Condoleezza Rice on Iraq War
TL;DR
Condoleezza Rice has consistently affirmed that she would overthrow Saddam Hussein again, viewing the Iraq War as necessary for regional transformation.
Key Points
Rice wrote an editorial titled "Why We Know Iraq Is Lying" after Iraq delivered its WMD declaration to the UN on December 8, 2002.
She stated in a January 10, 2003, interview that the U.S. "don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud" regarding Saddam Hussein's nuclear capabilities.
In March 2013, she candidly responded "Yes" when asked if she would do the Iraq War over again, adding, "I would have overthrown Saddam Hussein again".
Summary
Condoleezza Rice was a clear proponent of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, taking a "bolder approach" to address the root causes of terrorism in the Middle East, rather than just targeting al Qaeda post-9/11. As National Security Advisor, she argued that the instability under Saddam Hussein's rule contributed to the circumstances that led to the September 11 attacks. She famously stated that the U.S. could not wait for a "smoking gun" in the form of a nuclear attack before acting against Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction capabilities.
Years after the invasion concluded, Rice reaffirmed her support, stating in 2013 that she would have overthrown Saddam Hussein again because he was a "cancer in the Middle East". She framed the effort as a difficult but necessary sacrifice to lay the foundation for a democratic and prosperous Iraq, which she hoped would serve as an anchor and example for the region. Her view was that abandoning Iraq would condemn future generations in the Middle East to despair and Americans to fear and insecurity.
Key Quotes
When we were attacked on Sept. 11, we could decide that the proximate cause was al Qaeda and the people who flew those planes into the buildings, ... or we could take a bolder approach, which would say that we had to go after the root causes of the kind of terrorism produced in the Middle East.
Frequently Asked Questions
Condoleezza Rice strongly supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq, viewing the removal of Saddam Hussein as a necessary step to address the root causes of terrorism in the Middle East. She argued this provided a necessary foundation for democratic transformation in the region.
Rice has not expressed regret over the decision to overthrow Saddam Hussein, reiterating in 2013 that she would do it again because of Hussein's destabilizing presence. She acknowledged the sacrifice of lost lives but maintained the war offered Iraq a chance for a better future.
Rice justified the war by linking it to the post-9/11 fight against terrorism, framing it as a choice to go after the root causes, not just the proximate cause of al Qaeda. She believed a freer, democratic Middle East was less likely to produce terrorists.
Sources4
Rice Explains How Iraq Fits in Terror War
Condoleezza Rice - Wikipedia
Condoleezza Rice Discusses Iraq War on the Forty Acres
Press Briefing by National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice (Iraq War)
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.