Rice Strongly Disagrees With McCain On Iraq: VICTORY IS "NOT A SURE THING"

[kpete]

From Zain Verjee
CNN State Department Correspondent


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday the road for the U.S. in Iraq has been "harder, longer, and more difficult than I personally imagined" and warned that despite some recent progress, success in Iraq is "not a sure thing."

She made those comments at a packed auditorium at the State Department to salute a top general and a top diplomat. She honored Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker with the highest award the State Department gives: The Distinguished Persons Award.

Rice said there has been progress in Iraq, with the economy "springing back to life" and displaced Iraqis returning home. She added that al Qaeda is weaker and the Iraqi government is playing a more effective role. Rice called it a "hopeful but fragile turn of events" but said success in Iraq is "not a sure thing."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/06/rice.iraq/index.html?section=cnn_latest

[SuperTrouper]

1. Condi is voting for Obama. She is dead to McCain now.

[SallyMander]

3. Really?? nt

[BklynChick]

2. wow.

[Schulzz]

4. Obama should use this against McCain tonight.

Like he used Kissinger's statement two weeks ago.

[frickaline]

5. K&R

[rucky]

6. "al Qaeda is weaker"... weaker than what?

al Qaeda wasn't even in Iraq before we invaded. They're not basing the success of the mission on the original (stated) objectives - which is understandable because the objectives were unclear and shady to begin with.

[dipsydoodle]

7. I saw her say that on TV

and she looked almost scared and frightened while she was speaking.

[adigal]

8. Condi got in with a bad crowd and seems ashamed

of herself at times, now. Too bad - if she were a Dem, she would have had a place in an honorable administration, Obama's.

[csorman]

9. I've thought for a long time

that she will vote for Obama.

[anigbrowl]

10. I think she's belatedly discovered her inner Jedi

Something changed after she got grilled by the house over the dreadful performance of the state department in Iraq...seems like she took a long hard look in the mirror.

[secondwind]

11. just playing devil's advocate here................does anyone think that Condi said this now

so that McCain can THEN say that we need to be in Iraq longer than Obama's withdrawal date?

[Ozma]

12. YES !!!!!!! That's the first thing that came to my mind! eom