Powell gives bleak assessment of Iraq security problems

Colin Powell, outgoing secretary of state, says he would like to see US troops leave Iraq "as quickly as possible" but that the strength of the insurgency does not allow the Bush administration to set a timeframe for a withdrawal this year.

Mr Powell's bleak assessment, less than three weeks before Iraqis are due to elect a parliament, reflects what advisers close to the administration and former officials describe as an understanding in the State Department and Pentagon of the depth of the crisis.

One counterinsurgency expert said Donald Rumsfeld, defence secretary, had a "brutally accurate" picture of the situation and the potential dangers.

But a member of an influential neoconservative policy group said that such warnings "stop well short of the president".

He said Mr Rumsfeld, criticised for the conduct of the war, had an interest in hiding the true picture from the president.

According to Chas Freeman, former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia and head of the independent Middle East Policy Council, Mr Bush recently asked Mr Powell for his view on the progress of the war. "We're losing," Mr Powell was quoted as saying. Mr Freeman said Mr Bush then asked the secretary of state to leave.

news.ft.com

just another "good reason" this war in middle is gone far out of control. i belive there are alot of peope in this "conspiracy", and i am not so sure about mister president knowing all the information about it. it looks more like, he is a PUPPET installed by stronger and bigger fishes than him and his daddy put togather.
but if an ex-defence minister tell you "we are loosing", there has to be some truth about it, dont you think?

[edit on 14-1-2005 by Souljah]

Souljah, no one else has bothered with this thread.

Take heart, it's probably because they agree.

peace
love
and
unity

that it is the KEY!





[edit on 14-1-2005 by Souljah]

I tell you what people are not blind not matter how much they support Mr. Bush war, and when Powell said a few days ago that the troops will be leaving in the next year, I knew it was just but a wishful thinking.

Iraq is not better now that the day one of invasion and I will challenge anybody to prove me wrong, actually it was better days after the invasion but then the lack of control just made that country go down the hill.

If anybody think that our loves ones are going to have a break from Iraq any time soon I am sorry.

Iraq is going to need more that "elections" to get better, US opened a can Pandora's box in the middle east and is going to take more than the will of the "Gods or God" to close the lid.

Anyone want to bet on how long it takes Colin Powell to "Commit Suicide" after he is out? Seriously this poor guy has been fighting bush for the last 2 years making statements that go against the party line. It's good to see that some in government still have consciences.

I agree that a pandora's box has been opened. But on a practical front, if the situation can't be fixed, then hey, what's the difference ? Let the long suffering troops come home, even if excuses of a "gradual improvement in security" needs to be used. Lie to the American public and the world again. It's quite fashionable.

well if you ask me,
the "u.s. goverment" is trying to fragmentize the entire middle east into many little separate states, that are not united, but small, and easy controllable. keep them separated and fighting each other, not you. then you support the "better" ones (that have lots of oil), and fight for them.

i know one thing:
after every war there is ALWAYS
more miles of border line
than before.

what would happen if the iraqi people now wante 3 sperate states, one for each ethnic group, one for each tribe?

well one thing is for sure, it is going to need alot of troops to guard all the borderline that is going to appear all of the sudden.

actually i am optimistic and i am hoping for a far better solution.
but the news every day fill me with bad vibrations for this election.
i just pray for the iraqi people, that suffer every day, the innocent ones that are killed, the hungry ones, the wounded that are dying.
and for all those soldiers outhere, doesnt matter what colours and banners they are wearing, they are all in the same sh** and they both die every day for other peoples "higher purposes".

but as always politics is a rotten bussenis,
and we cant do much about it...