Editing Condoleezza Rice (section)

==National Security Advisor (2001–2005)==
[[File:Condoleezza Rice Colin Powell George W. Bush Donald Rumsfeld.jpg|thumb|Rice, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]] [[Donald Rumsfeld]] listen to [[President of the United States|President]] George W. Bush speak about the Middle East on June 24, 2002]]

On December 16, 2000, Rice was named as National Security Advisor,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=254647|publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|title=Bush Nominates Rice to Be Secretary of State|date=January 7, 2006|accessdate=November 24, 2021|archivedate=November 16, 2004|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041116094509/https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=254647}}</ref> upon which she stepped down from her position at Stanford.<ref>{{cite news |title=The 43rd President: The White House Staff; Bush Adviser Gets National Security Post |first1=Richard A. Jr. |last1=Oppel |first2=Frank |last2=Bruni |date=December 18, 2000 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/18/us/43rd-president-white-house-staff-bush-adviser-gets-national-security-post.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=May 27, 2019 |archive-date=August 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823022955/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/18/us/43rd-president-white-house-staff-bush-adviser-gets-national-security-post.html |url-status=live }}</ref> She was the first woman to occupy the post. Rice earned the nickname of "Warrior Princess", reflecting strong nerve and delicate manners.<ref name=forbes>{{cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2005/11/MTNG.html |title=#1 Condoleezza Rice |access-date=November 3, 2008 |work=The Most Powerful Women |publisher=[[Forbes]] |first=Tatiana |last=Serafin |date=November 2005 |archive-date=August 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823023010/https://www.forbes.com/lists/list-directory/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On January 18, 2003, ''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported that Rice was involved in crafting Bush's position on race-based preferences. Rice has stated that "while race-neutral means are preferable", race can be taken into account as "one factor among others" in university admissions policies.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rice says race can be 'one factor' in considering admissions |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/01/17/rice.action/ |work=CNN|date=January 18, 2003 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210195456/http://edition.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/01/17/rice.action/ |archive-date=December 10, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Terrorism===
During the summer of 2001, Rice met with [[CIA]] director [[George Tenet]] to discuss the possibilities and prevention of terrorist attacks on American targets. On July 10, 2001, Rice met with Tenet in what he referred to as an "emergency meeting"<ref name = "NYTimes-20061002 Tenet">{{cite news |first=Philip |last=Shenon |author2=Mark Mazzetti |title=Records Show Tenet Briefed Rice on Al Qaeda Threat |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/02/washington/03ricecnd.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 2, 2006 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027033848/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/02/washington/03ricecnd.html |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> held at the White House at Tenet's request to brief Rice and the NSC staff about the potential threat of an impending [[al Qaeda]] attack. Rice responded by asking Tenet to give a presentation on the matter to Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and [[United States Attorney General|Attorney General]] [[John Ashcroft]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Jonathan S. |last=Landay |author2=Warren P. Strobel |author3=John Walcott |author4=Matt Stearns |author5=Drew Brown |title=Rumsfeld, Ashcroft said to have received warning of attack |url=https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/special-reports/iraq-intelligence/article24458509.html |work=[[McClatchy]] |date=October 2, 2006 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527091618/https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/special-reports/iraq-intelligence/article24458509.html |archive-date=May 27, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Rice characterized the August 6, 2001, [[President's Daily Brief]] ''[[Bin Ladin Determined To Strike in US]]'' as historical information. Rice indicated "It was information based on old reporting."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu//NSAEBB/NSAEBB116/testimony.htm |date=April 8, 2004 |title=Excerpts from April 8, 2004 Testimony of Dr. Condoleezza Rice Before the 9/11 Commission Pertaining to The President's Daily Brief of August 6, 2001 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |work=[[9/11 Commission]] |publisher=[[National Security Archive]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825001321/http://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB116/testimony.htm |archive-date=August 25, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Sean Wilentz of [[Salon magazine|''Salon'' magazine]] suggested that the PDB contained current information based on continuing investigations, including that Bin Laden wanted to "bring the fighting to America."<ref>{{cite news |first=Sean |last=Wilentz |author-link=Sean Wilentz |title=Don't know much about history |url=https://www.salon.com/2004/04/14/rice_12/ |work=[[Salon.com]] |date=April 13, 2004 |access-date=May 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527111824/https://www.salon.com/2004/04/14/rice_12/ |archive-date=May 27, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> On September 11, 2001, Rice was scheduled to outline a new national security policy that included missile defense as a cornerstone and played down the threat of stateless terrorism.<ref>{{cite news |title=Top Focus Before 9/11 Wasn't on Terrorism |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2004/04/01/top-focus-before-911-wasnt-on-terrorism/a8def448-9549-4fde-913d-b69a2dd2bf25/ |date=April 1, 2004 |newspaper=The Washington Post |first=Robin |last=Wright |access-date=August 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921170408/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2004/04/01/top-focus-before-911-wasnt-on-terrorism/a8def448-9549-4fde-913d-b69a2dd2bf25/ |archive-date=September 21, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:President George W. Bush addresses the media at the Pentagon on Sept. 17, 2001.jpg|thumb|President Bush addresses the media at the Pentagon on September 17, 2001]]

