Condoleezza Rice Senate Confirmation

Opinion by R. David Brown

AP Photo

By way of preface, I must state that I was (and still am) very critical of the war in Iraq and also the vacillating justifications used in the build up to war. While most objective observers agree that Iraq was in no way a threat to the territory or population of the United States, it is an obvious fact that Mr. Hussein was indeed a despot and guilty of countless human rights violations.

What surprised me most about the Bush administrations case for war was the level of jingoistic and repetitive language used to build the portrait of Hussein as the Beast of Baghdad and the warnings of the pervasiveness of WMD, which later evolved into an "intent" to pursue weapons programs. Even after many of the administration's claims have been discredited, there continues to be variations of the same tune played to the American public - believing that if the tune is played often enough others will start to hum the lyrics.

This tactic has been the mantra of Condoleeza Rice during testimony and political chat over the past few years and is currently her forward position in the Senate hearing for her confirmation as Secretary of State. Her testimony today before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has been little more than a reprise of statements regarding the administration's various positions and rationale for the Iraq war, with a bit of discussion of other geo-political hotspots. With the exception of Senator Barbara Boxer (Dem-CA), most questions have been neither critical nor probing. This may be in part the result of a generally dispassionate attitude of most senators, considering the confirmation to be simply a formality.

To many, the issue of accountability on the war with Iraq was resolved with the reelection of George W. Bush. It still remains the duty of the committee to honestly and thoroughly examine the character, record and vision of the nation's highest diplomatic post.

*The confirmation hearing continues tomorrow morning.