Posted on 01/18/2005 10:06:35 AM PST by ex-Texan
Rice Vows to Help Mend Fences Through Diplomacy
WASHINGTON – Condoleezza Rice pledged Tuesday to work to mend and strengthen ties with allies frayed by the war in Iraq. "The time for diplomacy is now," she told senators at her confirmation hearing to replace Colin Powell as secretary of state.
"The time for diplomacy is long overdue," retorted Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, the senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He told her the United States is "paying a heavy price" for the administration's policy in Iraq.
Despite pointed questioning from committee Democrats, Senate confirmation of Rice – Bush's most trusted foreign policy confidante – was all but assured.
Rice insisted that the administration's actions in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks – including wars in Afghanistan and Iraq – were "difficult, and necessary and right."
She told committee members the nation's "first challenge...is to inspire the American people and the people of all free nations to unite in common cause to solve common problems"
"If I am confirmed, public diplomacy will be a top priority for me and for the professionals I lead," Rice said in an apparent attempt to ease concerns of those who suggested Bush's foreign policy was too unilateral and unaccommodating over the past four years.
Committee members used the confirmation hearing as a rare opportunity to press Rice for her views and role in combatting terrorism and waging war in Iraq.
* * *
"I would not presume to try to give the president military advice, but I do believe that he got good military advice and I do believe that the plan and the forces that we went in with were appropriate to the task," she said.
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as opposed to just buying international support as Saddam was doing
Ready, aim, fire. Darn hit another Dem. Will have to learn to aim better.
Was there ever a time when Biden wasn't an irritating son of a bitch?
He irritates me as well. With Biden, everything is about politics and making headlines. However, you have to consider the source: He is playing to his blue constituency back home. All in all, I wish he would just shut his mouth and listen to Dr. Condi Rice.
Probably when they gave him a local to install those hair plugs.
Condoleezza Rice pledged Tuesday to work to mend and strengthen ties with allies frayed by the war in Iraq. "The time for diplomacy is now," she told senators at her confirmation hearing to replace Colin Powell as secretary of state.
I hope she had her fingers crossed under the table when she said this. France needs to be 'punished' for their duplicity and betrayal. Syria and Iran need to be read the riot act have get a big kick in the a**. We can be 'diplomatic' with everyone else.
Or maybe someone should have asked what her definition of 'diplomacy' is. Maybe she likes Teddy Roosevelt's definition.
Not that I remember.
The problem is, aside from Rice, there are no other diplomats in the State Department - just defective birds - brainless capons with no guts.
I hate the UN. Its a product of Stalinism and Alger Hiss.
We should pull out and allow it to collapse.
We should pull out and allow it to collapse.
How about this: kick the UN out of the US, reduce our financial contribution to the level of let's say France, and do what China does, sit and listen and veto anything we don't like. We can then watch it collapse in slow motion.
If we just pull out it would happen too quick. I want it's death to be slow and painful for those who like it, like France for instance.
You know, I LIKE that idea.
We should also estbalish a new coalition of our own to counter the Islamofascists and their western European Gurlie men. Like a coalition involving eastern Europe, Russia and Ukraine and as many other allies as possible.
We should employ our trade as a tool to leverage allies. If they don't play ball with us, they don't participate in our markets. Let China and Japan and Mexico sell cars and furniture and cheap clothing to Burkina Faso or Upper Volta.
"The time for diplomacy is long overdue," retorted Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware.
Thank goodness we have sensible people like Mr. Jo-Jo Biden (to the tune of L.A. Lady) to come up with a sensible plan like rolling back the clock and doing things differently in the past.
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