Powell, Colin

Powell, Colin

▪ United States general and statesman
in full  Colin Luther Powell  
born April 5, 1937, New York, New York, U.S.
 
 U.S. general and statesman. He was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989–93) and secretary of state (2001–05), the first African American to hold either position.

      The son of Jamaican immigrants, Powell grew up in the Harlem and South Bronx sections of New York City and attended the City College of New York (B.S., 1958), serving in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). He entered the army upon graduation, served in Vietnam in 1962–63 and 1968–69, and then studied at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. In 1972 he took his first political position, as a White House fellow, and soon became an assistant to Frank Carlucci, then deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). He held various posts over the next few years, in the Pentagon and elsewhere, and in 1983 became senior military assistant to Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger. In 1987 he joined the staff of the National Security Council as deputy to Carlucci, then assistant to the president for national security affairs. Late in 1987 President Ronald Reagan (Reagan, Ronald W.) appointed Powell to succeed Carlucci. Early in 1989 Powell took over the Army Forces Command.

 In April 1989 Powell became a four-star general, and in August President George Bush (Bush, George) nominated him chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As chairman, he played a leading role in planning the invasion of Panama (1989) and the Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations of the Persian Gulf crisis and war (August 1990–March 1991; see Persian Gulf War). He retired from the military in 1993, sparking speculation that he would enter politics. Although he decided not to run for president in 1996, he joined the Republican Party and spoke out on national issues. In 2001 he was appointed secretary of state by President George W. Bush (Bush, George W.). Powell unsuccessfully sought broader international support for the Iraq War. His controversial speech before the United Nations (February 2003) was later revealed to be based on faulty intelligence. Considered a political moderate in an administration dominated by hard-liners, Powell saw his influence in the White House wane, and he announced his resignation in 2004, shortly after Bush's reelection; he was succeeded by Condoleezza Rice (Rice, Condoleezza) in 2005. My American Journey, his autobiography (written with Joseph E. Persico), was published in 1995.
 

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Powell,Colin Luther — Powell, Colin Luther. Born 1937. American general who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989 1996) and was influential in planning U.S. strategy during the Persian Gulf War. * * * …   Universalium

  • Powell, Colin Luther — ▪ 2002       On Jan. 20, 2001, the engaging former chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell whose leadership role in the 1991 Persian Gulf War had brought him to the attention of the American public was sworn in as U.S. secretary… …   Universalium

  • Powell, Colin (Luther) — born April 5, 1937, New York, N.Y., U.S. U.S. general and statesman. The son of Jamaican immigrants, he entered the U.S. Army after college and served in the Vietnam War (1962–63, 1968–69). After holding various posts in the Pentagon and… …   Universalium

  • Powell, Colin Luther — ► (n. 1937) Militar y político estadounidense. Fue la primera persona de raza negra en ocupar en E.U.A. el mando supremo de los ejércitos (1989 1993). Fue secretario de estado de 2001 a 2005 …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Powell, Colin (Luther) — (n. 5 abr. 1937, Nueva York, N.Y., EE.UU.). Oficial de ejército y funcionario público estadounidense. Hijo de inmigrantes jamaicanos, entró al ejército después de realizar estudios universitarios y prestó servicios en la guerra de Vietnam… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Colin L. Powell — (2001) Colin Luther Powell (* 5. April 1937 in New York) ist ein ehemaliger General der US Army und Politiker. Von 1987 bis 1989 war er Nationaler Sicherheitsberater und anschließend von 1989 bis 1993 Vorsitzender der …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Colin Luther Powell — Colin Powell Pour les articles homonymes, voir Powell. Général Colin Powell Portrait officiel de Colin L. Powell …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Colin Powell (footballer) — Colin David Powell (born 7 July 1948 in Hendon, Middlesex) was a professional footballer of the 1970s and 1980s. He spent the bulk of his career with Charlton Athletic. Playing career Powell played primarily as a winger. He joined Charlton… …   Wikipedia

  • Powell — Powell, Cecil Frank Powell, Colin Luther * * * (as used in expressions) Baden Powell (de Gilwell), Robert Stephenson Smyth, 1 barón Hubble, Edwin P(owell) Lear, William Powell Powell, Adam Clayton, Jr. Powell, Anthony (Dymoke) Powell, Bud Earl… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Colin Powell — This article is about the American politician. For the English football (soccer) player, see Colin Powell (footballer). General Colin L. Powell KCB MSC …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”