There were a number of people that could have stopped the war. George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Saddam Hussein to name a few. Powell played a large role to be sure,

There were a number of people that could have stopped the war. George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Saddam Hussein to name a few. Powell played a large role to be sure, but imagine Condi Rice in that role. It would have been a harder sell, but given the drum beat it would have happened. Even if Powell resigned, the spin would have labeled him a political hack or out-of-touch with the situation.