Colin Powel's rebuff to the idea of American Imperialism

Adex_Xeda · Post by **Adex_Xeda** » April 1, 2003, 10:07 pm

I got this from a friend today. It parallels my sentiments.

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Subject: Only enough ground to bury our dead

There's a story circulating on the Internet that Colin Powell politely told off the Archbishop of Canterbury when pressed about American imperial designs. The story says General Powell asked only for ground on which to bury our lost soldiers. I checked it out at Snopes.com, an Urban Legend debunking page that is usually reliable. They say it is true, but that the story is part of a much larger response made by Powell. I attach it because it choked me up. You can find it at http://www.snopes.com, searching for "archbishop of canterbury", or you can read it below and trust me...

"During an address to the World Economic Forum, Secretary of State Colin Powell was asked a somewhat long and involved question by the former Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, which ended with the following interrogative:

And would you not agree, as a very significant political figure in the United States, Colin, that America, at the present time, is in danger of relying too much upon the hard power and not enough upon building the trust from which the soft values, which of course all of our family life that actually at the bottom, when the bottom line is reached, is what makes human life valuable?

Secretary Powell delivered a lengthy response to the former Archbishop's question, in the midst of which came the eloquent line quoted in the example above:

The United States believes strongly in what you call soft power, the value of democracy, the value of the free economic system, the value of making sure that each citizen is free and free to pursue their own God-given ambitions and to use the talents that they were given by God. And that is what we say to the rest of the world. That is why we participated in establishing a community of democracy within the Western Hemisphere. It's why we participate in all of these great international organizations.

There is nothing in American experience or in American political life or in our culture that suggests we want to use hard power. But what we have found over the decades is that unless you do have hard power -- and here I think you're referring to military power -- then sometimes you are faced with situations that you can't deal with.

I mean, it was not soft power that freed Europe. It was hard power. And what followed immediately after hard power? Did the United States ask for dominion over a single nation in Europe? No. Soft power came in the Marshall Plan. Soft power came with American GIs who put their weapons down once the war was over and helped all those nations rebuild. We did the same thing in Japan.

So our record of living our values and letting our values be an inspiration to others I think is clear. And I don't think I have anything to be ashamed of or apologize for with respect to what America has done for the world.

(Applause.)

We have gone forth from our shores repeatedly over the last hundred years and we've done this as recently as the last year in Afghanistan and put wonderful young men and women at risk, many of whom have lost their lives, and we have asked for nothing except enough ground to bury them in, and otherwise we have returned home to seek our own, you know, to seek our own lives in peace, to live our own lives in peace. But there comes a time when soft power or talking with evil will not work where, unfortunately, hard power is the only thing that works.

Acies · Post by **Acies** » April 1, 2003, 10:19 pm

Fine speech

Forthe · Post by **Forthe** » April 2, 2003, 12:03 am

I have no problem believing that is how Colin Powell views this. My problem is Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and Cheney (I don't include Bush here because I believe he is just adopting the views of these 3). All three have history that does not not seem to share this view. Especially Wolfowitz.

noel · Post by **noel** » April 2, 2003, 12:09 am

Wolfwitz can burn in hell for all I care.

I always liked Cheney when he was Sec-Def. I haven't been given enough evidence to change that view as it stands.

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » April 2, 2003, 1:08 am

I really really dislike Rumsfeld.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » April 2, 2003, 1:16 am

That is like saying you dislike cancer. Is there even a single likable quality in that man? The only good thing about Donald Rumsfeld is that one day he will die.

Adex_Xeda · Post by **Adex_Xeda** » April 2, 2003, 2:02 am

*shrug* I like it when it berates stupid reporter questions.

That's good SNL material.

Millie · Post by **Millie** » April 2, 2003, 2:28 am

Donald Rumsfeld is the most evil and manipulative man currently alive on our planet. Yes, that includes Osama, Saddam, and whoever else you want to throw in there.

Hoarmurath · Post by **Hoarmurath** » April 2, 2003, 2:46 am

Ever notice how much of the current administration had jobs with the Nixon administration?

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » April 2, 2003, 3:37 am

Every time the GOP gets in the whitehouse you see the same cronies over and over again..

