Powell Resigns

[Headache in a Suitcase]

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has submitted his resignation, a senior administration official tells CNN. Details soon.

 

[sharky]

We saw this coming. He was pushed out because he didn't agree with the neocons that were war hungry. So be it. He was one of the very few good guys in that cabinet and it's too bad he has left.

 

[DrTeeth]

Too bad, he's the only one of that administration I could stomach. I wonder why they're all dropping like flies now.

 

[sharky]

Someone on CNN said this is somewhat usual for people to leave when a president gets a second term but these guys seem to be dropping like flies. Powell, Energy Sec., Education Sec., and another one today. Should be interesting. And this is in addition to Ashcroft last week.

 

[verte76]

I'm not surprised. I expected the guy's resignation. Now who's going to replace him?

 

[Tania]

Darth Vader?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has submitted his resignation to President Bush, the White House said on Monday.

Powell is the most prominent of four Cabinet officials whose resignations will be announced Monday, sources told CNN.

The others will be Agriculture Secretary Anne Veneman, Education Secretary Rod Paige and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, the sources said.

Powell told his senior staff that he planned to stay on until a replacement was confirmed, State Department officials said.

State Department officials told CNN that Bush and Powell decided mutually that it was time for him to go.

The officials said that Powell plans to keep working on a number of key issues, including North Korean nuclear talks, the Iraqi elections scheduled for January and Middle East peace process.

Powell was scheduled to travel to Egypt next week for a conference on Iraq.

A senior official said Monday that the State Department was trying to arrange a meeting between Powell and the new Palestinian leadership, but added the details have not been worked out. A date and place have not been set, the official said.

The official made the comment after Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath told reporters in Gaza City that Powell was expected to meet with the leadership next week in the West Bank.

Rumors have swirled about Powell's role in a second Bush administration, but neither the president nor the secretary had spoken publicly about his future.

Last week, when asked if he wanted Powell to stay on to oversee the Mideast peace process Bush told reporters: "I'm proud of my secretary of state. He's done a heck of a good job."

Powell told reporters that he had had several conversations with the president, but would not comment on what they said.

 

[verte76]

I would imagine that these guys get tired of such high-stress, high-profile positions, and want to smell some roses.

 

[paulrg]

I read a couple of weeks ago in a forgotten newspaper column that Powell quietly wished he had resigned back in early '93 when he found out that others in the Bush administration had told the Saudis about the go-ahead for the Iraq invasion before Powell.

Anyway I echo the sentiments of others here - goodbye to one of the very few good souls in the Bush admin.

 

[paulrg]

Sorry - my previous post should, of course read '03 rather than '93 !

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

It's too bad he's leaving.


Wonder if Condi will resign next...

 

[Se7en]

i wonder what nut job will replace powell, one of the few reasonable voices in the administration.

i hope trying to take over the world will eventually become tiresome for these people.

 

[pianorocker]

I credit Powell with having to deal with all the flak that was thrown at him, especially after he presented the U.S.'s case about Iraq to the UN. I'm sad to see him go because I think that he was a positive influence; however, I can understand why he did it. I too worry about who will be next. Hopefully, judging from Bush's choice for the new AG, it won't be some brash, polarizing person.

Thanks Colin Powell. I don't think I'm the only one who appreciates the job that you have done.

 

[U2democrat]

I'm not surprised. But now I'm scared without Powell's clarity in the executive branch.

 

[Irvine511]

I'm not surprised. But now I'm scared without Powell's clarity in the executive branch.

ditto. Bush will most likely surround himself with toadies and servile "yes men" who will read his newspapers for him and tell him what he wants to hear.

this is what's so scary about this administration, and the basis for much of the agonizing in the Blue States. this administration looks for retroactive justification for it's goals -- "i want to invade Iraq, give me reasons to do so."

 

[deep]

Colin got tired of riding on the back of the bus.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

I'm not surprised. But now I'm scared without Powell's clarity in the executive branch.

Powell is someone that we could all admire. It sure is sad to se him go.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I really don't think Mr. Powell rides on the back of anyone's bus

 

[U2Kitten]

He was a cool guy.

 

[bullet1973]

I credit Powell with having to deal with all the flak that was thrown at him, especially after he presented the U.S.'s case about Iraq to the UN. I'm sad to see him go because I think that he was a positive influence; however, I can understand why he did it. I too worry about who will be next. Hopefully, judging from Bush's choice for the new AG, it won't be some brash, polarizing person.

Thanks Colin Powell. I don't think I'm the only one who appreciates the job that you have done.

While I won't be happy to see him go, I don't think he ever really recovered his reputation after that charade at the UN Assembly. You could see at the time that he didn't really believe himself what he was telling the world. Maybe he fought the neo-cons as much as he could but now he's gone, they will definitely be seen to have won this particular battle. Worrying times.

 

[deep]

I really don't think Mr. Powell rides on the back of anyone's bus

his State Dept. was almost completely sidelined to the Defence Depart. i.e .Rumsfeld, Wolferwits and the neocons.

Armitige will most likely leave also


Condi is absolutely worthless
and will most likely be the new NSA

 

[Pearl]

I'm sorry to see him go. He was more aware of how the world saw America than the rest of the administration.

And it sucks that Rumsfeld is staying

 

[deep]

"I believe that now that the election is over, the time has come for me to step down," Powell said

thanks for misleading the people that believed in you
and influencing the outcome of the election

 

[namkcuR]

Donald Rumsfeld is human slime, and is to be despised even more than Bush.

And sorry to see Powell go. But I can commend him for refusing to play along with the administration's lies anymore.

 

[kellyahern]

Also sad to see him go

Very interesting report about it was just on NBC nightly news. It seems he was outvoted on a lot of foreign policy issues.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Powell is a good man, but not the right man for state with this particular administration at this particular time. Bring back Kissinger

 

[namkcuR]

Powell is a good man, but not the right man for state with this particular administration at this particular time. Bring back Kissinger

Because he didn't buy into Bush, Cheany, and Rumsfeld's grand vision for the future?

 

[A_Wanderer]

Condi to be nominated for SecState

Nov. 15, 2004-- National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, one of President Bush's closest counselors, will be nominated to replace Colin Powell as secretary of state, ABC News has learned.

Senior administration sources confirmed that Rice would be Bush's choice. The news comes just hours after the White House announced Powell had submitted his resignation.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=254647

If she takes it that could be a good move.

 

[namkcuR]

nooooooooooo....condi was WORTHLESS in a LESSER position than sec of state! *nods head*

 

[sharky]

Also sad to see him go

Very interesting report about it was just on NBC nightly news. It seems he was outvoted on a lot of foreign policy issues.

Indeed. I would highly recommend Ron Suskind's book about Paul O'Neill -- he mentions this several times. It was Rumsfeld, Rice and Cheney against Powell.