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Bush Rival Breaks Syria Boycott

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posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 10:07 AM
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Bush Rival Breaks Syria Boycott


news.bbc.co.uk

US House speaker Nancy Pelosi has arrived in the Syrian capital for a visit which the White House has criticised as undermining US policy.

She was received in Damascus by Foreign Minister Walid Muallim and is expected to meet President Bashar al-Assad.

The top Democrat brushed off criticism, saying dialogue with Syria was key to solving the Iraq and Lebanon crises.



(visit the link for the full news article)



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 10:07 AM
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While the political division in Washington over Middle East issues continues to widen along party lines. Nancy Pelosi has taken a bold, or perhaps foolish step toward showing her opposition to the Bush administration's Middle East strategies.

This could be seen as a step in the right direction, or a serious mistake depending on your political leanings. However, having real dialog with nations considered a threat to international security is not such a bad thing is it?

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 10:17 AM
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Anything to seek out the facts, calm the mid-east moods and help restore peace against the western hemisphere.
Pelosi on a fact finding mission is a good thing. It really doesn't matter at this stage how the other side feels about her visits in that acid part of world.

We're dancing through hoops to support NATO commitments and at the same time show "resolve" (I hate that word), in keeping close to all things important to the present US Admin due to proximity not fancifulness.

Dallas



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 10:54 AM
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Bush Blasts Pelosi For Syria Visit


(CBS/AP) President Bush voiced displeasure on Tuesday with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Syria, saying it sends mixed signals to the government of President Bashar Assad.

"A lot of people have gone to see President Assad....and yet we haven't seen action. He hasn't responded," Mr. Bush told reporters at a Rose Garden news conference.

He said Assad had not reined in violent elements of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah as requested by the international community and had acted to destabilize the democratically elected government of Lebanon.


The political lines are clear, the battle stage set, elections in the future may be influenced by these events.

Which side will win the mandate of the American people?

Meanwhile in Iran...



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 11:06 AM
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To me Pelosi is a grandstander, and this is not her place to try to make a channel. Condi should be there, not Pelosi. I understand the attempt to show the olive branch, but Syria will see it as a sign of weakness that she did not listen to the POTUS.



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 11:12 AM
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Pelosi is bought and paid for by Israel (AIPAC) already, she doesn't care about Syria so yes, this is pure grandstanding on her part.
Rice seems to have fallen out of favour with Israel lately so no invite for her this time around, hence the Pelosi visit



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 11:51 AM
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She is very clearly out of line, no matter what party you support. What she did was NOT part of her station. This woman thinks she is more powerful than she really is. She is playing with fire. She needs to stay in her lane.



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 12:51 PM
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In the U.S., the executive branch of the government is constitutionally mandated with conducting foreign policy, not the legislative branch. This means that Pelosi is performing an unconstitutional act, and should be censured for it. The reason for this should be quite obvious to even the uneducated; a nation needs to speak to other nations with one voice, not 535+ in order to avoid dangerous misconceptions about a nation's intentions. When dealing with a superpower, the reasoning for doing it the correct way is even more important.

When you add Pelosi's action to that of others in Congress such as Senator Reid's call to cut off funding, you have what in effect is an attempted coup where congress is trying to usurp the constitutional powers of the president and executive branch.

[edit on 4/3/2007 by centurion1211]



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 01:03 PM
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Originally posted by centurion1211
In the U.S., the executive branch of the government is constitutionally mandated with conducting foreign policy, not the legislative branch. This means that Pelosi is performing an unconstitutional act, and should be censured for it.


Any clear rule of law to support this?

Is it clear that she is visiting Syria in an "official" capacity?

I wonder if any censure is possible in this case.

Can you elaborate more?



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 01:05 PM
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Originally posted by UM_Gazz
Nancy Pelosi has taken a bold, or perhaps foolish step ...


She has boldly taken a foolish step.

Seriously. This is out of her sandbox. This isn't her job. She is stepping on the toes of the state department and kicking sand in the face of POTUS. She's SERIOUSLY out of line.

.... and she's a freak'n flake.



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 01:26 PM
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To all posters with this thread bashing Pelosi....ahhhh did I miss something about her bad behavior going to Syria?

Three Republican members of Congress were in Syria before Pelosi.

See attached Yahoo News Thread about the visit of the Republican law makers.

The story just basically says Republican congress people visited, and did not undermine America. Am I missing something here?

Why is it bad for a Democratic party lawmaker to visit Syria and be undermining the President, but Repubican lawmakers can go beforehand and it is ok? Why can't the other politcal party go if one goes?

I guess you have to be a woman or a Democrat to undermine US foreign policy to visit Syria. Because otherwise this thread is BS.



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 01:47 PM
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The President of the United States is the head of state, much like the Queen of England. The Executive has a large amount of discretion in determining foreign policy because it is important in the international arena to speak with one voice. It is distressing that the Speaker of the House would take actions outside of the United States that undermine the stated foreign policy. While I think that dialog should never be excluded as an option diplomatically, these actions are inappropriate, and the risk of our foreign policy being perceived as being disjointed is too high. Oh, and yes, it was inappropriate for the Republicans to go as well, assuming that they did not go to the end of promoting the stated foreign policy.

