Rice IV Diane Sawyer of ABC's Good Morning America

Interview With Diane Sawyer of ABC's Good Morning America

Secretary Condoleezza Rice
Washington, DC
March 19, 2007

QUESTION: Secretary Rice, thanks for being with us this morning. Four years now to the day, since the first air strikes on Baghdad, when you woke up this morning four years later what is the word that best summarizes your mood about this war?

SECRETARY RICE: Well, I think perseverance. The fact is that we've achieved a great deal with the Iraqis but there's still much more to do. And of course one is always -- thinks about the tremendous sacrifice the men and women who have been lost in this war and the innocent Iraqis who have died. But we also have to remember the 12.5 million people who voted, Iraqis who voted for a new government and a new life, and I think the new possibilities that are opened up by the Baghdad security plan which thus far is well on the way.

QUESTION: This morning we read in the Guardian and again it's symbolic, but a weight lifter and mechanic who was instrumental in pulling down the statute of Saddam Hussein has gone public now four days later and he has said, "The situation is becoming more dangerous, is not getting better at all, that Saddam was like Stalin but the occupation is proving to be worst." The man we saw there pulling down the statute.

SECRETARY RICE: I don't doubt that there is disappointment on the part of Iraqis and, indeed, Americans that the war has not perhaps done better, that, in fact, we are not further along. But I think we have to remember that this is a very difficult process of taking a place that has lived under tyranny and violence for practically its entire history, and getting to the point that Iraqis can solve their problems through politics. This is a new government that is committed now to a better life for its people. I think they're making some progress in these first days of the Baghdad security plan, although I would be the first to say there's still going to be hard days ahead. And we do have a more committed government, better Iraqi security forces and, frankly, more American help for them in the form of American security forces so that they have a new chance.

QUESTION: We've just heard in the ABC poll and survey about water, electricity, decreasing the number of kids now -- decrease in the number of kids in school and a decrease in the amount of adequate electricity. What do you say to the people of Iraq about the fact that four years later the United States cannot supply them with adequate electricity?

SECRETARY RICE: Well, it's obviously very difficult. The insurgents have decided to attack electrical supply. They've decided to attack oil supply. But I would just note one thing about the electricity, we know now that Saddam Hussein provided only 50 percent of the generating power needed throughout Iraq. And so while Baghdad was receiving all of the electricity that it needed, the rest of the country was not. And so some of these numbers can be a bit deceiving, but there's no doubt that the new government with its investment of nearly $10 billion of their own money in infrastructure projects is going to be able to do a better job with our help of providing for the Iraqi people.

QUESTION: On this morning of 3,218 U.S. military fatalities and 24,042 U.S. wounded not to mention the some-60,000 Iraqis who have been killed, on this morning would you say to Americans that if it takes four more years and another 3,000 fatalities that you'll stay the course; that that must be done too?

SECRETARY RICE: Well, Diane, first we have to recognize the tremendous sacrifice and nothing that we can say is ever going to lessen the hurt for those families that have lost loved ones or for those whose lives have been irrevocably changed. But I would say that the sacrifice that nothing of value is ever won unless there is sacrifice. I would also say that we need to complete the job because to leave an Iraq in the hands of the likes of the finally demised Zarqawi, the al-Qaida that are there, to leave Iraq in the hands of killers and to leave it unstable would have untold consequences for the region and for our security at home. It's difficult but we are on a course that the President and his commanders believe give the Iraqis a chance to build an Iraq that will be more stable, more democratic, a good friend for the United States and most importantly then a stability pillar in the Middle East so that America can be safer.

QUESTION: Secretary Rice, again our thanks to you for joining us this morning.

SECRETARY RICE: Thank you.

2007/203

ENDS

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