Ex-Secretary of State Powell slams US storm effort

[tocqueville]

46 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Colin Powell, the former U.S. secretary of state seen as a potential leader for Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts, has joined the chorus of Americans criticizing the disaster response at all levels of government.

"There have been a lot of failures at a lot of levels -- local, state and federal," Powell said in an ABC interview for the "20/20" program to be broadcast on Friday evening.

American political figures from both major parties have assailed the slow response to the hurricane's assault last week on the U.S. Gulf Coast, which devastated New Orleans and killed hundreds, possibly thousands, in the region.

"There was more than enough warning over time about the dangers to New Orleans. Not enough was done. I don't think advantage was taken of the time that was available to us, and I just don't know why," Powell said in excerpts on ABC's Web site.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050909/pl_nm/powell_dc

[NotThatNolan]

1. He was always the only one with any sense.

The Bush admin collective IQ dropped by half when he left.

[Mairead]

3. That's not sense he's displaying, it's more of the cover-BushCo's-assing

[Skidmore]

9. Something he's had a lifetime of experience doing.

This man has been a career CYA operative since his Vietnam War days.

[newyawker99]

14. Hi NotThatNolan!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[ima_sinnic]

2. you know why, colon, but youi're still too yellow to tell us

. . . and we notice you take the easy, safe road of criticizing "all levels of government." STFU, you left, so stay gone.

[Mairead]

4. He's not yellow, he's corrupt (imo)

Just as he wasn't being yellow when he didn't speak out against the invasion and massacre, he was being corrupt. He sold out long, long ago.

That's my take, anyhow.

[Solly Mack]

5. well, gee, Powell, why not draw us up some schematics of where the

WMD are located in New Orleans and maybe show us a vial or two of e-coli infested waters....then maybe, just maybe, your old boss will get off his ass and DO SOMETHING....well, besides Bomb Costa Rica, that is

[nine23]

6. RE: "seen as a potential leader for Hurricane Katrina"

With all the talk about Michael Brown's tainted/padded "resume/CV", not to mention others at Homeland Security, one thing sticks out in my mind regarding Colin Powell: this is a man who held up a vial of icing sugar in front of the UN Security Council while a billion people watched on television, claiming THIS is what is in store for humanity unless Iraq was invaded "NOW"...not next month, but "NOW".

Sure, he might have been one of the most reasonable individuals in Bush's inner circle (which isn't saying much), but - for me - that was his defining moment...his latest entry/"accomplishment" on his OWN resume/CV.

As a competent human resources exec/recruiter might say:

"NEXT!"

[Disturbed]

7. Colon had a great PR going for him for years.

Most Amerikans were lead to believe that he had integrity. He never did have that and never will. Read up on his history of his corupt pratices for his bosses.

[deacon]

8. No Mr. Powell it starts at the federal level, cutting funding and hiring

incompetents.

[acmavm]

10. I don't think advantage was taken of the time that was available to

us, and I just don't know why," Powell said in excerpts on ABC's Web site.
<snip>

OOHHHHH1! So this is slamming?

He doesn't know why? Bullshit. Yes he does. He was part of the problem for four years. He knows exactly what the problem was and who was responsible.

Don'e anyone be thinking this guy has developed a conscience. TRUST ME, HE HASN'T.

[flordehinojos]

11. powell cares only about powell--he is disgruntled so now he criticizes. he

should've quit before going to the UN to lie for bush about WMD and the need to invade and occupy iraq.

powell, just like the bushes, is just another :puke:

harry belafotne was right on powell!

[DistressedAmerican]

12. Absolutely! Fuck Him! He's A Sellout And Traitor To The Country.

I loved the guy until I saw that UN Speach and watched him wave around the vial of anthrax.

Glad to see him speak up. But, it is far too little and far too late to do his reputation any good in my eyes!

[Hubert Flottz]

13. Powell has been covering things up for the GOP since Nam.

He's as bad as the rest of the pigs.

Edit...We know Powell will lie for the neocons, because we all saw him do it at the UN.

[peekaloo]

15. Wasn't he marginally involved in the My Lai cover-up?

Mass graves in La. should help jog a few memories for him.

Fucker.

[Hubert Flottz]

16. Yes he was more than marginally involved with the My Lai...

Cover-up. That's when the GOP really noticed him. He's been connected to the WH ever since, when a GOPer is in office. I'd trust him, about as much as I trust Bush! ZERO!