WASHINGTON — Colin L. Powell is back.
A mere month ago, a Time magazine cover story pondered why the secretary of State had seemed "absent" from the big issues of the day and called him the "odd man out" in crafting foreign policy. Even Powell conceded that he'd had to rein himself in when he got out ahead of the White House on key foreign policy issues, notably North Korea.
But since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, Powell has emerged as the second most important U.S. official--after President Bush--in the unfolding drama, according to a wide array of administration officials. His strategy of a "focused" campaign against Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda network has prevailed, at least so far, over other officials who have advocated more aggressive and sweeping operations.
And his intensive diplomacy in assembling an international coalition--convincing countries to accept, facilitate or aid U.S. military operations and nudging them to look in their own backyards for Al Qaeda agents or assets--is now the centerpiece of that strategy.
Just as important, however, are his experience and calming presence, according to politicians, analysts and foreign envoys.
Democrats openly laud him. "I sleep better knowing that he's there," said Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chairwoman of the terrorism subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "Democrats feel that of all the people on the national security team, he's the one we trust the most. If anyone can build the type of coalition we need right now, it's Colin Powell."
And European allies express relief that Powell is proving a major presence in planning the new U.S. war on terrorism.
"We feel he's the crossroads of the two issues to wage this conflict," said a prominent European diplomat who asked not to be identified. "He has the military expertise and he understands the importance of acting alongside allies, not alone. So the total consensus today between the United States and the European Union on what to do next is due in large part to Colin Powell.
"He's a reassuring figure, which is as important to America's international partners as it is to a domestic audience," the diplomat added.
Mideast and military analysts say the critical value of the retired four-star general and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is not that he knows how to wage war, but that he understands its limits.
