WP: Colonel Larry Wilkerson and Colin Powell no longer friends

[DeepModem Mom]

Breaking Ranks
Larry Wilkerson Attacked the Iraq War. In the Process, He Lost the Friendship of Colin Powell.

By Richard Leiby
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, January 19, 2006; C01


In an overheated old schoolroom in Washington, Larry Wilkerson, a retired Army colonel, is doing his best to impose military discipline on 25 pupils as they prepare to attack a mountain of pizza, cupcakes and cookies. It is the year-end party for Macfarland Middle School's Colin L. Powell Leadership Club, a tutoring and mentoring program that Wilkerson oversees as a volunteer. Striding before his charges in smart burgundy suspenders, the colonel -- everybody here calls him the colonel -- makes a point about duty...

***

Since 1998, Wilkerson has devoted himself to helping at-risk children at Macfarland in the name of Colin Powell, whom he refers to as "my boss" and "the general." Wilkerson works tirelessly to keep them in the club and to secure scholarships for them at private high schools.

Yet these days he and Powell are estranged: This program represents the last remnant of a long, deep friendship between them. Like ex-spouses in an uneasy detente, "we decided we'd just communicate over the kids," says Wilkerson, sounding pained by the situation.

The split came as both men left the administration -- Powell as secretary of state, Wilkerson as his chief of staff -- after working side by side for 16 years. Wilkerson, a once-loyal Republican with 31 years of Army service, has emerged in recent months as a merciless critic of President Bush and his top people, accusing them of carrying out a reckless foreign policy and imperiling the future of the U.S. military.

"My wife would probably shoot me if I headed to the ballot box with a Republican vote again," he says. "This is not a Republican administration, not in my view. This is a radical administration."...


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/18/AR2006011802607_pf.html

[blm]

1. And yet Colin gets all the glory from MSM for his loyalty to BushInc over

the best interests of US citizens.

[iconoclastNYC]

2. The neocons have something on Powell, Wilkerson is squeeky clean

And this story could have been leaked by the White House.

[Pirate Smile]

3. I like his wife.

"My wife would probably shoot me if I headed to the ballot box with a Republican vote again," he says. "This is not a Republican administration, not in my view. This is a radical administration."...

[Pirate Smile]

4. more

"As for the invasion of Iraq? A blunder of historic proportions, he believes.

"This is really a very inept administration," says Wilkerson, who has credentials not only as an insider in the Bush I, Clinton and Bush II presidencies but also as a former professor at two of the nation's war colleges. "As a teacher who's studied every administration since 1945, I think this is probably the worst ineptitude in governance, decision-making and leadership I've seen in 50-plus years. You've got to go back and think about that. That includes the Bay of Pigs, that includes -- oh my God, Vietnam. That includes Iran-contra, Watergate."

[spooky3]

11. wow, that is a powerful quote.

[ypsiguy]

5. Nice Article

Col. Wilkerson seems to be a top-notch guy. Too bad there aren't a hundred more like him. Then this mess would never have happened.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. You're right, ypsiguy -- welcome to DU!

[rateyes]

9. Yep.....and welcome to DU!

:) :hi:

[tanyev]

6. Whoopsie...had to refute the idea that Wilkerson was out there

saying the things that Colin wanted to, but didn't dare. Whatsa' matter, Colin? You getting nervous about something?

[glitch]

8. To Powell's discredit. Not that we expected more from Mr. Ambien.

Perhaps he's forgotten they ever met.

[rateyes]

10. Wilkerson, IMO, is a reminder to Powell,

of the person he was before he went to the UN and played the "good little soldier," instead of a Sec. of State with integrity.