Colin Powell, former US Diplomat, General, Dies of COVID
2021-10-19
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1Colin Powell, the first Black American to serve as secretary of state and top military officer, has died at the age of 84.
2His family said Monday in a statement on Facebook that Powell died because of "complications from Covid 19. He was fully vaccinated."
3"We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father and grandfather and a great American," the family said.
4Powell had been treated at Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
5Powell was one of the leading Black Americans for many years.
6He served three Republican presidents in senior positions.
7Powell joined the army in 1962 and was wounded in Vietnam.
8He served as U.S. national security adviser under President Ronald Reagan from 1987 to 1989.
9As a four-star Army general, he was chairman of the military's Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush during the 1991 Gulf War.
10In that position, he oversaw the U.S.-led allied forces to remove Iraqi troops from neighboring Kuwait.
11As Joint Chiefs chairman, he supported the idea that the U.S. should only fight if it has clear objectives with public support, enough firepower and a strategy for ending the war.
12During his time as secretary of state under former President George W. Bush, Powell argued before the U.N. Security Council in 2003 that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was a danger to the world.
13Using incorrect intelligence information, he said Iraq was keeping chemical and biological weapons.
14Powell later said the presentation was "a blot" - or a mark of shame -- that will "always be a part of my record."
15Powell, a Republican, considered running for president in 1996 but changed his mind because his wife Alma worried about his safety.
16In 2008, he supported Democrat Barack Obama, who became the first Black American elected to the White House.
17Powell rose from a childhood in a poor New York neighborhood to become the nation's chief diplomat.
18He wrote in his 1995 book My American Journey, "Mine is the story of a black kid of no early promise from an immigrant family of limited means who was raised in the South Bronx."
19Powell is survived by his wife, Alma, and their three children.
20On Monday, former President George W. Bush said that he and former first lady Laura Bush were "deeply saddened" by Powell's death.
21Bush wrote, "He was a great public servant" and "widely respected at home and abroad."
22The former president added: "And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend. Laura and I send Alma and their children our sincere condolences as they remember the life of a great man."
23I'm Ashley Thompson.
1Colin Powell, the first Black American to serve as secretary of state and top military officer, has died at the age of 84. 2His family said Monday in a statement on Facebook that Powell died because of "complications from Covid 19. He was fully vaccinated." 3"We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father and grandfather and a great American," the family said. Powell had been treated at Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. 4Powell was one of the leading Black Americans for many years. He served three Republican presidents in senior positions. 5Powell joined the army in 1962 and was wounded in Vietnam. He served as U.S. national security adviser under President Ronald Reagan from 1987 to 1989. As a four-star Army general, he was chairman of the military's Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush during the 1991 Gulf War. In that position, he oversaw the U.S.-led allied forces to remove Iraqi troops from neighboring Kuwait. 6As Joint Chiefs chairman, he supported the idea that the U.S. should only fight if it has clear objectives with public support, enough firepower and a strategy for ending the war. 7During his time as secretary of state under former President George W. Bush, Powell argued before the U.N. Security Council in 2003 that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was a danger to the world. Using incorrect intelligence information, he said Iraq was keeping chemical and biological weapons. Powell later said the presentation was "a blot" - or a mark of shame -- that will "always be a part of my record." 8Powell, a Republican, considered running for president in 1996 but changed his mind because his wife Alma worried about his safety. In 2008, he supported Democrat Barack Obama, who became the first Black American elected to the White House. 9Powell rose from a childhood in a poor New York neighborhood to become the nation's chief diplomat. He wrote in his 1995 book My American Journey, "Mine is the story of a black kid of no early promise from an immigrant family of limited means who was raised in the South Bronx." 10Powell is survived by his wife, Alma, and their three children. 11On Monday, former President George W. Bush said that he and former first lady Laura Bush were "deeply saddened" by Powell's death. 12Bush wrote, "He was a great public servant" and "widely respected at home and abroad." 13The former president added: "And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend. Laura and I send Alma and their children our sincere condolences as they remember the life of a great man." 14I'm Ashley Thompson. 15Hai Do adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting from The Associated Press and Reuters. Ashley Thompson was the editor. 16______________________________________________________________ 17Words in This Story 18complication - n. a problem that makes a disease or condition more dangerous or harder to treat 19strategy - n. a careful plan for achieving a specific goal usually over a long period of time 20abroad - adv. in a foreign country 21condolence - n. a feeling or expression of sympathy and sadness