"Colin Powell quits Bush's cabinet"

Many reports said Powell had felt personally wounded after giving a presentation to the UN Security Council on February 5 2003 on the US case for an invasion of Iraq on the basis of the latter's alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction. No chemical, biological or nuclear weapons programmes have ever been found since the ousting of its leader Saddam Hussein, who is now in custody awaiting trial.

Amid widespread chaos in Iraq, Bush has insisted that the March 2003 invasion was the right move. Powell reportedly argued for more prudent moves toward disarming Saddam during clashes with advocates of an aggressive foreign policy in the Bush cabinet such as Vice-President Dick Cheney and Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

But he refused to talk publicly about the tensions between him and his war-leaning colleagues or his future intentions, repeatedly telling reporters: "I serve at the pleasure of the president."

Full Article : zimbabweherald.com