Rice: Bush Said Torture Was Okay

"Is waterboarding torture?'' a student asks, pressing.

"The president instructed us that nothing we would do would be outside our legal obligations,'' Rice replies. "We were told, nothing that violates our obligation under the convention against torture.

"By defintion,'' Rice explains, "if it was authorized by the president, it did not violate our obligations.'' Swamp

What else would she say? The Bush administration abused their power.

Obama's Monitoring Gaza Strip Attacks

MSNBC: GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Israeli warplanes retaliating for rocket fire from the Gaza Strip pounded dozens of security compounds across the Hamas-ruled territory in unprecedented waves of airstrikes Saturday, killing more than 200 people and wounding nearly 400 in the single bloodiest day of fighting in years.

Most of those killed were security men, but an unknown number of civilians were also among the dead. Hamas said all of its security installations were hit, threatened to resume suicide attacks, and sent at least 70 rockets and mortar shells crashing into Israeli border communities, according to the Israeli military. One Israeli was killed and at least six people were hurt.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Saturday blamed Hamas for breaking a cease-fire with Israel.

"The United States strongly condemns the repeated rocket and mortar attacks against Israel and holds Hamas responsible for breaking the cease-fire and for the renewal of violence in Gaza," Rice said in a statement.

"The cease-fire should be restored immediately," she said.

"The United States calls on all concerned to address the urgent humanitarian needs of the innocent people of Gaza."

The assault on Gaza could harm stalled talks over Palestinian statehood.

I'm so tired of the Middle East. I sure hope Hillary can play a big part in creating some form of long-lasting peace there. If not peace, tolerance. Hillary seems like the right person to dig in there.

CBS: As the events unfold on the Gaza Strip, with Israeli planes attacking Hamas-controlled security compounds and Hamas vowing revenge, vacationing President-elect Barack Obama is keeping his own counsel.

“President-elect Obama is closely monitoring global events, including the situation in Gaza, but there is one president at a time," said Brooke Anderson, Mr. Obama’s chief national security spokesperson. Obama will be receiving an intelligence briefing today and the White House will stay in touch with the transition team, according to White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe.
......

In July 2008 Obama gave an indication of his views on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Obama views Hamas as a terrorist organization and as far as I know, he hasn't made clear how he might approach the Mid-East, other than tackling the problem as a regional issue, bringing all the neighboring players and other stakeholders to the table.
Contrary to what the right wingers have said, Obama doesn't consider Hamas a state and therefore, wouldn't meet with them as he would meet with Iran's leaders. Obama condemned Jimmy Carter's meeting with Hamas.
Obama was a co-sponsor of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006,
That's all I know.
Read what Obama wrote about his foreign policy:

or more than three decades, Israelis, Palestinians, Arab leaders, and the rest of the world have looked to America to lead the effort to build the road to a lasting peace. In recent years, they have all too often looked in vain. Our starting point must always be a clear and strong commitment to the security of Israel, our strongest ally in the region and its only established democracy. That commitment is all the more important as we contend with growing threats in the region -- a strengthened Iran, a chaotic Iraq, the resurgence of al Qaeda, the reinvigoration of Hamas and Hezbollah. Now more than ever, we must strive to secure a lasting settlement of the conflict with two states living side by side in peace and security. To do so, we must help the Israelis identify and strengthen those partners who are truly committed to peace, while isolating those who seek conflict and instability. Sustained American leadership for peace and security will require patient effort and the personal commitment of the president of the United States. That is a commitment I will make.

Throughout the Middle East, we must harness American power to reinvigorate American diplomacy. Tough-minded diplomacy, backed by the whole range of instruments of American power -- political, economic, and military -- could bring success even when dealing with long-standing adversaries such as Iran and Syria. Our policy of issuing threats and relying on intermediaries to curb Iran's nuclear program, sponsorship of terrorism, and regional aggression is failing. Although we must not rule out using military force, we should not hesitate to talk directly to Iran. Our diplomacy should aim to raise the cost for Iran of continuing its nuclear program by applying tougher sanctions and increasing pressure from its key trading partners. The world must work to stop Iran's uranium-enrichment program and prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. It is far too dangerous to have nuclear weapons in the hands of a radical theocracy. At the same time, we must show Iran -- and especially the Iranian people -- what could be gained from fundamental change: economic engagement, security assurances, and diplomatic relations. Diplomacy combined with pressure could also reorient Syria away from its radical agenda to a more moderate stance -- which could, in turn, help stabilize Iraq, isolate Iran, free Lebanon from Damascus' grip, and better secure Israel.

Russia Cornering the West

I fear the U.S. isn't equipped to handle this conflict. 

CNN: Russia pressed the United States on Wednesday to choose between "a real partnership" with Moscow or an "illusory" relationship with U.S. ally Georgia.

Washington said it's sticking with Georgia.

"As to choosing, the United States has made very clear that it is standing by the democratically elected government of Georgia," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday.

She spelled out the Bush administration's stance after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called Georgia's government "a special project for the United States."

"And we are aware that the U.S. is uptight about this project," Lavrov said in remarks broadcast on Russian television. "But a choice will have to be made someday between considerations of prestige related to an illusory project and a real partnership in matters which indeed require collective efforts."

Rice, amid reports that Russian troops remained on the move Wednesday, pushed Russia to abide by a cease-fire signed Tuesday by the Russian and Georgian presidents.

Rice: Oh The US Will Be Fine

Why can't big powerful grownup people just say what they really mean? Why does Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have to be such a Bush loyalist that she can't say Obama will be a fine president. Instead she says this:

AFP: In an interview with Politico and Yahoo News released Thursday, Rice was asked if she would feel secure with a president Obama.
"Oh, the United States will be fine," she responded. "I think that we are having an important debate about how we keep the country safe," she said, pointing to the Middle East and Iraq.
"Those are important judgments for the American people to make."

U.S. Showing Signs of Diplomacy

And the folks on the right are angry?

NPR: In its waning days, the Bush administration is showing new flexibility toward Iraq, Iran and North Korea — the countries it once called the "Axis of Evil." The administration says it would still include Iran and North Korea on the list, but Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice this week participated in talks including her North Korean counterpart, and she sent a top diplomat to Geneva last weekend for talks with Iran's nuclear negotiator.

There used to be bright lines in the Bush administration's approach to the world. Just a couple of months ago, President Bush compared talks with Iran to appeasement. And the U.S. didn't want one-on-one talks with North Korea, accused of cheating on a past nuclear deal. Now, the U.S. is trying to push forward a new nuclear deal with Pyongyang.

Rice's meeting with her North Korean counterpart angered her critics on the right.

"This is the Obama administration beginning six months early," said former ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton, who is now with the American Enterprise Institute. He says we are witnessing the "intellectual collapse" of the Bush administration. read more

What we are witnessing is a shift in the level of enlightenment.