SFRC: Condi

[TayTay]

http://foreign.senate.gov/

I have catch-up to do at work. Will update as possible.

[whometense]

1. Just tuned in.

Anyone else watching? Did I miss anything? Hagel's speaking.

[wisteria]

2. I can watch, but not listen. Go figure, I have no audio on my computer at work.

I have been waiting for updates myself.

[whometense]

6. I have to plug my headphones

into these speakers the tech guys attached to my computer - otherwise, no sound for me, either. :-(

[ginnyinWI]

3. I can stick around for a bit--just tuned it in. n/t

[ginnyinWI]

4. Feingold up n/t

[ginnyinWI]

5. spending on Iraq

is way out of proportion to other kinds of foreign aid and spending we do worldwide.

[whometense]

7. Condi:

"Senator, the war in Iraq is, in fact, a war."

Brilliant.

[ginnyinWI]

8. lol

isn't she smug. :rofl:

[wisteria]

9. Well there's logic for yah. n/t

[ginnyinWI]

10. Kerry there--yielding to Sen Boxer n/t

[whometense]

14. Oh good - I didn't miss him, then.

Damned work. Keeps distracting me. :D

[ginnyinWI]

17. Condi v. Kerry--lookin forward to that.

It's always a treat!

[wisteria]

11. She looks pissed. I have only visual, but she does not look happy.

Boxer is up maybe that is why LOL.

[ginnyinWI]

13. she's had it.

Four years later and no progress. Quoting Amb. Albright. Says Gates says we need a political settlement.

[ginnyinWI]

15. global warming

we produce 25% of the world's greenhouse gas--we should convene a 12-nation summit at the WH--time is running out. Blair's idea. Asks Condi what she thinks. Condi can't say. Yes it is important--we are active, have partnerships, spent 1.8 billion.

Boxer: we are #1 producer of gasses, but #53 on doing something about it. "Sen. Kerry and I were just discussing it..."

[whometense]

19. Wow.

Voinovich was YELLING at Rice.

[TayTay]

12. Budget contains big weapons wish lists.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2007/02/08/weapons_that_arent_ready_dot_bushs_war_budget/

I wonder if this will come up today. Great article.

[whometense]

16. That is a great article.

Though reading it made me nauseous. :eyes:

[ginnyinWI]

18. don't worry about that budget--it's DOA

It's just Little Boots in a futile political gesture.

[ginnyinWI]

20. Hah--Voinovich is yelling at her

she's not delivering the goods, he says


edit--well, he raised his voice, anyway. :blush:

[whometense]

21. Mr. Mild Mannered lost it.

You don't see that too often.

[ginnyinWI]

22. "what you're telling me is not reflected in this report!" n/t

[ginnyinWI]

23. Kerry! n/t

[karynnj]

24. Speaking very politely on global warming

History of his (and Gore's) early hearings and the global summits. he mentioned his book with Teresa and the research he's done. That he thought he knew a lot - but learned a lot.

Speaking of cap on carbon. Very very nice - a very calm, professional plea for her to do something.

Switched to Iraq - asked why more money should go to Iraqis as they haven't spent what was already allocated and because a lot has gone to fraud. Condi says that there wasn't a lot of fraud.
Says the Iraqis are to support PRT and democracy project and small rehabilitation projects. and we will teach the Iraqis how to spend money.

[ginnyinWI]

26. hi Karyn

:hi:

[ginnyinWI]

25. talking about global warming

He's been studying it since 1987

He's been learning more lately and it's getting more scary. Mentions the new book.

They've reduced allowable limits before damage happens.

This adm. needs to face reality.

[ginnyinWI]

27. Iraq spending

Condi: we want money for community projects. and for Iraqi administrative costs.

Kerry: they haven't made critical decisions that they needed to.

[whometense]

28. I thought he was pretty kind to her -

certainly more so than she deserves.

[beachmom]

30. She is more of a realist than some of the others in the admin.

so as a senator he's going to try to engage that realism as much as he can. It's probably hopeless, but worth a try.

