According to an article in The Vancouver Sun, former U.S. Secretary of State, General Colin Powell criticized George W. Bush’s handling of the aftermath of the Iraq War and the American occupation. He was giving a speech at the Vancouver Exhibition & Convention Centre, and he went on to acknowledge his part in building a global case for the Iraq War by delivering a now infamous speech to the United Nations:

Powell told the audience that he wouldn’t have agreed with the decision to go to war had he known that the data about Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein having weapons of mass destruction was exaggerated.

Powell said that every word of what he called his “infamous” presentation about WMD had been vetted by the intelligence community – “and I had no reason to disbelieve it.”

The former secretary of state has previously described his prewar UN speech as a “blot” on his record.

Powell went on to say that the Bush administration fell into “disarray” over how to govern Iraq after it overthrew Hussein.

“If we had handled the aftermath of the fall of Baghdad differently then we wouldn’t be where we are today,” said Powell.

He went on to call upon our next president (whoever he may be) to draw down U.S. troops and hand over power to the Iraqi government. From a 4-star general with a record like Powell’s, one hopes the new American guard will give his advice serious consideration.