Rice Compares Iraq To U.S. Civil War

Both Wars Had Critics But Were Justified, Says Secretary Of State

(AP)  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is drawing a parallel between the Iraq war and the U.S. Civil War. Both had their critics, but both were justified, she says.

In both cases, it was the right decision to fight and see the wars through, Rice, a southern-born black woman, said in an interview with Essence Magazine.

A major cause of the 1861-65 Civil War was the claim by states of the South that they had a right to allow slavery of black Africans.

Asked if she still thought the decision to go to war in Iraq in 2003 was right, considering the cost in lives and treasure, Rice said, "Absolutely."

Rice then offered a parallel between critics of the administration's Iraq policies and "people who thought it was a mistake to fight the Civil War to its end and to insist that the emancipation of slaves would hold."

"I'm sure that there were people who said, "Why don't we get out of this now, take a peace with the South, but leave the South with slaves?" she said.

"Just because things are difficult, it doesn't mean that they are wrong or that you turn back," Rice told the magazine, which has a large audience among African-Americans.

Rice, a former academic, said she spent the summer reading biographies of the Founding Fathers and she was certain "there were people who thought the Declaration of Independence was a mistake" as well.

[clestes-2009]

How the hell does she get Iraq equal to the US Cival War???

First it was Rummy likening the Iraq disaster to WWII and now it is Condi likening it to the Civil War.

Why don't they try Vietnam? That is the comparison that works!

[getcentered]

Look, I don't expect our world representatives to make very informed analogies anymore, but I bet Karl Rove has an earful for her because she said, "civil war", and "Iraq" in the same sentence. OPPPS! He probably said something like this, "RICE! You're messing up our strategy of exploiting people through linguistics and psychology!".

The day are long but the weeks are fast, and as long as we are high on money and low on cash then we too can be complacent, exploited voters.

[fredegrar]

The mental contortions required to draw a comparison between the US civil war and the current conflict in Iraq are astounding. If Cirque du Soleil had a mental contortionists act, she'd fit right in! I'm no historian, but besides people killing each other, I can't think of a single similarity - ok, well, there's the one Ms Rice points out... there were dissenters in both wars. It's quite a fallacy, though, to suggest that because the dissedents in the civil war were wrong, the current ones are too...

[noomgod]

The Iraq war is nothing like the civil war.It's more like the Vietnam war of a smaller scale.Politicians misled the american people to get the wars.Also instead of fighting communism we are fight terrorism.I haven't heard one news story, press release or anything of that nature before 9/11 that some terrorist was from Iraq.Still tryin' to figure this one out.

[tarheel61961]

Next, the Bush administration will be comparing the Iraq conflict w/our own War for Independence!!!!! I agree w/one of the other comments, concerning the more accurate comparison of this current conflict to a more recent one --- Vietnam. We entered a country, intent on saving it from communism, w/o taking into consideration of the native peoples' feelings on the matter. Here in Iraq, we have done the same thing! You cannot create democracy for someone, they must make the decision that it is right for them and request assistance if necessary. We've bullied our way into Iraq and now, after more than 2,500 lives, we don't really have a true objective. Comparing this conflict to the US Civil War is like comparing ice cream and mayonaise!

Is it 2008 yet??????

[gunnerone2]

I don't see a parallel between the Iraq civil war and the U.S. civil war. The Confederacy was not looking to impose it's will on the North or change it's value system.
In Iraq, the conflict seems to be about imposing a set of values on others unwilling to accept them. Basically, agree with me or die.
In the U.S. it was leave us alone to do what we think is best. In Iraq it's do what we think is best.
I don't see a connection.