news update

[lagilman]

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has submitted his resignation, a senior administration official tells CNN.



So, did he flee, or was he pushed?

Comments

[redstarrobot.livejournal.com]

There've been two sets of "reliable rumors" that he was planning to leave after one term, both recently, and back when the war began. I don't think he made any secret of wanting out after the first term.

[lagilman]

and Bush the lesser has a 'mandate' to ram his agenda through, before he's a lame duck, and won't want any moderate hands on any of the reins. God help us all.

[redstarrobot.livejournal.com]

Indeed. Shortly after Ashcroft resigned and the cries of joy went up, Gonzalez was announced to the sound of crickets chirping and a tiny voice saying "I never thought I'd say I missed Ashcroft". I foresee much of that...

[nick-kaufmann.livejournal.com]

Gonzales is actually a bit of a mixed bag. He's a social liberal in a number of ways that freak out the hardline right wingers: pro-choice, pro-affirmative action, etc. At the same time, though, he's also the author of the memo calling the Geneva Convention "quaint" and saying it doesn't apply to suspected terrorists, a move that led to the Abu Graib prison debacle.

[redstarrobot.livejournal.com]

..and Guantanamo and Samarra and Qaim, yes.

Well, hey, a mixed bag is a step up, I suppose, and I figure we've already seen Ashcroft, so I'm ready to see Gonzalez. "Torture is legal" is one hell of a grab-bag party favor though. :)