” ‘Force should always be a last resort; I have preached this for most of my professional life as a soldier and as a diplomat; but it must be a resort,’ [Secretary of State] Mr. [Colin] Powell told the United Nations Security Council on Feb. 14, 2003. ‘We cannot allow this process to be endlessly strung out, as Iraq is trying to do now.’ ”
– Douglas Jehl, “Wary Powell Said to Have Warned Bush on War,” The New York Times, April 17, 2004