Powell faces recriminations over 'blunder'
Washington |
By
Toby Harnden | 19/03/2003
Colin Powell, the U.S. Secretary of State, is facing recriminations for the "major blunder" of pushing for a second UN resolution, according to White House sources.
After announcing Monday that "the time for diplomacy has passed", Powell launched a passionate defence of his performance, reeling off numbers of telephone calls made, meetings held and rejecting accusations that he had travelled too little.
Although the UN and France have been the targets for most of the invective, some are laying the blame at Powell's door because he insisted that he could deliver another UN resolution despite scepticism in the White House and Pentagon.
One administration source said: "Powell led us up the primrose path and it turned into a debacle. In the White House, Powell's stock has never been lower than it is now. It was a major blunder. There are plenty of people saying, 'I told you so' and pointing out the diplomatic mess we are in."
Powell has been subdued in his public appearances since being directly contradicted by Hans Blix and then savaged by Dominique de Villepin, the French foreign minister, at the UN a month ago.
He wallowed in plaudits after the unanimous vote for UN Resolution 1441 in November. Now, he is being assailed by some for not shuttling around the world as his predecessor James Baker did before the 1991 Gulf War and by others for failing to prevent war.
Powell has long referred to Vice President Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, the Defence Secretary, as "the others".
He is said to be seething about Rumsfeld's utterances, particularly his characterisation of "Old Europe" and the claim that the U.S. could go to war without Britain.
He often points out that Cheney and other hawks never served in the military, saying: "Now, lots of people call me 'the reluctant warrior' or 'the dove' Would you like to tattoo it on me? I don't mind. I've seen war, I've been in war, I don't have to demonstrate my toughness or my credentials to anyone."
Powell faces recriminations over 'blunder'
Washington |
By
Toby Harnden | 19/03/2003
Colin Powell, the U.S. Secretary of State, is facing recriminations for the "major blunder" of pushing for a second UN resolution, according to White House sources.
After announcing Monday that "the time for diplomacy has passed", Powell launched a passionate defence of his performance, reeling off numbers of telephone calls made, meetings held and rejecting accusations that he had travelled too little.
Although the UN and France have been the targets for most of the invective, some are laying the blame at Powell's door because he insisted that he could deliver another UN resolution despite scepticism in the White House and Pentagon.
One administration source said: "Powell led us up the primrose path and it turned into a debacle. In the White House, Powell's stock has never been lower than it is now. It was a major blunder. There are plenty of people saying, 'I told you so' and pointing out the diplomatic mess we are in."
Powell has been subdued in his public appearances since being directly contradicted by Hans Blix and then savaged by Dominique de Villepin, the French foreign minister, at the UN a month ago.
He wallowed in plaudits after the unanimous vote for UN Resolution 1441 in November. Now, he is being assailed by some for not shuttling around the world as his predecessor James Baker did before the 1991 Gulf War and by others for failing to prevent war.
Powell has long referred to Vice President Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, the Defence Secretary, as "the others".
He is said to be seething about Rumsfeld's utterances, particularly his characterisation of "Old Europe" and the claim that the U.S. could go to war without Britain.
He often points out that Cheney and other hawks never served in the military, saying: "Now, lots of people call me 'the reluctant warrior' or 'the dove' Would you like to tattoo it on me? I don't mind. I've seen war, I've been in war, I don't have to demonstrate my toughness or my credentials to anyone."
