Wrong on Iraq, Wrong on Barack

Just as Colin Powell overlooked UN corruption before the Iraq war, he's overlooking Barack Obama's flaws as a candidate, Claudia Rosett writes in the National Review. His endorsement lacked any specifics about the transformations Obama will bring about, leading her to revisit Powell's previous "blind spots." Rosett doesn't "question Powell’s integrity"; instead, it's "his perception of how the wider world actually works that is at issue."

As secretary of state, Powell "raised no public alarm" about the corrupted Oil-for-Food relief program for Iraq. When the US overthrew Saddam, our country was "cast ultimately as the rogue" of the UN by members who profited from a sanctioned Iraq. When it comes to Obama, writes Rosett, "is it possible that once again, there are highly germane factors that Powell has missed?" (More Barack Obama stories.)