Republican senators criticize Rice/Bush over policies in Iraq, Iran

[stop the bleeding]

02-15) 09:15 PST WASHINGTON, (AP) --
(02-15) 09:15 PST WASHINGTON, (AP) --

Republican senators criticized the Bush administration Wednesday over its policies in Iraq, Iran and the Palestinian territories, as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's first testimony on Capitol Hill in months exposed her to a tough grilling from some members of her own party.


"I don't see, Madame Secretary, how things are getting better. I think they're getting worse in Iraq, they're getting worse in Iran," Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., told Rice as she appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.


Rice also had a tense exchange with moderate Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., over the pace of progress toward Israeli-Palestinian peace and the implications of the Hamas victory in Palestinian legislative elections last month.


"We will continue to insist that the leaders of Hamas must recognize Israel, disarm, reject terrorism and work for lasting peace," Rice said.


read whole article here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/02/15/national/w085243S20.DTL

[Malva Zebrina]

1. Poor Dondi Rice--she has been neutered by her association with Bush

even if at one time she did have some good ideas of her own, which I doubt in spite of all her learning and all her degrees, --and all she has left is an ugly, snarling face, a reputation as a polical hack and whore and a twisted mouth, out of which seldom comes anything of value. She simply uses doublespeak that she certainly must think is quite clever for a Sec'y of the war state.

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

3. She'll come out of it w/a closet full of Ferragamos

which she bought while NO was going under.

[DallasTim]

2. Republican's Doubt Bush's Mideast Policy

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1622183

WASHINGTON Feb 15, 2006 (AP)— Republican senators criticized the Bush administration Wednesday over its policies in Iraq, Iran and the Palestinian territories, as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's first testimony on Capitol Hill in months exposed her to a hostile grilling from some members of her own party.

...


Link from abcnews.com main page has title "Republicans: Bush Making Iraq, Iran 'Worse'"

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

4. What's to doubt? We will be there for generations.

Cheney/Rummy have made that clear. I believe them.

[varun]

5. Rice told ‘things are getting worse’ in Iraq, Iran

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11365518/

Updated: 12:43 p.m. ET Feb. 15, 2006
WASHINGTON - Republican senators criticized the Bush administration Wednesday over its policies in Iraq, Iran and the Palestinian territories, as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s first testimony on Capitol Hill in months exposed her to a tough grilling from some members of her own party...

[sabra]

6. Condi: this is all Clintons fault

it's going to take years to undew the Clenis.

[deadparrot]

7. Senate Republicans Criticize Rice on Iraq

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration will "walk a fine line" in seeking punitive international sanctions against Iran's Islamic government over its disputed nuclear program, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday.

The Bush administration's top diplomat detailed a two-track approach to Iran — concerted international pressure to deter Tehran from building a bomb, and a newly robust attempt to seed democratic change inside the country with $75 million for broadcasts and aid to dissidents.

Even so, Rice ran into tough questions from lawmakers of both parties on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee over Iran, Iraq and the Palestinians, underscoring congressional worries about administration policies throughout the Middle East.

"I don't see, Madame Secretary, how things are getting better. I think things are getting worse. I think they're getting worse in Iraq. I think they're getting worse in Iran," said Sen. Chuck Hagel (news, bio, voting record), R-Neb.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060216/ap_on_go_co/rice

[rodeodance]

8. seems this spreeding Freedom is running into a few snags. GOOD>

[kaygore]

9. Hmmm, so all the Repugs are not brainless zoombies??

[RufusEarl]

10. Hagel hum!!

what's he up too? It appears on the surface to be a fair question, why can't i trust any republican.

[BadGimp]

14. this is all a set up

They need to look tough on the admin before they bend over and take the pole like good little minions.

[Rex]

11. If those Repukes have one shred of integrity

they will stop the madness!

[phoebe]

12. well well well Chuck Hagel is going against mainstream repubs yet again

Can we say "positioning a run for the presidency"? He's been in the press several times since the beginning of the year using the same tactic..

Don't forget he owns significant shares in a voting company..

[comradebillyboy]

15. Hegel appears to challenge the administration

more often than any democrat in the senate. Maybe the dem leadership might model its foreign policy on Hegel's positions. At least he is coherent and seemingly pragmatic.

[phoebe]

16. it's just a little too scripted for my taste..

n/t

[fujiyama]

18. I'm not sure about ANY democrat

but he certainly does seem to challenge them more than many, including his colleague from NE, Ben Nelson.

Hagel's problem is that he talks a good talk, but when it comes time to make a vote, he usually casts it with the administration.

[Sapere aude]

13. Rank amateurs are running things in this country it seems.

Part of the gang that couldn't shoot straight I guess.

[VegasWolf]

17. Think your title should read "Iran" not "Iraq". nt

[deadparrot]

19. Looks like they changed it now.

It was Iraq earlier; I copied and pasted it.

[Journeyman]

21. And they changed it yet again. . .

It now reads: "Rice Outlines White House Approach on Iran"

Curiouser and curiouser.

[saltpoint]

20. I will most definitely not be voting Republican at any foreseeable point

in my life, past, present, future, you name it. Lincoln? Love 'im. Since then, it's been a torrent of assholes.

Senator Hagel is running for the top job, no question, and I understand that he's going to have to take a different, more "independent" stance in order to outflank McCain, Allen, Frist, Romney, etc. And I appreciate any remark he makes in the Senate or elsewhere that sheds light on the Iraq issue, or questions the Bush adminsitration's idiotic foreign policy.

Hagel, after all, served his country; Dubya, Dick, Don, et al did not. For me, that gives Sen. Hagel credibility, even if it does not win him my vote. I will listen to him because he behaves like a grown-up and his perspective is hard-won. Not so Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld, Rice, etc.

Against Hagel: he's no Abraham Lincoln. For Hagel: he's no Bush or Reagan either.