Colin Powell endorses Obama

[DumbAss Tanker]

Before everyone splooges all over themselves about his fantastic military record, it's important to bear in mind that it's very much more a record of success in the bureaucratic Pentagon environment rather than the muddy boots Army or distinction in combat.  While he undoubtedly performed valuable service (indispensible service, probably not, despite what it no doubt says in his and every other General's award recommendations) while rising through staff ranks at the five-sided palace, in all honestly he was groomed for ultimate success very much the same way Obama has been during his own ascendancy.  The 'General' character in Mars Attacks is largely a parody of Powell.

[miskie]

All I see the Powell endorsement as is one more reason for PUMAs to jump on the McCain Train.

Many PUMAs dislike him, as they blame his presentation as what motivated congress to vote for the Iraq war. Others see the hypocrisy of Obama who did nothing but bash Hillary as a war supporter during the primaries, while he now waves the Powell endorsement around like a flag.

Normally, I would be concerned about an endorsement like this so close to the election, but this election is anything but normal.

[Lacarnut]

Before everyone splooges all over themselves about his fantastic military record, it's important to bear in mind that it's very much more a record of success in the bureaucratic Pentagon environment rather than the muddy boots Army or distinction in combat.  While he undoubtedly performed valuable service (indispensible service, probably not, despite what it no doubt says in his and every other General's award recommendations) while rising through staff ranks at the five-sided palace, in all honestly he was groomed for ultimate success very much the same way Obama has been during his own ascendancy.  The 'General' character in Mars Attacks is largely a parody of Powell.

He is no General Petreaus that is for sure.

[formerlurker]

Trashing the Repub. party was uncalled for. Had it not been for Repub. Presidents, I doubt he would have attained his lofty positions in the military and in the Bush cabinet. I put him in the same category as Dick Morris in that respect.

The only reason why he is a registered Republican is because he is military, and thus knows were his bread and butter comes from. 

Obama mut have promised him the moon and more, which I hope he gets burned on -- karma and all that. 

[DumbAss Tanker]

The only reason why he is a registered Republican is because he is military, and thus knows were his bread and butter comes from. 

Obama mut have promised him the moon and more, which I hope he gets burned on -- karma and all that. 

His remark about not wanting to see any more Conservative Supreme Court judicial appointments says it all.  If that's a Republican, who needs Democrats?  Powell is about as Republican as Joe Liebermann - pretty much stands with them solely on the issue of the war (in which he has a huge personal investment of ego, responsibbility, and legacy himself), but nothing else.

[Chris_]

Well Powell 

I commend you for your service to this country, but you just went into the same column as Wesley Clark.

...and John Murtha.

[Carl]

Speaking with reporters after his appearance on NBC, Powell said that part of the reason he is supporting Obama is because he did not like the negative tone of John McCain's campaign, which has noted the links between Obama and domestic terrorist William Ayers.

"It troubled me. We have two wars. We have economic problems, we have health problems. ... Those are the problems the American people want to hear about, not about Mr. Ayers, not about who's a Muslim and not a Muslim. Those kind of images going out on Al Jazeera are killing us around the world," he said.

I will give him the respect he deserves for his service to this country but a statement like that will never get my respect.

You are worried about what Al Jazeera thinks??
The mouthpiece of a group that has sworn their hatred and desire to kill us??

Guess what Sec.Powell...if the candidate you just endorsed wins you will have your wish as Al Jazeera wil be celebrating.
They still will want to and will try to kill us but they will be celebrating and you can take pride in that I suppose.

[dutch508]

He is no General Petreaus that is for sure.

Hell, the Bear couldn't stand him

[Wineslob]

It is an strange phenomenon.Many a blacks will sell out Ideals for color. They will deny it to the bone but they do it time & again.

See: O. J. Simpson.


I've never liked Powell. I've allways seen him as a "reach across the isle" sellout.

[Wineslob]

Before everyone splooges all over themselves about his fantastic military record, it's important to bear in mind that it's very much more a record of success in the bureaucratic Pentagon environment rather than the muddy boots Army or distinction in combat.  While he undoubtedly performed valuable service (indispensible service, probably not, despite what it no doubt says in his and every other General's award recommendations) while rising through staff ranks at the five-sided palace, in all honestly he was groomed for ultimate success very much the same way Obama has been during his own ascendancy.  The 'General' character in Mars Attacks is largely a parody of Powell.

