Political sex shenanigans as tabloid fodder date back to at least 1963, when Britain's Secretary of State for War John Profumo attempted to cover up his affair with a showgirl, who had also been cavorting with a Soviet intelligence officer.

FORBES: Magazine Article

John Warner of Virginia, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and provide information on the intelligence, including the basis for Secretary of State Colin Powell's pre-war presentation to the United Nations.

CNN: U.S. official: Congress to get CIA's Iraqi WMD report

William Bundy, the circle's epitome, perhaps could never quite forgive Nixon and his secretary of state, Henry Kissinger, for being credited with ending the Vietnam war, albeit in a Communist victory.

ECONOMIST: William Bundy

So, one moment she is seen delivering an excoriating lecture to the US Secretary of State about the need for America to stand by her friends during the Falklands War.

BBC: The Iron Lady

Mr Holbrooke was drafted to end the Bosnian war in his capacity as America's assistant secretary of state for European affairs.

ECONOMIST: Peace-making in Bosnia

Realpoliticians will declare it folly, a commitment to "nation-building" beyond our resources or will, a goal at cross- purposes with Secretary of State Colin Powell's monomaniacal focus on securing international "support" for our war effort even from terrorist-sponsoring states.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Now for the War Aims

As Secretary of State (1947-1949), he devised the Marshall Plan for Europe's post-war reconstruction.

CNN: Tuesday,

"This is a moment in which we must seize the opportunity for peace as war rages on, " said Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke, who is mediating the talks.

CNN: Balkan Conflict: 'Light of peace" still long way off

Preeminent among these was the decision announced last week that Secretary of State Colin Powell had been authorized by Mr. Bush to seek a UN Security Council mandate for post-war Iraq.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: ��No more war in ��04��