With Arafat gone. I sure hope something can be accomplished for peace over the Israel & Palestine issue. So many Presidents have gone to great links to bring peace to the region. And all attempts have failed. President Clinton & the Prime Minister at that time, offered Arafat the best deal he could have ever received. And Arafat turned it down flat. Arafat went by only popular sentiment, instead of doing what was right for his people & leading them toward peace & prosperity.

I hope that Condi Rice will have an opportunity with Arafat gone, to finally achieve a Palestine state. I hope the Palistians are tired of this 4 decade long conflict & will elect someone who will be able to compromise with Israel & who will be against the terrorists groups that have been so active over the last few years.

It this can be achieved I think it would benefit the entire world. Terrorists like Bin Laden could no longer use the issue as an excuse to attack innocent civilians around the world.

Unlike Powell, she really IS an acolyte. I don't think she'll be nearly as notable as Powell, as Powell was one of the best SoSs we've had. And it takes a bit of courage to throw yourself out on a limb to admit to show evidence to the U.N. regarding Saddam's weapons, (evidence that, as it so happens, was wrong) but you've got to admire that.

No doubt, that Colin Powell was a great SOS. But, he stated all along that he only wanted to serve 4 years. And I really can't blame Powell or Ridge for wanting to leave. They've been through a lot with 9/11 & the war on terror. And I can imagine they are exhausted by the constant pressure.

But, I have lots of faith in Condi Rice. There certainly isn't a smarter woman around than she. She comes from a family of 9. And was accepted into DU university on a full ride at the tender age of 16. You have to have lots of brains to get into Denver university.

What criteria is used for this assesment? Secretary of State means chief diplomat of the USA and the USA's diplomatic standing in the world is at it's lowest point with the Bush administration's credability always being questioned. Powell had his moments (Pakistan, India), but his overall results as the primary diplomat for the USA was not 'great'.

As for Rice being a great successor to Powell, that remains to be seen. I wish her luck, but her tenure as NSA was not impressive. Again, my criteria for this are results and her results as NSA is best evidenced by the misreading of the WMD intel re Iraq. Another example of her failure as an NSA was her statement "no one could have imagined that hijacked airliners would be used as weapons and flown into buildings". Wrong. People have imagined that scenario.. atleast half a dozen intel reports stated just that, not to mention Tom Clancy's book imagining just that scenario. So Dr.Rice could not imagine it but other people have imagined it. Unfortunetly part of her job as NSA is to imagine things and she failed to do so by her own admission.


ON TOPIC: Yes, Condi Rice will make a great Secretary of State if she plays her cards right regarding the Pal/Israel situation. But a lot of that depends on the Pals and Israelis themselves... both of whom's actions cannot be directly influenced by the USA.

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"When I'm in command, every mission is a suicide mission!" -Capt. Zapp Branigan
The United Church of the Latter Day Tangential Tarts

She is intellegent, articulate, and well educated. I think she would do a wonderful job even if Arafat was still alive. I cant think of a better choice.

Obviously it remains to be seen. I believe she has the academic credentials, and direct/indirect and a transferable experience base for the job. That part does not worry me. The aspect of her that I worry ab out is that she appears to be a quintessential "yes man".

Cabinet positions are supposed to be like counsel positions. They are to cancel the president by informing him of the truth about a situation or a president’s policy impact upon our country. This position does need a lap dog, instead at times it needs a bull dog, and of course a watch dog.

I don't beleive that Rice has sown me that.