# Has Condoleeza Rice actually accomplished anything since becoming Sec. of State? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 8, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621 "2008-03-08T19:48:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Squarebubble1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Squarebubble1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squarebubble1)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/1 "2008-03-08T19:48:04Z")
If she has, what? Seems like all she does is jet around the world and nothing of substance comes out of it. (Not that any foreign government really works with the U.S. anyways, unless there’s big money involved.) ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/2 "2008-03-08T22:01:31Z")
I assume a mod will be along to move this to Great Debates shortly. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/3 "2008-03-08T22:11:25Z")
Well, [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condoleezza_Rice#Major_initiatives)’s a list of Condi’s Big Initiatives (or [“Transformational Diplomacy”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformational_Diplomacy) ), for what that’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/4 "2008-03-08T22:21:48Z")
OTOH, the Israelis have [coined a new word](http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06E4DC1530F931A25752C1A9619C8B63) for Ms Rice: > [@The New York Times](#): > > The long buildup to Annapolis, together with Ms. Rice’s many trips to the region, have given birth to a new verb in Israeli government circles: ‘‘lecondel,’’ meaning, to come and go for meetings that produce few results. The word is based on Ms. Rice’s first name. OTOH, I’d think the Israelis had gotten their money worth from this administration, with the US taking out one of Israel’s regional enemies (Iraq), and wanting to take out another (Iran), so they should have little reason to kvetch. Except for those pesky Palestinians. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/5 "2008-03-08T22:28:52Z")
[QUOTE=flurb] I assume a mod will be along to move this to Great Debates shortly. [/QUOTE] Exactly. **samclem** GQ moderator ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/6 "2008-03-08T22:51:49Z")
Cheney has continuously overruled her on just about anything she’s tried to do for her “husband”. Her failures have been in her inability to help him keep his VP under control, or even convince him he had to be the President himself. I don’t know that you can blame her for anything but not quitting in disgust long ago. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/7 "2008-03-09T10:29:31Z")
Yeah, but she looks great in boots. ---
**Author:** ![Danimal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Danimal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danimal)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/8 "2008-03-09T15:25:47Z")
Well, when North Korea tested its bomb, Rice gave instant assurances to Japan and South Korea that we would defend them, and neither one nuclearized in response. That’s something. Overall, she hasn’t been one of our more remarkable Secretaries of State, but then Bush and Cheney did deal her a pretty lousy hand. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/9 "2008-03-09T15:47:56Z")
[QUOTE=Danimal] Well, when North Korea tested its bomb, Rice gave instant assurances to Japan and South Korea that we would defend them, and neither one nuclearized in response. That’s something. [/QUOTE] Since neither of those countries are known to have nukes, I assume you meant they didn’t go rhetorically “nuclearized” ---
**Author:** ![Danimal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Danimal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danimal)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/10 "2008-03-09T16:05:57Z")
[QUOTE=squeegee] Since neither of those countries are known to have nukes, I assume you meant they didn’t go rhetorically “nuclearized” [/QUOTE] No, I meant they didn’t build nuclear weapons, which would have just about sunk the already way-too-fragile Non-Proliferation Treaty. Japan is believed to be capable of building a warhead within a few months of the go-ahead order. Sorry about any ambiguity. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/11 "2008-03-09T16:23:23Z")
She did nothing when warned about a 911 incident. She has however bought some nice shoes. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/12 "2008-03-09T18:37:01Z")
> **[They knew, but did nothing](https://www.smh.com.au/world/they-knew-but-did-nothing-20080308-gds4bn.html?page=fullpage)** > > In this exclusive extract from his new book, Philip Shenon uncovers > how the White House tried to hide the truth of its ineptitude > leading up to the September 11 terrorist attacks. . She just has not done her job. This story says Clarke warned her many times about El Queda and she never took it seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/13 "2008-03-09T18:40:10Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax] > **[They knew, but did nothing](https://www.smh.com.au/world/they-knew-but-did-nothing-20080308-gds4bn.html?page=fullpage)** > > In this exclusive extract from his new book, Philip Shenon uncovers > how the White House tried to hide the truth of its ineptitude > leading up to the September 11 terrorist attacks. . She just has not done her job. This story says Clarke warned her many times about **El Queda** and she never took it seriously. [/QUOTE] See??? They **ARE** sneaking over the border! -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/14 "2008-03-09T19:24:59Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax] She did nothing when warned about a 911 incident. She has however bought some nice shoes. [/QUOTE] For what it’s worth, the OP asked about her career as Sec of State. She was NSA advisor during the attacks and didn’t become Secretary till '05 ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/15 "2008-03-09T20:50:46Z")
When questioned by congress she showed a dismal memory. I would not want to think she would possibly be lying ,so she must be stupid. Not qualified to have an important position. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/16 "2008-03-09T21:11:44Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax] When questioned by congress she showed a dismal memory. I would not want to think she would possibly be lying ,so she must be stupid. Not qualified to have an important position. [/QUOTE] Are you saying that having a poor memory, lying to an investigative body and/or being stupid disqualifies one from working in the federal government? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/17 "2008-03-09T21:40:06Z")
With this administration, a foreign policy based on not doing things is arguably an accomplishment. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/18 "2008-03-09T21:42:41Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax] I would not want to think she would possibly be lying … [/QUOTE] Either you know very little about government and politics, or you’re not willing to accept the truth. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/19 "2008-03-09T21:46:48Z")
Looked like sarcasm to _me_, anyway … ---
**Author:** ![Danimal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Danimal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danimal)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621/20 "2008-03-09T22:35:31Z")
One point about Rice’s performance as SoS: she has failed to dissuade Turkey from invading Iraqi Kurdistan, and that could turn into the worst of the already disastrous diplomatic failures of the Bush administration. On the other hand, if Rice prevents this incursion from escalating into an all-out Iraqi-Turkish war, that will be a major credit to put to her account. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-condoleeza-rice-actually-accomplished-anything-since-becoming-sec-of-state/440621.md?page=2)