Colin Powell officially resigned his post as Secretary of State for the US on Friday signaling a further move to the Neo-Con Right for the Bush Administration.
Powell was universally known and respected as a diplomat and negotiator. It was also well known that he was the “moderating” voice in an otherwise hawkish Bush White House.
He was one of the few who Openly questioned President Bush and cautioned him not to act unilaterally and consider the implications of the war and its’ aftermath.
Powells’ apparent, and now famous through Bob Woodwards book Plan of Attack, M.O. was known as “The Pottery Barn Rule” of, “You Break it, You Own it”.
Condaleeza Rice looks to be one of the leading candidates to replace Powell, which would be a big switch from seasoned internation spokesman to someone not nearly as experienced or seemingly as willing to engage the International community diplomatically.
One positive… or at least non-negative of this is the retention so-far of Richard Armitage, who was Powells’ Deputy and shared many of his ideals and techniques. Hopefully the meat-and-potatoes of the State Departments work is handled by the Deputy rather than the Secretary her/himself.