Paris Speech by Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice (full text)

U.S. Department of State ^ | February 8, 2005 | Condoleezza Rice

[ml1954]

I haven't heard too much about what punishment France has been given to date. I think France needs further punishing.

My guess is GW and Condi think so too. They're just giving them some rope with which to hang themselves. Extend a hand and when they spit on it, resume the punishing.

[shekkian]

WOW!!! This is one of the great speeches of American history, along with "I have a dream" and "Tear down this wall".

[Convert from ECUSA]

" When we disagreed, we still disagreed as friends. And as long as we remember that we have not just common values but a common future built on those values, I think we are going to see an even stronger relationship, if you will, a kind of rebirth of energy in the U.S.-French and the U.S.-European relationship because we have great things ahead of us."

By me, the French are not our friends, and we don't have common values.

[untenured]

Good afternoon, Madam Secretary. I am the president of the Council of Democratic Muslims in France. As a French citizen, originated from Bagram, I'd like to -- here we have a few people from left and right, who live democracy, and we know them, we love them because they speak sincerely. If you put yourselves in the position of an Arab -- French or American -- he lives in a Western country. He lives democracy. He lives his freedom.

Do you think for a single moment when going around the Arab world or Muslim world, is there one single country, one country, Madame Secretary, where freedom of expression or democracy is respected? When President Bush tells us, I am here to free the world from tyranny, theocracy, dictatorship, every Arab dreams, dreams of this feeling of finding himself again in a country that you want to build for them.

Unfortunately, and my question is: Is there a single Arab or Muslim country, which deserves to be defended by Bush and by America? Is there a single Arab country, which is making an effort? Please allow the Secretary to respond.

Wow, what an amazing question. I wonder who asked it?

[Deetes]

She is perfect . And there is nothing the DemoRats can do. Just perfect :-)

[Huck]

The first five paragraphs are pure butt-kissing. I could never make it as a diplomat.

[CasearianDaoist]

Certainly better than listening to Powell. I think we have a keeper here. I would have been slightly less "diplomatic," but then I would never be a diplomat.

Condi is a keeper, IMHO.

Bet she goes down as one of the greats. GWB made the right choice here. I loved the bits about the music school and Parks. Thouroughly defanged the Frogs. Too funny.

[Grzegorz 246]

Maybe you are right, but this is called diplomacy.

[Ruth A.]

There is no comparison between Condi and Hillary. We now know who the Smartest Woman in America really is. Condi has such grace, breadth of knowledge and skills that Hillary is inconsequential.

"After all, history will surely judge us not by our old disagreements, but by our new achievements," she said.

Hillary is a disagreer, while Condi is an achiever.

[Convert from ECUSA]

Yeah, I know. Diplomacy. Everytime I hear some diplomat talk, I think of my FR tagline.

[papasmurf]

I have to say, while I already do respect Condi, that respect has just grown enormously. What a powerful, concise, effective speech that was. I don't think we could have made a better choice than her.

:O)


P

[ml1954]

That's what I'd like to know.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

Ms. Rice just proved to the entire country and the world that she is Presidential material. Forget Hillary Clinton. Condi Rice has more going for her in her pinky finger than Hillary has throughout her whole body. No comparison whatsoever!!! Condi in 2008!!!

[The Real Eddie01]

I once told a co-worker (who agreed with me) that my career aspirations seemed impossible to achieve because there were people I dealt with who seemed to be on a level of "smart" that was beyond my comprehension... no roadmap in my mind I thought could bring me to this point of leadership and clarity.

That's how I feel about Dr. Rice after reading this.

I am fairly certain that she is the smartest woman on earth. Hillary on the other hand will have to transfer all power to the ego shields, else she have an ego breach.

[The Real Eddie01]

We hurt zhear feelINGs.

[Lukasz]

There is a muslim country that is a democracy - Turkey
Well, there is also Albania.