Pelosi, Lantos may be interested in diplomatic trip to Iran

[sabra]

Source: SF Chronicle

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Tom Lantos, D-San Mateo, just back from a trip to Syria that sparked sharp criticism from Republicans and the Bush administration, suggested Tuesday that they may be interested in taking another diplomatic trip - to open a dialogue with Iran.

The Democratic speaker from San Francisco and Lantos, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, were asked at a press conference in San Francisco Tuesday whether on the heels of their recent trip to the Middle East they would be interested in extending their diplomacy in the troubled region with a visit to Iran.

"Speaking just for myself, I would be ready to get on a plane tomorrow morning, because however objectionable, unfair and inaccurate many of (Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's) statements are, it is important that we have a dialogue with him,'' Lantos said. "Speaking for myself, I'm ready to go -- and knowing the speaker, I think that she might be.''

Pelosi did not dispute that statement, and noted that Lantos -- a Hungarian-born survivor of the Holocaust -- brought "great experience, knowledge and judgment" to the recent bipartisan congressional delegation trip to Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia in addition to Syria.

Read more: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/04/10/BAGV9P6C0S6.DTL

[yourout]

1. Ohhh that will go over well with the Pukes.

Treason...Treason....Treason.

I just love it when the right wingers get their pantys in a twist.

[deminks]

2. Yes, you go, girl. Madame Speaker. K&R.

Show em how it's done.

[lvx35]

3. Yes do it!

Its time we take things into our own hands as far as diplomacy goes. Pelosi could easily succeed where Bush's people failed.

[CBHagman]

4. Show them how it's done, Mr. Lantos.

Maybe the Bush administration should take a leaf out of Lantos's book. When Lantos was young, he was courier for other Jews in safe houses in Budapest. When Bush was that age, what the hell was he doing? Think about it.

Watch and learn, Bushies.

[Eugene]

5. WHouse calls possible lawmaker trip to Iran 'troubling'

Source: Agence France-Presse

WHouse calls possible lawmaker trip to Iran 'troubling'

2 hours, 38 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House on Wednesday called it "troubling"
that top US lawmakers including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may be
considering a trip to Iran in the wake of their controversial visit to Syria.

"On a day when the US military reports additional evidence of Irans
meddling in Iraq with weapons and training that are being used to kill our
soldiers, its troubling that some Democrats are making travel arrangements
to visit Tehran," said spokeswoman Dana Perino.

She spoke after Democratic Representative Tom Lantos, who accompanied
Pelosi to meet Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over White House
objections last week, said he was ready to go to Tehran and suggested
that the speaker was as well.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070411/pl_afp/usirancongress_070411173336

[wordpix]

7. Translation: "it's troubling that some Democrats are interested in a peace process."

[wordpix]

6. when I caught this on CSpan, I said to myself, thank goddess the Dems are back with some

fresh air in Washington. :applause: :woohoo:

[IndianaGreen]

8. Lantos is an ultra-Zionist that supported the invasion of Iraq

The fact that Lantos went to Syria with Pelosi was very significant, and IMHO provided Pelosi with plenty of cover. If the two of them want to go to Iran, they have my blessings and best wishes.

I can't wait for Bush to be gone!

[Eugene]

9. Top US lawmaker has no plans for Iran trip: aide

Source: Agence France-Presse

Top US lawmaker has no plans for Iran trip: aide

38 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi,
fresh from a controversial trip to Syria last week,
has "no intention" of visiting Iran, her office said
Wednesday, as the White House condemned any such
plan.

"The Speaker has no intention of going to Iran," Pelosi
spokesman Brendan Daly said by e-mail after a senior
lawmaker and close ally who accompanied her to
Damascus seemed to float the idea in a press
conference.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070411/pl_afp/usirancongress_070411215020