Clean Sweep

Before you starting hummng the tune of that JC song, I will spoil the fun and say it has to do with Bush's cabinet.

The Journal reports that Powell is leaving, probabbly before the Iraqi "elections" in January. Here's my favorite quote of the article: "Iraq has dominated Mr. Powell's attention during his nearly four years as secretary of state. Mr. Powell will perhaps be best remembered for that U.N. Security Council appearance on Feb. 5, 2003, during which he argued that Mr. Hussein must be removed because of Iraq's possession of weapons of mass destruction. There's no evidence that those claims had any foundation. Mr. Powell has maintained all along that the use of force of by the American coalition in Iraq was justified." Now, that's what I call a legacy. Remembered for the biggest lie on the international stage except Bush and Cheney. How does it feel? Oh and no progress or action on Middle East Peace while in charge, that's pretty bad too.

I don't entirely fault Powell though, afterall, he was "just following orders." After reading books and articles about the Gulf War and Clark's book about Kosovo, he fits in with the late 1980s to 2000 culture of the Pentagon: don't do anything. The whole place would drag their feet on every military action, be as cautious as possible to actually make the wars faught longer, more expensive and dangerous.

Do you really think Clinton said, "No causulties, let's fight this one at 30,000 feet"? No, it was the Secretary of State and all the E-ring brass that didn't want to look bad for losing people.

Now Bush's people just ignore what these people say and have gone full out. And the results of completely ignoring military advice has been equally disasterous.

Meanwhile, AP is reporting that, besides Powell "resignations were confirmed Monday included Agriculture Secretary Ann ["Mad Cow"] Veneman, Education Secretary Rod ["faking the Houston Miracle"] Paige and Energy Secretary Spencer ["I love bunker busters"] Abraham...The resignations announced Monday bring to six — out of 15 — the number of Cabinet members to decide so far to leave."

I wonder just who is going to replace all these clowns. Stay tuned.