| Deliberate Failure |
28 April 2003
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Gingrich Slams Powell; Misunderstands State's Purpose
Newt Gingrich was at the American Enterprise Institute for a conservative love-fest last Tuesday, and he complained that Colin Powell is presiding over a State Department that has been incompetent and ineffective. He also said that in the last seven months, the US has had six months of diplomatic failure and one month of military success. What he did not say was that that is precisely what the Bush administration has sought all along.
In the run up to the war on Iraq, it was common for Bush White House officials to appear on talk shows demanding that Saddam Hussein disarm, and then off-camera, they would state that disarmament was the last thing they wanted as it would eliminate the pretext for war. Secretary Powell was just following orders like the good soldier he has always been. If it was his mission to fail at the UN, so be it.
Gingrich also stated that Mr. Powell's upcoming visit to Syria would be a mistake, rewarding a terror-supporting regime with a visit from the American Secretary of State. The proposed visit is hardly viewed in Damascus as a reward. President Bashir al-Assad is going to be read the riot act and put on notice that if he doesn't play ball, he will regret it. The fact that Mr. Powell is the administration's good cop makes him the ideal choice to deliver the message.
It is nice to have Mr. Gingrich around again, as it gives so much grist to the mill of commentary. However, this time around, one wishes that he had not provided such an easy target. Perhaps his forced retirement took the edge of his intellect.