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The resignation of Secretary of State Colin Powell, was not unforeseen, but now allows us to access the job the way we've always seen it -- now that his job is done. Of all of the "Neo-Cons," War-Hawks, and Arch-Conservatives around George Du[m]byah's table, Powell was often viewed as a "duck out of war," a voice of moderation in a pool of ideological extremists. As a "War Man" and a lifelong soldier, he certainly had more credibility than any around the table, in terms of the "art of warfare," but his advise was rarely followed on war issues. But it was his credibility as a diplomat that made him valuable to Bush. Powell was the ultimate diplomat, a man viewed as reasonable by the rest of the world at a time when the United States came to be seen as hardline unilateralist. It was Powell that most frequently fought with neo-cons Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, who saw war more of an economic opportunity than a case for defense of our ideas. All Powell could do was buy Iraq time. The war was a foregone conclusion. All Bush needed was somebody to sell the idea. Because of their various motives and agendas that conflicted with America's truer interests, none of the neo-cons could have sold this War on Iraq as a defensible strategy in the fight against terrorism. But Powell could, and he did. That will be the lasting question on Powell's legacy as the first African American Secretary of State: Was Colin Powell, and his credibility, used to start the War In Iraq? [more]