Name:   Talullahhound - Subject:   He should have stood his ground Date:   10/19/2021 9:10:17 AM

Standing your ground is easier said than done.  He was not satisfied with the intelligence, but he was up against the neo-cons that wanted to go in this direction and Bush was convinced that this was a good idea.  Don't forget that Powell was not in the intelligence community - he was in the diplomatic community - you recall that Tenet claimed it was a "slam dunk".  

He put his reputation on the line and took one for the team.  And then the team shut him out.  It's easy to say in hindsight what he should have done, but at the time, I distinctly remember the atmosphere that we were going into Iraq come hell or high water.  Feith, who was the Deputy Secretary for Defense for Policy went so far as to create his own intelligence cell to cherry pick the intelligence taht supported the invasion.  Even if Powell had stood up and absolutely refused to give that speech at the UN, it would still have happened.  

The environment in Defense is "can do" - and that is the environment that Powell came up in.  You don't say no, can't, or impossible - you find a way.  And Powell went over to the CIA to review the intel.  In the end, he really watered down the speech that they wanted him to give.  According to Powell himself, he regretted making the speech and it pained him.  But he really didn't have a choice - other than to quit and fall on his sword.  

It appears to be a different environment in DC now.