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| Bush ditched Powell for Israeli stance |
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| Charles Laurence - The Age - Mon 22nd, November 2004 |
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Colin Powell, the outgoing US Secretary of State, was given his marching orders after telling President George Bush that he wanted greater power to confront Israel over the stalled Middle East peace process.
Although Mr Powell's departure was announced on November 15, his letter of resignation was dated November 11, the day he had a meeting with Mr Bush.
According to White House officials, Mr Powell was not asked to stay on and gave no hints that he would do so. Briefing reporters later, he referred to "fulsome discussions" - diplomatic code for disagreements.
Friends of Mr Powell later briefed journalists that he had changed his mind because he saw the chance of progress on the peace process and wanted to see through the Iraqi elections.
"The clincher came over the Mid-East peace process," said a recently retired State Department official. "Powell thought he could use the credit he had banked as the President's 'good cop' in foreign policy to rein in Ariel Sharon (Israel's Prime Minister) and get the peace process going. He was wrong." Mr Powell will visit Israel and the Palestinian territories early this week to promote a smooth transition of power after the death of leader Yasser Arafat.
Vice-President Dick Cheney and his fellow hardliner, John Bolton, an Under-Secretary of State to Mr Powell, are believed to have lobbied Mr Bush to replace him.
They wanted to make Iran's alleged nuclear bomb aspirations and support for Islamic terror groups the foreign policy priority and believed that Mr Powell would back away from a confrontational approach. The two are frustrated that Britain, France and Germany are still seeking a diplomatic deal with Tehran rather than backing an immediate UN Security Council resolution condemning Iran and threatening sanctions.
Mr Powell's final pitch to remain in office for at least another year was made during British Prime Minister Tony Blair's visit to Washington nine days ago.
He had earlier intended to step down after four years of clashes with the office of Mr Cheney and the Pentagon under Donald Rumsfeld.
Mr Rumsfeld said he had yet to sit down with President Bush to discuss his future, and it is not out of the question that Mr Bush will make a change at the Pentagon before he starts his second term.
Mr Powell will be replaced by Condoleezza Rice, the National Security Adviser and close confidante of Mr Bush.
Mr Bolton's predicted promotion as her deputy is a further signal that the President wants to conduct foreign policy without the "moderating" influence and popular public face of Mr Powell.
Prominent neo-conservatives in Washington make no secret of their desire for regime change in Tehran, although few believe that a full-scale military operation is a viable strategy. Instead, the emphasis is on establishing economic sanctions as a means to squeeze the ruling mullahs.
There is also the option that the US may tacitly back some Israeli air strikes on Iranian nuclear plants.
Mr Powell was due to arrive in Israel from Santiago, Chile, where he had accompanied Mr Bush to an Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation summit.
He will meet Israeli leaders, including Mr Sharon, and new Palestinian leaders before going to Egypt for an international conference on the future of Iraq.
- Telegraph, New York Times |
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