Posted on 04/04/2007 2:16:42 PM PDT by kellynla
JERUSALEM – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit today to Syria – in which she called for dialogue with Damascus – was "brave" and "very appreciated" and could bring about "important changes" to America's foreign policy, including talks with "Middle East resistance groups," according to members of terror organizations here whose top leaders live in Syria.
One terror leader, Khaled Al-Batch, a militant and spokesman for Islamic Jihad, expressed hope Pelosi would continue winning elections, explaining the House speaker's Damascus visit demonstrated she understands the Middle East.
Pelosi's visit was opposed by President Bush, who called Syria a "state sponsor of terror."
(Story continues below)
"Nancy Pelosi understands the area (Middle East) well, more than Bush and Dr. (Condoleeza) Rice," said Al-Batch, speaking to WND from Gaza. "If the Democrats want to make negotiations with Syria, Hamas, and Hezbollah, this means the Democratic Party understands well what happens in this area and I think Pelosi will succeed. ... I hope she wins the next elections."
Islamic Jihad has carried out scores of shootings and rocket attacks, and, together with the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group, has taken responsibility for every suicide bombing in Israel the past two years.
Ramadan Shallah, overall chief of Islamic Jihad, lives in Syria, as does Hamas chieftain Khaled Meshaal. Israel has accused the Syrian-based Hamas and Islamic Jihad leadership of ordering militants in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to carry out terror attacks.
Al-Batch expressed hope Pelosi and the Democratic Party will pressure Bush to create dialogue with Syria and Middle East "resistance movements" and prompt an American withdrawal from Iraq.
"Bush and Dr. Rice made so many mistakes in the Middle East. Just look at Palestinian clashes and Iraq. But I think some changes are happening for the Bush administration's foreign policy because of the hand of Nancy Pelosi. I think the Democratic Party can do things the best. ... Pelosi is going down a good road by this policy of dialogue," he said.
Abu Abdullah, a leader of Hamas' military wing in the Gaza Strip, said the willingness by some lawmakers to talk with Syria "is proof of the importance of the resistance against the U.S."
"The Americans know and understand they are losing in Iraq and the Middle East and that their only chance to survive is to reduce hostilities with Arab countries and with Islam. Islam is the new giant of the world."
"Pelosi's visit to Syria was very brave. She is a brave woman," Jihad Jaara, a senior member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group and the infamous leader of the 2002 siege of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, told WND. "I think it's very nice and I think it's much better when you sit face to face and talk to (Syrian President Bashar) Assad. It's a very good idea. I think she is brave and hope all the people will support her. All the American people must make peace with Syria and Iran and with Hamas. Why not?" Jaara said.
Pelosi, the most senior U.S. official to visit Syria in two years, sat next to Assad earlier today in front of camera crews before starting their meeting at his hilltop palace overlooking Damascus. The Syrian president then reportedly took Pelosi to lunch at a restaurant in a restored house in Damascus' historic district, according to witnesses.
At a press conference after the meeting, Pelosi said that during her talks with Assad she "determined that the road to Damascus is the road to peace."
"We came in friendship, hope," she said.
The House speaker also said she conveyed an Israeli message to Assad that the Jewish state was ready to resume peace talks.
"(Our) meeting with the president enabled us to communicate a message from Prime Minister (Ehud) Olmert that Israel was ready to engage in peace talks as well," Pelosi told reporters.
Syria has demanded a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, strategic mountainous territory that looks down on Israeli and Syrian population centers twice used by Syria to mount invasions into Israel.
Syria, which signed a military alliance with Iran, openly hosts Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders. Israel says Syria has been allowing large quantities of weapons to be transported from its borders to the Lebanese-based Hezbollah militia, which last summer engaged in a war with the Jewish state. Syria has been accused of supporting the insurgency against U.S. troops in Iraq; generating unrest in Lebanon; and has been widely blamed for the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Bush criticized visits by Pelosi and other lawmakers saying they sent "mixed messages" to the region and undermined U.S. policy.
