Editing Colin Powell (section)

===2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq===
{{Main|Colin Powell's presentation to the United Nations Security Council}}
{{Blockquote|quote=My second purpose today is ... to share with you what the United States knows about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction ... Iraq's behavior demonstrate that Saddam Hussein and his regime have made no effort ... to disarm as required by the international community. Indeed, the facts and Iraq's behavior show that Saddam Hussein and his regime are concealing their efforts to produce more weapons of mass destruction ... every statement I make today is backed up by sources, solid sources. These are not assertions. What we're giving you are facts and conclusions based on solid intelligence.|author=Colin Powell|source=''Address to the United Nations Security Council''<ref name=UNSC_Powell_20030205>{{cite web |title=Remarks to the United Nations Security Council |publisher=US Department of State |first=Secretary Colin L. |last=Powell |location=New York City |date=February 5, 2003 |url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/secretary/former/powell/remarks/2003/17300.htm |access-date=October 21, 2021 |archive-date=February 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205163122/http://2001-2009.state.gov/secretary/former/powell/remarks/2003/17300.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>}}

Powell came under fire for his role in [[Rationale for the Iraq War|building the case]] for the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]]. A 2004 report by the [[Iraq Survey Group]] concluded that the evidence that Powell offered to support the allegation that the Iraqi government possessed [[weapons of mass destruction]] (WMDs) was inaccurate.<ref name="Guardian2004">{{cite news |date=October 6, 2004 |title=Iraq had no WMD – inspectors |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/oct/06/usa.iraq1 |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=October 21, 2021 |archive-date=October 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021083639/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/oct/06/usa.iraq1 |url-status=live }}</ref> As early as 2000 on the day Powell was nominated to be Secretary of State he told the press "Saddam is sitting on a failed regime that is not going to be around in a few years time".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Moens |first1=Alexander |author-link1=Alex Moens |title=The Foreign Policy of George W. Bush Values, Strategy, and Loyalty |date=2017 |publisher=Taylor & Francis}}</ref>

In a press statement on 24 February 2001, Powell had said that [[International sanctions|sanctions]] against Iraq had prevented the development of any [[weapons of mass destruction]] by [[Saddam Hussein]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Wood|first=B. Dan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cPsfAwAAQBAJ|title=Presidential Saber Rattling: Causes and Consequences|date=2012|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|isbn=978-1-139-53669-1|language=en|doi=10.1017/CBO9781139108720|page=141|access-date=October 19, 2021|archive-date=October 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020123705/https://books.google.com/books?id=cPsfAwAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> Powell favored involving the international community in the invasion, as opposed to a [[Unilateralism|unilateral approach]].{{sfn|DeYoung|2006a|p=401}}

[[File:Powell UN Iraq presentation, alleged Mobile Production Facilities.jpg|thumb|300px|Computer-generated image of an alleged [[Mobile weapons laboratory|mobile production facility for biological weapons]], presented by Powell at the UN [[The UN Security Council and the Iraq war|Security Council]]. On 27 May 2003, U.S. and British experts examined the trailers and declared they had nothing to do with [[biological weapon]]s.<ref name=WashingtonPost_Warrick_20060412 >{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/11/AR2006041101888.html?sub=AR|title=Lacking Biolabs, Trailers Carried Case for War; Administration Pushed Notion of Banned Iraqi Weapons Despite Evidence to Contrary|author=Warrick, Joby|date=April 12, 2006|page=A01|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=August 25, 2017|archive-date=December 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230125315/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/11/AR2006041101888.html?sub=AR|url-status=live}}</ref>]]
[[File:Colin Powell anthrax vial. 5 Feb 2003 at the UN.jpg|thumb|Powell holding a [[2001 anthrax attack|model vial of anthrax]] while giving a presentation to the [[United Nations Security Council]] in February 2003]]

