Rice: Iran Should Stop 'Playing Games'

April 30, 2006 — -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is lashing out at Iran's latest attempt to thwart possible action in the United Nations to halt their nuclear ambitions.

"I think they're playing games," said Rice, appearing on ABC News' "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." "Every time we get close to a Security Council decision, there's some effort to say, 'Oh no, we really were interested in that proposal that we rejected.' "

Rice was referring to Iran's hints that it may re-consider a Russian proposal that would provide the nation with nuclear fuel produced in Russia.

"The path by which they [Iran] could get civil nuclear energy is very clear," Rice added, repeatedly expressing doubts that the government of Iran was simply stalling action by the United Nations Security Council that could halt their atomic program entirely. Rice further asserted, "But if they're not playing games, they should come clean, stop the enrichment."

Too Few Troops?

Rice also brushed back a statement by her predecessor, retired Gen. Colin Powell, who said he told officials he feared the United States was going into Iraq with too few troops.

"The president listened to the advice of his advisors and, ultimately, he listened to the advice of his commanders," Rice said. She added that troop levels were determined with a post-Saddam Hussein scenario in mind.

Rice resisted setting a specific timetable for the total withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

"We will take this a step at a time," she said. "The president has made it very clear that he will listen to his commanders."

She said Iraq wants and will take responsibility for their own security at the earliest possible point.

Darfur Action?

As thousands rally against genocide in Washington, San Francisco and other cities across the nation, Stephanopoulos pressed Rice on the administration's policy in Darfur. The war-torn region is home to what has been called the first genocide of the 21st century, but that has drawn scant action from the international community.

"We are taking more forceful action in really pressing the case," Rice said, while admitting, "Everybody understands that we're not talking about Western forces on the ground."

Rice did not hesitate to place the blame for inaction on two veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council, saying, "We also do need more support, frankly, from members of the international community, from China, from Russia."

Actor George Clooney, who headlines the Washington rally against genocide, spoke to "This Week" about his recent trip to Darfur.

"The news is that two years after we've said 'genocide,' it's still going on and it it's increasing," Clooney told ABC News. "We can all talk about this and make speeches and say that this is horrible and we need to do something, but every day we don't do something, and every day this goes on thousands of people are dying and dying horrific deaths."

Rice cited the president's "passion" on the issue of Darfur, and said it will not be forgotten amidst the clamor of significant worldwide events from Iraq to Iran.

On the subject of the Middle East and rising gas prices at home, Rice pushed, "What we're for is getting and keeping production up," concluding, "The quicker we get about the business of reducing our dependence on oil, the better we're going to be."

George Stephanopoulos's entire interview with Secretary Rice and an extended version of George's Clooney's thoughts on the crisis in Darfur can be viewed at www.thisweek.abcnews.com.