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Syria’s Assad praises Obama, wants meeting
Khaleej Times ^ | 18 March 2009 | Reuters

Posted on 03/19/2009 5:16:11 AM PDT by SolidWood

ROME - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he hoped to meet U.S. President Barack Obama and expressed his willingness to help mediate between the West and Iran.

Assad, in an interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica published on Wednesday, also confirmed he was ready to resume peace negotiations with Israel but expressed concern about the political climate there.

“With the pullout in Iraq, the will for peace, the closing of Guantanamo, (Obama) has shown himself to be a man of his word,” he said, referring to the U.S. naval base in Cuba where hundreds of suspected Islamist militants have been held, most for years without trial.

But Assad said it was too soon to speak of a “historic shift” in U.S. foreign policy.

Asked about meeting Obama, Assad said: “Yes, in principle. It would be a very positive sign. But I’m not looking for a photo opportunity. I want to see him, to talk”.

Obama has been reviewing U.S. policy toward Syria, including whether to return an ambassador to Damascus. Earlier this month he sent two envoys to Damascus earlier this month, where in a change of tone after years of animosity with Syria, one of the officials said they had found “a lot of common ground”.

(Excerpt) Read more at khaleejtimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Israel; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: assad; obama; surrender; syria

1 posted on 03/19/2009 5:16:11 AM PDT by SolidWood
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To: SolidWood

Syria is going to help us deal with Iran? This ain’t gonna end purdy!


2 posted on 03/19/2009 5:21:47 AM PDT by avacado
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To: SolidWood
Assad praises Hussein

sounds familar now, doesn't it?

3 posted on 03/19/2009 5:23:11 AM PDT by bill1952 (Power is an illusion created between those with power - and those without)
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To: SolidWood

Anyone see *Lie to me* on TV last evening?

The Yemenese were invited to Barry’s Whitehouse.


4 posted on 03/19/2009 5:24:37 AM PDT by wolfcreek (There is no 2 party system only arrogant Pols and their handlers)
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To: SolidWood

praised by Syria and Hamas ....... hmmmmmm


5 posted on 03/19/2009 5:26:17 AM PDT by F15Eagle (1 John 5:4-5, 4:15, John 11:25, 14:6, 1 Tim 2:5, John 3:17-18, John 20:31, 1 John 5:13, John 6:69)
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To: SolidWood

“LOOKIN’ FOR LOVE IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES...”


6 posted on 03/19/2009 5:30:12 AM PDT by Humble Servant (See y'all in the Gulag.)
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To: SolidWood

What Assad is saying is that Obama is an easy mark. Let’s get there before the Americans wake up and get rid of him.


7 posted on 03/19/2009 5:32:19 AM PDT by Venturer
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To: wolfcreek
The Yemenese were invited to Barry’s Whitehouse.

Will they be getting DVDs and plastic helicopter toys too?

8 posted on 03/19/2009 5:39:37 AM PDT by John123 (The US may be going down the drain, but everyone else will drown first...)
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To: SolidWood
(Obama) has shown himself to be a man of his word

Oh terrific! Praise from a despot...

9 posted on 03/19/2009 5:40:53 AM PDT by John123 (The US may be going down the drain, but everyone else will drown first...)
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To: wolfcreek
Anyone see *Lie to me* on TV last evening?

That is the first thing I thought of when I saw the headline of this thread. Make the middle eastern head of state feel important..... Heaven help us.

10 posted on 03/19/2009 5:41:21 AM PDT by jersey117
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To: John123

Why do you think they came?


11 posted on 03/19/2009 5:42:44 AM PDT by SolidWood (Palin: "In Alaska we eat therefore we hunt.")
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To: SolidWood

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he hoped to meet U.S. President Barack Obama and expressed his willingness to help mediate between the West and Iran.

Oh great.One Terrorist leader offers tomediate between the US and another Terrorist Nation. Sounds like something that Obama will jump on with both feet.....


12 posted on 03/19/2009 5:43:50 AM PDT by SECURE AMERICA (Coming to You From the Front Lines of Occupied America)
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To: John123

Bambi said he would “stand with the Muslims.”


13 posted on 03/19/2009 5:49:45 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: jersey117; John123
“You are cordially invited to join President and Mrs. Obama......”
14 posted on 03/19/2009 5:54:16 AM PDT by wolfcreek (There is no 2 party system only arrogant Pols and their handlers)
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To: wolfcreek

You gotta love Fox.


15 posted on 03/19/2009 5:55:40 AM PDT by jersey117
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you'd like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

----------------------------

16 posted on 03/19/2009 5:56:37 AM PDT by SJackson (Barack Obama went to Harvard and became an educated fool. Rep. Bobby Rush)
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