My Life and Times

January 26, 2005In Senate, Democrats Assail Rice and U.S. Policy in IraqBy SHERYL GAY STOLBERG and JOEL BRINKLEY WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 - Senate Democrats on Tuesday denounced Condoleezza Rice as the architect of a failed and misleading Iraq policy, turning a daylong debate on her nomination as secretary of state into a prolonged discussion of the conduct of the war. Even as they acknowledged that her confirmation was a foregone conclusion, Democrats assailed Ms. Rice - and, by extension, President Bush - and accused her of having exaggerated the threat of unconventional weapons before the war and failing to offer a realistic portrait of the continuing difficulties facing American forces in Iraq. The debate came on a rare day in the Senate devoted exclusively to foreign policy, and even a few Republicans used it to acknowledge the challenges in Iraq as it approaches elections next week."Hopefully Iraq will someday be a democratic example for the Middle East," said Senator Chuck Hagel, Republican of Nebraska. "But Iraq could also become a failed state. We must not let that happen." Another Republican, Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, offered an uncharacteristically dour view of the region. "I don't believe we need an exit strategy in Iraq," Mr. Alexander said. "I think we need a success strategy. But such a strategy may mean taking a little more realistic view of what we mean by success."Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, one of more than half a dozen Democrats who said they would vote against confirmation on Wednesday, called the war "a catastrophic failure, a quagmire."The debate came as the administration said it would request an additional $80 billion in spending to cover the continuing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq through September - a request that is likely to receive intense scrutiny on Capitol Hill."I don't like to impugn anyone's integrity, but I really don't like being lied to repeatedly, flagrantly, intentionally," said Senator Mark Dayton, Democrat of Minnesota. "It's wrong; it's undemocratic; it's un-American; and it's very dangerous. It is very, very dangerous. And it is occurring far too frequently in this administration."The remark brought a sharp rebuke from Republicans, including Senator John McCain of Arizona. "You disagree with our policy in Iraq," he said in an interview. "I understand why people do it, but to challenge Condoleezza Rice's integrity I think is out of bounds."The leader of the Republicans, Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee, called Ms. Rice well qualified and the mission well justified, saying: "Outlaw regimes must be confronted. Dangerous weapons proliferation must be stopped. Terrorist organizations must be destroyed."Republicans complained that Democrats were using partisan politics in an effort to delay the confirmation of the first black woman to be secretary of state. But Democrats said they were appropriately exercising their role, to advise and consent. Democrats also suggested that they believed that they had found a winning political issue in Iraq. Senator Barbara Boxer, Democrat of California, sent out a fund-raising letter on Tuesday on behalf of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, drawing attention to her pointed questions of Ms. Rice during 11 hours of confirmation hearings last week."In order to put the brakes on four more years of misdirection in Iraq and reckless policies at home, we need to elect more Democrats to the Senate during the 2006 midterm elections," the letter said. "Because after Dr. Rice is confirmed, the Senate will face many more crucial decisions in the coming months: confirmation of President Bush's choice for attorney general, Alberto Gonzales, social security, Iraq and possibly a Supreme Court nomination."The letter drew pointed criticism from Republicans. "This fund-raising solicitation crosses the line," said Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas. He added, "Dr. Rice is entitled to an apology."Mr. Bush had hoped to swear in Ms. Rice last Thursday, the day he was inaugurated for a second term. But Senate Democrats delayed her confirmation, after a contentious hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in which Senator Boxer and Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, the former Democratic nominee, among others, grilled Ms. Rice over the justification and conduct of the war. Mr. Kerry, who was one of two Democrats to vote against the nomination in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week (Ms. Boxer was the other) did not take part in the debate on the floor. Neither did Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, the ranking Democrat on the committee, who criticized her strongly last week but voted in favor of her nomination.Dr. Frist, the majority leader, and Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, both predicted a quick confirmation on Wednesday, by a large bipartisan majority.The discussion on Tuesday signified perhaps the most extensive and substantive Senate debate over the war in Iraq since the fall of 2002, when Congress voted to approve the resolution authorizing the use of force - a vote that some Democrats said they might not have taken had Ms. Rice been more forthcoming. Senator Robert C. Byrd, the West Virginia Democrat who was one of the most vocal opponents of the war, said Ms. Rice simply did not deserve to be promoted. "I cannot support higher responsibilities for those who helped set our great nation down the path of increasing isolation, enmity in the world and a war that has no end," Mr. Byrd said. His voice quivering, he offered a plaintive lament: "Oh, when will our boys come home?"But Democrats were not united in their opposition. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California warmly embraced Ms. Rice; the two are friends from Ms. Rice's days as provost of Stanford University. Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, Democrat of Connecticut, praised Ms. Rice as highly qualified. "The world knows that she has the president's trust and confidence," Mr. Lieberman said.Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the assistant Democratic leader, did not say how he would vote; his aides said he wanted the night to think about it. But with the Iraqi elections approaching next week, he wondered aloud if the vote would really reflect the popular will."We have to ask what kind of elections they will be if candidates names can't be published, if polling places can't be designated and when few Sunni Muslims are able to participate," Mr. Durbin said.Senator Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island, was one of several who criticized Ms. Rice for her stewardship of the Iraq Stabilization Group, an internal committee that took management of Iraq policy away from the Department of Defense and centralized it in the White House.In October 2003, Mr. Reed said, Mr. Bush "announced the formation of the Iraqi Stabilization Group because it was obvious the present policy was not working.""And Dr. Rice was named to head that group," he said. "Well, there has been no product of this committee, no impact on policy, a void in terms of what it has done. This raises serious questions in my mind."Senator Carl Levin, Democrat of Michigan, said voting to confirm Ms. Rice would be "a stamp of approval for her participation in the distortions and exaggerations of intelligence" that the administration used in the prelude to the war.But Mr. Cornyn of Texas said Ms. Rice could not be blamed. "The truth is we were all misled by erroneous intelligence," he said
Share this picture:
http://vegasmike433.yafro.com/photo/8035126