When asked in 2006 about the July 2001 meeting, Rice asserted she did not recall the specific meeting, commenting that she had met ''repeatedly'' with Tenet that summer about terrorist threats. Moreover, she stated that it was "incomprehensible" to her that she had ignored terrorist threats two months before the [[September 11 attacks]].<ref name = "NYTimes-20061002 Tenet"/>

In 2003, Rice received the U.S. Senator John Heinz Award for Greatest Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official, an award given out annually by [[Jefferson Awards for Public Service|Jefferson Awards]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.multiplyinggood.org/what-we-do/jefferson-awards/past-award-recipients |title=Past Winners |website=Jefferson Awards Foundation |access-date=May 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416061843/https://www.multiplyinggood.org/what-we-do/jefferson-awards/past-award-recipients |archive-date=April 16, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In August 2010, Rice received the U.S. Air Force Academy's 2009 Thomas D. White National Defense Award for contributions to the defense and security of the United States.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/115766/dr-condoleezza-rice-receives-2009-td-white-award/ |title=Dr. Condoleezza Rice receives 2009 TD White Award |date=August 30, 2010 |last=Branum |first=Don |website=[[US Air force]] |access-date=December 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012102215/http://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/115766/dr-condoleezza-rice-receives-2009-td-white-award/ |archive-date=October 12, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Subpoenas===
In March 2004, Rice declined to testify before the [[9/11 Commission|National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States]] (the 9/11 Commission). The White House claimed [[executive privilege]] under constitutional separation of powers and cited past tradition. Under pressure, Bush agreed to allow her to testify so long as it did not create a precedent of presidential staff being required to appear before Congress when so requested.<ref>{{cite news |title=Transcript of Rice's 9/11 commission statement |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/04/08/rice.transcript/ |work=CNN|date=May 19, 2004 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418082544/http://edition.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/04/08/rice.transcript/ |archive-date=April 18, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>
In April 2007, Rice rejected, on grounds of executive privilege, a House subpoena regarding the prewar claim that Iraq sought [[Yellowcake|yellowcake uranium]] from [[Niger]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Rice says Saddam questions answered |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/apr/26/20070426-120513-8451r/ |work=[[The Washington Times]] |date=April 26, 2007 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |archive-date=August 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823023009/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/apr/26/20070426-120513-8451r/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Iraq===
[[File:Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Rice in Camp David.jpg|thumb|Cheney, Rice and Rumsfeld participate in a video conference with President Bush and Iraqi PM Maliki in 2006]]
Rice was a proponent of the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]]. After [[Iraq]] delivered its declaration of [[weapons of mass destruction]] to the [[United Nations]] on December 8, 2002, Rice wrote an [[editorial]] for ''[[The New York Times]]'' entitled "Why We Know Iraq Is Lying".<ref>{{cite news |first=Condoleezza |last=Rice |title=Why We Know Iraq Is Lying |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/23/opinion/why-we-know-iraq-is-lying.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 23, 2003 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |archive-date=August 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823023012/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/23/opinion/why-we-know-iraq-is-lying.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In a January 10, 2003, interview with CNN's [[Wolf Blitzer]], Rice made headlines by stating regarding Iraqi president Saddam Hussein's nuclear capabilities: "The problem here is that there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly he can acquire nuclear weapons. But we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud."<ref>{{cite news |first=Wolf |last=Blitzer |author-link=Wolf Blitzer |title=Search for the 'smoking gun' |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/01/10/wbr.smoking.gun/ |work=CNN|date=January 10, 2003 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210195501/http://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/01/10/wbr.smoking.gun/ |archive-date=December 10, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In October 2003, Rice was named to run the ''Iraq Stabilization Group,'' to "quell violence in Iraq and Afghanistan and to speed the reconstruction of both countries."<ref>{{cite news |first=David E. |last=Sanger |author-link=David E. Sanger |title=White House to Overhaul Iraq and Afghan Missions |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/06/world/white-house-to-overhaul-iraq-and-afghan-missions.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 6, 2003 |access-date=May 27, 2019 |archive-date=August 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823023054/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/06/world/white-house-to-overhaul-iraq-and-afghan-missions.html |url-status=live }}</ref> By May 2004, ''The Washington Post'' reported that the council had become virtually nonexistent.<ref>{{cite news |first=Dana |last=Milbank |title=Stabilization Is Its Middle Name |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=May 18, 2004 |page=A17 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34519-2004May17.html |access-date=August 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190217124708/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34519-2004May17.html |archive-date=February 17, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Leading up to the [[2004 United States presidential election|2004 presidential election]], Rice became the first National Security Advisor to campaign for an incumbent president. She stated that while: "Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with the actual attacks on America, Saddam Hussein's Iraq was a part of the Middle East that was festering and unstable, [and] was part of the circumstances that created the problem on September 11."<ref>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |title=Rice defends decision to go to war in Iraq |url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/22/rice.speech.ap/ |work=CNN|date=October 22, 2004 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041117054631/http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/22/rice.speech.ap/ |archive-date=November 17, 2004}}</ref>

