Stanford Report, February 4, 2009

Letter to the editor: 'Rice's return to Stanford should raise serious concerns'

Adam Gorlick's interview with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (Stanford Report, Jan. 28) unfortunately revealed little about her tenure in the Bush administration. As Bush's national security adviser, she played an active role in the campaign of lies used to justify the unprovoked U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. In the years following Sept. 11, 2001, Rice also participated in administration meetings where harsh interrogation tactics were discussed, according to news reports and a recent bipartisan report by the Senate Armed Services Committee. Many prisoners held abroad by the United States were subjected to water boarding, extreme sleep deprivation, being shackled in painful positions for long periods and sexual humiliation.

Nevertheless, Rice repeatedly declared that "the United States does not permit, tolerate or condone torture under any circumstances." Her statement that "the United States does not transport and has not transported detainees from one country to another for purposes of interrogation" has been refuted by a mass of documented evidence. In view of such contradictions, Rice's return to Stanford should raise serious concerns. There is no reason why she should not take part in public forums and non-accredited seminars where discussion can take place, but a former public official with a record to defend, and whose credibility has come into question, seems hardly fitted to be called a serious scholar and take her place in the classroom.

Rachelle Marshall

Stanford resident