Colin Powell has died • Hacker News Board

Re: Colin Powell has died

#91

Post by disneygibson » Mon, Oct 18, 2021, 1:13 PM UTC

betterunix2 wrote: post #88

disneygibson wrote: post #11

Imagine if he had resigned in protest at the decision to push for the invasion of Iraq. He would now be hailed as a hero around the world. Instead, he didn’t. What a waste of an exceptional career.

He would have faded into obscurity and we would all be talking about how terrible his replacement was for lying to the UN.

Incorrect. He would be hailed as the first African American Secretary of State with a decorated military career that resigned to protest lies and an unjust war.

Textbooks a century from now will include his name. It could have been in a positive light, but now his name will be forever tarnished.

Re: Colin Powell has died

#92

Post by asteroidbelt » Mon, Oct 18, 2021, 1:13 PM UTC

callmeal wrote: post #51

asteroidbelt wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you are talking about Iraq, these people were not exactly living happy lives under Saddam rule. Colin lie is inexcusable, but Iraq war was a good thing for Iraq. Net zero at least. (Feel free to downvote, downvote is used for disagreement on HN these days.)

>Colin lie is inexcusable, but Iraq war was a good thing for Iraq. Well, citizens of Iraq tend to disagree with you. https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-life-in-iraq-was-... Not to mention all the destruction of priceless monuments that the war brought about: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24590678

> Well, citizens of Iraq tend to disagree with you.

A story of single person is too little evidence to claim it for all citizens of Iraq or even for majority of them.

Re: Colin Powell has died

#93

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Oct 18, 2021, 1:13 PM UTC

uberman wrote: post #78

I see many people here hating on Colin Powell and perhaps there is cause for that. In my opinion though, I will remember him an uncommonly principled man. Did he have party loyalties? Sure. Did they sometimes conflict with his personal views? Sure. I'll admit that there were some disappointments. However, his ultimate ability to break with powerful past loyalties that conflicted with his personal views and to speak p…

[deleted]

Re: Colin Powell has died

#94

Post by emptyfile » Mon, Oct 18, 2021, 1:15 PM UTC

A million dead civilians. All that blood is on America as a whole, but this guy's hands are as bloody as they can be.

Reading these comments it seems America has forgiven him... I assure you the rest of the world won't forget...

Re: Colin Powell has died

#95

Post by sundvor » Mon, Oct 18, 2021, 1:15 PM UTC

015a wrote: post #83

aazaa wrote: post #69

Original title: "Colin Powell, military leader and first Black US secretary of state, dies after complications from Covid-19" From the article: > "We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," they said, noting he was fully vaccinated. The ongoing high profile, fatal breakthrough Covid-19 cases should not be underestimated. They are to be expected statistically, but taken in…

I hate that phrase: "They are to be expected" I expect better. I expect a vaccine that would have saved Colin's life.

With ~90% efficacy, how do you expect that to work when rolling the dice thousands of times?

It's a heck of a lot better than none. And sadly people still don't care to treat Covid seriously, and nowhere near high enough vaccination rates in most places - thus no herd protection yet.

Re: Colin Powell has died

#96

Post by coldtea » Mon, Oct 18, 2021, 1:15 PM UTC

_3ddw wrote: post #63

CapricornNoble wrote: post #24

Colin Powell is a textbook case of "A thousand 'Atta-boys!' and one fuck-up!". He joined the Army in the 1950s, served through 2 tours in Vietnam, and made it all the way to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs by the end of the 1980s, leading the military through Operation Desert Storm and the post-Soviet era. That's a rare career for ANY American, let alone a black one. But all that went "poof!" after his shameful performa…

I was 17 when we invaded Afghanistan and 19 when we invaded Iraq. Through the lead-up to both of those conflicts I remember watching scores of demonstrators marching outside the White House, chanting slogans against the wars. What did they know that Colin Powell did not?

>What did they know that Colin Powell—a Vietnam vet, mind you!—did not?

Nothing. They just had different interests: his to promote his career and feed the imperial machine, theirs to end war.

>If you’re not even 20, that outcome might not have been obvious. But if you served two tours in Vietnam and are in your 50s, you should know better

If you care about the country/justice/etc, which is a big if in politics.

Re: Colin Powell has died

#97

Post by asteroidbelt » Mon, Oct 18, 2021, 1:15 PM UTC

pessimizer wrote: post #90

asteroidbelt wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People need to live free, not to be held slaves under the least evil dictator. I’m sorry for all commenters here who value pity lives more than freedom.

Do they "live free" now?

Compared to life under SH, yes.

Re: Colin Powell has died

#98

Post by 1cvmask » Mon, Oct 18, 2021, 1:16 PM UTC

uberman wrote: post #78

I see many people here hating on Colin Powell and perhaps there is cause for that. In my opinion though, I will remember him an uncommonly principled man. Did he have party loyalties? Sure. Did they sometimes conflict with his personal views? Sure. I'll admit that there were some disappointments. However, his ultimate ability to break with powerful past loyalties that conflicted with his personal views and to speak p…

War-making is a bipartisan cause.

Those against war are considered extreme and fringe

Re: Colin Powell has died

#99

Post by asteroidbelt » Mon, Oct 18, 2021, 1:17 PM UTC

arodyginc wrote: post #37

asteroidbelt wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you are talking about Iraq, these people were not exactly living happy lives under Saddam rule. Colin lie is inexcusable, but Iraq war was a good thing for Iraq. Net zero at least. (Feel free to downvote, downvote is used for disagreement on HN these days.)

go there and check with people, huh?

No you go and check.

This is a silly argument.

Re: Colin Powell has died

#100

Post by gregwtmtno » Mon, Oct 18, 2021, 1:17 PM UTC

purple_ferret wrote: post #86

disneygibson wrote: post #11

Imagine if he had resigned in protest at the decision to push for the invasion of Iraq. He would now be hailed as a hero around the world. Instead, he didn’t. What a waste of an exceptional career.

How well hailed is Russ Feingold? Got 'rewarded' by being voted out of office and forgotten.

Nice to hear Russ's name on HN. Not completely forgotten I see. He also opposed the Patriot Act when it was extremely popular which I thought was courageous.