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[[Image:Colin_Powell.jpg|right|200px]]

[[Image:Colin_Powell.jpg|right|200px]]

'''General Colin Luther Powell''', United States Army (Ret.) (born April 5, 1937) was the 65th [[United States]] [[Secretary of State]] (2001-05) under President [[George W. Bush]] and a liberal member of the [[Republican]] Party. As a General in the [[United States Army]], Powell also served as [[National Security Advisor]] (1987–1989), and as Chairman of the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]] (1989–1993) he became the highest ranking African American government official in the history of the United States.  

'''General Colin Luther Powell''', United States Army (Ret.) (born April 5, 1937) was the 65th [[United States]] [[Secretary of State]] (2001-05) under President [[George W. Bush]] and a liberal member of the [[Republican]] Party. As a General in the [[United States Army]], Powell also served as [[National Security Advisor]] (1987–1989), and as Chairman of the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]] (1989–1993) he became the highest ranking African American government official in the history of the United States. Powell is best known in the international community for "lying" to the [[United Nations]] in 2003 about the specifics of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-schwarz/lie-after-lie-what-colin-_b_85058.html Huffington Post - Lie After Lie: What Colin Powell Knew Five Years Ago Today, and What He Told the World]</ref> and for spectacularly failing at generating international support for United States foreign policy in George W. Bush's first term.<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/17/1047749726236.html Failure of US diplomacy may claim Powell's scalp</ref>  After Powell left the [[National Security Council]], the fortunes for the United States markedly improved in diplomacy (with countries like [[France]]<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/25/AR2007062501691.html?hpid=sec-world Washington Post - Rice Breaks Ice With France's New Leaders]</ref>) and in the [[Iraq War]] after the [[troop surge]] was implemented in George W. Bush's second term. In 2008, he endorsed [[Barack Obama]], who had opposed the surge in 2007.

==Military career==  

==Military career==  

At the age of 49, Powell became President [[Ronald Reagan]]'s National Security Advisor, serving from 1987 to 1989. He retained his Army commission (he was a Lieutenant General at the time of his nomination) while serving as National Security Advisor. After his tenure, Powell was promoted to 4-star General under President [[George H.W. Bush]].

At the age of 49, Powell became President [[Ronald Reagan]]'s National Security Advisor, serving from 1987 to 1989. He retained his Army commission (he was a Lieutenant General at the time of his nomination) while serving as National Security Advisor. After his tenure, Powell was promoted to 4-star General under President [[George H.W. Bush]].

From 1989 to 1993, General Powell served as chairman of the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]], the highest [[military]] position in the Department of Defense. During this time, he oversaw 28 crises, including the invasion of [[Panama]] in 1989 to remove General [[Manuel Noriega]] from power in and Operation Desert Storm in the 1991 [[Persian Gulf War]]. During these events, Powell earned his nickname, "the reluctant warrior".  After the end of Persian Gulf War, Colin Powell outlined his vision for efficient and decisive military action. His plan is now referred to as the [[Powell Doctrine]]. The Doctrine expresses that military action should be used only as a last resort and only if there is a clear risk to national security by the intended target; the force, when used, should be overwhelming and disproportionate to the force used by the enemy; there must be strong support for the campaign by the general public; and there must be a clear exit strategy from the conflict in which the military is engaged.  

From 1989 to 1993, General Powell served as chairman of the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]], the highest [[military]] position in the Department of Defense. During this time, he oversaw 28 crises, including the invasion of [[Panama]] in 1989 to remove General [[Manuel Noriega]] from power in and Operation Desert Storm in the 1991 [[Persian Gulf War]]. During these events, Powell earned his nickname, "the reluctant warrior".  After the end of Persian Gulf War, Colin Powell outlined his vision for efficient and decisive military action. His plan is now referred to as the [[Powell Doctrine]]. the Doctrine expresses that military action should be used only as a last resort and only if there is a clear risk to national security by the intended target; the force, when used, should be overwhelming and disproportionate to the force used by the enemy; there must be strong support for the campaign by the general public; and there must be a clear exit strategy from the conflict in which the military is engaged.  

[[Image:20010912-4-1.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Secretary of State Colin Powell, [[Vice President of the United States of America|Vice President]] [[Dick Cheney]] and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Hugh Shelton, President George W. Bush talks with the press about the previous day's terrorist attacks during a cabinet meeting Sept. 12, 2001. White House photo by Tina Hager. ]] Later as Secretary of State in the Bush [[administration]], Powell was tremendously popular among the American people. After the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]], Powell's job became of critical importance in managing America's relationships with foreign countries in order to secure a stable coalition in the [[War on Terrorism]]. Powell is best known in the international community for testifying to the [[United Nations]] in 2003 about the specifics of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program and for spectacularly failing at generating international support for United States foreign policy in George W. Bush's first term.  After Powell left the [[National Security Council]], the fortunes for the United States markedly improved in diplomacy (with countries like [[France]]) and in the [[Iraq War]].

[[Image:20010912-4-1.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Secretary of State Colin Powell, [[Vice President of the United States of America|Vice President]] [[Dick Cheney]] and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Hugh Shelton, President George W. Bush talks with the press about the previous day's terrorist attacks during a cabinet meeting Sept. 12, 2001. White House photo by Tina Hager. ]] Later as Secretary of State in the Bush [[administration]], Powell was tremendously popular among the American people. After the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]], Powell's job became of critical importance in managing America's relationships with foreign countries in order to secure a stable coalition in the [[War on Terrorism]]. He spoke out in favor of the 2003 Invasion of [[Iraq]], saying that there was "no doubt in my mind" that Saddam was working to obtain key components to produce nuclear weapons.

==Political views==  

==Political views==