Powell furious at Rumsfeld's Europe insults
March 16 2003
By Aaron Patrick
New York
As America struggles to win United Nations support for deposing Saddam
Hussein, new evidence of tension between US Secretary of State Colin
Powell and the pro-war "hawks" in the Bush Administration has
emerged publicly.
Mr Powell has let it be known that he is furious at Defence Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld for negative comments about France and Germany that
appear to have stiffened their opposition to a UN resolution authorising
war on Iraq.
The head of the US military during the 1991 Gulf War, Mr Powell is also
unhappy with Mr Rumsfeld's offhand revelation this week that British
forces in the Gulf may not join an invasion. The remark encouraged
opponents of beleaguered British Prime Minister Tony Blair, one of
America's strongest allies.
"Diplomacy is slipping away and Rumsfeld needs some duct tape put
over his mouth," The New York Times quoted an anonymous friend of Mr
Powell's as saying.
http://theage.com.au/articles/2003/03/15/1047583739723.html