Fitting too.

[Red October]

"It troubled me. We have two wars. We have economic problems, we have health problems. ... Those are the problems the American people want to hear about, not about Mr. Ayers, not about who's a Muslim and not a Muslim".

1.  No one said Ayers was Muslim... we said "TERRORIST."  Here, look it up: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/terrorist  We call him a terrorist because he IS one.  Yeah, it is kinda important, believe it or not.

2.  You're trouble by this, yet not troubled by all the garbage about Palin's children?  Interesting.  

3.  You speak glowingly about Gen. Patreaus, then endorse the guy who voted against Patreaus' course of action?  Again, that's interesting.

The truth is you got your feelings hurt in the Bush administration and now you're "gonna show them!"  Whatever.  You really think Barack's got what it takes to protect this nation over John McCain?  I got some news for you, Colin:  he's not gonna be able to invent votes on the Security Council.  

[Airwolf]

I respect him as an Officer and for his service but. He sucks as a politician and this endorsment only proves why.

[TheSarge]

Anyone who thinks Colin Powell is going to do anything to give Obama some kind of Military “street cred” or help him with the Military is sadly mistaken.

Powell was always more of a politician in uniform than a combat leader. (Think more like Wes Clark and less David Petraeus)

He never had a division command.

He recieved a very bad OER from his Division Commander at Ft. Carson in the 80’s.

He briefly held commands at V Corps and Forces Command but in both never served the entire tour of duty. In fact he was at Forces Command less than a year.

It took a direct order from then SecDef Cheney for him to get off his @ss and actually get Saddam out of Kuwait as opposed to playing defense in Saudi Arabia.

And here is the part that chaps my ass the MOST...He sat back as CJCS and let Clinton and his military loathing hoarde gut the Military that won the Cold War.

He let Clinton slash us from 17 to 10 Divisions. Cut down Reagan’s mighty Navy and Air Force.

He was there when the stories of soldiers having to apply for Food Stamps and Welfare were all over the MSM!

And he was the top officer in the Military at a time when MG Thomas Montgomery...ground commander in Somalia was begging for ARMOR to protect his troops in Somalia and then SecDef Les Aspin REFUSED.

Aspin said no and Powell said NOTHING.

Well we know what happened as a result of that.

I served in Somalia while friends of mine got killed and stepped up to serve on active duty again in Iraq 10 years later.

I’d follow the likes of my former brigade commander Russ Gold...his battalion commanders and Generals like David Petraeus and martin Dempsey to occupy hell.

I wouldn’t follow Colin Powell across the street for a f’n ICE CREAM CONE!

[Carl]

Anyone who thinks Colin Powell is going to do anything to give Obama some kind of Military “street cred” or help him with the Military is sadly mistaken.

Powell was always more of a politician in uniform than a combat leader. (Think more like Wes Clark and less David Petraeus)

He never had a division command.

He recieved a very bad OER from his Division Commander at Ft. Carson in the 80’s.

He briefly held commands at V Corps and Forces Command but in both never served the entire tour of duty. In fact he was at Forces Command less than a year.

It took a direct order from then SecDef Cheney for him to get off his @ss and actually get Saddam out of Kuwait as opposed to playing defense in Saudi Arabia.

And here is the part that chaps my ass the MOST...He sat back as CJCS and let Clinton and his military loathing hoarde gut the Military that won the Cold War.

He let Clinton slash us from 17 to 10 Divisions. Cut down Reagan’s mighty Navy and Air Force.

He was there when the stories of soldiers having to apply for Food Stamps and Welfare were all over the MSM!

And he was the top officer in the Military at a time when MG Thomas Montgomery...ground commander in Somalia was begging for ARMOR to protect his troops in Somalia and then SecDef Les Aspin REFUSED.

Aspin said no and Powell said NOTHING.

Well we know what happened as a result of that.

I served in Somalia while friends of mine got killed and stepped up to serve on active duty again in Iraq 10 years later.

I’d follow the likes of my former brigade commander Russ Gold...his battalion commanders and Generals like David Petraeus and martin Dempsey to occupy hell.

I wouldn’t follow Colin Powell across the street for a f’n ICE CREAM CONE!

Thank you...from a person that never has been able to serve his country...thank you.



