WASHINGTON — Hillary Rodham Clinton faced the music in two back-to-back cable TV interviews Tuesday, fielding questions on foreign policy hot spots from Baghdad to Benghazi.
The former secretary of state blasted Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki — whom President Obama is trying to pressure into making reforms in exchange for military support as his country is under attack.
“He has failed as a leader,” Clinton said under questioning by Bret Baier and Greta Van Susteren in an appearance on Fox News.
On the release of Taliban captive Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl — for which Obama has been heavily criticized — Clinton suggested that the deal she put on the table while at State required more from the enemy.
“I was trying to put together a bigger deal,” she said, noting the Taliban would have been required to renounce al Qaeda and support the Afghan constitution.
At a town-hall meeting on CNN, when asked about the Benghazi embassy attack, she said, “I’m still looking for answers because it was a confusing and difficult time.”
On Fox, however, she said, “I take responsibility, but I was not making security decisions.”