Rice Admits U.S. Underestimated Hamas Strength:  After 9/11, Iraq WMD, the Iraq insurgency, and now Hamas, and for that matter, Katrina, yet again she says:  "I don't know anyone who wasn't caught off guard by Hamas's strong showing," she said .. "I've asked why nobody saw it coming," Ms. Rice said, speaking of her own staff. "It does say something about us not having a good enough pulse."

Hamas's victory has set off a debate whether the administration was so wedded to its belief in democracy that it could not see the dangers of holding elections in regions where Islamist groups were strong and democratic institutions weak."  12:17:01 AM