After the invasion, when it became clear that Iraq did not have nuclear [[Weapon of mass destruction|WMD]] capability, critics called Rice's claims a "hoax", "deception" and "demagogic scare tactic".<ref>{{cite news |first=Wayne |last=Drash |title=Report: No WMD stockpiles in Iraq |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/10/06/iraq.wmd.report/ |work=CNN|date=October 7, 2004 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107020626/http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/10/06/iraq.wmd.report/ |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Dana Milbank and Mike Allen wrote in ''The Washington Post'': "Either she missed or overlooked numerous warnings from intelligence agencies seeking to put caveats on claims about Iraq's nuclear weapons program, or she made public claims that she knew to be false".<ref>{{cite news |first=Dana |last=Milbank |author-link=Dana Milbank |author2=Mike Allen |title=Iraq Flap Shakes Rice's Image |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2003/07/27/iraq-flap-shakes-rices-image/eeb1306c-2653-444d-ae03-a76fe1d7e6f8/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |page=A0 |date=July 27, 2003 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820141126/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2003/07/27/iraq-flap-shakes-rices-image/eeb1306c-2653-444d-ae03-a76fe1d7e6f8/ |archive-date=August 20, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Role in authorizing use of torture===
A [[Senate Intelligence Committee]] reported that on July 17, 2002, Rice met with CIA director [[George Tenet]] to personally convey the Bush administration's approval of the proposed [[waterboarding]] of alleged Al Qaeda leader [[Abu Zubaydah]]. "Days after Dr Rice gave Mr Tenet her approval, the Justice Department approved the use of waterboarding in a top secret August 1 memo."<ref name = "TheTimes">{{cite news |first=Nico |last=Hines |title=Condoleezza Rice gave nod for 'torture' techniques |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/5208701/Condoleezza-Rice-approved-torture-techniques.html |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=April 23, 2009 |access-date=April 23, 2009 |location=London |archive-date=August 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823023040/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/5208701/Condoleezza-Rice-approved-torture-techniques.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Waterboarding is considered to be torture by a wide range of authorities, including legal experts,<ref name="HRW open letter WB">{{cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2006/04/05/open-letter-attorney-general-alberto-gonzales |title=Open Letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales |access-date=April 17, 2009 |date=April 5, 2006 |publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]] |archive-date=August 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200823023025/https://www.hrw.org/news/2006/04/05/open-letter-attorney-general-alberto-gonzales |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="JuristPittWB_100807">{{cite news|first=Benjamin |last=Davis |title=Endgame on Torture: Time to Call the Bluff |date=October 8, 2007 |work=[[JURIST]] |url=https://www.jurist.org/commentary/2007/10/endgame-on-torture-time-to-call-bluff/ |access-date=December 18, 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071220210424/http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2007/10/endgame-on-torture-time-to-call-bluff.php |archive-date=December 20, 2007 }}</ref><ref name="columbia">{{cite journal |journal=[[Columbia Journal of Transnational Law]] |volume=45 |year=2007 |issue=2 |title=Drop by Drop: Forgetting the History of Water Torture in U.S. Courts |first=Evan |last=Wallach |author-link=Evan Wallach |url=http://direct.bl.uk/bld/PlaceOrder.do?UIN=208094762&ETOC=RN |pages=468–506 |issn=0010-1931 |access-date=May 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418113324/http://direct.bl.uk/bld/PlaceOrder.do?UIN=208094762&ETOC=RN |archive-date=April 18, 2010 |url-status=live }} A [http://www.pegc.us/archive/Articles/wallach_drop_by_drop_draft_20061016.pdf rough draft] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090521063746/http://www.pegc.us/archive/Articles/wallach_drop_by_drop_draft_20061016.pdf |date=May 21, 2009 }} is also available.