Former U.S. Secretary Of State Colin Powell

6/6/2016

Secretary Colin Powell

Member of Advisory Committee

c/o Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission

1629 K Street, NW, Suite 801

Washington, D.C.  20006

Dear Secretary Powell,

My name is Matthew Winick from Ann Arbor, Michigan and I have a strong interest in learning history, world culture, and public policy.  These subjects are my favorite to learn because I like to learn the need to advance on Civil Rights to help protect people from being discriminated, protect the environment from pollution, work to improve relations with other countries to reduce tensions, and many others.  Secretary Powell, the main reason I’m writing you a letter is because I find your work as U.S. General, as Chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff, and as U.S. Secretary of State to be very inspiring to me.

When you served in the Vietnam War, I was very proud on how you were very committed to help rescue your own troops from a burning helicopter when it crashed even though you were injured. In your role as Chairman Joint Chief of Staff, I was proud on how you worked with President George H.W. Bush, National Security Advisor Brent Scowcoft, and U.S. Secretary of State James Baker on handing the Gulf War and working together to build coalition between Europe, Asia, and some of our allies in the Middle East to help push Iraq troops out of Kuwait.  Also during the Gulf War, I liked on how you along with National Advisor Scowcroft and Secretary Baker advised President George H.W. Bush on not to invade Iraq in order to reduce the risk losing more troops and reduce the chance of being in an endless war. I liked your “Powell Doctrine” where it follows a list of questions before military action is used by the United States like is a vital national security interest threatened? Is there a plausible exit strategy to avoid endless entanglement, Have the risk and cost been fully and frankly analyzed, is the action supported by the American people? The main reason I like the Powell Doctrine is because it does a great job helping military or people who serve in presidential administration to use critical thinking before rushing into combat, creating different strategies in order to reduce the lost of troops or end the war without being an endless war. As U.S. Secretary of State under President George W. Bush, I liked on how you continue advocating and supporting protecting minorities, women, and people with disabilities’ rights from being discriminated.  Also in your role as U.S. Secretary of State, I liked on how you worked hard on trying to find coalition with different European countries, Asia, and many others to find ways to work on combating against terrorism to help protect people from danger. Besides your military career I truly appreciate your commitment to being bipartisanship on helping making a great difference for example working with former President Jimmy Cater to do a peacekeeping expedition to Haiti to end military rule that resulted in having free elections to elect a government and even helped improve our relation with the country where we help them when they are poor or suffer from diseases.  During the Presidential Election 2008, I was amazed on how much courage you had as a moderate Republican willing to cross over to another political party to endorse and support Democratic candidate Barrack Obama for president because I liked on how you both agreed to end the war in Iraq, have immigration reform to help protect immigrants or refugees from oppression, and to make Civil Rights stronger to reduce discrimination.  Also I am very proud on how you continue you role as a retired military career to help advise President Obama to help move our country forward, advocate to advance on Civil Rights to help protect people who are different from being discriminated, support veterans’ rights to an education with healthcare, express the need for education reform to help students learn in a better environment, support people with disabilities’ rights, and the need for more moderates to reduce extreme views.

Secretary Powell, I have Autism and having it is difficult for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased. Your commitment to being a strong supporter for people with disabilities’ rights and supporting Civil Rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability. Your role as Chairman Joint Chief of Staff and as U.S. Secretary including as a retired general really inspires me to continue being motivated to learn history.  You work as a member of the advisory committee on The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission and appearing in the videos describing about President Eisenhower really got me interested in supporting the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission because I agree with you the need to help honor President Eisenhower for making a great difference for our country and history. In  the videos of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission you do such an excellent job explaining President Eisenhower’s perspective and his goals. My future goal is to use history as a tool to teach people about the need to make society better or work in public policy to help shape great ideas to continue making a world a better place.

Secretary Powell, I strongly believe that you really made a great difference for history and society.  You have truly inspired me to work hard on Autism, be interested in learning history, and supporting the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission.  I have a picture of me as a gift to you for inspiring me, The Kid With No Words, a story of my life working hard on my disability where I dedicate you and many others who inspire me, and my essay about President Eisenhower for my U.S. history class at my community college.  I hope you enjoy my items. Thanks so much for taking the time to read my letter, working hard to make a great difference in different obstacles, and inspiring me.  I hope someday I can get a chance to meet you and many other members of the advisory committee because you and them have made a great positive impact on me and inspire me to continue working hard on my disability. Keep up the great work and I will continue supporting the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission to help honor President Eisenhower.

Sincerely,

Matthew B. Winick