Posted on 01/30/2006 10:35:05 AM PST by Sabramerican
Rice Admits U.S. Underestimated Hamas Strength By STEVEN R. WEISMAN
LONDON, Jan. 29 Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice acknowledged Sunday that the United States had failed to understand the depth of hostility among Palestinians toward their longtime leaders. The hostility led to an election victory by the militant group Hamas that has reduced to tatters crucial assumptions underlying American policies and hopes in the Middle East.
"I've asked why nobody saw it coming," Ms. Rice said, speaking of her own staff. "It does say something about us not having a good enough pulse." .......
Indeed, Hamas's victory has set off a debate whether the administration was so wedded to its belief in democracy that it could not see the dangers of holding elections in regions where Islamist groups were strong and democratic institutions weak.
"There is a lot of blame to go around," said Martin Indyk,......."But on the American side, the conceptual failure that contributed to disaster was the president's belief that democracy and elections solve everything."
Ms. Rice pointed out that the election results surprised just about everyone. "I don't know anyone who wasn't caught off guard by Hamas's strong showing," she said on her way to London for meetings on the Middle East, Iran and other matters. "Some say that Hamas itself was caught off guard by its strong showing."
With increasing vehemence in the last few days, when itadministration officials have defended their decision to back Mr. Abbas with American aid and to rebuff Israel when it warned that the election should not be held as long as Hamas participated while refusing to lay down its arms.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Here, here, Miss Rice. Right here. This way. Look here.
administration officials have defended their decision to....... rebuff Israel when it warned
You don't have a clue, do you Miss Rice? But you sure are good at Rebuffing Israel.
PS- Rice for President
One more thing Miss Rice, so that in the future you won't claim you didn't know:
The Saudis are not our friends.
Why are you complaining...Arafat, Fatah, and the rest of the PA groups were terrorists and thugs too! Now they are on the verge of a civil war and that is a good thing.
Translation: See, we told you that Arabs can't handle democracy. It just separates the sheep from the goats better. Let Hamas run the show.
Could have stopped right there. The current generation under 25 has been raised to hate the West and Israel in particular. Practically to a man, woman ,and child, they all dream of murdering their way into heaven.
The Saudis are very fiendly..
Are you kidding, I'm not complaining about the result. I'm ecstatic.
By the way, Ms. Rice, the sky is blue.
Rice: You mean YOU underestimated Hamas. Many American already knew what you're just finding out. State Dept is not worth a dump in the toilet.
"Are you kidding, I'm not complaining about the result. I'm ecstatic."
Good. For a minute I thought you were Rice/Administration bashing...(wink)
well, she's told us that she didn't want to run for president or VP.
she is doing her best to make sure of that with statements like this.
Rice joins State and becomes blind. What a shock.
And who do they quote as an expert...Martin Indyk...the same ignorant jerk who's been part of this disaster called "the peace process".
How could anyone who watched Hamas celebrate their success at suicide bombing an Israeli war hero prime minister into ethnic cleansing Gaza of all Jews be surprised that Hamas would win a popularity contest among terrorists?
Q for Rice. Tell us what you have been right about over there. It won't take you long to answer.
The Saudis are not our friends.
Try telling that to my boss, who thinks Islam is a religion of peace, and we all worship the same God. - Condi
It should be interesting to see play out.
ping
She also added that the sky is blue, water is wet, bears poop in the woods, and babies cry. Deja vu, I remember Jimmuh Carter bemoaning in late '79 early '80, right after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, that he could not trust the Soviets. "Well, duh" was my reaction to his words, and my reaction to her words.
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