Bush Worried Pelosi's Mideast Trip Has Emboldened Peace

[bigtree]

April 5, 2007

The White House launched a highly critical verbal barrage at Rep. Nancy Pelosi as she traveled to Syria and met with Syrian President Assad. Ignoring the warnings by President Bush and administration supporters that meeting with Assad gave him undue legitimacy and undermined Bush's policy of isolating Syria, Rep. Pelosi opened up a dialog with the Syrian dictator and pressed him on several concerns as she appealed for him to use his influence with Iran to, in turn, influence Hezbollah. She encouraged Assad to engage in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, and the Syria-Israel peace talks.

Bush complained in a press conference that Rep. Pelosi's visit sent "mixed signals" to the region and to Assad. One consequence, Bush said, was that photos of the two together could lead the international community to believe that they could actually be relevant in the the effort to bring peace to the region.

"And by that, I mean, photo opportunities and/or meetings with President Assad lead the Assad government to believe they're part of the mainstream of the international community," Bush complained. "There have been a lot of people who have gone to see President Assad -- some Americans," he said. "And yet we haven't seen action. In other words, he hasn't responded. It's one thing to send a message; it's another thing to have the person receiving the message actually do something."

"But sending delegations hasn't worked," Bush told reporters. "It's just simply been counterproductive."

Perhaps coincidentally, but glaringly in sync with Rep. Pelosi's high level visits and meetings in both Syria and Saudi Arabia, Iran agreed to release the 15 British Navy personnel they were holding prisoner. Indifferent to Bush's criticisms, both Syrian and Saudi leaders claimed to have appealed for the Brits' release.

Since Rep. Pelosi hasn't yet claimed her visit was the catalyst which moved Syria and Saudi Arabia to move Tehran, maybe Bush can give credit to the efforts of the Republican-led delegation that met with Assad in Damascus on April 1. At any rate, it's clear that we have a new dynamic in place where Bush's adversaries and critics abroad seem more than responsive to our new Democratic majority and others, if, perhaps, only to openly defy the lame-duck losers in the White House.


http://journals.democraticunderground.com/bigtree

[BOSSHOG]

1. bush is right - she is sending mixed signals to foreign leaders

After meeting with the Speaker of the House, they are scratching their heads and thinking that not all Americans are lying, war mongering lunatics.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. Excellent point. No doubt she's confusing everyone in the region

by engaging in diplomacy...:eyes:

[Hobarticus]

2. Bush plans airstrikes to pre-emptively deter peace and prosperity...

"Not a moment too soon," growled Sir Bombsalot.

[Lint Head]

3. Help! Alert! Code Red!

We're being attacked by peace! :dem:

[applegrove]

4. Bush war in Iraq is what has embolded Syria and Iran. Nothing else.

[bigtree]

5. Syria and Iran have more of a regional interest than we do

and, both now enjoy close diplomatic and security agreements with the new Iraqi regime.

[bdamomma]

6. mixed signals for Peace.

* can go to hell.

[bdamomma]

7. double post