MR. RUSSERT: And let me turn to Lebanon. Do you believe that Hezbollah is a terrorist organization?
DR. RICE: Our view of Hezbollah has not changed, that it is, indeed, a terrorist organization. We're concentrating, Tim, on trying to remove the artificial element in Lebanese politics at this point and that is Syrian troops and the Syrian security forces, intelligence services. Once that is done, the Lebanese will be able to have a political process that is free of that kind of foreign interference, a political process that will begin to develop and we will be able to see or they will be able to see what the real balance of forces looks like in Lebanon. But as long as you have an overwhelming security and troop presence there for the Syrians, it is not possible for them to do that work.
MR. RUSSERT: I think many people were surprised by this story in The New York Times: "US Called Ready To See Hezbollah In Lebanon Role. After years of campaigning against Hezbollah, the radical Shiite Muslim party in Lebanon, as a terrorist pariah, the Bush administration is grudgingly going along with efforts by France and the United Nations to steer the party into the Lebanese political mainstream, administration officials say. The administration's shift was described by American, European and United Nations officials as a reluctant recognition that Hezbollah, besides having a militia and sponsoring attacks on Israelis, is an enormous political force in Lebanon that could block Western efforts to get Syria to withdraw the troops."
Hezbollah, who says "death to America, destruction of Israel," it appears that we're willing to tolerate them.
DR. RICE: Tim, we have not changed our view of Hezbollah, in any dimension have we changed our view of Hezbollah. We consider it a terrorist organization. What we're concentrating on--and everything is happening very quickly in this process--and what we're concentrating on is getting Syrian forces out under Resolution 1559, and then allowing the Lebanese people to have a process that will, I think, reveal what the real balance of force is in Lebanon. And it goes without saying that when you have a democratic process and you have a reform process and you ultimately establish rule of law, then those who continue to resort to violence outside of the legal and rule of law processes really can't be tolerated in a democratic process.
But first things first. When the Syrians go, you will see what the balance of forces really looks like in Lebanon. The Lebanese will be able to deal with their differences. It is also extremely important for the Lebanese to have free and fair elections to legitimate any political process going forward, and that's what we and our European allies and a number of Arab states in the region are working for at this point.
MR. RUSSERT: If the Lebanese people chose Hezbollah party as the governing party, we would recognize and accept it?
DR. RICE: Well, we have seen, Tim, that in democratic processes, people have to address a whole different set of concerns than they do when there is no democratic processes. But our view of Hezbollah has not changed. I really want to emphasize, though, this is a Lebanese process of coming to terms with their own political future, and that really can't happen in a way that is--that goes forward smoothly until Syrian forces are out.
MR. RUSSERT: But we would recognize Hezbollah if they were chosen by the Lebanese people?
DR. RICE: Tim, our view of Hezbollah has not changed and it's not going to change. The key here is for the Lebanese people to be able to deal with the divisions in their society that we all know are there, with the various forces in their society that we all know are there, and the role of the international community and, indeed, of the United States, is to make certain that Resolution 1559 is enforced. Eventually in a society that is devoted to rule of law, you cannot have organizations that continue to resort to violence.
Is this explicit enough?
The other day, I dealt with a report in the Jayson Blair Times about an alleged change of view by the US concerning Hezbollah. At the time, I quoted a denial by Condi that any change in the position of the US has taken place.
Today, as part of NBC NEWS' MEET THE PRESS, Condi issued the following explicit statement. The relevant text is given in full, lest it be said that I am quoting out of context.
MR. RUSSERT: And let me turn to Lebanon. Do you believe that Hezbollah is a terrorist organization?
DR. RICE: Our view of Hezbollah has not changed, that it is, indeed, a terrorist organization. We're concentrating, Tim, on trying to remove the artificial element in Lebanese politics at this point and that is Syrian troops and the Syrian security forces, intelligence services. Once that is done, the Lebanese will be able to have a political process that is free of that kind of foreign interference, a political process that will begin to develop and we will be able to see or they will be able to see what the real balance of forces looks like in Lebanon. But as long as you have an overwhelming security and troop presence there for the Syrians, it is not possible for them to do that work.
MR. RUSSERT: I think many people were surprised by this story in The New York Times: "US Called Ready To See Hezbollah In Lebanon Role. After years of campaigning against Hezbollah, the radical Shiite Muslim party in Lebanon, as a terrorist pariah, the Bush administration is grudgingly going along with efforts by France and the United Nations to steer the party into the Lebanese political mainstream, administration officials say. The administration's shift was described by American, European and United Nations officials as a reluctant recognition that Hezbollah, besides having a militia and sponsoring attacks on Israelis, is an enormous political force in Lebanon that could block Western efforts to get Syria to withdraw the troops."
Hezbollah, who says "death to America, destruction of Israel," it appears that we're willing to tolerate them.
DR. RICE: Tim, we have not changed our view of Hezbollah, in any dimension have we changed our view of Hezbollah. We consider it a terrorist organization. What we're concentrating on--and everything is happening very quickly in this process--and what we're concentrating on is getting Syrian forces out under Resolution 1559, and then allowing the Lebanese people to have a process that will, I think, reveal what the real balance of force is in Lebanon. And it goes without saying that when you have a democratic process and you have a reform process and you ultimately establish rule of law, then those who continue to resort to violence outside of the legal and rule of law processes really can't be tolerated in a democratic process.
But first things first. When the Syrians go, you will see what the balance of forces really looks like in Lebanon. The Lebanese will be able to deal with their differences. It is also extremely important for the Lebanese to have free and fair elections to legitimate any political process going forward, and that's what we and our European allies and a number of Arab states in the region are working for at this point.
MR. RUSSERT: If the Lebanese people chose Hezbollah party as the governing party, we would recognize and accept it?
DR. RICE: Well, we have seen, Tim, that in democratic processes, people have to address a whole different set of concerns than they do when there is no democratic processes. But our view of Hezbollah has not changed. I really want to emphasize, though, this is a Lebanese process of coming to terms with their own political future, and that really can't happen in a way that is--that goes forward smoothly until Syrian forces are out.
MR. RUSSERT: But we would recognize Hezbollah if they were chosen by the Lebanese people?
DR. RICE: Tim, our view of Hezbollah has not changed and it's not going to change. The key here is for the Lebanese people to be able to deal with the divisions in their society that we all know are there, with the various forces in their society that we all know are there, and the role of the international community and, indeed, of the United States, is to make certain that Resolution 1559 is enforced. Eventually in a society that is devoted to rule of law, you cannot have organizations that continue to resort to violence.
Posted by Joseph Alexander Norland at March 13, 2005 06:04 PM