Secretary of state defends deployment of uss cole off lebanon

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended the deployment of a US warship off the coast of Lebanon, saying it was designed to show Washington”s readiness to defend its allies” interests.

 

“As to the American military presence, the US exercise a military presence in the region and it has for a very very long time,” Rice told reporters in Cairo at a news conference with her Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Abu al-Gheit.

 

“It is simply to make very clear that the US is capable and willing of defending its interests and the interests of its allies. That is really all that is happening there,” she said.

 

Rice was responding to a question on the deployment of the guided-missile destroyer USS Cole to waters off Lebanon, amid concerns over regional stability and Lebanon”s protracted political crisis.

 

She said the the United States defended the right of the Lebanese to elect their own president.

 

“They have lived too long under the shadow of foreign intimidation and foreign presence,” she added.