Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Armitage Tells It Like It Is--Or Should Have Been

The Australian: Reflections of a straight shooter [January 20, 2005]:

Outgoing Bush administration official, Assistant Secretary of State Richard Armitage (the big guy who looks like a truck driver) has regrets about policy failures of the last four years, even if the president doesn't. Of course, Armitage was one of the few voices of (something approximating) reason in this administration, along with his immediate superior, soon-to-be ex-Secretary of State Colin Powell:

"I'm disappointed that Iraq hasn't turned out better. And that we weren't able to move forward more meaningfully in the Middle East peace process."

"Then, after a minute's pause, he adds a third regret: 'The biggest regret is that we didn't stop 9/11. And then in the wake of 9/11, instead of redoubling what is our traditional export of hope and optimism we exported our fear and our anger. And presented a very intense and angry face to the world. I regret that a lot.' "

Yeah. Me too.

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