The question he was asked was how real was the implied threat that Former President Bush had made, that we would use nuclear weapons on Saddam if he used chemical or bio weapons during Desert Storm. Powell told him it was a bluff, that we had no intention of using them nor would we have used them.
He said that the joint chiefs had not even discussed using them. I was stunned, I could not believe that anybody with any kind of military background could say such a thing. The host even aked twice, because I think he was shocked also. That threat has been one of the most valuable tools this country has had and probably saved hundreds of lives in desert storm much less the cold war. If we go into Iraq I wonder what it will cost us.
That day, I lost any and all respect for Powell as a military man, Secretary of State, or even as a person with common sense.