WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2007
House Dems: Rice Botched Iraq Diplomacy
In Heated Oversight Hearing, Secretary Of State Also Accused Of Hiding Information
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At a hearing by a congressional watchdog committee, Democratic lawmakers accused Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of of grossly mismanaging diplomatic efforts in Iraq. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)
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Photo Essay Week In Iraq Photos A daily diary with scenes of the latest attacks and snapshots from the effort to rebuild a nation.
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Interactive Iraq: 4 Years Later The conflict wears on as the nation struggles to rebuild.
At a hearing by a congressional watchdog committee, Democratic lawmakers said the State Department under Rice had been too lax with armed security contractors, ignored corruption at the highest levels of the Iraqi government and was sloppy in overseeing construction of the costly new U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
“I think there was a huge gap between what she said and reality,” said Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
Waxman, D-Calif., and other Democrats said they would not call on Rice to resign, noting that their frustration is with the Bush administration's policies rather than Rice alone.
“If you just change the deck chairs, it's not going to change the policy,” said Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., a committee member.
The hearing gave Democrats the venue to hammer the administration on the war. Thus far, they have been unable to pass veto-proof legislation ordering troops home from Iraq.
Recent events have given them ample fodder: shootings involving the private guards hired to protect State Department diplomats; allegations that Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has blocked corruption investigations, and delays in the embassy's construction.
The Democrats' strategy did not go unnoticed by Republicans.
Democrats seemed to be trying “to drill enough small holes in the bottom of the boat to sink the entire Iraqi enterprise, while still claiming undying support for the crew about to drown,” said Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia, the committee's top Republican.
The usually unflappable Rice became frustrated at several points, including a tense exchange with Welch on whether al-Maliki was corrupt. Since April, the prime minister has required that Cabinet-level corruption investigations first receive his approval. Such a policy, Welch and other Democrats say, is tantamount to blanket immunity for al-Maliki and his ministers.
When repeatedly pressed to say whether she thought al-Maliki was covering up fraud and abuse, Rice said she would not respond to rumors.
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“To assault the prime minister of Iraq or anyone else in Iraq with here-to-date unsubstantiated allegations or lack of corroboration, in a setting that would simply fuel those allegations, I think, would be deeply damaging,” she said.I think there was a huge gap between what she said and reality.
Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.After the hearing, Waxman said there was a gap between “her very smooth presentation” and the facts. Rice said the State Department was invested in stopping corruption, but Waxman said she was unfamiliar with al-Maliki's corruption policy and that department insiders tell lawmakers its efforts are dysfunctional.
The hearing comes after several weeks of wrangling between Waxman and the department, particularly on the public disclosure of U.S. corruption investigations in Iraq.
The department says such information should be classified because it could expose sources and hurt U.S.-Iraqi relations. Democrats counter that if Iraqi officials are stealing from their government and funding anti-U.S. militias, the State Department should make it public.
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
- The Democratic Circus-Circus is meaningless...you may embarrass the insipid creature...you may point out that she is a liaress...what of it? If you do not take action against her and her vile masters, then you are just as worthless as she is...this Congress will not impeach her, it will not have a ''No Confidence vote''--but a few truthful words from Representative Stark almost immediately leads to a vote to censure...To be censured by this congress of swine is sure to be a badge of honour--and every man of good character should seek to be censored...seek to be upon the ''No Flight List''...seek to a ''Person of Interest'' to the thieving, murdering, lying dogs of the Washington Regime and their B*tch Queen CondomLizard Lice.
- Reply to this comment
- You see, if there''s no legislation to threaten you with...he loses power!
If YOU (the legislature) don''t send another bill for him to sign...it''s OK! You will have another time to make a name for yourself, a good name, instead of a sniveling deafestest name.
Bide your time, and choose your battles WELL! Wait until a time comes where this country can unite instead of being torn apart by this administration.
AND STOP THIS MADNESS! - Reply to this comment
- Frankly, I don''t think she''s incompetent at all...I think she''s doing exactly as she''s told. Her boss is choosing to bankrupt this country. So lose all the money you can, sistah.
He and his cronies want the US broke, servile, and totally dependent on the elitist dole. In other words, control, and domination. Which is exactly what he''s got. With his golden VETO pen, and his cronies in the Senate, he decides on what legislation passes...
If the legislation means money going to the people, he wields his golden veto pen. If it means money going to his war profiteer and oil cronies, he wields the golden signature pen...and there''s not ONE THING we can do about it. Checkmate!
And then listen to him crow, the democrats haven''t sent any legislation for him to sign, like it''s their fault. They know he will VETO it, and send it back and make them re-write it to suit HIM, not us! So what''s the point?
