By Janet Ekstract
NEW YORK (TURKISH JOURNAL) – At a press conference on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken called former General and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell, an “extraordinary leader” and a “great man.” Powell, who passed away on Monday of complications from COVID-19 at 84, was a leader unparalleled in history, Blinken told the press after news of Powell’s death.
Blinken pointed out that Powell gave the State Department “the very best of his leadership, his patriotism.” He highlighted Powell’s “decency” as an individual and that he was much loved because of it. He reiterated that Powell empowered his career workforce and his magnanimity along with his dislike of formalities, endeared him to those who worked under him. Blinken pointed out that Powell didn’t pay much attention to hierarchy as Blinken said: “He wanted to hear from everyone. He walked around the building dropping into offices unannounced, asking what people needed.”
President Biden’s current secretary of state commented that it was Powell’s 35 years as a “professional soldier” and his time as a general when he oversaw Iraq’s Operation Desert Storm as well as his unwavering commitment and knowledge that earned him his second Presidential Medal of Freedom during the presidency of Bill Clinton. Blinken added that at the medal ceremony, Clinton said: ““Today, a grateful nation observes the end of a distinguished career and celebrates 35 years of service and victory: a victory for the United States military that gave young Colin Powell a chance to learn and to grow and to lead; a victory for the military and political leaders who continue to elevate him based on their complete confidence and sheer respect; a victory for a nation well served; and, in a larger sense, a victory for the American dream, for the principle that in our nation, people can rise as far as their talent, their capacities, their dreams, and their discipline will carry them.”
Secretary of State Blinken concluded about Powell: “He knew that war and military action should always be a last resort and to make that so, we need our diplomacy to be as robust and well-resourced as possible.” Blinken added: “He modernized the State Department, putting a computer on every desk. And he believed deeply that America was an exceptional nation, that we could and should lead with confidence and humility, and that the world was safer when the United States was engaged and its allies and partners were united.”
Blinken said he was a “huge admirer of Secretary Powell’s – I always will be – and he was very generous with me.” He reiterated that Powell’s “depth of knowledge about world events was unmatched, and he loved that State Department and wanted it to thrive.” He added that Powell’s the Powell Doctrine that contains criteria for when and how the U.S. should use force and his support for expeditionary diplomacy along with working in a unified manner with diplomats and military to bring stability to high- threat environments was the key to Powell’s success. Blinken stressed that Powell was consistently “listening, learning, adapting.” He said it was because Powell could admit mistakes that that made his integrity all the more powerful in his legacy.
