European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 03, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Colin Powell accompanied by wife Alma receives the Presentia medal of Freedom from president Clinton during his retirement ceremony last september. _ politic Powell silent on future in politics Powell As chairman of the joint chiefs of staff watches members of the 377th civil engr group during a 1 989 training exercise at Ramstein a Germany. _ _ is file by John King the associated press Olin Powell is talking about the lessons of the cold War and pauses for a Brief tribute to our Friend Ronald  a clue perhaps think again. In a Flash he has Kin words for president Clinton too. Then it s Back to his stories of meeting Mikhail Gorbachev tossing Saddam Hussein s army from Kuwait and getting a Surprise Bear hug from Yasser Arafat the terrorist turned peacemaker. This new world order in t easy ladies _ and gentlemen Powell tells a crowd in Minneapolis with laugh. Clearly he is enjoying retirement and keeping everyone guessing about his political ambitions. It has been 10 months since Powell stepped Down As. Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and shed the High Media profile he enjoyed in Washington As adviser to. The president and the authoritative reassuring voice. Who explained . Military operations to the nation. Gone but hardly forgotten. Clinton Calls from time to time seeking advice on military and foreign policy. And this Spring As Clinton considered a shakeup in his foreign policy team senior administration officials informally contacted Powell about his availability for Secretary of state according to officials familiar with the contacts. Powell told them he was intrigued but committed to working on his autobiography which he plans to finish by the end of the year with publication in mid-1995. Just in time for a 1996 Republican presidential run or maybe a Clinton Cabinet Job Powell 57, brushes off the questions saying he won t plan the next stage of his life until he finishes the Book which will cover his life from birth in the South Bronx to his retirement after 35 years in the army As the highest ranking Black Ever. What Road i take remains to be seen he says. I just Hope to be Able to find a Way to serve my country in some  in appointed office elected office As a Democrat As a Republican an Independent for now and apparently until next summer or fall it s anyone s guess. And guessing about Powell is a cottage Industry in Washington. Jill Alper the democratic National committee Deputy political director recalls a televised Powell briefing during _ _ the Gulf War. The late Paul Tully then the party s top strategist stopped working to watch. If this Guy is a Republican we be got a serious problem Tully said. Powell was a registered Independent throughout his military career when he kept his native new York As his official residence. Now he is considered a Virginia _ resident but did not vote in its june primary keeping the mystery alive. I have a preference of course Republican National. Chairman Haley Barbour says when asked whether he _ thinks Powell will enlist with one of the major parties and run for office. But i Don t have any inside  Powell in t talking. _ _ _ As he works on his Book Powell is travelling a Day or two a week for speeches All but a few however Are closed to the Media at Powell s request. In those that Are Public Powell has proved a compelling speaker but Sheds Little Light on his political views. _ speaking to newspaper editors in april he described himself As having been a proud member of the Clinton administration and said the country would be Well served if we would just let president Clinton go about. His business during the special counsel s Whitewater investigation. But he declined to say whether he thought Clinton was doing a Good Job. After a speech to the conservative Shawano Institute earlier this year some republicans suggested Powell was trying to build cop credentials. Yet he popped up recently at the annual convention of the american federation of state county and municipal employees a Liberal Union and a major player in democratic party politics. Then it. Gen. Powell outgoing commander of the v corps says Farewell in Frankfurt Germany in 1986. Colin Luther Powell birth Date april 5,193 7 education Morris High school new York City graduated 1954. City College of new York graduated 1958, . In geology. Masters degree in business administration George Washington University 1971. Experience 35 years in the army including two Tours in Vietnam. White House fellow 1972, while an army major. Commands included second brigade 101 St airborne div. Commanding general v corps stationed in Frankfurt Germany. Deputy National Security adviser to. I president Reagan january to december 1987 National Security adviser to _ Reagan december 1987 to january 1989 commander in chief forces command for Mcpherson ga., april to september 1989 octo Beti 989, appointed chairman of the joint chiefs of staff retired sept. 30,_1993. _ family married in 1962 to Alma Vivian Johnson Powell. Three children. Quote Active duty military officers have no business talking about partisan political matters. There is total confusion As to what my political philosophy might or might not be.  is the Way it should  sept. 30, 1 1993, in a retirement speech at the National press club the associated press in the army one of Powell s jobs was to motivate his troops. In retirement he now shares those skills with folks trying to get a leg up in the business world. A recent motivational seminar in Minneapolis one of several he has done for the Peter Lowe International _ business consulting firm was Short on politics and full of entertaining anecdotes. But when Powell turned serious a hush went Over the auditorium and Many leaned