</ref><ref name="National Lawyers Guild">{{cite news| editor = National Lawyers Guild| title = White Paper on the Law of Torture and Holding Accountable Those Who Are Complicit in Approving Torture of Persons in U.S. Custody| publisher = National Lawyers Guild, [[International Association of Democratic Lawyers]]| url = http://www.nlginternational.org/report/NLG_WHITE_PAPER_ON_TORTURE.pdf| access-date = June 26, 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090105190332/http://www.nlginternational.org/report/NLG_WHITE_PAPER_ON_TORTURE.pdf| archive-date = January 5, 2009| url-status = live}}</ref> war veterans,<ref name="DN!_WB_110507">{{cite news |title=French Journalist Henri Alleg Describes His Torture Being Waterboarded by French Forces During Algerian War |date=November 5, 2007 |publisher=[[Democracy Now!]] |url=http://www.democracynow.org/2007/11/5/french_journalist_henri_alleg_describes_his |access-date=December 18, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071215015232/http://www.democracynow.org/2007/11/5/french_journalist_henri_alleg_describes_his |archive-date=December 15, 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="NW_WB_110507">{{cite news |first=John |last=McCain |author-link=John McCain |title=Torture's Terrible Toll |date=November 21, 2005 |work=[[Newsweek]] |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/51200 |access-date=April 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502182216/http://www.newsweek.com/id/51200 |archive-date=May 2, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> intelligence officials,<ref name=grey2006p226>{{cite book |first=Stephen |last=Grey |author-link=Stephen Grey |title=Ghost plane: the true story of the CIA torture program |publisher=[[St. Martin's Press]] |location=New York City |year=2006 |page=[https://archive.org/details/ghostplanetruest00grey/page/226 226] |isbn=0-312-36023-1 |oclc=70335397 |quote=As one former CIA official, once a senior official for the directorate of operations, told me: 'Of course it was torture. Try it and you'll see.' Another, also a former higher-up in the directorate of operations, told me: 'Yes, it's torture ... ' |url=https://archive.org/details/ghostplanetruest00grey/page/226 }}</ref> military judges,<ref name="CaL_WB_110507">{{cite news|first=Nicole |last=Bell |title=Retired JAGs Send Letter To Leahy: 'Waterboarding is inhumane, it is torture, and it is illegal.' |date=November 2, 2007 |work=[[Crooks and Liars]] |url=http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/11/03/retired-jags-send-letter-to-leahy-waterboarding-is-inhumane-it-is-torture-and-it-is-illegal/ |access-date=April 17, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202070251/http://crooksandliars.com/2007/11/03/retired-jags-send-letter-to-leahy-waterboarding-is-inhumane-it-is-torture-and-it-is-illegal |archive-date=February 2, 2009 }}</ref> human rights organizations,<ref name="HRW_WB_110507">{{cite news |title=CIA Whitewashing Torture |date=November 21, 2005 |publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]] |url=https://www.hrw.org/en/news/2005/11/20/cia-whitewashing-torture |access-date=April 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090418040008/http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2005/11/20/cia-whitewashing-torture |archive-date=April 18, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> former U.S. attorney general [[Eric Holder]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/01/61401940/1 |title=Holder: Water-boarding is torture; president can't authorize it |website=[[USA Today]] |date=January 15, 2009 |access-date=July 1, 2009 |first=Mark |last=Memmott |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528111614/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/01/61401940/1 |archive-date=May 28, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> and many senior politicians, including former U.S. President [[Barack Obama]].<ref name="foxvideo">{{cite news| title = Raw Data: Transcript of Obama's News Conference| publisher = Fox News| date = April 29, 2009| url = http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/29/raw-data-transcript-obamas-news-conference/| access-date = May 7, 2009| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100119001637/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/29/raw-data-transcript-obamas-news-conference/| archive-date = January 19, 2010| url-status = dead}}</ref>