[edit on 4/3/2007 by Togetic]



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 01:51 PM
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Bushes foreign policy hasn't solved anything. yes it is Dr. Rice's place to go there but she is the most ineffectual sec. of state that I can remember and is little more than a lap dog and has accomplished nothing. As mentioned above several key Republican Senators and congressmen have proceeded her so she has done nothing wrong. If the bush administration won't do anything about the situition in the mid east other than to make it worse we need someone trying to build or repair bridges. The Baker commission explictly stated that we need to be engaging both Syria and Iran but bush minor seems to think that means to engage them miltiarily. Something needs to be done before this administration creates whole new generations of enemies, if it hasn't already.



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 02:10 PM
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Things are heating up over the Syrian visit, but also between Bush and democrats over war spending...

Bush: 'Unacceptable' bill threatens troops


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush warned Congress Tuesday that failing to send him an acceptable Iraq war funding bill soon is irresponsible and will threaten U.S. military equipment and training.

The president's stern warnings during a White House news conference targeted Democratic leaders controlling Capitol Hill who have included timetables for troop withdrawals in their funding legislation.

"If Congress fails to pass a bill that I can sign by mid-April, the Army will be forced to consider cutting back on equipment, equipment repair and quality of life initiatives for our Guard and Reserve forces," Bush said.

Visit the source link for the full article, and Video.

I can't help but wonder about the timing of Nancy Pelosi's trip to Syria, and the debate over war spending.

All seems a bit too convenient, no?

[edit on 3-4-2007 by UM_Gazz]



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 02:26 PM
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I agree she is out of line. So were the other congress persons who preceded her.

IMO it's all a show, like other posters have mentioned. If the Executive branche's policies and behaviors are upsetting to the congress, they have the power to impeach. They should use it instead of usurping the constitutional duties of the executives.

Congress persons should only be in two places at any time, the senate and representative floors, and their districts. The overlapping of the three branches is dangerous to the checks and balances system.

I think she may be on an ego trip fueled by her peers, and the floor just get's harder the higher you get.



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 02:38 PM
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As a member of Congress she can go and visit foreign countries and leaders on "fact finding" missions helpful in making informed legislative decisions, but she surely can't negotiate treaties or act as a representative of the U.S. government on foreign policy.

[edit on 4/3/2007 by djohnsto77]



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 02:54 PM
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Originally posted by esdad71
To me Pelosi is a grandstander, and this is not her place to try to make a channel. Condi should be there, not Pelosi. I understand the attempt to show the olive branch, but Syria will see it as a sign of weakness that she did not listen to the POTUS.


Yep, Condi should have been there........ and missed her chance. Syria will see this as an obvious sign of intelligence and a sincere desire to work with those who oppose America to achieve peace in the region.

Of course Bush does not want her there. He is trying to drum up a reason to bomb them as terrorists. HOW DARE PELOSI TRY TO MAKE PEACE!!



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 03:00 PM
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Originally posted by UM_Gazz
Things are heating up over the Syrian visit, but also between Bush and democrats over war spending...

Bush: 'Unacceptable' bill threatens troops


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush warned Congress Tuesday that failing to send him an acceptable Iraq war funding bill soon is irresponsible and will threaten U.S. military equipment and training.

The president's stern warnings during a White House news conference targeted Democratic leaders controlling Capitol Hill who have included timetables for troop withdrawals in their funding legislation.

"If Congress fails to pass a bill that I can sign by mid-April, the Army will be forced to consider cutting back on equipment, equipment repair and quality of life initiatives for our Guard and Reserve forces," Bush said.

Visit the source link for the full article, and Video.

I can't help but wonder about the timing of Nancy Pelosi's trip to Syria, and the debate over war spending.

All seems a bit too convenient, no?

[edit on 3-4-2007 by UM_Gazz]


I seems to me that WAR PROFITEERING by the unpatriotic buddies of GW Bush is what is really threatening the quality and availability of military equipment. The hundred million dollars profit enjoyed by the president of Halliburton would buy lots of gear for our boys overseas.



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 03:00 PM
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Originally posted by FlyersFan
.... and she's a freak'n flake.


Again, you step out of line and detract from the topic at hand to political mudsling...


I see Pelosi's move as a good thing...

If the supposed "correct people" aren't doing their jobs to promote peace and a good view of the United States, well then, someone needs to....

If I wanted to go to one of these countries to extend a message of peace and had the pull that most of these politicians have, I would already have done so....

It is going to take a whole lot more of this to correct the damage done by this administration to the overall worldly view of the country I call home...

Most of you complaining against this move still cannot see past your political blinders...

This isn't about Republicans and Democrats...This is about America....This is about the entire world....

Granted, I assume part of this move WAS for shock value, but hey, what do you expect from a politician? Things really can't get more worse than they are for America right now, so any step in the right direction is, at least, a move that needs to be made....

[edit on 3-4-2007 by Azazelus]



posted on Apr, 3 2007 @ 03:06 PM
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Originally posted by UM_Gazz

However, having real dialog with nations considered a threat to international security is not such a bad thing is it?



How's that old saying go?

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer."

I believe it is safer to have a dialog with your "enemies" and know what they are thinking rather than avoiding them and not really knowing what is going on in their minds.

Not that I think Pelosi should be the one doing this though.


[edit on 3/4/07 by Keyhole]



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