Kerry meets Assad in Damascus

US Senator John Kerry said Saturday after talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad he is hopeful that strained US-Syrian relations can be improved. Assad in return assured Kerry he is interested in dialogue with Washington.

The former Democratic presidential candidate, who arrived in Damascus Friday, met for two hours with Assad before meeting separately with Foreign Minister Farouk a-Sharaa.

The talks centered on the situation in Iraq and how to prevent militants from entering Iraq through Syria.

"I think we found a great deal of areas of mutual interest, some common concerns and some possibilities for initiatives that could be taken in the future to strengthening relationship between the US and Syria," Kerry told reporters after meeting with a-Sharaa.

"I can assure you that I leave here with a sense that we can improve our relationship. There are significant possibilities, particularly with the elections in Iraq and the elections in the West Bank," Kerry said. "This is the moment of opportunity for the Middle East, for the US and for the world. I hope that we would seize that opportunity."

Kerry said there were "still concerns" that need to be addressed. "But I came away confident that the president and foreign minister are interested in moving in the right direction, and I am hopeful they will," he said.

Assad stressed "the importance of dialogue between the two sides over all issues under discussion, especially those of common interest," Syria's official news agency reported without elaborating.

Kerry's visit comes amid strained US-Syrian relations, particularly over accusations by American and Iraqi interim government officials that Damascus is doing too little to stop border infiltration. Washington also accuses Syria of backing Palestinian militant groups opposed to Israel.

Syria denies both claims but says it can't fully control its long, porous border with Iraq and regards Palestinian militants as fighters opposed to Israel's illegal occupation of Arab territories.

Kerry said he and Assad also discussed issues of importance to the region and to both countries, including Iraq, security, Lebanon and weapons of mass destruction.

"We discussed the war on terror and a number of issues between our countries with respect to economics and economic reform and the future of our relationship," he said.

Later, as Kerry was about to get into his car outside the Foreign Ministry building, 13-year-old Mustafa al-Nabulsi approached him with a drawing of the senator as a soldier in his Vietnam days.

"You have made me much more important than I was, though. You made me a general," Kerry told the teen.

"Thank you very much. So do I. Thank you for this," Kerry said. He asked for the boy's address, and al-Nabulsi gave him his mobile number.

A few months ago, Washington imposed sanctions on Syria under an act accusing Damascus of seeking weapons of mass destruction, a charge Syria denies, and hosting Palestinian groups Washington deems terrorist.

In September, the UN Security Council passed a resolution calling on Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon and dismantle the Syrian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah guerrilla group.

More recently, US President George W. Bush has warned Syria and Iran against "meddling" in the internal affairs of Iraq.

Kerry arrived from Iraq, where he met US troops in the volatile northern city of Mosul, the scene of a suicide bombing last month on a military base that killed 22 people, including 14 US soldiers and three American contractors.

Furthermore, the Bush administration continues to demonstrate a dangerous incompetence in media and PR matters by allowing these types of stunts by political opponents.

I agree, but realistically how could the Bush administration put a stop to it?

Unfortunately, there is no easy solution. That is one of the problems with allowing inappropriate and dishonest ideas and actions to set precedents which become so entrenched they are almost impossible to undo.

In this particular case, if I were Bush I would make a high-profile public statement that Senator Kerry does not speak for the American government and any foreign leaders who treat with him do so at their own risk. I would further amplify this by stating that this same stricture applies to any other non-administration officials or former officials, such as Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton, unless they are explicitly authorized by the administration. In addition, I would have our ambassador to Syria formally call on Syrian President Assad and inform him of this policy position face-to-face.

I realize this would cause an incredible media firestorm against Bush and would entail enormous political risk, but I believe the potential gain justifies the risk. It is my sincere belief that there is a huge potential of untapped energy and support in the American populace that is simmering under the surface and is just waiting for the right leader to inspire it, galvanize it and direct it into action.

I believe that the vast majority of Americans are just flat-out fed-up with the MSM, political correctness run amuck and the shameful dishonesty and venality of our self-annointed ruling elites. I believe the people are just waiting for someone with the courage to challenge these corrupt institutions head-on while they are still reeling from the blows they sustained during the recent election campaign. I believe Americans would rise-up and cheer and support President Bush if he stepped forth and loudly issued the call.

In order for this to happen, however, Bush has to make the leap of faith and courage. As long as he continues to tiptoe through the politically correct minefields of media approval and world opinion, the people will continue to merely watch and observe. This is precisely analogous to the situation in Iraq, where the people are waiting and watching to see if we have the national will and determination to stay the course before they're willing to commit themselves.

In practical terms, the Bush administration needs to adopt a policy of immediately and forcefully responding to each and every instance of kibitzing, grandstanding and deliberate attempts to subvert official policy by the Kerry/Carter/Clinton types. The Logan Act needs to be publicly invoked and explained to the American people, and then enforced. And to do this, they must get some forceful, articulate spokespeople to compensate for Bush's communication deficiencies. What they need are more Zell Miller types, not the pathetic White House press spokeman they have now. The Clinton administration had a "war-room" response team for just such a purpose, and regardless of our personal dislike of them, it was damned effective, even when used to defend their obvious lies. Imagine how effective it could be when used to defend the truth.

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Two neo-Facists Plot!