

[suegeo]

74. Why doesn't he resign?

I cannot understand why Powell doesn't resign. James Bakes the III was brought in by the Junta to shake down other nations for funds for the Iraqi Imperial fiasco.

What purpose does Colin serve anymore, now that Bakes is out doing the sec. of state's job? (or at least the job description given by the junta: go shake down nations for cash.)

How much more humiliation can Powell take? His self-respect must be kaput by now.

[Hotler]

76. If I was that staffer

I would have scratched my eye with my middle finger, and said "yea, I got something in my eye.":evilgrin:

[Rose Siding]

78. Then I would have been escorted from the room...

in a fit of giggles.

Next time, I really really want him to say "You want the truth? You can't HANDLE the truth."

[shimmergal]

79. I took the "don't go there" remark as a subtle confirmation

that indeed, Bush's National Guard record about Alabama can't stand the light of day.

So of course, somebody besides the hapless questionnair HAD BETTER go there and dig out the dirt.

[colorado_ufo]

81. Powell is the same as Condy Rice - a BAP -

a "Black American Princess" and was hand-cherry-picked for the power factor: Powell is addicted to it, Rice is dazzled by it.

[demgrrrll]

83. I am sure he thought the staff persons action was disrespectful but

respect is earned, not owed. None of the people in this
maladministration have earned respect and they are certainly
not owed respect. Too damn bad for you Colin.