Armitage Says He, Powell Sought Influence

[seemslikeadream]

By BARRY SCHWEID
The Associated Press


WASHINGTON - Commenting on Washington's worst-kept secret, Secretary of State Colin Powell's deputy said he and Powell sometimes went public with their dissenting views to try to influence Bush administration policy.

...

Powell and Armitage, whose friendship was forged decades ago, share foreign policy views that are distinctly more moderate than those of Bush and other key presidential advisers. They also made far more use of media interviews and speeches to promote U.S. foreign policy than their predecessors.

...

"When Secretary Powell speaks or when Rich Armitage speaks, we're putting out our views. And we will do so respectfully, of course," Armitage said according to a text released Friday by the State Department. "This is what the president paid us for, to bring him our views."

Armitage offered no examples of specific areas or issues of disagreement, although his response was to a question that suggested that Powell and he had been at odds with other top administration officials on policies involving North Korea and the Middle East.

Powell is known to have pushed for negotiations with North Korea over its nuclear weapons programs, a strategy Bush adopted after months of review at the beginning of his first term. On the Middle East, Powell sometimes sought more flexibility from Israel, than did the White House, in dealing with the Palestinians.
more
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/27-01142005-432610.html

[tk2kewl]

1. "This is what the president paid us for, to bring him our views."

That is what you THOUGHT he paid you for.

Just look at the new cabinet to know he doesn't want intelligent opinions.

[rkc3]

10. bush only wants affirmations - no intelligent opinions.

[AlCzervik]

2. so in a nut shell, he and Powell's dissenting view were

really window dressing

[leftchick]

4. yes indeed.

pure bullshit for the masses to act like there was some REAL diplomacy going on. :eyes:

[AlCzervik]

6. i'm kind of surprised at Richard "Uncle Festa" Armitage

I didn't know he had dissenting views, thats my fault because i've stereo typed him as a Sgt. Hulka or the What is your major malfunction type of guy.

[Shakespeare]

3. How scary is it when Armitage is considered the moderate? n/t

[Pirate Smile]

5. and he and Powell are out of there!

[UpInArms]

8. no shit Skakespeare!

the Iran-Contra criminals are now "moderates" :eyes:

[indepat]

7. Armitage and Powell put ideology above their souls and country IMHO

[riverwalker]

9. too late to CYA now

Rich and Colin think they can use this to cover their behinds. It won't work. Now if you held public press conferences stating objections to dimson, or publically threaten to resign, you would be heros now, wouldn't ya? Instead, your legacy is a couple of gutless cowards, who didn't muster the integrity to stand up to this lunatic.

[cosmicdot]

11. imo, just another taxpayer paid PR campaign ...

using their current posts, budget, and, media access, to do a little image control - reshaping, reinventing, re-engineering ... on the way out ...

...paging Hill & Knowlton PR firm ...


why do they need to be doing this?


if they "sometimes went public" why is it necessary to, now, say that that's what they did?


... maybe it wouldn't be considered a "worst-kept secret" ...


"Armitage offered no examples of specific...issues"


Can't tell if this 'AP' piece is taken from a combination of a verbal exchange and a text release or the text release only.


"...although his response was to a question that suggested that Powell and he had been at odds ..."

who asked the question?

was the question verbally asked, or did the PR release ("according to a text released Friday") ask and answer its own question(s)?

no credibility = no integrity

a bunch of liars, crooks and frauds ... IOW ... good ol'boys ...