"Powell, who favors international coalition-building and multilateral action, has made new allies for America. He has been the principal voice in this administration arguing against the long-term efficacy of military solutions either to the Palestinian-Israeli crisis or to our own ''war on terrorism.'' Neither Rumsfeld nor Cheney possesses Powell's diplomatic skills or the larger worldview required to win friends among nations whose populations look different and think differently than they do."

"Powell, who favors international coalition-building and multilateral action, has made new allies for America. He has been the principal voice in this administration arguing against the long-term efficacy of military solutions either to the Palestinian-Israeli crisis or to our own ''war on terrorism.'' Neither Rumsfeld nor Cheney possesses Powell's diplomatic skills or the larger worldview required to win friends among nations whose populations look different and think differently than they do."

I don't agree with the author's oped about Powell's future. Removing the elder perspective from the White House will leave the idealism of the boomers unchecked, and will needlessly accelerate the descent into chaos. The chaos is inevitable, but it must be put off at this point. The country is not ready.