Condi Speaks But Does Anyone Listen?

Think Progress brings us this Charlie Rose interview with Condoleezza Rice, the person who holds two titles with the Bush administration, the worst National Security Advisor ever and the worst Secretary of State ever.

Transcript:

ROSE: Let me make this point. You worked with President Bush 41 at the National Security Council for him. He was famous for insisting there be an exit strategy. No one seems to know what’s the exit strategy.

RICE: Well, in this case, because we know that this is a long- term proposition –

ROSE: On the part of participation by American forces on the ground?

RICE: Let me just finish this point, which is that on the long term, Iraq’s evolution to a state that is fully democratic and fully capable of defending itself, that’s a long-term proposition.

[…]

ROSE: I sense — and you can tell me this is absolutely wrong — that the Administration and you as the point person are looking for a strategy for the United States to exit from Iraq.

RICE: No, we’re looking for a strategy that is going to do what we went there to do, which is to help the Iraqis create a more stable environment, lay a foundation for democracy and national reconciliation to evolve in Iraq, and to leave an Iraq or to have an Iraq that is able to defend itself and secure itself.

[…]

RICE: So our friends in the neighborhood need to know and the Iraqis need to know that we are not looking to leave Iraq. That’s not why this President went into Iraq and it’s not how –

ROSE: Ever?

RICE: Charlie, we are not going to leave an Iraq that is not capable of defending itself and with a foundation for future reconciliation.

ROSE: Do you believe you’ll have the support of the American people to do that?

RICE: I think that the American people are looking for progress and so are we.

[…]

ROSE: But nobody can answer the question: If it doesn’t happen, what?

RICE: Charlie, because as the President said to you, we’re focused on having it happen.

After six plus years nothing she says or doesn't say should surprise me it still does. So let's look at the elements.

RICE: So our friends in the neighborhood need to know and the Iraqis need to know that we are not looking to leave Iraq. That’s not why this President went into Iraq and it’s not how –

ROSE: Ever?

RICE: Charlie, we are not going to leave an Iraq that is not capable of defending itself and with a foundation for future reconciliation.

As Steve Soto correctly points out

Even though the Iraqis want us to leave, even though al-Maliki says they want to take over by the end of 2007, and even though experts say that we need to assure the Iraqis that we have no permanent claim to bases and their oil, the Bush Administration thinks it will help to calm things down by doing what Al Qaeda wants us to do: stay forever, or at least until January 2009.

That's right, the Bush administration has no intention of leaving - ever. But that's really not the key part here. While Condi was not answering questions she was showing the world that she is living in the same bubble as her boss.

ROSE: Do you believe you’ll have the support of the American people to do that?

RICE: I think that the American people are looking for progress and so are we.

[…]

ROSE: But nobody can answer the question: If it doesn’t happen, what?

RICE: Charlie, because as the President said to you, we’re focused on having it happen.

Perhaps Condi and Dubya don't realize the US is going to leave but everyone else does - that includes the Iraqis and their neighbors. In addition the administration can't make any plans for the event that progress doesn't come because Bush refuses to believe that it won't. It has become obvious that a vast majority have given up on "progress" and want out. With the 2008 elections approaching the clock is about to run out on the Bush/Cheney occupation. Perhaps Condi can't see that from the interior of her bubble but the rest of the world can.