Rice show raises more questions

Johan Fernandez, The Star, Asia News Network, Selangor, Malaysia

It couldn't have been a worse week for the Bush administration with the violence in Iraq appearing to spiral out of control and, after months of resisting, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice appearing before the open hearing of the commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.

Despite all the hype, Rice's testimony was an anti-climax and left more questions unanswered because nothing new emerged.

One could have guessed what she was going to say -- after all, she had met the panel in private for four hours earlier.

News and cable channels seldom cancel regular programming but this was one occasion when everything stopped for Rice.

Anyone watching her performance would wonder why the administration had initially refused to testify under oath, for Rice is intelligent, very articulate and one of the strong personalities in the Bush team.

The national security adviser took a lot of heat from Democrats on the panel but maintained her composure and came away unfazed, maintaining the line the administration had always taken.

While President George W. Bush lauded Rice for her testimony, others were critical of her.

Even the media is divided on this. While Rupert Murdoch's New York Post had a front-page picture of Rice with the heading The Lady Is A Champ, the New York Daily News asked "How Could She Not Know?"

While the media and politicians might have their own slant on the Rice show, relatives of the Sept. 11 victims were certainly unimpressed.

They were not convinced after Rice insisted that the Bush administration was clueless about the attack.

They did not believe her when she said she had no idea that Osama bin Laden's men would hijack planes and crash them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Kristen Breitweiser, who lost her husband in the Sept. 11 attack, said several similar threats were made, including during the Atlanta Olympics.

"How could she not know that? It's her job to hear national security threats against the nation. If she doesn't know, then who does? Who else is responsible?"

Rice did admit that five weeks before the attacks, President Bush received a classified brief titled Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States.

However, she described the Presidential Daily Brief as not a warning of impending attacks but an analytic document with historical information based on old reporting.

Relatives of victims who have been attending the hearings have every right to be upset because they have been looking for answers as to whether the attacks could have been prevented and what was being done to prevent future attacks.

Thus far, it is clear that no one wants to take responsibility, except for former White House terror czar Richard Clarke who in his testimony apologized for his failure and that of the administration to prevent the attack.

The commission is expected to come out with its report some time in July. Whatever the outcome, it is unlikely to be a major issue in the presidential election in November, given that Americans are divided over the issue.

What could have a bearing on the election is Iraq -- after a year, it is turning out to be a quagmire.

In the worst fighting since the U.S.-led invasion, almost 50 American soldiers were killed and scores injured this week alone. On the Iraqi side, the death toll is believed to be close to 500.

Protests rose throughout the Muslim world following reports that U.S. soldiers had attacked a mosque and a plane dropped a 500lb bomb that brought down the wall surrounding the building, killing about 40 people.

Even members of the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council criticized the U.S. administration in Iraq for its high-handed action. Some council members resigned without giving any reason.

For the first time, U.S. soldiers and coalition forces are up against Sunnis and Shiite Iraqis in cities throughout the country.

The U.S. has had to face the brunt of the attacks. Now there are fears that some of the coalition partners, besides Spain which has said it would withdraw its forces if the United Nations did not take over the reconstruction of Iraq in June, have indicated they could be withdrawing their troops.

Iraqi fighters have resorted to kidnapping foreigners -- a move that is seen to frighten away NGOs and other relief organizations. About 10 people, including three Japanese, have been kidnapped so far.

As the occupying power, it is the responsibility of the U.S. to provide security for the people. But with 130,000 soldiers in a country of 23 million people, this is turning out be a daunting task.

The U.S. has set June 30 for the handing over of power to the Iraqis but, until now, no one knows who will be taking over and what their strategy is.

The writer is Editor, North America Bureau, based in New York.