When the war was over, why, there were jobs galore
For the G.I. Josephs who were in the war
But for generals things were not so grand
And it's not so hard to understand

[Refrain:]
What can you do with a general
When he stops being a general?
Oh, what can you do with a general who retires?

Who's got a job for a general
When he stops being a general?
They all get a job but a general no one hires

They fill his chest with medals while he's across the foam
And they spread the crimson carpet when he comes marching home
The next day someone hollers when he comes into view
"Here comes the general" and they all say "General who?"
They're delighted that he came
But they can't recall his name

Nobody thinks of assigning him
When they stop wining and dining him
It seems this country never has enjoyed
So many one and two and three and four star generals
Unemployed

He's been kind of a late comer in the recent past. Gave his endorsement of Obama when essentially the rest of the world already committed to one or the other side in the election. Now he piles on the Republicans with essentially the same platitudes that had been espoused weeks ago.

I think anyone like Colin Powell who claims the Republicans need to listen to minorities should be asked to be very specific how the Democratic Party's ear has afforded remarkable advances for minorities in this country.

Powell lost all of the respect I ever had for him, when in August 2001, he sang a drunken karaoke version of "El Paso".

That clip seems to have been erased from the internet; if you can find it, please post it.

Powell has no credibility and re-posting that little gem would remind the world what he really is.

Do you guys really disagree with him?

Remember, there is a difference between being a Republican and being a Conservative. For a while, I've felt like the Republican party has been losing sight of itself.

The democrats are in power now, like it or not. It's probably a good opportunity for our party to do some reflection. Any party that is in power long enough loses sight of what it's about. In 4-8 years, the Democrats will be unrecognizable from what they are now, just like the Republican party is unrecognizable now from what it was 8 years ago.

We're not going to get power back if we continue to convince ourselves that we're perfect, and we haven't been doing anything wrong. Colin has addressed, in many cases, some very valid points. In other cases, he may have missed the mark. Don't hang him out to dry yet.

Although, I haven't seen this interview yet. I don't know how far he goes in his criticism.

Also, keep in mind that you're reading the CNN summary, which is likely to only put emphasis on the most fiery parts of the interview, and not the parts in which he defends his party.

Yeah! Colin. The party should forget about our principles. You are nuts buddy. Plain and simple. ww

In the original report Powell whines,"Can we afford to listen to Rush Limbaugh?"
Can we afford to listen to Colin Powell? So called "leaders" like him are the problem with the Republican Party. His support for Obamalala was proof enough of that.

Powell had the chance to blow the whistle on Richard Armitage, and prevent Libby from beuing falsely smeared as the one who 'leaked' Plame's identity; but to remain in the good graces of the MSM he remained silent...an act of cowardace.

If he was so enamored of Obama, why did Powell wait until the last second to 'endorse' him?

It seems like Powell still wanted be a player in DC, so he did whatever he could to curry favor with the establishment and the MSM.

Whose "wounds" are you referring to?

Powell is a real leader, strong and smart, and a man of integrity. I wish he'd run for president in 1996.

He has diagnosed the know-nothingism and extreme right-wing partisanship that is degrading the Republican Party.

Part of that is preachy moralism, example here:

Powell lost all of the respect I ever had for him, when in August 2001, he sang a drunken karaoke version of "El Paso".

Get that corncob out of your ass.

Here's rightwing think as personified by the likes of woefulwillie:

"Zell Miller, Joe Liberman men of integrity and honor. Colin Powell, useless political hack."

If nothing you folks are funnier than the comic strips.

Yeah JFO, you're spot on. When the dems became a party of lefty asshats both Lieberman and Miller stuck to their principles and said no.

Powell let a guy get strung up by Fitzgerald when he could have came forward and told what he knew. Didn't have the guts OR purposely didn't for other reasons.

I can see why you hold Joe and Zell in contempt.

It's not just the media that adores him, many military and retired military do as well. Powell was the one who called for more troops in Iraq from the get-go, which in hindsight, would have saved a lot of American lives. He advocated invading and occupying a country by INVADING AND OCCUPYING a country. Massive, overwhelming force, don't let them disperse, don't let them get away to come back at us later. No one listened and more American troops died than necessary.

