ASsman
01-19-2005, 01:52 PM
Wednesday, January 19th, 2005
Rice Refuses to Describe Detainee Abuse at Abu Ghraib As Torture
Condoleezza Rice refused to describe what occurred at the Abu Ghraib prison as torture at her confirmation hearing for Secretary of State. She also claimed the Geneva Conventions does not apply to individuals associated with Al Qaeda. We hear excerpts of the hearing and speak with constitutional lawyer David Cole. [includes rush transcript] President Bush's nominee to replace General Colin Powell as Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, faced more than 9 1/2 hours of questioning from the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The opening day of her confirmation hearing went well into the night. When it was over, it was just the committee's chair, Indiana Republican Richard Lugar, Condi Rice and Senator John Kerry who was making his first major foray back into his role as a Senator since the November election. It was also Illinois Senator Barack Obama's first major Senate appearance.
Most of the exchanges between Rice and Senators from both political parties were cordial and without many fireworks. There were some moments where Rice faced tough questions on her views on torture and international law, on the administration's claims about alleged weapons of mass destruction in pre-invasion Iraq and on statements she made about Venezuela and its president Hugo Chavez. The main attack dog for the Democrats was California Senator Barbara Boxer. This was interesting given that California's other Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced Rice before the questioning began. Boxer also was the Democratic Senator who signed onto the challenge of the electoral college's certification of President Bush's victory in the election. In a moment, we are going to hear the first exchange between Boxer and Rice talking about the administration's justification for the invasion of Iraq, but first this is Boxer questioning Rice about torture.
* Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) questioning Secretary of State nominee Condoleezza Rice about torture, January 18, 2005.
* David Cole, professor at Georgetown Law School and author of the book "Enemy Aliens: Double Standards and Constitutional Freedom in the War on Terrorism."
Full Transcript (http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/19/159259)
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Wednesday, January 19th, 2005
Sen. Boxer to Rice on Iraq Invasion: "Your Loyalty to the Mission...Overwhelmed Your Respect for the Truth"
The most heated exchange in the first day of Condoleezza Rice's confirmation hearing for Secretary of State came with Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA). Boxer chastised Rice for stating Saddam Hussein was close to developing nuclear weapons in the lead-up to the Iraq war. [includes rush transcript] In their first exchange, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) went on the offensive with Condoleezza Rice about the administration's justification for the invasion of Iraq.
* Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) questioning Secretary of State nominee Condoleezza Rice about the administration's justification for the invasion of Iraq, January 18, 2005.
Full Transcript (http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/19/1510206)
Rice Refuses to Describe Detainee Abuse at Abu Ghraib As Torture
Condoleezza Rice refused to describe what occurred at the Abu Ghraib prison as torture at her confirmation hearing for Secretary of State. She also claimed the Geneva Conventions does not apply to individuals associated with Al Qaeda. We hear excerpts of the hearing and speak with constitutional lawyer David Cole. [includes rush transcript] President Bush's nominee to replace General Colin Powell as Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, faced more than 9 1/2 hours of questioning from the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The opening day of her confirmation hearing went well into the night. When it was over, it was just the committee's chair, Indiana Republican Richard Lugar, Condi Rice and Senator John Kerry who was making his first major foray back into his role as a Senator since the November election. It was also Illinois Senator Barack Obama's first major Senate appearance.
Most of the exchanges between Rice and Senators from both political parties were cordial and without many fireworks. There were some moments where Rice faced tough questions on her views on torture and international law, on the administration's claims about alleged weapons of mass destruction in pre-invasion Iraq and on statements she made about Venezuela and its president Hugo Chavez. The main attack dog for the Democrats was California Senator Barbara Boxer. This was interesting given that California's other Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced Rice before the questioning began. Boxer also was the Democratic Senator who signed onto the challenge of the electoral college's certification of President Bush's victory in the election. In a moment, we are going to hear the first exchange between Boxer and Rice talking about the administration's justification for the invasion of Iraq, but first this is Boxer questioning Rice about torture.
* Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) questioning Secretary of State nominee Condoleezza Rice about torture, January 18, 2005.
* David Cole, professor at Georgetown Law School and author of the book "Enemy Aliens: Double Standards and Constitutional Freedom in the War on Terrorism."
Full Transcript (http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/19/159259)
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Wednesday, January 19th, 2005
Sen. Boxer to Rice on Iraq Invasion: "Your Loyalty to the Mission...Overwhelmed Your Respect for the Truth"
The most heated exchange in the first day of Condoleezza Rice's confirmation hearing for Secretary of State came with Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA). Boxer chastised Rice for stating Saddam Hussein was close to developing nuclear weapons in the lead-up to the Iraq war. [includes rush transcript] In their first exchange, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) went on the offensive with Condoleezza Rice about the administration's justification for the invasion of Iraq.
* Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) questioning Secretary of State nominee Condoleezza Rice about the administration's justification for the invasion of Iraq, January 18, 2005.
Full Transcript (http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/19/1510206)