I wonder today thinking about this if it isn`t what Eisenhower really was warning about when he spoke of a military industrial complex.

A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction.

Our military organization today bears little relation to that known by any of my predecessors in peacetime, or indeed by the fighting men of World War II or Korea.

Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all United States corporations.

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.

http://coursesa.matrix.msu.edu/~hst306/documents/indust.html

The left has seized this as meaning anything connected to the defense of this country but I wonder now if he saw the rise of a political/military hybrid that didn`t want or care about victory but wanted a permanent defensive posture which made service a civil servant affair rather then a combat and defender of freedom one.

[TheSarge]

I wonder today thinking about this if it isn`t what Eisenhower really was warning about when he spoke of a military industrial complex.

When I was just an FNG at TOS I got into one of these arguments with a Libtard troll trying to shove Eisenhower in my face.

I did some digging and found a speech by Ronaldus Magnus that I wish I could still find the link to.

Reagan explained that Ike wasn't warning us about the military as we know it today.

He was warning us about Communism and the USSR and how we needed to be on guard against letting it spread here.

I'd give anything to find a link to that speech again.

[Airwolf]

Anyone who thinks Colin Powell is going to do anything to give Obama some kind of Military “street cred” or help him with the Military is sadly mistaken.

Powell was always more of a politician in uniform than a combat leader. (Think more like Wes Clark and less David Petraeus)

He never had a division command.

He recieved a very bad OER from his Division Commander at Ft. Carson in the 80’s.

He briefly held commands at V Corps and Forces Command but in both never served the entire tour of duty. In fact he was at Forces Command less than a year.

It took a direct order from then SecDef Cheney for him to get off his @ss and actually get Saddam out of Kuwait as opposed to playing defense in Saudi Arabia.

And here is the part that chaps my ass the MOST...He sat back as CJCS and let Clinton and his military loathing hoarde gut the Military that won the Cold War.

He let Clinton slash us from 17 to 10 Divisions. Cut down Reagan’s mighty Navy and Air Force.

He was there when the stories of soldiers having to apply for Food Stamps and Welfare were all over the MSM!

And he was the top officer in the Military at a time when MG Thomas Montgomery...ground commander in Somalia was begging for ARMOR to protect his troops in Somalia and then SecDef Les Aspin REFUSED.

Aspin said no and Powell said NOTHING.

Well we know what happened as a result of that.

I served in Somalia while friends of mine got killed and stepped up to serve on active duty again in Iraq 10 years later.

I’d follow the likes of my former brigade commander Russ Gold...his battalion commanders and Generals like David Petraeus and martin Dempsey to occupy hell.

I wouldn’t follow Colin Powell across the street for a f’n ICE CREAM CONE!

Thanks TRG

[Ptarmigan]

Anyone who thinks Colin Powell is going to do anything to give Obama some kind of Military “street cred” or help him with the Military is sadly mistaken.

Powell was always more of a politician in uniform than a combat leader. (Think more like Wes Clark and less David Petraeus)

He never had a division command.

He recieved a very bad OER from his Division Commander at Ft. Carson in the 80’s.

He briefly held commands at V Corps and Forces Command but in both never served the entire tour of duty. In fact he was at Forces Command less than a year.

It took a direct order from then SecDef Cheney for him to get off his @ss and actually get Saddam out of Kuwait as opposed to playing defense in Saudi Arabia.

And here is the part that chaps my ass the MOST...He sat back as CJCS and let Clinton and his military loathing hoarde gut the Military that won the Cold War.

He let Clinton slash us from 17 to 10 Divisions. Cut down Reagan’s mighty Navy and Air Force.

He was there when the stories of soldiers having to apply for Food Stamps and Welfare were all over the MSM!

And he was the top officer in the Military at a time when MG Thomas Montgomery...ground commander in Somalia was begging for ARMOR to protect his troops in Somalia and then SecDef Les Aspin REFUSED.

Aspin said no and Powell said NOTHING.

Well we know what happened as a result of that.

I served in Somalia while friends of mine got killed and stepped up to serve on active duty again in Iraq 10 years later.

I’d follow the likes of my former brigade commander Russ Gold...his battalion commanders and Generals like David Petraeus and martin Dempsey to occupy hell.

I wouldn’t follow Colin Powell across the street for a f’n ICE CREAM CONE!