The fact that he remained silent for as many years as he did speaks volumes about his loyalty to his President. I believe he resigned because he felt HE was betrayed, and until recently never said a word. I believe he spoke when he thought his words would carry the most weight. When I heard him endorse Senator Obama it made me rethink my vote for awhile.

As far as I'm concerned when he spoke out, it made Republicans look bad, not him. He has never done or said anything that made me question his honor or his integrity. I can't say that about everyone in President Bush's Administration. I supported them, but looking back, I'm not sure we should have trusted them as explicitly as we did, but I was active duty up until this last year so I didn't have much of a choice then.

As for "real conservative" Republicans, I have no more use for them than I do for far left Democrats. Both sides are more concerned with being right than for the welfare of the country.

".....when the dems became a party of lefty asshats..." Was that around the time you and the Republicans became a party of rightwing fascists?

What happened to you Colin Powell? Once upon a time, you were a real leader...strong and smart. You gave the impression that you were a man of unwavering principles.

What happened to him is that he remained a man of unwavering principles. You revere a man who said, ""I didn't leave the Democratic Party; the party left me". But you condemn a man who observes that about Republicans.

You betrayed your president and your party.

And "country first" goes right out the window.

He also opined on conservative radio talk show hosts, saying that they appeal to "our lesser instincts," and said that Republicans lost in November because they used "polarization for political advantage."

What a great party that lauds Limbaugh above Powell. Can you keep that going for a few more years?

After endorsing Obama, he's circling the drain. This Colon Product needs to be flushed.

Powell: "...the GOP must see what is in the "hearts and minds" of African-American, Hispanic and Asian voters "and not just try to influence them by... the principles and dogma."

Is Powell even capable of cogent thinking? Just principles ... what about existing private sector and governmental "minority hiring preferences"?

Dogma ... none of that on the left, is there?
Is not the Democrat's proposed bailout of Detroit's automakers a transparent round number two in a profligate game of 'Musical Chairs' with taxpayer funds?

What is Powell really suggesting, that the U.S. reserves permanent seats for minorities in such a game? Dr. King might call that what it would really be, favoritism.

i wouldnt judge a political figure based on a karaoke video LOL

but i lost respect for colin powell when he got up in front of the UN with the silliest freak show of doctored intel that we'll ever see

i'll never forget the looks on the faces of the UN attendees. it was some kind of bored incredulousness: knowing their time is being wasted with smoke and mirrors, and muted shock over the scope of the fraud

not a proud moment for anyone involved.......

Timmer, you aren't allowed your own facts. If you recall, we won the war easily. It was dissolving Iraq's army that caused the problems. Powell had no idea that would be done. Just read a little Timmer. If you can't remember what happened 5 years ago. ww

Timmer, you aren't allowed your own facts. If you recall, we won the war easily. It was dissolving Iraq's army that caused the problems. Powell had no idea that would be done.

Yes, but if we had used overwhelming force the disaster of disbanding the iraqi millitary wouldn't have caused any trouble; because we would have had an additonal 250,000 boots on the ground to deal with it.

Powell's overwhelming force is planing for unforseen contingenices. Something goes wrong and you have enough troops to deal.

You've done some reading ww, now think a little bit more about what you have read.

Willie, both Powell and Shinseki agitated for more troops. Shinseki was just louder about it and lost his job. To do the occupation right, it would have taken over 300,000 troops, and that didn't fit with Rumsfeld's unrealistic conception of what the armed forces ought to look like.

I'm not defending Powell--he didn't have to embarrass himself and his country in front of the UN like that--but you don't get to make up your own facts either. The invasion and occupation would have went better with a larger force on the ground, but yes, you're right--keeping the Iraqi army intact would have been a good idea too. Bremer = epic failure.

Willie, I was IN the Air Force for 23 years from 1984 to 2007. When we went into Iraq, I was stationed at USSTRATCOM. I don't have to read anything. I listened to the opinions of friends and superiors and drew my conclusions from that.

