Rice: Tsunami Disaster Wonderful Opportunity for US
Views on BG | January 19, 2005, WednesdayTestifying at her Senate confirmation hearing, Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday the Asian tsunami was "a wonderful opportunity" for the US relief efforts to reap "great dividends" on the diplomatic front.
The statement drew the anger of Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer, who said the tsunami was one of the worst tragedies of our lifetime.
"It's going to have a 10-year impact on rebuilding that area. I was very disappointed in your statement. I think you blew the opportunity," Boxer said.
Observers comment the ease with the each Rice, 50, navigated all the questions as she made her case for moving from President George W. Bush's national security adviser to his chief diplomat.
"Our interaction with the rest of the world must be a conversation, not a monologue," Rice said.
She defended the US military moves into Afghanistan and Iraq as "necessary and right."
"Now is the time to build on these achievements to make the world safer and to make the world more free," she said. "We must use American diplomacy to help create a balance of power in the world that favors freedom. And the time for diplomacy is now."
"Alliances and multilateral institutions can multiply the strength of freedom-loving nations," she said. "Yet when judging a course of action, I will never forget that the true measure of its worth is its effectiveness."
Touching upon US relationships with China, she said these are candid, cooperative and constructive that embrace common interests but still recognize considerable differences about values.
In the words of Rice democracy was spreading worldwide. But she named Belarus, Cuba, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea and Zimbabwe as "outposts of tyranny" to which the United States must help bring freedom.
Rice has to be approved by the committee and the full Senate later this week to win confirmation as the successor to Colin Powell.
The statement drew the anger of Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer, who said the tsunami was one of the worst tragedies of our lifetime.
"It's going to have a 10-year impact on rebuilding that area. I was very disappointed in your statement. I think you blew the opportunity," Boxer said.
Observers comment the ease with the each Rice, 50, navigated all the questions as she made her case for moving from President George W. Bush's national security adviser to his chief diplomat.
"Our interaction with the rest of the world must be a conversation, not a monologue," Rice said.
She defended the US military moves into Afghanistan and Iraq as "necessary and right."
"Now is the time to build on these achievements to make the world safer and to make the world more free," she said. "We must use American diplomacy to help create a balance of power in the world that favors freedom. And the time for diplomacy is now."
"Alliances and multilateral institutions can multiply the strength of freedom-loving nations," she said. "Yet when judging a course of action, I will never forget that the true measure of its worth is its effectiveness."
Touching upon US relationships with China, she said these are candid, cooperative and constructive that embrace common interests but still recognize considerable differences about values.
In the words of Rice democracy was spreading worldwide. But she named Belarus, Cuba, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea and Zimbabwe as "outposts of tyranny" to which the United States must help bring freedom.
Rice has to be approved by the committee and the full Senate later this week to win confirmation as the successor to Colin Powell.
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