Forward to hear his thoughts about crises in Somalia Rwanda. Haiti Bosnia and North Korea. We will have to be patient with our National leaders Powell says As they work through each and every one of these to see How to handle them. Because you can no longer handle them As an East West  " Clinton is no doubt grateful for Powell s words. But might he see his former adviser As an adversary not far Down the Road perhaps but Don t bet on it. One longtime Friend and associate described Powell is intensely protective of his family and its privacy and unlikely to subject them to Media scrutiny and other Rigours of a Campaign. Nonetheless Power has not ruled out a second career in politics Ana Many View his travels on the speaking circuit As testing the Waters White building a _ financial Cushion. So pollsters now often put Powell on the list when they test Public opinion of leaders. And he routinely shines. For All this acclaim however no one knows his positions on abortion school prayer taxes and other issues capable of derail no even the most practice of candidates. He did weigh in during the North american free Trade agreement debate saying he supported the controversial agreement on defense matters he. Was a Loyal Soldier supporting the Reagan defense buildup but also acknowledging the end of the cold. War meant the military needed to be trimmed. Although he urges Clinton and Congress not to Cut too deep. Some predict Powell s views would t matter that his leadership credentials would carry him through any single Issue controversy. We might be looking at another Eisenhower says Pat Robertson the religious broadcaster who sought Thev Republican presidential nomination in 1988. The question is which party gets him the few clues about Powell s politics Are _ inconclusive. He was a White House fellow in the Nixon administration and Rose to prominence in the military under presidents Reagan and Bush. A son attorney Mike Powell worked for the Republican party during the 1992 presidential Campaign and i son in Law also has gop Campaign experience. But Powell might have climbed through the ranks just As successfully under democratic administrations. Democrats also note that there Aren t too Many republicans of jamaican heritage from the South Bronx. And Powell sometimes tells a Story about being pulled Over for speeding in the South by a White police officer in the Middle of the civil rights struggle making note that his rickety car had an lbs bumper sticker. Clinton gave Powell a Chance to declare his party loyalty two years ago Early in his search for a running _ _ mate. But Powell the Early favorite asked not to be considered saying he would be uncomfortable running against his commander in chief then president Bush. When Powell gets around to deciding whether to enter politics there will be no financial problems. He is being paid $6 million by random House for his Book and gets up to $50,000 for a speech. It s More a question of whether Powell wants to give up " his newfound life As a full time spouse the occupation he jokes about jotting Down on credit card applications. It s a question he s not Willingto answer now. Life is a series of doors closing and doors opening he says. When i stepped Down As chairman of the joint chiefs of staff that door closed behind me and i locked it. I am now waiting to see what new door opens. I never look Back. It s always much More exciting always much More productive to look Forward with anticipation with excitement with a Little bit of butterflies in your stomach wailing to see what the future  War stories from Public life anecdotes from recent speeches of retired Gen. Colin Powell during the Reagan years Powell and Secretary of state George Shultz were meeting with soviet Leader Mikhail. Gorbachev at the Kremlin sitting in disbelief As Gorbachev promised glasnost and economic reforms. Powell was then Reagan s National Security adviser but Only months earlier had com Marlden . Troops across the Berlin Wall from the soviet army. Gorbachev looked out of the Corner of his Eye and said to me general the cold War is Over. You will have to find a new enemy silently i said to myself but i m too old to find a new enemy. Why me i be been a Good Soldier. Don t take _ away my enemy " _ f with the soviet Union crumbled and Gorbachev like Powell on the speaking circuit Boris Yeltsin is running Russia and trying to tame a rambunctious parliament full of political foes. Powell says russian generals with whom he became Friendly Contact him from time to time and warn him about the parliament they say it s got bums and scoundrels reactionaries and thieves and bandits and people who Don t Tell the truth Powell said. I say Welcome to democracy it s just like Washington. And we would t have it any other Way.". If there was one criticism of the .performance in the persian Gulf War it was that Saddam Hussein was allowed to stay in Power in Iraq. Should Powell run for office someday it s Clear he is ready to respond to anyone who suggests the. Mission failed. We weren t told to do democracy making in Iraq. We were told to get the _ _ army out of Kuwait. Don t worry about Saddam Hussein we did t need to have a lot of american youngsters and iraqi youngsters killed chasing this Guy around the Countryside. He is part of the past. And like a kidney Stone he will pass in due course r on his own political views and criticism of president Clinton As a fan of big government i Don t think he is As tainted As some people think by socialist Type tendencies. I am basically an entrepreneurial capitalist. However we _ must face the reality that there Are some situations in this country in which the " government has a  mentioned " helping people trapped in poverty. _ the associated Ress the stars and stripes 17 16 the stars and stripes wednesday August 3, 1994