Colin Powell Opposes Bush On Detainee Treatment

by Steve

MSNBC image

So much for that "Democrats appease terrorists" campaign.

Just as John McCain was ready to don the kneepads again and give Bush what he wants on detainee treatment, Colin Powell assuages his guilt and throws in a bomb from the cheap seats:

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed efforts to block President Bush's plan to authorize harsh interrogations of terror suspects, even as Bush lobbied personally for it Thursday on Capitol Hill.

The latest sign of GOP division over White House security policy came in a letter that Powell sent to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., one of three rebellious senators taking on the White House. Powell said Congress must not pass Bush's proposal to redefine U.S. compliance with the Geneva Conventions, a treaty that sets international standards for the treatment of prisoners of war.

"The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism," said Powell, who served under Bush and is a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "To redefine Common Article 3 would add to those doubts. Furthermore, it would put our own troops at risk."

Well, how long will it be before John Boehner or Denny Hastert call Powell treasonous or question his patriotism? How quickly will we see a spate of stories from the media about how divided the GOP is on the issues? And how easily will John McCain go against Colin Powell to plant another wet kiss on Bush’s ass?

I'm sure that the Bush 41 crowd, namely Brent Scowcroft and James Baker, knew nothing about Powell's move here, right?