Condi Rice "Admits" U.S. Underestimated Hamas Strength

[im10ashus]

The understatement of the year, IMHO.

LONDON, Jan. 29 — Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice acknowledged Sunday that the United States had failed to understand the depth of hostility among Palestinians toward their longtime leaders. The hostility led to an election victory by the militant group Hamas that has reduced to tatters crucial assumptions underlying American policies and hopes in the Middle East.

"I've asked why nobody saw it coming," Ms. Rice said, speaking of her own staff. "It does say something about us not having a good enough pulse."

Immediately after the election, Bush administration officials said the results reflected a Palestinian desire for change and not necessarily an embrace of Hamas, which the United States, Israel and the European Union consider a terrorist organization sworn to Israel's destruction. But Ms. Rice's comments seemed to reflect a certain second-guessing over how the administration had failed to foresee, or factor into its thinking, the possibility of a Hamas victory. Indeed, Hamas's victory has set off a debate whether the administration was so wedded to its belief in democracy that it could not see the dangers of holding elections in regions where Islamist groups were strong and democratic institutions weak.

"There is a lot of blame to go around," said Martin Indyk, a top Middle East negotiator in the Clinton administration, referring to Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, and his Fatah party. "But on the American side the conceptual failure that contributed to disaster was the president's belief that democracy and elections solve everything."

Ms. Rice pointed out that the election results surprised just about everyone. "I don't know anyone who wasn't caught off guard by Hamas's strong showing," she said on her way to London for meetings on the Middle East, Iran and other matters. "Some say that Hamas itself was caught off guard by its strong showing."

cont'd...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/30/international/middleeast/30diplo.html?hp&ex=1138597200&en=113cc013282442e2&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Mike Nelson]

1. SHE SHOULD HAVE STUCK TO THE PIANO

in way over her head

[Skittles]

10. she is so freaking incompetent

:puke:

[Olney Blue]

2. "No one could have predicted that Hamas could win an election."

[joemurphy]

3. Maybe she underestimates Democratic strength too.

Let's get rid of her ASAP.

[Kagemusha]

4. Condi gets caught off guard a lot, doesn't she?...

Like oh, about airplanes being slammed into buildings, say.

[Ian David]

5. PBD: "Hamas Likely to win Palestinian Elections" a "historical Document"

Bush didn't want to believe Hamas would win.

Any information saying Hamas would win was ignored.

Any agents presenting information saying Hamas would win were demoted and isolated and discredited.

That is how this administration works.

On the other hand, this could all be part of his plan to trigger The War of The Apocalypse.

[im10ashus]

13. I believe you mean PDB.

And that is a very good point. "Bin Laden determined to attack inside the US," comes to mind.

[tabasco]

6. Worst Secretary of State ever.

Worst administration ever.

History will not be kind to the incompetent neocon cabal.

[marmar]

7. So true. You could apply "worst" to every BushCo appointee...

Even worst White House pet ever. These people are just all-around screw-ups. :)

[madrchsod]

8. it`s not barney`s fault

he`s got a dumb ass for an owner!

[DainBramaged]

9. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice acknowledged Sunday she sucks

her department sucks, her analysis sucks, and she so badly underestimated the level of discontent in Palestine that she is disconnected form everyday reality.

In a word, she sucks.

[mcctatas]

11. I'm so sick of this shit...".U.S. Underestimated Hamas Strength"

The "U.S." didn't underestimate shit, just those right wing fuck-ups in that echo chamber bush calls a cabinet. I swear they could mess up a wet-dream with their inompetence...and yet they keep winning. It's enough to make me scream!!!!!:rant:

[DemonFighterLives]

12. Oh what does she know?

:silly:

[tanyev]

14. Maybe a better strategy would be to first ask, WWCD?

(What Would Condi Do?), and then do the exact opposite.

[LunaSea]

15. You'd think by now her special powers

of underestimation would have warrented her own Marvel comic by now....
The Underestimater, a not so super heroine with expensive shoes.