Volume II. No. 40
 04-02-04
 Condoleeza's Last Stand 
 { "A Filibustering We Will Go!" } 
 author: Vance Cureton
 © Copyright 2004
 

 Well, it happened last Thusday. Condoleeza Rice finally testified before 
 the 9/11 Commission. And as could have probably been predicted, there 
 were no bombshells revealed. Neither was there any humiliating admission 
 of fault on her part. In fact, there wasn't even a decent soundbite for the 
 network news boys. And unlike Richard Clarke, her now famous { former } 
 underling, Condi offered no heartfelt public apology to anyone for the 9/11 
 disaster.

 Condeleeza Rice is regarded by some as the most presentable "face" of the 
 entire Bush White House. If this is indeed a fact, her attitude in front of the 
 9/11 Commission revealed one of the major flaws of the Bush administration. 
 The complete and total inability of anyone on Bush's staff to admit to even 
 the slightest error. -- Save for poor Colin Powell who already has one foot 
 half-way out the door. Dr. Rice didn't answer questions so much as to use 
 every moment available to engage in circular reasoning, and to repeatedly 
 make only the points she wanted to make. And to ignore any other implication.

 In other words, she filibustered. Resort to the dictionary and "filibuster"
 is defined in part as obstructionist speechmaking. This describes Condi's 
 three hours in front of the cameras, almost perfectly. At one point, Senator 
 Kerrey angrily demanded of Dr. Rice. "Please don't filibuster me!" 

 So, was her public accounting all about nothing? 

 Other than the naming of a top secret document, there were no revelations
 of great importance made by Dr. Rice. Her testimony was rather anti-climatic 
 and unsatisfying. And hardly worthy of the hand-wringing reluctance of 
 President Bush to allow her to testify in the first place. What was he afraid 
 of anyway?

 Furthermore, comments by network talking heads about Condoleeza Rice's 
 poise and professionalism, mean nothing when the families of 3000 dead still 
 do not know where to affix the blame for the destruction of the Twin Towers 
 by 19 suicidal Muslim fanatics. When will the Bush Administration simply 
 accept responsibilty for 9/11 having happened on their watch? 

 After all, it doesn't matter at all if they are in fact personally culpable. But,
 it is the expressed sentiment that will offer comfort to those still grieving over
 the loss of their loved ones.

 It is long past time for ex-Major League baseball owner George W. Bush to
 step up to the plate and exhibit a little humility. Dr. Rice can't do that for him,
 and it is not her place to do such a thing. The President needs to be more
 engaged in the problems this country is facing now - and to put worry over 
 the coming election on the backburner. Is he the only Western leader who 
 doesn't already realize that the American mission in Iraq is a miserable failure? 
 And that the only way the situation can be permanently calmed and stabilized 
 is to bring in the rest of the international community and the U.N. 

 The American face must be taken off the "occupation."

 In the meantime, how many more soldiers must be killed? How many more 
 Westerners must be kidnapped? What will the President do when these 
 ruthless "thugs" { as he calls them } actually executes a hostage? What 
 if a civil war breaks out after June 30th? 

 Iraq and Saddam Hussein served as easy surrogate targets for the active
 terrorist leader, Usama bin Laden. The Bush Administration's intense interest 
 in Hussein was the fateful miscalculation that allowed 9/11 to happen. And 
 led to the quagmire that is the Iraq of 2004.

 There is no other administration to blame but the present one.
 

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