Rice set to defend US policy on Iraq to lawmakers

[maddezmom]

By Sue Pleming
1 hour, 11 minutes ago



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice faces tough questions by lawmakers on Wednesday over U.S. policy in Iraq where more than 150,000 U.S. troops are fighting a bloody insurgency.

Rice is set to testify on U.S.-Iraq policy at a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the same day that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein goes on trial in Baghdad for "crimes against humanity."

Despite violence that shows no sign of abating, State Department officials said Rice was expected to stress the Bush administration's view that progress is being made, citing last weekend's relatively peaceful referendum as an example.

more:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051019/pl_nm/iraq_usa_rice_dc

Rice Faces Jittery Congress Over Iraq
WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in her first Capitol Hill appearance in eight months, faces a jittery Congress seeking specifics about the United States' path to success in Iraq.

Republicans and Democrats alike are raising questions about the Bush administration's diplomatic and military plans in Iraq amid a rising U.S. death toll, soaring costs and slumping public support for the war.

~snip~

"Even if withdrawal timelines are deemed unwise because they might provide a strategic advantage to the insurgency, the American people need to more fully understand the basis upon which our troops are likely to come home," Lugar said.

By State Department design, Rice was testifying before Lugar's committee just days after Iraq apparently approved its first constitution since a U.S.-led coalition ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051019/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq_1

Betcha condi is a bit jittery, too!

[LynnTheDem]

1. "citing last weekend's relatively peaceful referendum" ...Only 6 US

troops killed in Iraq that day.

[leftchick]

2. why do they even bother

with these dog and pony shows in congress? Every one of the neofreaks lies, no tough questions and the money still pours forth. It is bull shit!

[maddezmom]

4. listening to her now on CSPAN...her line things are going well

democracy, women's rights...etc

and now latest headlines:


Insurgents Kill 19 in New Iraq Violence By THOMAS WAGNER, Associated Press Writer
37 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Sunni-led insurgents killed 19 people in Iraq on Wednesday, the opening day of Saddam Hussein's trial, including six Shiites who were lined up at a factory and gunned down in front of their fellow workers, police said.

The day's fatalities also included three election commission officials who were shot and killed on the outskirts of the capital in Abu Ghraib, as they drove home after another round of counting ballots from last weekend's constitutional referendum, police said.

A bomb also went off at a famous monument in a Baghdad square honoring the 8th-century founder of Baghdad to whom Saddam often compared himself. The blast, which toppled the bust of Abu Jaafar Al-Mansour but caused no injuries, appeared to be a jab at the former dictator.

In addition, the military said that two coalition soldiers were killed — one American, the other British — in attacks Tuesday night.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051019/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq;_ylt=AsOqUV0C1oacgPyUnSM1wzkLewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--

[pinniped]

3. Just use the notes from a couple years ago you killer POS.

BTW- when is that sovereignty napkin going to go on tour?

Let freedumb reign.

[saigon68]

5. She is something else