# Should Colin Powell Resign? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 30, 2002, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-colin-powell-resign/121602 "2002-07-30T22:47:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Ace\_of\_Swords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@The\_Ace\_of\_Swords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ace_of_Swords)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2002, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-colin-powell-resign/121602/1 "2002-07-30T22:47:05Z")
In the wake of the UN Family Planning debacle, Colin Powell’s credibility appears shredded. Should he continue his ineffectual attempts at counterbalancing the neoconservative wing, or should he resign? [http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=13708](http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=13708) Also in the NY Times – doesn’t seem to be on the search page, but it was in yesterdays paper. ---
**Author:** ![barton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@barton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barton)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-colin-powell-resign/121602/2 "2002-07-31T00:49:46Z")
If the rift between the President and the SoS were really as serious as the above article claims, something would have happened already. The fact that it hasn’t makes me believe more and more that these apparent differences are all just arcane strategizing. Powell’s job is to be a smooth, velvet-gloved moderate and thus deflect incoming foriegn policy crap from the President. This is precisely what he does. If Gore had chosen him for the same position, he’d be the administration’s hawk instead. SoS is a thankless job at its best, like most Cabinet positions. ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-colin-powell-resign/121602/3 "2002-07-31T02:59:41Z")
An alternative question is, should the Times be in charge of setting US domestic and foreign policy? They think they should. Colin Powell is a mature adult and a loyal public servant. He accepts that the President will not always follow his recommendations. The Times, OTOH, seems to be run by petulant children. When they don’t get their way, they write silly editorials, which are a print version of temper tantrums. ---
**Author:** ![taggert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/96bed5/32.png) [@taggert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taggert)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-colin-powell-resign/121602/4 "2002-07-31T07:13:51Z")
Ah yes, but don’t argue with people who buy ink by the truckload of barrels. Colin Powell is really in the way of the Bush foreign policy, and should be fired. He clearly is not conservative enough for the Bush team, and he is always undermining their efforts. Like the family planning thing. Of course the administration is against abortions in this country and outside, and everybody knows it. So what does Powell go and do? Support abortion. Uh-uh. This happens on a weekly basis. He is supposed to use his international political respect capital for the goals of our elected leaders, not the other way around. Playing good cop is attempting to take Bush’s capital. ---
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-colin-powell-resign/121602/5 "2002-07-31T12:01:38Z")
Good point **taggert** , this is after all the Bush administration, not the Powell administration. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-colin-powell-resign/121602/6 "2002-07-31T14:47:24Z")
Yeah, good point if you’re into ignorance. Here is a story saying that Powell may resign after the November elections: [http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020730/4316586s.htm](http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020730/4316586s.htm) **taggert:** “So what does Powell go and do? Support abortion.” > [@](#): > > Last week, Powell was the public face on a Bush administration decision to withhold a $34 million payment to the United Nations’ Population Fund, which provides family planning and reproductive health services in 142 countries. The action was taken because China, which forces women to have abortions, is among the nations that receive aid from the agency. > > \*\*The funds were put on hold even though American law forbids the U.N. agency from using U.S. funds in China. The hold also comes just two months after a fact-finding team Powell sent to China found no proof of the fund’s involvement in forced abortions or sterilization. \*\*Powell also praised the U.N.'s work during his Senate confirmation hearing 18 months ago. > > The hold, it’s widely believed, was pushed by Bush advisers who worry more about energizing the GOP’s conservative base in November’s elections than in providing family planning to people in distant lands. So yes, Powell should be fired for not being a conniving liar in line with the administration. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-colin-powell-resign/121602/7 "2002-07-31T15:18:09Z")
My one remaining brain cell just recalled that **taggert** is our resident wise guy. Scary though that his post got an AMEN. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ace\_of\_Swords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@The\_Ace\_of\_Swords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ace_of_Swords)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2002, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-colin-powell-resign/121602/8 "2002-07-31T17:12:12Z")
_Pay no attention to that wooshing sound, **Balduran**!_ 🙂 As always, taggert, I am in your debt – I agree, and I think what they’ve done to him amounts to constructive dismissal. They’ve already fired him! The paperwork hasn’t been filled out, that’s all. Is anyone worried he’s going to accomplish anything in Korea or Kashmir? Not I.