Rice defends U.S. policy despite Mideast strife

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Rice defends U.S. policy despite Mideast strife

By Arshad Mohammed

Sunday, June 24, 2007; 9:33 PM

PARIS (Reuters) - Eleven months after saying the world was
witnessing "the birth pangs of a new Middle East," U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended U.S. policy in
the face of strife in Iraq, Lebanon and Gaza.

Rice was ridiculed for having made the remark last July during
the war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon by
critics who believe the Bush administration has drastically
undermined the stability of the Middle East.

Asked about the comment at a news conference with French
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Rice on Sunday argued Iraq
was better off for the 2003 ousting of Saddam Hussein as was
Lebanon for the 2005 departure of Syrian troops from its soil.

"Democracy is hard. And I see it is especially hard when there
are determined enemies who try and strangle it," Rice said when
a reporter referred to her "birth pangs" remark and asked how
the "the baby" was doing nearly a year later.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/24/AR2007062401480.html

[goclark]

1. Yep, like her "husband" says, it's "hard work"

Cry me a river you fool!

[Maggie_May]

2. Of course Democracy is hard when

you try to ram it up someones ass. You invaded a country not to bring Democracy you went the war on WMD Miss Rice. You had no plan for democracy. In my view Miss Rice you have destabilized the Middle East.

[MidwestTransplant]

3. Should read "U.S. policy in the Middle East leads to strife. Rice defends"

[Divine Discontent]

4. Rice: Democracy will come to Middle East

Source: AP


By ANNE GEARAN, AP Diplomatic Writer 1 hour, 1 minute ago

PARIS - Nearly a year after she was ridiculed for calling a war in Lebanon "the birth pangs of a new Middle East," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is insisting democracy will come to the region whatever the setbacks.

In Paris for talks on the future of Sudan's ravaged Darfur region and a meeting with Lebanon's Western-backed premier, Rice met Monday with new French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

On Sunday, she acknowledged the bad news coming from Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

"Democracy is hard, and I see it as especially hard when there are determined enemies who try and strangle it," Rice said when asked about the "birth pangs" remark during a news conference with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070625/ap_on_re_eu/rice

---

oh good Lord, help us... "democracy's hard work" - she sounds like W!

She might as well just be saying -
"hey all you non Democratic countries around the WORLD, we're gonna force our ways onto you or we'll pave the way to democracy in your country with a million dead bodies - ours fighting boys & yours too!"

Rice nauseates me...

www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable <<-- top '08 items

[Mythsaje]

5. Doesn't she mean "Democracy on OUR terms?" n/t

[Divine Discontent]

6. how can she stomach working under this stinking cesspool of a govt? is she THAT greedy? n/t

[superconnected]

21. She's part of the cess pool.

It's not like she's separate and looking in.

[GeorgeGist]

7. Whether they like it or not?

I doubt that Condi and her ilk, will ever admit to the reality that majority rule, Republican Democracy is, always has been, and always will be a con job.

[cassiepriam]

8. Been very hard work in the US rigging elections, buying off the press, stacking the courts.....

spying on Americans, yep Democracy is very hard work.

[youngdem]

9. When does it come back to the US, you bitch?

[4dsc]

10. And monkey's will fly out my butt

I'm sorry but I just had to say that because it's obvious Rice is clueless..

[Demeter]

11. Way Past Time for an Intervention

The kind done for out-of-control drunks and other addicts...

[rodeodance]

12. "Democracy to come"------at the point of a gun barrel. yup!

[Divine Discontent]

20. that was frickin hilarious and SADLY true... n/t

[Marrah_G]

13. If by democracy she means.......

The people voting on which religious zealot they want to opress them then, yes, they want a democracy. That's all this civil war is now. Supposed Holy Men with their armies blowing each other up toe who will be in charge.

Even with the US there, those "Clerics" could stop the fighting with a few words. But they do not want to.

Democracy, freedom and equality cannot be gained at end of a gun. They must be truly desired by those willing to fight for it themselves. Frankly I doubt we will ever see a real Democracy in any country where religous leaders still hold all the power.

[Odin2005]

14. How about a little Democracy HERE?

[gratuitous]

15. Weren't the Palestinians practicing democracy?

And then, when the people chose leaders for themselves that Dr. Rice and her cohorts didn't like, it was almost as if the United States became a determined enemy who tried to strangle the nascent democracy.

Oh for a few practicing journalists who would ask such questions of the corrupt cabal.

[Magleetis]

16. Nope

Wrong again dumbass.

[Javaman]

18. aka a "type" of democracy. nt

[Steerpike]

17. It goes without saying...

Rice will defend this policy and this administration till her dieing day.

[snooper2]

19. This comes to mind every time I see her name now :)

[superconnected]

22. I would be nice if she got the punnishment she deserves.

- swinging next to gw, cheney and rummy.

Unfortunatly that ugly head of hers probably won't be brought to justice and neither will they.

We'll have to wait for the hag to die of old age.