Excerpt of SFRC exchange between Kerry and Condi

[ProSense]

SFRC Hearing on Iraq - JK and Sec. Rice

Snip...

KERRY: ... the president said last night that America's commitment is not open-ended. And if they don't follow through, they will lose the support of the American people and the Iraqi people.

I don't want to debate with you whether or not they've already lost the support of the American people. I think it's pretty evident to most people that that's where we are.

But what does it mean to say it's not open-ended? What is the accountability measure here? Are you saying, if it's not open-ended, that you're prepared to terminate it? Do you agree that it's not open-ended, first of all?

RICE: Of course, it is not open-ended.

KERRY: If it's not open-ended, does that mean you're prepared if they fail to pull out, to terminate? What is the accountability mechanism?

RICE: Senator, I think it's best to leave the president's words as the president's words.

I do think that the accountability rests in two places. First of all, I think the Iraqis now know that if they don't succeeding returning security to their population, then their population is not going to support them. And...

KERRY: And what are we going to do? That's the big issue to the United States Congress.

RICE: ... it's a democratic process.

And, secondly, we will have an opportunity as this policy unfolds -- it's not going to happen overnight -- as it unfolds to see whether or not, in fact, the Iraqis are living up to the assurances that they gave us.

KERRY: And what if they don't?

RICE: Senator, I don't think you go to plan B. You work with plan A.

KERRY: But that's not a plan B. That's a very critical issue.

Snip...

Last but not least, there was a very interesting summary of the situation in the comments at The Carpetbagger Report post about the hearing:

Republican Auto Maintenance

Democrat: You better put oil in that engine.
Republican: I’m not going to use oil. I’m going to run light and nimble.
Democrat: You’re going to wreck your engine. You better add oil.
…
Democrat: I see you burned up your engine.
Republican: I’m going to add oil now.
Democrat: You don’t need oil now. It won’t help.
Republican: Typical Democrat flip-flopper. You were for oil before you were against it.


Comment by bobcn — 1/11/2007 @ 7:18 pm

more (video and transcripts)

[karynnj]

1. Love the Republican Auto Maintainace joke (n/t)

[blm]

2. That joke needs its own thread. It is SO true.

.

[rosesaylavee]

3. Condi doesn't have any answers.

AND, I agree with posters upthread... the joke is perfect.

[gratuitous]

4. Read what Dr. Rice said

If this "solution" doesn't work, the responsibility will lie with . . . the Iraqi government and the people of Iraq. Strangely enough, it's a "solution" that they have said they don't support and don't want, and it's not one that they have any control over.

But the administration that does have control over the "solution" is totally absolved of all responsibility, according to Dr. Rice. Nice, huh?