Our legislature should send a minimum number of bills across his desk to fund the US for the next 15 months. Don''t send any important legislation to him. We don''t want it written his way.
Lay low for the next 15 months and just drive the car we''ve got. THEN VOTE THEIR THIEVING ARSES OUT and get to the business of shoring up our Constitution, taking care of our people, and dealing in an honorable manner with the rest of the world.
As for funding his &(^%)war...THE BUCK STOPS HERE...we''ll give you enuff to bring our troops home, NOT ANOTHER DIME! - Reply to this comment
- You brain dead moron, you''''ve lost your right to unreasonable search and seizure, the right to privacy and the right of habeas corpus. You and everyone else can be wiretapped and if you''''re deemed to be an "enemy combatant", you can be put behind bars without trial, charges or legal counsel.
Wake up, you clueless dimwit.
Posted by waynabq at 11:35 PM : Oct 25, 2007
Bravo and seconded! - Reply to this comment
- What do people expect? She got the job because she is Bush''s mistress and that''s all...........
- Reply to this comment
- do you know anybody who was arrested, searched, wiretapped and torured.. the pizza guy down the street?? who?? I hope you are not talking about this guy from middle east..
Posted by libsluvsuvs at 11:38 PM : Oct 25, 2007
Brandon Mayfield - Reply to this comment
- Someone in the Bush administration Botch something? I just don''t believe it! Just what is this country coming to?
- Reply to this comment
- Posted by waynabq at 11:50 PM : Oct 25, 2007
+ report abuse
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no you did not debate..all you did is make an arse out of yourself.. - Reply to this comment
- Cut and paste it into the address block of your browser, good night.
- Reply to this comment
- Libsluvsuvs,
This is the last message I''ll bother to post, trying to "debate" a Bush supporter is like trying to teach a monkey how to solve an Algebra problem. Utterly hopeless, the monkey just doesn''t have the mental capacity to learn, no matter how many times or how many ways you try to teach it to understand something. End of Story. Good night. - Reply to this comment
- Posted by waynabq at 11:47 PM : Oct 25, 2007
+ report abuse
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your link is dead..try it.. - Reply to this comment
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/03/AR2005120301476_4.html
- Reply to this comment
- Libsluvsuvs,
Fu*king enlist and ****.
Posted by waynabq at 11:44 PM : Oct 25, 2007
+ report abuse
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does this mean..you cant prove your bullsh*t?? - Reply to this comment
- Posted by waynabq at 11:40 PM : Oct 25, 2007
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name one american who is innocent...with all the amensty international..the ACLU..the DNC..Liberal Hollywood as watchdogs for this..do you really think it could happen to an innocent AMERICAN CITIZEN????????? - Reply to this comment
- Libsluvsuvs,
Fu*king enlist and ****. - Reply to this comment
- o you know anybody who was arrested, searched, wiretapped and torured.. the pizza guy down the street?? who?? I hope you are not talking about this guy from middle east..
Did you believe Bush''s claim of Iraq''s WMDs five years later? That Pat Tillman was killed by the Taliban as stated by Rumsfeld in a blazing gun battle against the Taliban? Have you ever heard of Abu Graib prison? You Bushbot dipstI*ks are so freakin'' stupid, it''s not worth wasting one''s breath. - Reply to this comment
- give it to these young liberals to see the likes of Osama and Hitler and categorize them as americans who has rights and freedoms..
you know what..YOU GUYS DO NOT DESERVE IT.. - Reply to this comment
- are we wiretapping al franken??how about cindy sheehan??
did we haul micheal moore''s fat arse to gitmo?? did that pimply little fu cking kid calling bush a facist..was he snatched out his room in the middle of masterba ting and killed by some guys in a black suit???
NO NO NO NO NNON ONO NON NO NO - Reply to this comment
- YOU WANT TO EXTEND THESE TERRORISTS THE SAME FREEDOMS AND RIGHTS TO YOU ENJOY??!! as far as I know expect for a few extremem cases MOST OF THESE GITMO detainees ARE NON-AMERICANS...
You dipsh*t, most are non-Americans, will some are American citizens who have been held without charges. How in the h*ll can you prove or disprove your innocence when you''re not charged with a crime and not given a fair trial? How do you know any of these people are "terrorists" when you don''t give them a chance to a fair hearing and a trial?
You fu*king Bushbots are so fu*king stupid, it''s beyond human comprehension. - Reply to this comment
- Posted by waynabq at 11:35 PM : Oct 25, 2007
+ report abuse
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do you know anybody who was arrested, searched, wiretapped and torured.. the pizza guy down the street?? who?? I hope you are not talking about this guy from middle east.. - Reply to this comment
