Colin Powell
Colin Powell
Colin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under U.S. President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005, the first African American to serve in that position. During his military career, Powell also served as National Security Advisor, as Commander of the U.S. Army Forces Commandand as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, holding the latter position during the Persian...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth5 April 1937
CityNew York City, NY
CountryUnited States of America
The president's personal staff has a unique role
President's personal staff has a unique role. They're his intimate personal advisers, and the tradition and the precedent has been, even when I was national security adviser, that people in that position do not testify before the Congress. They talk to the Congress. They have meetings with the Congress.
I recommended to the president [George Bush] that our focus had to be on al-Qaida, the Taliban and Afghanistan. Those were the ones who attacked the United States of America on 9/11.
I would sit and talk to any president who wishes to talk to me, but I'm not anxious to rule it in.
President Kennedy didn't negotiate out of the Cuban missile crisis simply because he and Khrushchev got along well. Khrushchev didn't have the cards.
I regret to say that President Aristide, I think, has made some mistakes over the years,
The United States and India stand united against terrorism and that includes terrorism directed against India as well,
So that's the Chinese using their influence, their leverage, if you will,
Cuba is an anachronism ... and history will catch up with them.
Whether it should or should not have been in the speech is something we can certainly discuss and debate,
The American people to this point have taken it in stride, ... And I don't think they are upset yet to a point where it is troubling to the nation.
Mr. Arafat has not been playing a helpful role, ... And if he wanted to play a helpful role, he would be supporting Prime Minister Abbas, not frustrating his efforts.
China has a role to play and I hope China will play that role,
We cannot be shocked into impotence because we're afraid of the difficult choices that are ahead of us,