Originally published on the CGS blog on May 10, 2007.
Senator Patrick Leahy delivered a fair — and often blunt — opening statement today, as the subcommittee he chairs in the U.S. Senate heard testimony from Secretary of State Rice.
Some of the highlights that caught my eye:
Madam Secretary, wherever I go these days, a question I am invariably asked is how can the United States repair the damage to its international reputation as a nation that has historically stood for the rule of law — including international law ; for peace; and for defending the fundamental rights of people everywhere regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or nationality.
The policies of this Administration — from Iraq to Guantanamo — have turned strong allies into reluctant partners, and friends into antagonists. According to surveys, many people, particularly in Muslim countries, now see America as a greater threat than the religious extremists who incite hatred and violence. This should alarm us and stir us to action. Those who hold these views are horribly mistaken. But we are not doing enough to convince them otherwise.
The final volley from Leahy:
This White House has not only favored a “my way or the highway” unilateralism in its dealings with the world? It was as unnecessary as it was ineffective, and the American people and our national interests in the world have paid a high price for it.
I guess that is what they mean by Congressional oversight.
