Tuning In

Powell’s crystal ball

Secretary of State Colin Powell takes a long, hard look ahead to 2004 this evening on a special edition of “Lou Dobbs Tonight.”

In the pre-taped interview for CNN, Mr. Powell talks about NATO, the Iraq situation and how other countries view the United States at this moment in history.

The interview was taped Dec. 12 in conjunction with the Economist magazine.

The following is an excerpt from Mr. Dobbs’ interview, airing at 6 tonight.

Dobbs: Mr. Secretary, you’ve written that there is a caricature, particularly among our European allies, of the Bush administration as a “shoot from the hip unilateralism.” Why is there that impression, and what is there, in your judgment, to refute that in the administration’s policies?

Powell: The people of Iraq have a better future ahead of them now, and it was a coalition that came together. Was it under a U.N. mandate? I think it was. I think the resolution that was passed covered what we did. Some would disagree with that, but the point is, it was not just the United States acting alone. A lot of nations realized this was a danger that had to be dealt with.

‘Smackdown’ in Iraq

Christmas came early for some U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq this year.

The big, burly wrestlers of the WWE — and some of its lovely female warriors — dropped by military installations in Iraq and Kuwait last week for a special “Smackdown” episode airing tonight.

“WWE Smackdown,” seen Thursday evenings at 9 on UPN, features the sport’s biggest stars, such as the Undertaker, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit and Big Show. Tonight’s special edition includes those brawlers as well as Eddie Guerrero, John Cena, Faarooq, Torrie Wilson, Sable and the WWE’s chairman and occasional performer, Vince McMahon.

The wrestlers mingled with the soldiers, played pickup basketball with them and brought messages from home during their stay. The tour, organized by Armed Forces Entertainment (AFE), let the wrestlers live like the soldiers themselves at times, including sleeping as many as 14 men to a room on cots in some of former Iraq dictator Saddam Hussein’s palaces.

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