The governments of our adversaries, namely China, Russia, and Iran, are positively giddy about the looting and destruction that has swept the nation in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

The state-run media outlets in these countries and others have been focusing on our government’s inability to establish control over the rioters. They’ve been replaying footage of Floyd’s death and showing video of the violence and the devastation in our cities.

For the Chinese, in particular, the riots have presented an unexpected opportunity to hit back at America for our support of the anti-Chinese riots in Hong Kong and for our criticism of their handling of the pandemic.

“I think the Chinese Communist propaganda apparatus is very grateful to have some burning cities in the United States right now,” said Orville Schell, Director of the Asia Society’s Center for U.S.-China Relations.

In other words, our enemies’ coverage of the riots is pretty much the same as that of the U.S. mainstream media.

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke to CBS’ Margaret Brennan on Sunday to discuss the riots.

Brennan tried to get Rice to admit that the Trump Administration’s failure to contain the lawlessness here is signaling weakness abroad and putting the U.S. in danger.

“Madam Secretary, you know, some of America’s adversaries, Russia, Iran, China, they are using the images of what happened to Mr. Floyd and what is happening in the streets of American cities right now in their own state propaganda. Do you see this racial divide as a national security threat to us?” Brennan asked.

Rather than providing the desired response, Rice replied: (emphasis mine)

Well, I’ve always thought that America’s greatest strength is that we are a country where you can come from humble circumstances and do great things, and where, despite our painful history, we’ve worked harder and harder every day, brick by brick, to build a more perfect union for all of us. And I would say to those, particularly in places like China and Russia and Iran, who may want to use this for propaganda, let’s not be absurd.

This is not Tiananmen Square where you’ve mowed down people who disagreed with the government. This is not the invasion of Crimea where you took land from your neighbor. This is not the Green Revolution in Iran where you killed people wantonly because they wouldn’t agree with the theocratic government.

Rice continued, “And I would even say to our friends abroad, in places like Europe, where I’m seeing demonstrations in support of what is happening here, thank you for your support, but please look in the mirror. Please ask yourself, in countries in Europe and countries all across the world, what are you doing about racial and ethnic inequality in your own circumstances? America has gotten better because we have been willing to confront our problems. And we’re going to confront our problems again. We’re confronting them now.

“But I really don’t need to be lectured by Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping about peaceful protest when they have themselves used their own force just because people wanted to criticize the government. That is not what is happening here,” she added.

Bravo, Madame Secretary.

Finally, Brennan asked Rice which candidate she would be supporting in November. Unlike her Bush administration colleagues, Rice refused to answer the question. She did not support President Trump in 2016.

(Relevant segment begins at 10:00.)