Totally Tacky

It's long been clear that Colin Powell puts trying to maintain his own reputation above all else -- loyalty included.

The newest evidence is his eagerness to try to convince everyone that he tried to talk President Bush out of invading Iraq. Never mind that, had the WMD been found or the war otherwise declared a success, we wouldn't be hearing about any of this. The fact is that the war is unpopular, and so Powell wants to make sure the world knows that he's not to blame.

This kind of behavior is craven and unworthy of an otherwise great American. It strikes me that many people on a President's team offer advice and counsel; sometimes it's taken and sometimes it's ignored. But part of being on the team means that one signs on to the policy that's ultimately decided upon, and if one can' do that in good conscience, one resigns.

No need to remind everyone that Colin Powell resigned, and then hinted that he might be willing to stay on as Secretary of State. Hardly the kind of resignation on principle that one might expect had the war really been launched against his passionate and sincere convictions.