[ginnyinWI]

32. Menendez

Most of Latin America is facing serious cuts in development assistance. Money that is there is used to develop trade assistance. We have a major challenge within our own hemisphere. If you want to help the issue of global warming,as Sen. Kerry was talking about, you have to protect the rain forests. Heading in the wrong direction in our hemisphere. Need to change the course of events.

Bush wants specific guidlines to be met--even when eligible they are subject to losing aid. Predetermined performance benchmarks. Will this acheive results? Why doesn't Iraq have benchmarks, if this is such a good idea for our hemisphere?

Condi: Iraq isn't the same--wouldn't qualify at all.
Menendez: Even the Iraqis want benchmarks. There are no consequences for them as Latin America has.
Condi: Yeah they do--we will stop helping them.
Menendez: We looked at this in the House--funds for Latin America have been cut overall. Is it not in the national interest to support them?

[beachmom]

29. Not all that confrontational -- I liked what he said about global warming

that it's her job as sec of state to really push this. But he said it in a polite way.

Condi kinda ended up agreeing with him on what he said about the budget -- that the Iraqis aren't spending the money, and that they need to be encouraged more to do so.

He's still bringing up the oil agreement that STILL hasn't been reached. He asked "When?". She answered, "Soon". Kerry: "Do you have a date?". Condi: "Soon". This will definitely be revisited.

[ginnyinWI]

31. she spends so much energy skating around the plain facts.

I wish she would apply that energy to solving problems! One big problem with this administration is that they place top priority to the appearance that they are doing their job, rather than just doing it!

[ginnyinWI]

33. Casey

Casey: 86 million assistance package for Abbas?
Condi: mostly for security, preventing violence

Casey: Baker said Syria has a marriage of convenience with Iraq.
Condi: Yes it's undermining U.S. interests. Shows up dramatically in Lebanon. We do have diplomatic relations with Syria. We will talk with Syria--but they are not engaging in constructive behavior.

[ginnyinWI]

34. Webb

Webb: Concerned about signing statement--pres. asserted he can use force...for threats to U.S. interests: what does that mean? And you said diplomacy outside Iraq won't help inside Iraq--I respectfully disagree. How can we do anything without outside diplomacy? Adm. requested emergency supplemental for 07 and 08, 25%, which bypasses the regular budget process.

Condi: can't put it in the budget because I don't wanna fight in my dept. about it.

Webb: The requests have bypassed the committee.

Condi: well we don't expect to continue it.

Webb: Inspector General says 12 billion in unspent Iraqi funds. Why can't we spend our own money here instead? How can you justify this?

Condi: They are going to spend their money. We have to give them extra for bureaucracy needs.

Webb: Other countries could give money as well--and aren't.

condi: we are asking. we don't want diplomatic help from them, only money.

[ginnyinWI]

35. Obama

O: non-proliferation: haven't seen a clear and bold strategy--what is it, and is it reflected in this budget?
C: we have to deal with the bad actors. we have had some successes--A.Q. Khan. the fuel cycle--need a fuel suppliers' group so people won't develop nukes.

O: ok, but the stuctures may not sustain themselves without an international consensus about what the rules are. need systematic approach. This year's budget cuts money for non-proliferation. this is an important priority--shouldn't go backwards.
C: well some of these things aren't so important anymore--problems getting better. Iran is the big concern

[ginnyinWI]

36. Biden

We need to do something about Kartoum--not wait around, should do something about it. Tens of thousands of people--we should impose a no-fly zone out of Chad.

Condi: we shouldn't act unilaterally
Biden: they said the same thing about Bosnia--disagree.

[TayTay]

37. Thank you so much for everyone who updated on this

You guys were wonderful. I was out sick for a couple of days at work and had to do, ahm, work. So I couldn't write much on this.

You folks surpass me. I greatly appreciate it. Wonderful work and thanks!

[ginnyinWI]

38. the hearing is being replayed now.

C-span 2--Boxer is speaking so I missed the beginning.