Herre's what the Washington Independent quotes from Kerry's letter to Rice:

Taken together, the apparent dearth of private sector security options and Under Secretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy's recent statement that, "[i]f the contractors were removed, we would have to leave Iraq," suggest that the U.S. government's hands are effectively tied in Iraq. What, in your opinion, were the driving forces that resulted in the U.S. government needing to rely so heavily upon private security contractors?

In the future, does State intend to rely less, as much, or more on private security contractors in high-risk areas? If, in your view, State's reliance is likely to decline, what steps does it plan to take to reduce its dependence on such contractors?

While this section of the letter sounds as if it could be taken from a marketing survey, the questions are important.

What, in your opinion, were the driving forces that resulted in the U.S. government needing to rely so heavily upon private security contractors?

Condi was in on the planning for the war, it's been made clear. If no one thought as far as who would "support" State's personnel in Iraq, this implies that little thinking went beyond the invasion. This is narrow-minded, short-term political thinking, not strategic, diplomatic, long-term thinking.

In the future, does State intend to rely less, as much, or more on private security contractors in high-risk areas?

The answer to this one will tell Congress and the American people how much work will need to be done to rebuild the State Department post Bush and Rice. Has State seen the kind of attrition of its career people that the Voter's Rights area of DoJ has seen? Has this department also been politicized to the point of no functionality?

It will also be a message to the rest of the world about how this Administration changed what was a respected body of diplomacy into a political machine that became as much fair game for killing as actual combatants.

I'd like to see hundreds of competent Americans from all sectors of small business and nonprofits go into every department overseen and run into the ground by the Executive to do "audits" of how their current staffing and operation fulfill the missions of each of these departments, á la the CPA played by Charles Grodin in Dave, who was brought in to balance the country's books.

A major task for either candidate who becomes president will be to take the politics out of all the departments—including State—that are supposed to provide services for and represent ALL American people, not the party in power.