In 2003 Rice, Vice President [[Dick Cheney]] and Attorney General [[John Ashcroft]] met with the CIA again and were briefed on the use of waterboarding and other methods including week-long [[sleep deprivation]], forced nudity and the use of stress positions. The Senate report says that the Bush administration officials "reaffirmed that the CIA program was lawful and reflected administration policy".<ref name=TheTimes/>

The Senate report also "suggests Miss Rice played a more significant role than she acknowledged in written testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee submitted in the autumn."<ref name=TheTimes/> At that time, she had acknowledged attending meetings to discuss the CIA's use of torture, but she claimed that she could not recall the details, and she "omitted her direct role in approving the program in her written statement to the committee."<ref name="Rice Gave OK">{{cite news| agency = Associated Press| title = As Bush Adviser, Rice Gave OK to Waterboard| publisher = Fox News| date = April 22, 2009| url = http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/22/bush-adviser-rice-gave-ok-waterboard/| access-date = May 8, 2009| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110604160119/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/22/bush-adviser-rice-gave-ok-waterboard/| archive-date = June 4, 2011| url-status = dead}}</ref>

In a conversation with a student at Stanford University in April 2009, Rice stated that she did not authorize the CIA to use the torture. Rice said, "I didn't authorize anything. I conveyed the authorization of the administration to the agency that they had policy authorization, subject to the Justice Department's clearance. That's what I did."<ref name="kess">{{cite news |last=Kessler |first=Glenn |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/04/30/rice_defends_enhanced_interrog.html |title=Rice Defends Use Of Enhanced Techniques |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=May 1, 2009 |page=4 |access-date=August 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623211921/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/04/30/rice_defends_enhanced_interrog.html |archive-date=June 23, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She added, "We were told, nothing that violates our obligations under the [[United Nations Convention Against Torture|Convention Against Torture]]. And so, by definition, if it was authorized by the president, it did not violate our obligations under the Conventions Against Torture."<ref name="kess"/>

In 2015, citing her role in authorizing the use of so-called "[[enhanced interrogation techniques]]", [[Human Rights Watch]] called for the investigation of Rice "for conspiracy to torture as well as other crimes."<ref name="HRW Roadmap">{{cite journal |url=https://www.hrw.org/node/283564 |title=No More Excuses: A Roadmap to Justice for CIA Torture |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=December 2015 |journal=[[Human Rights Watch]] |access-date=December 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151201203948/https://www.hrw.org/node/283564 |archive-date=December 1, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>