Powell regrets UN speech on Iraq WMDs

Former US secretary of state Colin Powell says his United Nations speech making the case for the US-led war on Iraq was "a blot" on his record.

Mr Powell has also said that he had "never seen evidence to suggest" a connection between the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States and the Saddam regime.

In the February 2003 presentation to the UN Security Council, Mr Powell forcefully made the case for war on the regime of Saddam Hussein, offering "proof" that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

The presentation included satellite photos of trucks that Mr Powell identified as mobile bioweapons laboratories.

After the invasion, US weapons inspectors reported finding no Iraqi nuclear, biological or chemical weapons.

In an interview with American ABC TV news to be broadcast on Friday (US time), Mr Powell said "it's a blot" on his record.

"I'm the one who presented it on behalf of the United States to the world, and (it) will always be a part of my record. It was painful. It's painful now," he said.

Source:
ABC News Online

I think that the Word of Mister Powell has got to count for something - he was There when the War on Iraq was planning and now he says he Regrets the WMD speach?

Need any more proof how lies come out of Pentagon in order to support invasions of foreign countries?

A "blot", huh?

So should it be he, or those persons who instructed him to make the speech containing "evidence he had never seen", that should be incarcerated for life?

Originally posted by MaskedAvatar
A "blot", huh?

So should it be he, or those persons who instructed him to make the speech containing "evidence he had never seen", that should be incarcerated for life?

I think he blames himself, saying:

I'm the one who presented it on behalf of the United States to the world, and (it) will always be a part of my record.

And on the other side, there is the CIA:

However, he did not blame CIA director George Tenet.

Mr Tenet "did not sit there for five days with me misleading me," he said.

"He believed what he was giving to me was accurate."

Some members of the US intelligence community "knew at that time that some of these sources were not good, and shouldn't be relied upon, and they didn't speak up," Mr Powell said.

"These are not senior people, but these are people who were aware that some of these resources should not be considered reliable," he said.

So who is to Blame?

He made a fool out of himself and Sec of State Office. And I have every reason to think he did what he was told to do. I don't think the Man could even sell a book these days. Unless of course it was to do with how he may have been manipulated and ordered to express the President's beliefs and not that of the Sec of State??

Dallas

Man regrets destroying credibiity for stupid cause.

Poor guy, the only person in the administration with what seemed to be a slight concience. Good of him to speak out like this.

Well let's put it like this: Is it possible that he is preparing to run for president of the USA in the future and realise that although really popular, he needs to make some damage control so no one can use it against him in the future? This way he can say "well I've already said sorry.."
I honestly believe he's planning something along these lines.. And I also belive he'd be a great president..

I too think hed be a great president, far better than blah! hillary Blah! i hate the name! lol. But it was his speech to the UN that really made me think maybe something was going on in iraq. I dont know if i can ever view him as more than a puppet anymore.