Rice in Rare Testimony, in Rare Form

[babylonsister]

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/102607A.shtml

Rice in Rare Testimony, in Rare Form
By Matt Renner
t r u t h o u t | Report

Friday 26 October 2007

In combative and analytical testimony, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended her department's work in Iraq in front of a Congressional committee that has uncovered multiple failures and potentially criminal actions taken by State Department officials and contractors.

The State Department is under investigation by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee for potential failures in combating corruption within the Iraqi government, mismanagement of funds and assisting in cover-ups by contractors accused of murder.

In his opening statement, Congressman Henry Waxman (D-California) explained why the Committee's investigation was relevant to the situation in Iraq: " ... almost every expert agrees that political reconciliation is the key to achieving lasting peace in Iraq. As General Petraeus has observed: 'There is no military solution to a problem like that in Iraq.' I think that's exactly right. And that's why it's so important to assess what the State Department is doing in Iraq and to understand the impacts that corruption, mismanagement, and lax oversight are having on our mission."

In her first appearance before a Democratically-controlled Oversight Committee, Rice was aggressive. The members of the Committee were given five minutes to have their questions answered. Rice, known for her long explanations and attempts to filibuster, at times talked over committee members who were attempting to cut her off.

Rice stated that the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and the liberation of Iraq were worth the money and sacrifice of life. She blamed the current chaos in Iraq on the previous regime, stating the stabilizing Iraq "has been harder than we thought because we didn't realize how broken the country was under Saddam Hussein." :eyes:

Republicans accused Democrats of holding these hearings to try and force a withdrawal of US forces. Congressman Christopher Shays (R-Connecticut) said that Democrats thought because Iraq is corrupt, the US should withdraw troops, calling this notion "patently absurd."


snip//

The Oversight Committee issued a subpoena for Rice's testimony regarding her role in the controversy over false intelligence claims made prior to the war in Iraq. She said publicly she would not comply with this subpoena and no questions about pre-war intelligence were asked during Thursday's hearing. Waxman has not commented on this subpoena and has not sought to enforce it publicly.

Matt Renner is an assistant editor and Washington reporter for Truthout.

[BonnieJW]

1. I don't think Chris Shays is a dem

[Benhurst]

5. You are right. He is a Repub.

[babylonsister]

8. Thanks for catching that-I didn't; now changed. nt

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. "analytical" Who are they kidding?

how broken the country was under Saddam?

you mean you had no suspicions after more than a decade of international sanctions and a blockade, constant air attacks by US military, pleas from international medical groups to allow drugs and vaccines in, the stories of starvation, and failing infrastructure,

AND YOU HAD NO FUCKING CLUE, CONDI? HOW STUPID CAN YOU BE?

[madrchsod]

3. maybe rice should have asked daddy bush

because they knew that saddam was better than what would replace him.

[spanone]

4. no condi WE broke iraq....colin powell was right you dumbass

[ThomWV]

6. Why wasn't she arrested? God dam it, why wasn't she arrested?

If I ignored a subpoena and then stood before the issuing body on another matter I would be in cuffs in a heartbeat. Why wasn't she arrested? God dam it, why?

[Gman]

7. "who would have thought..." or "we didn't realize..."

We need someone in there that does know these things, not some fly by the seat of their pants ideological nuts.

[gateley]

9. This adds nothing to the thread, but every time I read her name I'm re-astounded

that she became the SOS, except it's pretty obvious they just wanted someone to do their bidding with no questions asked. When I hear her speak she appears so weak, spineless and not all that intelligent. Compare to Madeline Albright.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

10. true. what gets me is how the GOP folks on the committee

could actually sing her praises. Why are they still in lockstep with what will be the most disasterous administration in our nation's short history? Condi is a perfect example of ineptitude and bad or no judgment. Take a teaspoon of inexperience, add a jigger of stupidity, add a quart of arrogance, and blend carefully.

[kestrel91316]

11. Condi IS stupid. She needs to go back to playing her piano.