Keverian FireCry · Post by **Keverian FireCry** » April 2, 2003, 6:11 am

GOP FOREVER! WOOOT.

Die you commy bastards

Xyun · Post by **Xyun** » April 2, 2003, 6:20 am

I can't decide if I hate Rumsfeld more or Wolfowitz or Ari Fleischer (sp?). that little freak is so good at lying it is damn scary. Then there's Ashcroft.

So.... many.... to choose from....

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » April 2, 2003, 10:35 am

Colin is the only one I like.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » April 2, 2003, 11:49 am

Too bad Colin Powell is the only one in the administration with views like this.

Atokal · Post by **Atokal** » April 2, 2003, 12:25 pm

Rumsfeld is a scary dude, I always get the impression he is hiding an agenda that is right out of the Xfiles. Powell is a fantastic statesman and should be the main speaker for this war.

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » April 2, 2003, 3:22 pm

My office is about 30-40 yards from the US Embassy in Canada. A few weeks ago Colin Powell came to town and as I was walking back to work I saw him with his entourage right outside the parking garage. Not sure where they were headed however was a cool chance encounter.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » April 2, 2003, 4:21 pm

I like Rumsfeld. It's a pain in the ass to deal with reporters but he does a good job. Sure, he's got a little X-File mystery in him and he shook Saddam's hand 20 years ago.

Cut the guy some slack!

Fallanthas · Post by **Fallanthas** » April 2, 2003, 4:27 pm

I'd say the only good thing about Rumsfeld is that he speaks plainly.

Ari gives me the creeps for some reason.

Ajran · Post by **Ajran** » April 2, 2003, 5:00 pm

rumsfeld strikes me as the typical "I could tell you but then I;d have to kill you" kind of guy..

Ari... hmm he reminds me of the guy from Independence Day who finally admits to Area 51... "Plausible Deniability"

-Ajran

Crav · Post by **Crav** » April 2, 2003, 5:15 pm

You know speaking plainly and telling the truth are two different things. I get a don't bug me I'm too busy with things you'll never understand type of an attitude from Rumsfeld. It's almost as if he believes that god sent him to lead us and we have no business questioning his decisions.

Kylere · Post by **Kylere** » April 4, 2003, 12:27 pm

You know, I got to meet Colin Powell once and shake his hand when I was a soldier.

I would vote for him to be president now and even if he divorced his wife, started dating Halle Berry, claimed to be a democrat, and put Kyoukan on his staff I would STILL vote for him.

Regardless of what anyone might think, he is the single most capable human being in a public/government role on the entire planet.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » April 4, 2003, 12:29 pm

i agree with Kylere on that point. I respect Powell more than anybody who has been in our government in recent memory.

Crav · Post by **Crav** » April 4, 2003, 1:07 pm

I think Powell and McCain are the only two policitians that I respect as both statesmen and people.

Vetiria · Post by **Vetiria** » April 4, 2003, 1:18 pm

Crav wrote:I think Powell and McCain are the only two policitians that I respect as both statesmen and people.

Absolutely. I'd vote for that presidential ticket in a heartbeat.

Krimson Klaw · Post by **Krimson Klaw** » April 4, 2003, 3:44 pm

Braxter · Post by **Braxter** » April 5, 2003, 8:00 am

Powel is about the only republican I'd ever vote for. Too bad he won't ever run

masteen · Post by **masteen** » April 8, 2003, 1:32 pm

So Powell/McCain is teh powah ticket in '08?

Kaldaur · Post by **Kaldaur** » April 9, 2003, 8:54 pm

It does strike me as rather humorous that the one man in America who we geniunely trust is the one man who would not run for president. I'm a little hazy, but didn't he start to run in '96 and then pulled out?

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » April 9, 2003, 8:57 pm

Powell said he won't run because he doesn't want to put his wife through the whole campaign deal. Apparently she is seriously mentally ill. I will have to check the records to see if he is the only republican ever that didn't divorce his wife for being imperfect and impacting his political career.

Spangaloid_PE · Post by **Spangaloid_PE** » April 10, 2003, 1:35 am

Rock/Mac 08