veritas dixit

veritas on Secretary of State Colin Powell

"I respectfully suggest that an effort be made to separate Colin Powell the man from Colin Powell's role in the administration and in the diplomatic world [which frankly is more surreal than anything Lewis Carroll could have dreamt]. We do not see the great bulk of his work, and we do not hear what he says behind the woodshed to leaders around the world. I am willing to accept that President Bush has good reason for his confidence in Secretary Powell, even when Powell's public roles and statements, taken alone and without regard to the great bulk of his work, are the usual diplo-speak. Only General Powell's SecState persona gives him the opportunity to go to, say, Syria, and pin Assad's ears back in private."
~~ veritas