Final Time for a Four Star Liar

Colin Powell’s death today not only ends the career of one of the highest-profile affirmative action hires in American history, it leaves a legacy of thousands of service member deaths in the Iraq War.

His stance as one of the leaders who lied about the weapons of mass destruction, only deepened his placement as one of the worst secretaries of state ever. By presenting to the corrupt United Nations all kinds of documents and false data, Powell solidified the meaning of someone so gone from the facts of the matter it seems sad and deeply embarrassing now.

Powell had the power to then say what he was doing was a lie. Of course, years later he regretted his decision. Four thousand, four hundred and thirty-one troops perished in the sands of Iraq. This grim figure reflects the choices of Powell and the late architect of the invasion of the country, Secretary of Defense at the time, Donald Rumsfeld.

As no weapons of mass destruction surfaced, Powell just brushed off the fact he helped to lie about one of the most deliberate acts against the mind. He stood for the immoralities of unselfishness and altruism still prized in this country. What Powell completed work on included being a decorated soldier and the first black secretary of state. But should these even be a major achievements? Blacks far more competent and rational than Powell could have ever been selected but never got the chance because of the racism of affirmative action.

His appointment as one of the highest ranking civilians in the executive branch had been because of his skin color, not merit.

Given the fact he publicly regretted his grandstanding in front of the U.N. only gives him a smidgeon of respectability. It appears top-tier politicians have a problem with not confronting their blunders. If Powell is to be saluted, it should be on this fact. Otherwise, he was a mediocre general who rose up the political ladder to only spread lies.

While people pour in comments like he was a “patriot” and “great American hero” who cared about soldiers, Marines, sailors, airmen, and guardsmen, have we forgotten already how despicable this man’s actions were?

Any personal scandal committed by other politicians pale in comparison to the ethical crimes of this fallen figure. When it comes to unreason and near-treason, other generals like David Petraeus and Stanley McChrystal have exhibited, in his role as a politician, Powell left a staggering record of decisions which lead to deaths.

Blood was on his hands. While some people would decry the idea of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dying in Iraq during America’s Operation Iraqi Freedom, those precious American servicemen Powell “loved” allegedly, should be considered only.

If he did in fact love the troops, it’s one hell of a way to show it in advocating for young men and women to experience horrific scenes and injuries and some be snuffed out altogether.

Colin Powell represented the man who could’ve been. Sure, he possessed awards and decorations, including two Presidential Medals of Freedom, but any award cannot overshadow the ugliness of this man’s marginal character. Despite all of the outpouring of grief and crocodile tears in his death, why not point out the truth and say Powell stood for death and destruction not for him to destroy, but for other people’s kids to be slaughtered or maimed?

His second-handedness, expecting to be petted like a good lap dog only deepens his poor legacy. As a shining example of how making a man with intentions of being a great general and statesman can be swallowed up in falsehoods, Colin Powell should be remembered for his fallacies, his failures, and his fecklessness.