Amen TRG!

[whiffleball]

Anyone who thinks Colin Powell is going to do anything to give Obama some kind of Military “street cred” or help him with the Military is sadly mistaken.

Powell was always more of a politician in uniform than a combat leader. (Think more like Wes Clark and less David Petraeus)

He never had a division command.

He recieved a very bad OER from his Division Commander at Ft. Carson in the 80’s.

He briefly held commands at V Corps and Forces Command but in both never served the entire tour of duty. In fact he was at Forces Command less than a year.

It took a direct order from then SecDef Cheney for him to get off his @ss and actually get Saddam out of Kuwait as opposed to playing defense in Saudi Arabia.

And here is the part that chaps my ass the MOST...He sat back as CJCS and let Clinton and his military loathing hoarde gut the Military that won the Cold War.

He let Clinton slash us from 17 to 10 Divisions. Cut down Reagan’s mighty Navy and Air Force.

He was there when the stories of soldiers having to apply for Food Stamps and Welfare were all over the MSM!

And he was the top officer in the Military at a time when MG Thomas Montgomery...ground commander in Somalia was begging for ARMOR to protect his troops in Somalia and then SecDef Les Aspin REFUSED.

Aspin said no and Powell said NOTHING.

Well we know what happened as a result of that.

I served in Somalia while friends of mine got killed and stepped up to serve on active duty again in Iraq 10 years later.

I’d follow the likes of my former brigade commander Russ Gold...his battalion commanders and Generals like David Petraeus and martin Dempsey to occupy hell.

I wouldn’t follow Colin Powell across the street for a f’n ICE CREAM CONE!

Thanks for your service TRG.  No forgiveness here for Powell's silence over armor for troops in Somalia; there's no excuse for it, none.

Your feelings about Gold, Petraeus and Dempsey mirror my own of MG Joseph C. Lutz, COL Nick Rowe and a couple of others.

[JohnMatrix]

When I was just an FNG at TOS I got into one of these arguments with a Libtard troll trying to shove Eisenhower in my face.

I did some digging and found a speech by Ronaldus Magnus that I wish I could still find the link to.

Reagan explained that Ike wasn't warning us about the military as we know it today.

He was warning us about Communism and the USSR and how we needed to be on guard against letting it spread here.

I'd give anything to find a link to that speech again.

"military industrial complex" is a strange metaphor to use for "Communism" in the US.

[Lacarnut]

See: O. J. Simpson.


I've never liked Powell. I've allways seen him as a "reach across the isle" sellout.

Me neither. A desk jockey appeaser. Little bit like Robert McNamara.

[Hawkgirl]

Read my new sig...stolen from Rush.

[JohnnyReb]

Read my new sig...stolen from Rush.

Name one white liberal politicial Colin Powell has endorsed.

Well, there was ....uh....maybe.....uh......then there was that.......uh....... does half white count?

[Chris_]

Thanks to TRG for the perspective from a serving member of the military......as an observer, during the first conflict in Iraq, I saw him (admittedly from a civilian point of view) as more of a politician than a military commander.  It speaks volumes that "Stormin Norman" was the public face that was most apparent in that particular conflict.

Later, as SecState, I was very suspicious of his political motives in a number of issues where he appeared to be is conflict with the administration.....with full realization that the State Department was full of wimpy-assed liberals that were hired by previous administrations, I tended to give him the benefit of a doubt, however, if you all recall, over his political tenure as a cabinet member, he came out in favor of "affirmative action", and a number of other liberal positions on issues.......I'm therefore not surprised at his endorsement of the messiah, as I think that he has been a "closet lib" for some time.

Simply stating that one is a Republican, does not necessarily make it so......

doc

[DumbAss Tanker]

......as an observer, during the first conflict in Iraq, I saw him (admittedly from a civilian point of view) as more of a politician than a military commander. 

A fundamentally-correct assessment, yet certainly not all his own doing in any sort of bad way.  His star rose for many of the same reasons Obama's has - he was seen by his mentors and 'Godfathers' as a very positive and well-spoken exemplar for a community which was under-represented in the senior leadership, which lifted him beyond where he might perhaps have gone in a pure meritocracy with no issues of the baggage of past racial problems, or remedial racial politics flowing from them.     

[Chris_]

^ergo...."affirmative action".....

doc