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Rice: Better to have Hamas in power than in streets
YNet ^ | Nov. 6, 2006

Posted on 11/06/2006 11:24:19 AM PST by Alouette

US secretary of state says Hamas government may be preferable to group 'running the streets, masked, with guns'

Associated Press Published: 11.06.06, 21:18

An elected Hamas government in the Palestinian territories may be preferable to the group operating outside the power structure and carrying out terrorist actions, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday.

Rice, speaking to a pro-democracy forum, made the point in arguing that that the United States should not retreat from its advocacy of democracy abroad when elections do not turn out well from the US point of view. Referring to Hamas, Rice said, "I am not so sure that it is better to have these groups running the streets, masked, with guns rather than having them have to face voters and having to deliver."

While the election that produced the Hamas victory was free and fair, she said Hamas has failed in its responsibility to obtain international acceptability. The result, Rice said, has been that the Palestinian people basically have been deprived of international assistance.

"The interesting point is would we have ever seen Hamas confronted with that dilemma without elections and without coming in to govern," Rice said.

She added that the international community should do more to convince Middle East groups that enter politics to give up terror.

While expressing disappointment with the drift toward repression in Egypt, Rice said the 2004 presidential elections produced some lasting benefits. "I don't believe that Egypt will ever go completely back to where it was in the wake of competitive presidential elections," She said.

"The kind of open debate that took place in Egypt, everywhere from in the press to cafes in Egypt, I'm told by people who were there, you don't ever really put that back in a bottle."


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: foggyrockbottom; hamas; israel; rice
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To: Alouette

Another terrorist state? What happened to trhe WOT?


41 posted on 11/06/2006 12:21:41 PM PST by sheik yerbouty ( Make America and the world a jihad free zone!)
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To: Alouette

That makes perfect sense. The people have voted for Hamas.. Hamas makes all these promises... they don't deliver and guess what.. they lose the support of their people.

We all know the U.S. is going to work against them delivering what they promised so it's all gonna fly back in their face.


42 posted on 11/06/2006 12:37:10 PM PST by Almondjoy
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To: section9

I have to agree with you. Rice is saying exactly what we would say; if the Dems win tomorrow in a fair election, we can blame our fellow voters BUT we cannot change the outcome, nor would we want somebody else to some in here and tell us to change it. Hamas won the election; they now have the responsibility to deliver on both their promises to thier people and to the world at large. Conversely, as a shadow organization, they become 'romantic' like the IRA was once. I agree with Rice - make them show themselves for who they are, and, if they fail, let the people toss them out. It would suck to be in her position of trying to moderate and clarify all of this stuff.


43 posted on 11/06/2006 12:55:53 PM PST by Amalie (FREEDOM had NEVER been another word for nothing left to lose...)
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To: section9

I am worried we are going to wuss out on dealing with Sadr City after Maliki screams at us.


44 posted on 11/06/2006 1:01:49 PM PST by jmc1969
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To: Amalie
...if they fail, let the people toss them out.

It doesn't work that way. This will be an election held one time. For all time. The way all good tyrants operate.

And Condi is diverting yours and my tax dollars to feed this monster.

45 posted on 11/06/2006 1:05:38 PM PST by Paul Ross (We cannot be for lawful ordinances and for an alien conspiracy at one and the same moment.-Cicero)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel, WOT

..................

Funny, that's not what the Road Map said. Nor Oslo. And the US is a party to both. One could easily conclude that diplomatically, the United States is not to be trusted.

46 posted on 11/06/2006 1:09:19 PM PST by SJackson ( There is no threat. Communists are not about to take over our McDonald hamburger stands. John Kerry)
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To: Mr. Mojo
I wonder how long until the St. Dept. expresses the same view about Al Qaeda?

Consistancy would require it, as it would the Taliban. And the Baath party. All were denied the opportunity to participate in elections while armed. Of course none are particularly well liked in Saudi Arabia, which could be a factor.

47 posted on 11/06/2006 1:12:22 PM PST by SJackson ( There is no threat. Communists are not about to take over our McDonald hamburger stands. John Kerry)
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To: Asclepius
The journalist is trying hard to make Rice sound as if she endorsed a Hamas government; she didn't. What she actually said is that the US should pursue the goal of democracy even if the result is sometimes that parties like Hamas getting popularly elected. Part of what a democratic system is supposed to do is give everyone a stake in the process.

