as are we all. Powell spent his formative years as an infantry officer in Vietnam. His "Powell Doctrine" about having clear objectives and the nation's support sprang from those years spent fighting a "no-win" war without public support back home. Sending young men under his command home in body bags as a result of a criminally stupid foreign policy has to take a toll on a man like Powell.

Powell is a very good man who may see a similar quagmire facing us in the war on terrorism. While I hope he's either playing a "good cop/bad cop" routine or is merely being overly pessimistic, I do respect the man enough to consider his opinions carefully.