Powell's chief role was to [[The UN Security Council and the Iraq war|garner international support]] for a multi-national [[coalition]] to mount the invasion. To this end, Powell [[United Nations Security Council and the Iraq War#Colin Powell's presentation|addressed a plenary session]] of the [[United Nations Security Council]] on 5 February 2003, to argue in favor of military action.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Borger|first=Julian|date=October 18, 2021|title=Colin Powell's UN speech: a decisive moment in undermining US credibility|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/oct/18/colin-powell-un-security-council-iraq|access-date=October 19, 2021|work=[[The Guardian]]|language=en|archive-date=October 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018235947/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/oct/18/colin-powell-un-security-council-iraq|url-status=live}}</ref> Citing numerous anonymous Iraqi defectors, Powell asserted that "there can be no doubt that Saddam Hussein has [[biological weapons]] and the capability to rapidly produce more, many more". Powell also stated that there was "no doubt in my mind" that Saddam was working to obtain key components to produce nuclear weapons.<ref name=UNSC_Powell_20030205/> Powell stated that he gave his speech to the UN on "four days' notice".<ref>{{Cite news|date=September 11, 2011|title=Powell regrets Iraq failings|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2011/9/11/colin-powell-regrets-iraq-war-intelligence|access-date=October 19, 2021|publisher=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]]|language=en|archive-date=October 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018215023/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2011/9/11/colin-powell-regrets-iraq-war-intelligence|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Breslow|first=Jason M.|date=May 17, 2016|title=Colin Powell: U.N. Speech 'Was a Great Intelligence Failure'|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/colin-powell-u-n-speech-was-a-great-intelligence-failure/|access-date=October 19, 2021|website=[[Frontline (American TV program)|Frontline]]|language=en-US|archive-date=May 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160519134118/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/colin-powell-u-n-speech-was-a-great-intelligence-failure/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Britain's ''[[Channel 4 News]]'' reported soon afterwards that a [[Iraq Dossier|British intelligence dossier]] that Powell had referred to as a "fine paper" during his presentation had been based on old material and [[plagiarism|plagiarized]] an essay by American graduate student [[Ibrahim al-Marashi]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/529|title=U.S. Scholar Uncredited in Iraq Report|last=Lawless|first=Jill|date=February 7, 2003|agency=Associated Press|access-date=June 26, 2009|archive-date=December 4, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071204043055/http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/529|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CNN_20030207">{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/02/07/sprj.irq.uk.dossier/index.html|publisher=CNN|title=UK accused of lifting dossier text|date=February 7, 2003|access-date=October 20, 2007|archive-date=March 8, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308162110/http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/02/07/sprj.irq.uk.dossier/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

A Senate report on intelligence failures would later detail the intense debate that went on behind the scenes on what to include in Powell's speech. State Department analysts had found dozens of factual problems in drafts of the speech. Some of the claims were taken out, but others were left in, such as claims based on the [[yellowcake forgery]].<ref name=LAT_Miller_20040715>{{Cite news  |last = Miller  |first = Greg  |title = Flaws Cited in Powell's U.N. Speech on Iraq  |work = Los Angeles Times  |date = July 15, 2004 |url = http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0715-05.htm  |access-date = February 3, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070212121956/http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0715-05.htm  |archive-date = February 12, 2007 |url-status = dead  |df = mdy-all  }}</ref> The administration came under fire for having acted on faulty intelligence, particularly that which was single-sourced to the informant known as [[Curveball (informant)|Curveball]]. Powell later recounted how Vice President [[Dick Cheney]] had joked with him before he gave the speech, telling him, "You've got high poll ratings; you can afford to lose a few points". Powell's longtime [[aide-de-camp]] and Chief of Staff from 1989 to 2003, Colonel [[Lawrence Wilkerson]], later characterized Cheney's view of Powell's mission as to "go up there and sell it, and we'll have moved forward a peg or two. Fall on your damn sword and kill yourself, and I'll be happy, too".<ref name=DeYoung2006>{{Cite news  |last = DeYoung  |first = Karen |author-link=Karen DeYoung |title = Falling on His Sword: Colin Powell's most significant moment turned out to be his lowest  |newspaper = [[The Washington Post]]  |date = October 1, 2006 |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/27/AR2006092700106.html  |access-date = February 3, 2007 |archive-date = October 7, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081007160519/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/27/AR2006092700106.html  |url-status = live  }}</ref>

In September 2005, Powell was asked about the speech during an interview with [[Barbara Walters]] and responded that it was a "blot" on his record. He went on to say, "It will always be a part of my record. It was painful. It's painful now".<ref name=ABC_20050908>{{Cite news  |title = Colin Powell on Iraq, Race, and Hurricane Relief  |work = ABC News: 20/20  |date = September 8, 2005 |url = https://abcnews.go.com/2020/Politics/story?id=1105979&page=1  |access-date = February 3, 2007 |archive-date = December 10, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131210165636/http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Politics/story?id=1105979&page=1  |url-status = live  }}</ref>