That's not true. IMO, armed terrorist groups have no place participating in elections. The Oslo accords, to which the United States is a party, specifically spelled that out. They were to have been disarmed a decade ago. It required a specific exemption to allow a terrorist group to participate. Over Israel's objection, and I'd speculate over Abba's private reservations as well. It was a stupid move. Same for Hizbollah's participation in Lebanon, which the US supported.

48 posted on 11/06/2006 1:15:11 PM PST by SJackson ( There is no threat. Communists are not about to take over our McDonald hamburger stands. John Kerry)
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To: tennmountainman
We pumped in millions of dollars to Arafat. All he did was sock that money in a bank. Eleminate Hamas.

Per Condi we're doubling our 2006 aid to the palestinian authority, from $240 million to the mid $400 range. My guess, some of that ends up in Switzerland as well.

49 posted on 11/06/2006 1:18:28 PM PST by SJackson ( There is no threat. Communists are not about to take over our McDonald hamburger stands. John Kerry)
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To: Alouette

she is toast for 2008, let her go off and run the NFL.


50 posted on 11/06/2006 1:19:51 PM PST by oceanview
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To: Alouette

Good thinking, there Condi, NOT!

Your proposal is nothing more than acquiescence to an acknowledged terrorist organization assuming the reigns of a sovereign state and thereby take advantage of the peculiar rights and priveledges that such entails: negotiation of treatise and alliances with other sovereign nation states, diplomatic immunity, ability to print money and to the purchase arms on the international market.


51 posted on 11/06/2006 1:22:11 PM PST by raygun (Whenever I see U.N. blue helmets I feel like laughing and puking at the same time.)
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Comment #52 Removed by Moderator

To: SJackson

"Per Condi we're doubling our 2006 aid to the palestinian authority, from $240 million to the mid $400 range. My guess, some of that ends up in Switzerland as wel"

Some of it? All of it will be in a Swiss bank account.


53 posted on 11/06/2006 1:44:52 PM PST by tennmountainman
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To: Alouette

This woman is a sterling example of what is wrong with our State Department:
Most realize that if you dress a terrorist up in a suit, they are still a terrorist and just as deadly.
She does not.


54 posted on 11/06/2006 1:54:27 PM PST by newcthem (Brought to you by the INFIDEL PARTY)
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To: Alouette

I've kept myself from asking the nagging question quite a few times out of respect for our President, but enough is enough. Has our Secretary of State Rice ever been a member of any organizations like the Nation of Islam, Society of St. Pius X, or a Mel Gibson fan club, maybe? Has she expressed any preference for any European country over our USA (Europhilia)? ...just to present a few examples that are all essentially alike...

Rice: Palestinians deserve to live free of 'occupation'[at an event of pro-Palestinian group]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1717847/posts

US Supplies Fatah With Arms, Rice Decries "Occupation"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1718348/posts


55 posted on 11/06/2006 2:02:38 PM PST by familyop (http://www.noachidechassid.com/news.php)
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To: section9

"Wherever Islamists have been elected, they have had to deal with raising revenue, filling the potholes, and dealing with milllage rates. Damn whole sight harder than driving the Jews into the sea. "

Odd, I seem to remember that Arab areas are recognizable by the hung potholes. And, try as I may, I can't remember seeing any news of Jews being driven into the sea by Muslims.

With terrorists in office, the roads get worse and worse - until the IDF blows the area to H*ll and gone to suppress terrorists will things improve.


56 posted on 11/06/2006 2:03:07 PM PST by GladesGuru (In a society predicated upon Liberty, it is essential to examine principles, - -)
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To: Alouette

Pat Buchanan's next running mate, ladies and gentlemen!


57 posted on 11/06/2006 2:09:22 PM PST by Zionist Conspirator (Vayo'mer HaShem, za`aqat Sedom va`Amorah ki rabbah; vechatta'tam, ki khavedah me'od.)
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To: Zionist Conspirator
Pat Buchanan's next running mate, ladies and gentlemen!

Condi could find a party to run her in a heartbeat, Pat couldn't.

58 posted on 11/06/2006 2:21:22 PM PST by SJackson ( There is no threat. Communists are not about to take over our McDonald hamburger stands. John Kerry)
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To: CottShop

Looks like Rice is nothing more than the next Buchanon...


59 posted on 11/06/2006 2:25:51 PM PST by gogogodzilla (I criticize everyone... and then breathe some radioactive fire and stomp on things.)
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To: Zionist Conspirator

Ahh! You beat me to it.

Grumble grumble, mumble... (kicks can)


60 posted on 11/06/2006 2:29:45 PM PST by gogogodzilla (I criticize everyone... and then breathe some radioactive fire and stomp on things.)
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