CONDI SPEWS MORE UP IS DOWN ON MEET THE PRESS

Condi says to Timmeh that Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds are all determined to form a government of national unity and that's unprecedented. Historically they have settled their differences through violence, and now they're doing it politically.

What is she talking about? If they're so determined, why haven't they done it? And aren't they settling differences through violence in a most public way every day?

They're WORKING on it. It's HARD WORK. There are a lot of details to be worked out.

Thanks to the president's democracy promotion and the people of those countries, the people are taking on authoritative regimes across the region. Syria is out of Lebanon. Kuwait has given women the right to vote. (No mention of the victories of Hamas, Hezbollah, etc. in ME elections -- organizations that the United States characterizes as terrorist groups.) Democracy is on the march.

She can't confirm whether or not the Afghani who converted to Christianity and is on trial for his life has been spared. Afghanistan is a young democracy and is working with a baby constitution. They're going through a debate right now on the proper role of religion in civil government. It takes time to work these things out. It's HARD WORK.

Timmeh cites the lack of standard human rights in the Afghan constitution. Condi responds that it's better than the Taliban -- our country only established equal rights for blacks in her lifetime, so who are we to criticize? She's "certain" that the evolution of democracy in Afghanistan is on the right track. It takes time. It's HARD WORK.

Tags: Condoleezza Rice, Meet The Press