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Democrats Accuse Rice Of Botching Policy In Iraq

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The Associated Press

Published: October 26, 2007

WASHINGTON - House Democrats on Thursday accused Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of grossly mismanaging diplomatic efforts in Iraq and concealing information from Congress, putting a visibly frustrated Rice on the defensive.

At a hearing by a congressional watchdog committee, Democratic lawmakers said the State Department under Rice had been too lax with armed security contractors, ignored corruption at the highest levels of the Iraqi government and was sloppy in overseeing construction of the costly new U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

'I think there was a huge gap between what she said and reality,' said Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Waxman, D-Calif., and other Democrats said they would not call on Rice to resign, noting that their frustration is with the Bush administration's policies rather than Rice alone.

'If you just change the deck chairs, it's not going to change the policy,' said Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., a committee member.

Democrats seemed to be trying 'to drill enough small holes in the bottom of the boat to sink the entire Iraqi enterprise, while still claiming undying support for the crew about to drown,' said Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia, the committee's top Republican.

The usually unflappable Rice became frustrated at several points, including a tense exchange with Welch on whether Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was corrupt. Since April, the prime minister has required that Cabinet-level corruption investigations first receive his approval. Such a policy, Welch and other Democrats say, is tantamount to blanket immunity for al-Maliki and his ministers.

When repeatedly pressed to say whether she thought al-Maliki was covering up fraud and abuse, Rice said she would not respond to rumors.

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