Wilkerson later said that he inadvertently participated in a hoax on the American people in preparing Powell's erroneous testimony before the United Nations Security Council.<ref name=PBS_Brancaccio_20060203>{{Cite news  |last = Brancaccio  |first = David  |title = Iraq Pre-War Intelligence  |work = [[NOW (PBS)|NOW]]  |publisher = PBS  |date = February 3, 2006 |url = https://www.pbs.org/now/politics/wilkerson.html  |access-date = February 3, 2007 |archive-date = March 12, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140312155935/http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/wilkerson.html  |url-status = live  }}</ref>

As recounted in ''Soldier: The Life of Colin Powell'', in 2001 before 9/11, [[Richard A. Clarke]], a [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]] holdover from the Clinton administration, pushed the new Bush administration for action against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, a move opposed by [[Paul Wolfowitz]] who advocated for the creation of a "U.S.-protected, opposition-run 'liberated' enclave around the southern Iraqi city of Basra".{{Sfn|DeYoung|2006a|pp=344–45}} Powell referred to Wolfowitz and other top members of Donald Rumsfeld's staff "as the 'JINSA crowd,' " in reference to the pro-Israel [[Jewish Institute for National Security of America|Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs]].{{Sfn|DeYoung|2006a|p=356}} Again invoking "the JINSA crowd" Powell also attributed the decision to go to war in Iraq in 2003 to the [[neoconservative]] belief that regime change in Baghdad "was a first and necessary stop on the road to peace in Jerusalem".{{Sfn|DeYoung|2006a|p=388}}

A review of ''Soldier'' by [[Tim Rutten]] criticized Powell's remarks as a "blot on his record", accusing Powell of slandering "neoconservatives in the Defense Department – nearly all of them Jews" with "old and wholly unmeritorious allegations of dual loyalty".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rutten |first=Tim |date=October 9, 2006 |title=Powell biography involves a game of connect the blots |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-oct-09-et-book9-story.html |access-date=October 20, 2021 |archive-date=October 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018131510/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-oct-09-et-book9-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> A 2007 article about fears that Jewish groups "will be accused of driving America into a war with the regime in Tehran" cited the DeYoung biography and quoted JINSA's then-executive director, Thomas Neumann, as "surprised" Powell "would single out a Jewish group when naming those who supported the war". Neumann said, "I am not accusing Powell of anything, but these are words that the antisemites will use in the future".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Forward Staff |date=February 2, 2007 |title=Groups Fear Public Backlash Over Iran |work=Forward |url=https://forward.com/news/10004/groups-fear-public-backlash-over-iran/ |access-date=October 20, 2021 |archive-date=September 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919043641/https://forward.com/news/10004/groups-fear-public-backlash-over-iran/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.jpg|thumb|upright|Secretary Powell with NATO Secretary General [[Jaap de Hoop Scheffer]]]]

Once [[Saddam Hussein]] had been deposed, Powell's renewed role was to once again establish a working international coalition, this time to assist in the rebuilding of post-war Iraq. On 13 September 2004, Powell testified before the [[Senate Governmental Affairs Committee]],<ref name=WashingtonPost_Pincus_20040914>{{Cite news  |last = Pincus  |first = Walter  |title = Support for Intelligence Plan  |newspaper = [[The Washington Post]]  |date = February 14, 2004 |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18890-2004Sep13.html  |access-date = February 3, 2007 |archive-date = August 7, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070807234455/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18890-2004Sep13.html  |url-status = live  }}</ref> acknowledging that the sources who provided much of the information in his February 2003 UN presentation were "wrong" and that it was "unlikely" that any stockpiles of WMDs would be found. Claiming that he was unaware that some intelligence officials questioned the information prior to his presentation, Powell pushed for reform in the intelligence community, including the creation of a national intelligence director who would assure that "what one person knew, everyone else knew".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Pincus|first=Walter|date=September 14, 2004|title=Support for Intelligence Plan|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18890-2004Sep13.html|access-date=August 25, 2017|archive-date=January 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108052732/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18890-2004Sep13.html|url-status=live}}</ref>