Rice dazzles Europe

The Washington Times ^ | February 9, 2005 | Helle Dale

[MadIvan]

Europeans have been known to value style over substance. In Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, they gotboth. Over the past week, during her official trip as America's chief diplomat, Miss Rice blew away the grumpy old men of Europe with her style, elegance and poise, combined with high intelligence and the authority that comes with having the confidence of the president of the United States. And she gave her first major foreign policy speech in Paris, to boot.

To great applause Miss Rice said yesterday in France that it is time to turn away from past disagreements. "It is time to open a new chapter in our relationship and a new chapter in our alliance." Her speech, which took place at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris, called for freedom throughout the Arab world.

In the course of one highly successful trip — during which Miss Rice managed to meet with the leaders of Britain, Germany, Poland, Turkey, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Italy and France — the new secretary of state reorganized the pieces on the bumpy landscape of trans-Atlantic relations and helped breath life into Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

[MadIvan]

She is much more impressive than her predecessor. However, I would not expect any substantial help from "Old Europe".

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[teldon30]

In a nutshell...why?...i value your opinion.

[A CA Guy]

I hope Miss Rice becomes the first femal President or Vice President.

[MadIvan]

They have none to give - France and Germany are largely broke, and have few troops to spare.

Regards, Ivan

[ken5050]

Ivan, FYI...for a someaht different perspective..read the surprisingly negative critique by the conservative blogger inside the State Department here..New Sisyphus

[JLS]

Yep count on those Dims to trash a Bush appointee who then goes out and makes fools of the Dims.

[lainde]

Her speech this morning was awesome. (Fodder for a new tagline). And she handled the press VERY well! Talk about a velvet-fist, charm offensive!

[konaice]

With you there. It would be a smashing defeat of Hillary...

[GVnana]

"There cannot be an absence of moral content in American foreign policy." She added: "Europeans giggle at this, but we are not European, we are American, and we have different principles."

She said THAT and got away with it?

[tiamat]

Sure.

What could they possibly say in reply?

[GVnana]

I love it.

[OldFriend]

Just think......Warren Christopher, Madeline Albright, and then..........DR. CONDOLEEZA RICE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, the glory that is US!!!

[nmh]

I'm curious too. WHY?

[Carolinamom]

It would be a "help" if they stopped undercutting OUR efforts w/ their constant carping. At least, Dr. Rice is a breath of fresh air in their fetid politics.

[A CA Guy]

Just heard a poll of NY people said 67% that Hillary was honest and honorable.
WTF, New Yorkers are getting bonkers. I can say this, I was born in Brooklyn myself.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Nice article, thanks.