Condoleezza gets top job

2004-11-16 19:32

Washington - President George W Bush turned to his most trusted foreign policy adviser, Condoleezza Rice, to lead US diplomacy during his second term, replacing secretary of state Colin Powell, who often was out of step with more hawkish members of the administration's national security team.

Rice, who is considered more of a foreign policy hard-liner than Powell, has been Bush's national security adviser for four years.

But while she's known around the globe, her image on the world stage does not rival Powell's.

The retired four-star general has higher popularity ratings than the president.

"She is a true friend to Israel," foreign minister Silvan Shalom told Army Radio in Israel on Tuesday.

"Her friendship toward Israel is very deep and stems from religious feelings and deep faith."

Palestinian cabinet minister Saeb Erekat, in an interview with the Associated Press Television Network, said, "We have dealt with Dr Rice on various occasions.

"She's a very dignified person, she has a very analytical, systematic mind and I believe she's committed to President Bush's two-state solution."

Powell

There had been speculation that Powell, 67, would stay on, at least for part of Bush's second term, but he told reporters on Monday that he had made no offer to do so.

In his resignation letter, Powell, a 35-year army veteran and former chair of the joint chiefs of staff, told Bush that, with the election over, it was time to "step down ... and return to private life."

He said he would stay on "for a number of weeks, or a month or two" until his replacement was confirmed by the senate.

Scott McClellan, the White House media secretary, declined to answer questions about whether Bush asked Powell to step down, or tried to persuade him to stay.

Ivo Daalder, who served on President Bill Clinton's national security council, suspects Powell was nudged out the door.

"It was a surprise," he said.

"He had been telling people that he wanted to stay."

Rumsfeld

Defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld, travelling in Ecuador on Monday, told reporters he had not yet discussed his future with the president and would provide no hint as to whether he would continue in Bush's cabinet, either for months or through the second term.

He praised Powell and said the news media had tried "to fabricate friction" between himself and the secretary of state.

- AP