Mourning Colin Powell: The American Dream – With a Flaw

From the Bronx to the top of the US State Department: Colin Powell’s life was a US success story. His speech on alleged weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is also part of his legacy.

“We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American,” wrote Colin Powell’s family on Facebook. The 84-year-old died of corona disease, although he was fully vaccinated.

Powell goes down in history as the first black US Secretary of State and the first black Chief of Staff. He was convinced that conflicts in the world should be resolved as far as possible through negotiations and diplomacy.

From the Bronx to Secretary of State

Powell’s life was an American success story. He grew up in the South Bronx, New York. His parents were Jamaican immigrants. He fought as a soldier in Vietnam, had a brilliant military career and was first national security advisor under ex-President Ronald Reagan in 1987, and then chief of staff of the US armed forces two years later. During this time he oversaw not only the US invasion of Panama, but also the invasion of Kuwait.

The Republican himself later toyed with the idea of ​​running for president. But his wife, Alma, was against it. In 2001 he was finally appointed to the cabinet of George W. Bush – as the 65th US Secretary of State.

False statements about weapons of mass destruction

His reputation was later damaged by an appearance before the UN Security Council. To justify the US invasion of Iraq, Powell presented alleged evidence of weapons of mass destruction that Iraq did not have. Saddam Hussein and his regime would hide their efforts to produce weapons of mass destruction, Powell said at the time. The allegation later turned out to be false and Powell regretted his comments.

Powell was considered moderate within the Republican Party. He surprised his party colleagues when he supported Barack Obama as a presidential candidate in 2008. Obama did not get involved as the African American president, but as an American who happens to be black, Powell said at the time.

Sharp criticism of ex-President Trump

Most recently, he was considered a staunch critic of ex-President Trump. Before the 2020 presidential election, Powell publicly stated that he would vote for Democrat Joe Biden. “We can no longer support President Trump in any way. I’m very close to Joe Biden – in social and political matters,” he said. After storming the Capitol on January 6, Powell broke with the Republicans for good.

Former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura said Powell had served the country outstanding. Many presidents would have trusted his advice.