Opinion: Colin Powell’s legacy is complicated but should be viewed honestly

Re “Powell’s age and cancer bout left him vulnerable to COVID” (Oct. 18): The country lost a great public servant with the death of Colin Powell, a man untainted by the partisan rancor that now drives political discourse and fuels the devastating inaction on the most urgent issues of our time.

He provided sound counsel to the highest levels of the military and executive branch of government for decades, respected internationally by Republican and Democratic leaders alike despite the regretted “blot” on his reputation by agreeing to present the 2003 Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld pretext for the catastrophic Iraq War at the United Nations.

Powell put country before party and before self-aggrandizement, apparently uncorrupted by the quest for personal power and enrichment that plagues so much of the current political leadership nationally at the federal and state levels.

Pity. Colin Powell was himself fully vaccinated, but with underlying risks. Those who refuse to get vaccinated share some blame for the cause and timing of his death.

Rhoda L. White
El Cajon

I have been an avid Donald Trump supporter for the last five years, even though he has been rude and crude and suffers from “foot in mouth” disease. He at least put America first.

However, his comments about Powell are inexcusable. I really thought Trump would have learned from his self-inflicted election loss, but he hasn’t. Nobody is perfect, but to criticize Powell after his death is cowardly.

People are human. They make mistakes.

Walt Bratten
Oceanside

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