Powell on Obama's Foreign Policy

You guys know how much I hate American TeeVee news of all ideological slants -- and goodness gracious, it boggles the mind that people listen to this freaking guy -- but bear with Rachel Maddow of MSNBC in this clip because Colin Powell says some really interesting things in a serious interview. First off, he (re)interprets his own doctrine in a more charitable way than I would:

I think the Powell Doctrine is pretty good military strategy and I'm proud to have a doctrine named after me that really is classic military thought. Decide what you are trying to achieve politically and if it can't be achieved through political and diplomatic and economic means, and you have to use military force, then make sure you know exactly what you're using the military force for and then apply it in a decisive manner.

I would agree with that doctrine, but that's not exactly how most people interpret what is commonly understood as the Powell Doctrine. Powell then talks at length on Afghanistan and Pakistan, and defends the Bush Administration's record on development in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Say what you want about Powell, but this guy -- vials of Anthrax aside -- is one of the greatest living Americans and always worth listening to on matters relating to war and military strategy.

The full transcript of the interview is here.