January 31, 2005
Dear _________________:
Thank you for writing to express your opposition to National
Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice's nomination to be Secretary of
State. I appreciate the time you took to write.
I regret we disagree on this issue. As you may know, the votes in
the Senate for confirmation were 85 to 13. I have attached a copy of my
remarks before the Senate which states my reason for support.
I would like to make an additional point. While the Secretary of
State is always an extension of the sitting President's foreign policy,
I
believe the key is to be able to work with a Secretary to make changes
for the better. I intend to do that with Dr. Rice as the second Bush
Administration gets underway.
Again, thank you for writing.
Statement of Senator Dianne Feinstein
"Confirmation of Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State"
January 25, 2005
MRS FEINSTEIN: Mr. President, I thank the Chair and the chairman of
the Foreign Relations Committee. I had the pleasure of introducing Dr.
Rice to the Foreign Relations Committee. I thought I might just come
to
the floor of the Senate and share with the Senate as a whole some of my
feelings and beliefs about this nominee.
I consider myself a friend of Dr. Rice's. She is a fellow Californian.
I
have known her. We have participated together in various think tank
discussions. I know the bright, incisive mind that she has. I also
know
her background. This is a woman who was born 50 years ago in the
segregated South, in Alabama. She has been able to reach the highest
level of academia and public service. Can you imagine, she went to
college at the age of 15 and graduated at the age of 19. Not many
people
know that. In January of 2001, she became the first African-American
woman to serve as National Security Adviser. She has distinguished
herself as a thoughtful, determined, and hard-working individual.
Consequently, I believe she can be a strong and effective voice for
America's interests abroad.
Now, looking at the foreign policy landscape, the United States faces
several very complex challenges in many parts of the world. How we
respond to these challenges will have a tremendous impact not only on
our future, but on the future of the world. If you just take Iraq--
and we
are coming up to an election -- what happens after that election? What
will be done with the "de-Baathification" policy of Mr. Bremer, which I
happen to think was a huge mistake? Yes, one of the mistakes the
administration made was to effectively remove many managers and
supervisors, of virtually all of the significant infrastructure of
Iraq,
including the military and the police department.
I am one who believes that was a mistake. I am one who believes that
because of that, the Sunni population has become part of the problem
rather than part of the solution. That needs to be dealt with. I do
not
know what Dr. Rice will do, but I do know I have had an opportunity to
discuss it with her, and I do believe she knows that it is a
significant
problem that needs to be addressed.
In the Middle East, there is a real window of opportunity to advance
the
peace process with the election of Abu Mazen as the President of the
Palestinian Authority and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to
withdraw from Gaza. It has also been helped by the fact that the Labor
Party has become part of the coalition government, thereby giving Ariel
Sharon more flexibility.
I was very pleased to hear her statements before the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee in which she said:
I look forward to personally working with the Palestinian and Israeli
leaders, and bringing American diplomacy to bear on this difficult but
crucial issue. Peace can only come if all parties choose to do the
difficult
work and choose to meet their responsibilities. And the time for peace
is
now.
That is a quote from the next Secretary of State of the United States
of
America, who has said that she will make a solution to the Palestinian-
Israeli struggle a major priority. That is a very important step and a
very
important statement.
Iran and North Korea's nuclear weapons programs pose serious risks for
peace and stability in the Middle East, in Asia, and they have set back
efforts to curb nuclear proliferation. Here, there is need for
consistent
and effective diplomacy, not to further isolate North Korea but rather
to
convince North Korean leadership that it is in their country's
self-interest
to cooperate in dismantling their nuclear programs.
I basically believe countries do what they perceive to be in their
self-
interest not because we tell them to do something, and I look forward
to
an initiative to convince the North Korean leadership that it is indeed
in
their self-interest to rid themselves of a nuclear weapons program.
In Russia, President Vladimir Putin has consolidated power and taken
several steps calling into question his commitment to democracy, human
rights, and the rule of law. Dr. Rice has a very strong background in
Soviet and Russian affairs, and I believe this is going to be a big
help in
charting future diplomatic efforts with President Putin.
Serious challenges deserve quality leadership. I believe Dr. Rice has
the
skill, the judgment, and the poise to take on these challenges and lead
America's foreign policy in the coming years.
I understand that some of my colleagues, many of them on my own side,
have serious concerns about Dr. Rice's nomination, stating that she was
a
key architect of U.S. foreign policy during President Bush's first
term.
Let me be clear, I believe the key architects were, in fact, the
President,
the Vice President, and the Secretary of Defense. Obviously, Dr. Rice
offered advice and counsel as the President's National Security
Adviser,
but remember, 78 Members of this body voted to authorize use of force
in Iraq based on the intelligence which we received, which at the time
was compelling and chilling but which we now know was not credible
and was both bad and wrong.
Should Dr. Rice be blamed for wrong and bad intelligence? I think not.
That is what intelligence reform was all about. That is what improved
oversight over the intelligence community by the Intelligence
Committees of both the House and the Senate is really all about, and
that
is what a new national intelligence director, to coordinate the 14 or
15
different agencies is all about.
For my part, I will continue to fight for a principled foreign policy
based
not just on military strength but cooperation, understanding, humility,
and a desire to seek multilateral solutions to problems that indeed
touch
on many different nations. I want to see the United States reclaim the
respect and admiration of the world and once again be seen as a
champion and a leader of democracy, justice, and human rights. I
believe the best way to do this is by example, by listening and by
understanding that America's great strength is not our military prowess
but our sense of justice, freedom, and liberty.
Importantly, Dr. Rice has the trust and confidence of the President of
the
United States and the world knows that she will have direct access to
him. I believe this makes her a very powerful Secretary of State. I
believe she will assume this office with a new dimension. To see this
brilliant, young African-American woman represent our country's
national interests on the world stage can bring about a new dimension
of
American foreign policy. So clearly this is an asset.
I did not expect this President of the United States to appoint anyone
who seriously disagreed with him. The question really is, Is this
woman
competent? Is she able? Can she handle and lead the enormous State
Department? I believe the answer to those questions is clearly yes. I
also believe that she will be able to advocate a course and make
changes
and adjustments when and where necessary, and enhance the ability of
the United States to restore lost credibility among many nations and
allies.
Indeed, barring serious questions about a nominee's integrity and
ability
to serve, a President deserves to have his selections confirmed. There
is
nothing in Dr. Rice's past performance to suggest she is not capable of
performing the job as America's chief diplomat, having the
responsibility
to conduct America's foreign policy. There is every reason to believe
that she is up for this challenge. No one can be sure if she will
succeed.
I conclude by saying this: Only time and events will tell if Dr. Rice
will
indeed make a great Secretary of State. To be sure, her vision,
thinking,
and problem-solving skills will be tested. I believe she is a
remarkable
woman, and I look forward to working with her as the next Secretary of
State.
I yield the floor.
Sincerely yours,
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
http://feinstein.senate.gov
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