| Game, Set, Match |
11 August 2003
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Powell's Departure Would Mean Neocon Victory
Secretary of State Colin Powell's role in US foreign policy got a re-examination last week when it was
rumored that he would not serve in a second Bush the Lesser administration. It is an open secret that Mr.
Powell and his deputy, Richard Armitage, who was also rumored to be on the way out, are the only
multi-lateralists on the Bush team. Their departure would be another step in the neocon restructuring of
US foreign policy.
The focus on Mr. Powell's potential successor that ensued was largely irrelevant. The Neocons of
Washington (which sounds like the title of a Fox Network sitcom) are nothing if not ideologues. They are
of one mind -- Donald Rumsfeld's. There is as much divergence among them as there was among the old
Soviet Politburo. Whether the new Secretary of State would be named Rice or Wolfowitz has little
importance.
The significance is that the Republican party would lose its most popular and articulate multi-lateralist,
giving the position over the Democrats and politicizing US foreign policy even more than it is
politicized today. That is an inherently bad thing. What would be worse is if the Democrats adopt a
similar imperial style in their foreign policy or isolationism in reaction. Since they have adopted the motto
of "Me, too," it is a likely risk.
Should Mr. Powell truly leave office on 21 January 2003, no one is in a position to complain. He has
served his country, often extremely well, rarely without success, never badly. And his wife, Alma, who
prevented him seeking, and quite possibly winning, the White House, can finally relax about her man's
safety. The rest of us will not have that luxury.
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