Condi to Congress: Drop Dead

Condi Says Congress Will Have No Say in Plans for Iraq: Liveblogging from Condi Hearing
By David Swanson

10:20 a.m. I'm in an appropriations hearing where Condoleezza Rice is testifying on the need for more money to do more damage in Iraq. About 15 Code Pinkers are here. We all have red hands that we're holding in the air (when not typing), and signs: "KBR: No Laws? No Money!" "Condi Kills Kids" "War Criminal" "Thou Shalt Not Kill" "Sanctions Kill Kids" Etc. One of the Repubs asked for the "protesters" to be removed, but the chairwoman said that if we didn't stand up or say anything, we could stay and hold things up. Condi is running her mouth in response to friendly questioning so far.

10:26 Rep Schiff asking friendly questions re status of Iran Sanctions Act and re military support to Azerbajan (why so much?), and why not more support to Jordan for "the refuge problem"?

10:27 Condi won't answer the first question in public she said. She used an excuse on the second one that Schiff called her on: she blamed a state of emergency in Armenia, but that occurred after Bush's funding requests. She dodged the third question.

10:28 Rep Lewis complained that no discussion is possible with visitors in the room, and that he now thinks the construction (underway) of a new Capitol visitors center is "nuts." Then he left.

10:33 Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr asked about US debt to the United Nations. She claims US will pay up. Jackson asked why so little funding for Darfur. She said they are "fully funding" the South.

All the Code Pinkers are still holding up red hands and pink signs.

10:36 Rep. Jackson asked about Chad. Not getting any sort of answers. Now he's asking about another funding reduction, this one for Congo. She's not answering directly, just running her mouth. He just keeps asking other questions.

10:38 Rep. Israel (irony unavoidable) is asking whether Saudi Arabia has religious freedom.

10:43 Condi is holding up Musharaf in Pakistan as a model of expanding religious freedom. She says she has to be careful so that "the United States is not seen to be writing the curriculum for another state."

10:45 Now a Republican is complaining about human rights in China and Vietnam and says that the US embassy in Vietnam is not workign on human rights, only on trade. Then, without asking a question, he turns to the Middle East and says Condi's doing a heck of a job. He read a prayer. He wants to encourage leading rabbis to convene a convocation in Jersalem to do what Psalm 122 says. Will Condi ask Tony Hall to do this?

10:56 Chairwoman stepped in to fault the Saudis for not funding any economic development or housing construction in the West Bank. Same Republican said he agreed.

10:57: Chairwoman finally got to Iraq. Why no plans for any "transition" from military to civilian rule? Condi returned to Saudi question claiming they've made "pledges" and "plans" but not done anything yet. On Iraq: Questioning and answering is both along lines of blaming the Iraqis for not being willing and ready to lead their own nation.

11:04 Another Republican showed up to ask a question about comments by Abbas. Blind to irony and the red hands in the air behind her, Rice said "We've all had the experience of saying things we wish we hadn't said." Then he asked if Chavez funds the FARC. Condi then said something she will regret: she suggested that they are learning about that connection, implying it exists.

11:10 Barbara Lee brings up topic of 5 years in Iraq, apparent permanent occupation. She lists the human and financial costs (to Americans anyway). On six occasions, she says, the president signed bills agreeing to no permanent bases in Iraq, but with latest one his signing statement said otherwise. Is there a permanent presence planned for Iraq?

Rice said there are no plans for permanent bases in Iraq.

Lee asked why, then, the president used a signing statement to subvert the law banning permanent bases in Iraq.

Rice replied that there are no plans for permanent bases in Iraq. She said there's just a Status of Forces Agreement.

Lee asked if they would come to Congress for approval of that SOFA.

Rice said no, that's just not done (without of course mentioning that no previous SOFA has tried to do what this one does, namely act as a substitute for a treaty because treaties have to be approved by Congress).

11:20 And we're back to Azerbajan and Armenia. For how much Republicans love the occupation of Iraq, they sure don't want to talk about it.

11:25 Now we're back to a Democrat who wants to talk about Afghanistan and Tunisia.

11:31 Now a Repub is praising work on "missile defense" of Israel. But then he raised topic of Fallon quitting. But only to end up complaining that the US gives money to the World Bank and that it gives money to Iran.

11:38 Rep McCollum denouncing proposed cut in funding for refugees when Iraq has so many now.

12:09 The chairwoman closed with worshipful praise for Condi. As Condi left, Code Pink chanted "War Criminal" and sang "Lies, Lies, Lies, They're All a Bundle of Lies" and chanted "The Blood Is on Your Hands" and "Get Us Out of Iraq!"