Urge Colin Powell to Speak Out

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell will give a motivational speach at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on November 13. He has offered tepid criticism of the Bush Administration's foreign policy. But Powell is a prominent statesman who could make front-page news across the country by saying that most U.S. troops should come home from Iraq and the U.S. should not start another war by bombing Iran.

I am trying to organize fundraising to put an ad in the Dispatch on the day of Colin Powell's visit. Time is short to make this happen. Contact me at powellshouldspeakout@yahoo.com if you would be interested in helping to contribute to cover the cost for the ad.

The Bush Admin. fears Colin Powell will become an anti-war critic according to reporting by Sidney Blumenthal:

"Powell is the White House's ticking-time-bomb scenario," Sidney Blumenthal writes in Salon. "He was Petraeus before Petraeus, the good soldier before the good soldier, window-dressing before window-dressing. The White House aides' fear of Powell reflects their guilt, if not their stricken consciences, over his disposal. Powell was used, ruined and tossed overboard. His warnings were ignored, his loyalty was abused, and when he no longer served Bush's purposes he was unceremoniously discarded. Notwithstanding his tarnished reputation, Powell has a final chance to regain his dignity and at least some of his previous standing by stepping forward at the crucial hour."