Condi: "Iraqis are beginning to build a decent society"

[sabra]

http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=148&a=775035&rss=2216

<snip>

Exclusive: Interwiev with the US foreign minister Condoleeza Rice by Michael Winiarski.

You have said that "if we leave Iraq prematurely, then we are going to empower Iran". Isn't that what has happened after the US invasion of Iraq? When Iran's worst enemy was removed the winner was Iran.


"Well, the Iraqi people's worst enemy was removed with Saddam Hussein. I think we first have to keep that in mind. Secondly, a great enemy of the region was removed with Saddam Hussein, because he had indeed gone to war against Iran, but he also invaded Kuwait and he had repeatedly refused to deal with resolution after resolution. It was very important to deal with the regime of Saddam Hussein. Now, Iran will only be empowered if Iraq does not emerge as a strong and unified Iraqi state that plays its natural role of being a multi religious state with a shia majority government. But Iraqi shia are not Iranian. They are Iraqi nationalists. The Iraqis have no intention of having Iran have influence in Iraq's affairs. In fact, I think you can say the opposite, that Iraq will be a block against Iranian influence in the region."

So you are presently optimistic?

"I am. I think it's a hard road and they have a long way to go and I'll be the first to say that it's been much harder than I would have thought, but the Iraqis are beginning to build a decent society. They're beginning to build functioning institutions of government and they have security forces that are fighting on behalf of all Iraqis, to expel terrorists and criminals in various parts of the country. They've passed important reconciliation laws like their amnesty law, their justice accountability laws. They're looking to their second set of elections sometime before the end of the year. The security situation has improved. So yes, this is a country that has a great deal going for them and if it can manage its differences by politics rather than by violence then it's going to be a very good thing for the Middle East."

[acmavm]

1. This 'woman' is batshit crazy.

[beachmom]

2. Totally untrue. There are 4 million refugees who cannot return to their homes

due to ethnic cleansing. Oh, and Iran backs the Maliki government, too.

[Faygo Kid]

3. How about building a decent society here? One without War Criminal Condi Rice.

We're going to see them build a "decent society?"

The cradle of Western civilization, on the Tigris and Euphrates?

She is a killer and a fool, with no knowledge of history for such an "educated" person.

[katty]

4. really CON-di?! hope so! as america crumbles...

[Ghost in the Machine]

5. ".... and we're going to bomb it as soon as they get a little more completed.."

[sinkingfeeling]

6. So, was Iraqi society 'indecent' before the invasion?