Reply #4: Powell [View All]

My take on this is that he was being candid about the situation, something the Bush administration has not been: "I agree with the assessment of Mr. Baker and Mr. Hamilton. It’s grave and deteriorating. As Secretary-designate of Defense Bob Gates said at his confirmation hearing, we’re not winning. So it’s grave and deteriorating, and we’re not winning. We are losing. We haven’t lost."

Powell also said he didn't think that more soldiers would improve the situation. This is important because it seems now that that is the most likely next step, that Democrats also seem to be willing to go along with. The rationale that Bush (and even Reid) have used for additional troop deployment, is that the generals in the field are calling for it. In other words, defer to people with military judgment. For Powell, who has been Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff of the US military, to counter their claims and state that more troops will not help is likely the best counterbalance we have towards the possibility of expanding our presence in Iraq.