Wednesday
Feb132008
Secretary Condoleezza Rice testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Budget 2009 Hearing
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 4:43PM
At the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Budget for Fiscal Year 2009 Hearing, Representative Illeana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), said there are many developments in the present that were of concern. At the top of the list, she said, is the "accelerating spread of the capacity to make nuclear weapons." She said the threat to the world’s security is obvious, and said the nuclear fuel in a reactor can be used in "dirty bombs."
She went on to say that our efforts in North Korea to have them give up their nuclear weapons program has encountered obstacles, and that we are in danger of making the same errors we have made in the past. The greatest threat to the world’s security, she said, is Iran’s determination to lay the foundation for a nuclear weapons program.
Lehtinen said that China and Russia continue to assist Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, and said "I regret that the Olympics are being held in the capital of a country which does not respect the human rights of its own population."
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that "we’ve made a lot of progress" over the last several years. In Iraq, she said, we really did not have an institution that could deal with the restructuring. If America does not stand for freedom, liberty, and the rights of the oppressed, she said, then nobody will.
Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA) asked Rice if the American people should be worried about Iran’s nuclear capability. Rice answered the enrichment of fissile materials were of a great danger. In answer to questions from Lehtinen, she said that we have worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to deal with the tunnels in Egypt and the smuggling problems. She said it’s important to note that there are intensive discussions going on with the Egyptians and the Israelis to find a solution that involves all parties, but has no intention of talking to Haamas.
For Afghan reconstruction, Rice said that there is "about a billion dollars" being requested. In response to Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Rice said our commitment to Afghanistan over the last six years has been over 20 billion dollars. This was in defense to the statement by Rohrabacher about the budget being overfunded in the favor of humanitarian assistance programs such as AIDS research.
Representative Robert Wexler (D-FL) said that Rice and Prez Bush made a total of 935 false public statements pre-9/11 in an orchestrated attempt to be misleading about the war. Rice said "I take my integrity very seriously."
She went on to say that our efforts in North Korea to have them give up their nuclear weapons program has encountered obstacles, and that we are in danger of making the same errors we have made in the past. The greatest threat to the world’s security, she said, is Iran’s determination to lay the foundation for a nuclear weapons program.
Lehtinen said that China and Russia continue to assist Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, and said "I regret that the Olympics are being held in the capital of a country which does not respect the human rights of its own population."
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that "we’ve made a lot of progress" over the last several years. In Iraq, she said, we really did not have an institution that could deal with the restructuring. If America does not stand for freedom, liberty, and the rights of the oppressed, she said, then nobody will.
Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA) asked Rice if the American people should be worried about Iran’s nuclear capability. Rice answered the enrichment of fissile materials were of a great danger. In answer to questions from Lehtinen, she said that we have worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to deal with the tunnels in Egypt and the smuggling problems. She said it’s important to note that there are intensive discussions going on with the Egyptians and the Israelis to find a solution that involves all parties, but has no intention of talking to Haamas.
For Afghan reconstruction, Rice said that there is "about a billion dollars" being requested. In response to Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Rice said our commitment to Afghanistan over the last six years has been over 20 billion dollars. This was in defense to the statement by Rohrabacher about the budget being overfunded in the favor of humanitarian assistance programs such as AIDS research.
Representative Robert Wexler (D-FL) said that Rice and Prez Bush made a total of 935 false public statements pre-9/11 in an orchestrated attempt to be misleading about the war. Rice said "I take my integrity very seriously."
Brownback, others condemn China human rights violations at Olympic protest
The crowd, activists, and each of the speakers was incredibly passionate about protesting the United States’ involvement in the Olympic games. The press conference’s attendees called for President Bush to not attend the opening ceremonies, and described the Chinese as oppressive people, who violate human rights and are the biggest supporters of the genocidal Sudanese government in the world.
Menendez said that since the Chinese received the honor of hosting the games they have continuously “abused the basic human rights of their people.” Congessman Frank Wolf (R-PA) focused on the relationship the Chinese have with other oppressive nations, such as Korea, mentioning that China is actively engaged in espionage efforts against our nation.
Speakers described the painful lengths the Chinese take to enforce strict religious policies that limit what religion their people can legally worship. Congressman Chris Smith (R- NJ) called the attacks the Chinese have held against pregnant females, in which they force them into terrible abortions, “gender-cide.”