I'll give you that we "Won the war." Hell, the war was over in about a month. But we failed to establish and maintain the peace. And if that wasn't a strategic objective, we should have left as soon as we'd "won." Establishing and maintaining the peace required more boots on the ground. Powell knew it, Shinseki knew it. You could have asked ANY military person from Private to General and they damn sure knew it. Hell, ask any kid who's played Command and Conquer and THEY could tell you that taking ground isn't the hard part, it's the holding it.

Many of us Desert Storm Vets would follow Colin Powell and Norman Schwartkopf to hell and back because they proved that they were willing to do what it takes to do the job and get us home.

Was Powell ever really confirmed to be a Republican? It seems to me that he liked the attention of being an enigma. The sad thing is, if he had just been a plain old white general, we wouldn't even being discussing him now.

The Republicans lost because of "principles and dogma"? The Republicans lost because they sold out principles to try and buy votes, and spent like Democrats.

Should we (as Republicans) listen to the minorities who are being killed and hurt by other minorities in our Democrat-controlled major cities all over the country? Absolutely yes!

Should we listen to those race hustlers who blame every ill in minority life on whites, and who demand more money be thrown at problems, but don't call on their own to take responsibility for their rhetoric and actions? Absolutely not!

Colin Powell, war hero? Sure. Colin Powell, Republican political strategist? Get lost.

I have high praise for Colin Powell. Maybe the GOP will start to take a look at themselves and realize why they lost. Oh wait....they didn't stand a chance anyway!

Barack Hussein Obama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Powell has a long reputation for being a self-serving political "soldier". His leaking and backstabbing did not suddenly occur during this president's term. He has never really shown any character other than the one we wished upon him....a nice fairy tale but nothing of real substance. Republicans have to get real and not endow people with attributes we wish they had, that way leads to trouble. Look at the errors we have made in letting people like powell, gergen, brooks, pass themselves off as representative of what republicans/conservatives are. I think if you were to ask anyone, today, what the republican party stands for, they would be hard pressed to state what the main platform of the republican party is, and not have any idea at all what a conervative is. It is not a question of throwing out powell because he questions republicans, it is defining ourselves and not allowing a democrat light to do the defining.

judith - i guess you are saying neither bu$h knew what the hell they were doing, since they made use of powell in such lofty positions?

Colin Powell: Pouring Salt On The Wounds

I'll bet it hurts like hell! Good!

".....when the dems became a party of lefty asshats..." Was that around the time you and the Republicans became a party of rightwing fascists?

No, it actually occurred when the dems decided personal power and agendas trumped the national interests. JFK, RFK, Scoop Jackson, etal would puke if they knew what had become of their party.

Fascists? LOLOLOL If advocating individual prosperity and accountability is fascist, guilty as charged. But you MIGHT instead study up on what your party tried to do to Joe the Plumber for speaking his mind. But wait,...that's not allowed in Obamaland. You'd be a little closer to fascism.

peabody, comeon, gratuitous insults to Pres. Bush 41 and 43, grow up. The adults in this party need individuals of high moral fiber, powell was not. A man (especially a military general), if opposed to this war in Iraq, should have resigned his position and taken a stand, powell did not. He behaved in a particularly craven manner, backstabbing, letting his assistants take the fall, very poor character, amazing he became a general. I would not want a man of that weak a character to represent my party, either republican or democrat. Republicans need to clearly define what the party stands for, publicly articulate that position, and accept no other phony representatives to re-define the party platform and ethics. Could anyone, today, say what the republican party actually stands for? And the dems have travelled so far of the trail, John Kennedy (who I do not admire) would not recognize his party. Define the principles and let us get on with the debates and elections.

Timmer,

That is part of the problem with the current state of the Republican Party. While putting on a fine show about being pro-military, they chose George Bush, who let his flight status lapse (in your 23 years in the USAF, did you ever know a pilot who did that?) over a true war hero, John McCain. Now on this thread you hear General Powell attacked for criticizing Rush Limbaugh, a man who didn't even have the gumption to finish college and would fold like a cheap card table if he was challenged to do anything other than flap his gums.

And those Duke lacrosse boys are rapists, too! Remember?!
Crystal Mangum Obama!!!!!