Albright Blasts Bush Mideast Response, Cites Iraq 'Disaster'

July 16, 2006— Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright criticized the Bush administration for not getting more involved in the crisis in the Middle East and said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice should leave the G8 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, and begin Mideast shuttle diplomacy.

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"Iraq has diverted everybody's attention from really looking at a whole host of other issues," Albright said. "I think that it's very hard to say that has not made it worse. … It is absolutely clear that it has made it worse."

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Rice said that the United States' Middle Eastern policy now focuses on supporting democratic change in the region.

"Those hostilities were not very well contained, as we found out on Sept. 11 — and so the notion that somehow policies that finally confront extremism are actually causing extremism, I find grotesque," she said. "For all of those who believe that we somehow had stability in the Middle East over the last 60 years and it's now been disturbed, where do we think Hezbollah and Hamas and these other extremist forces came from? They weren't born yesterday, these forces have been developing and threatening the Middle East and arresting positive developments for decades."

ABC

They precipitated recent crises, for Chrissakes, and keep the pot bubbling with daily infusions of cash, blood, arrogance and stupidity.

Fair enough.

On a personal note, I wish Secretary Rice had announced she was throwing herself out of an airplane over the Andes Mountains.

Absent that, the least Rice could do was show up for work for god's sake. Talk about a marginal presence.

I'd feel a whole lot better if a more stable, focused, seasoned, qualified, articulate, ethical, visional grown-up were in charge of the State Departmet.

that the last paragraph is a quote from Condi RIce.

Fixed the link, too.

Who the hell thinks that there has been stability in the Middle East for 60 years? No one, that's who. I'm betting Snuffleupagus let that slide.

with the pathetic shoe buyer, Condi Rice.
Condi is clueless. Maddie is brilliant.

They say SHE was WEAK.
They say SHE kissed the North Koreans asses and SHE is why that country is a mess.
They say SHE hates America and wanted us to lay down like scared little dogs.
They say SHE hated our military and wanted to weaken it.
They say SHE capitulated to Clinton's failed foreign policies.
They say it's HER fault that Godly Bush is in such a impossible position.

Condi Rice is a complete joke compared to the real Madam Secretary.

They ain't going to be happy until they get us all blown up.

position.

This is what they've been striving for since they took power. They can't wait to bomb the Temple Mount.

Here we go again...

Who could have known?

We are doomed to incompetency.

Lie of the year here...

<snip>

Rice said President Bush is "deeply engaged" in the Middle East crisis, and did not rule out her own personal intervention.

aka: "I thought you were going to ask about the pig."

:eyes:

...to be busy next month.:mad:

She has a hell of a nerve saying that last paragaraph after she so arrogantly "dismissed" the smoking gun daily briefing of Aug. 6th, 2001.

He comes first, the country comes second (maybe).

interest what Madame Albright had to say and I came away convinced as she that bush and his whatever rice is to him, do not know the first thing about diplomacy....I was finally glad to hear someone be critical of this administration and not hold back.....But just watch: some media person will ask some high ranking dem in the house or the senate do they agree with what Albright said and they will as dems do, be critical of her and give bush another pass.....

Oh what a sorry lot of dems we have in congress. Not all, but damn it would be great if the only ones that had a set of balls were not the ones born without a pair....

no matter what regrets or apologies she makes AFTER she left her post of power.

response.

And it wasn't the 'hostilities' that caused 9/11, it was the Bush administration ignoring warnings from President Clinton, therefore dropping the ball, AND the August 6, 2001 PDA saying 'bin Laden determined to strike within U.S.'

I remember that everyone was concerned when Clinton came in that being a governor with no foreign policy experience that he would just not have what it takes to run US foreign policy.

I look back and think how during those years we were on such good terms with everybody. Now we have Bush, who on the face of it should have been solid gold, his old man was good at it and W even hired Colin Powell, and what we have ended up with is this tough talking polarizing redneck bar fight mentality and rhetoric, instead of the great communication, hugging and emphasis on humanitarian concerns. We even spearheaded (During Clinton) going to the aid of MUSLIMS in Bosnia, working to reverse the Arab stereotype of the west being against Muslims.

All squandered now.

I miss my country