"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 told reporters in Washington. "In fact, they're a state sponsor of terror."
Pelosi is not the only lawmaker to recently visit Syria. A congressional delegation including three Republicans traveled to Damascus Sunday stating they believe there is an opportunity for dialogue with the Syrian leadership.
Last month, Ellen Sauerbrey, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for population, refugees and migration, held talks in Damascus in a public gesture widely seen as an expression of Washington's willingness to engage Damascus.
I don’t understand the hoopla about this. Didn’t three Republicans meet with Assad on Sunday? And I wasn’t aware of this before, but the article says a US assistant secretary of state just had a meeting with a Syrian official recently. Why was there no outcry over these meetings?
Nancy should remember the old saw about laying down with dogs.
I thought it was illegal for a US Citizen to engage in diplomacy without the approval to the State Department.
I am only saying because some years ago someone brought up that Kerry violated a section of federal law when he made his 1970s trip to Viet Nam.
If someone can find the section I would appreciate it.
One would assume that the Asst. Sec State was acting in an official capacity as liaison for the Executive Branch as is their official Constitutionally sanctioned function. As for the other Critters, I don’t know, but I suspect that it was because they were republicans and more likely, the MSM couldn’t use them to prop up their princess, Nazi Pelosi and therefore wasn’t reported. Also, they could have had official, or even unofficial sanction, by the executive branch. If they went there of their own accord to do an end run around the President, then hell yes, I’d be just as angry with them.
Better yet, an elephant testicle implant, and better yet, bilaterally. (LOL!)
Oh, Txsleuth. This is worse than I feared. Much, much worse. How weak and divided we appear to the Arab world.
According to an editorial in yesterday's New York Post (apparently not on their web site), there are these quotes from White House spokeswoman Dana Perrino:
"It sends the wrong message to have high-level U. S. officials going to [Syria] to have photo opportunities that Assad then exploits."
"We ask that people not go on these trips... We discourage it. Full stop."
If it had been up to the Demo-Socialists, the USSR would still exist along with the Cold War and mutually assured (nuclear) destruction. If a Democrat had been in the White House instead of George W. Bush, we would have been attacked several more times after 9/11. Hundreds of thousands of Americans would have died from chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, our economy would be in a shambles, and our nation would be in complete turmoil. If it were up to the Demo-Socialists, Saddam Hussein would still be in power, torturing people, commiting mass murder, and providing a safe haven and weapons for terrorists.
Yes, ma’am, it is.
I also heard an author on Mark Levin’s show tonight that wrote a book about the Clinton’s exploits SINCE Bubba left the White House in 2001...just scary.
I tell ya, Peach...unless we do something radical in the next 18 months, this country is in major trouble..and I don’t think I am being hyperbolic.
One other thing, I was watching Brit’s show tonight..and the panel was discussing the money totals for all of the POTUS candidates...mainly Clinton and Obama’s.
I was listening to Fred Barnes talk about Obama...and you would have thought he was a 20 year old girl, SWOONING over a rock star. FRED BARNES, supposed Republican...and HE was saying that Obama makes the candidacy of John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan pale in comparison...YIKES!
Also...ALL of the panel except Brit seemed to believe that Obama could beat out Hillary for the Dem POTUS candidate.
Can you imagine a NO-NOTHING socialist as POTUS, while we have al-queda and Hezbollah and other terrorists after us???
I missed all but the last 3 minutes of Brit’s panel and am stunned to read that about Fred. What’s he smoking? Obama is the the biggest media creation since Anna Nicole Smith, imo. Zero experience at anything required for the presidency.
This country is in serious trouble on so many levels that I just don’t think we can come back. Not that we couldn’t come back from the coarsening of our culture, the giving in to Muslims in every state, the socialist nature of too many politicians, etc., but I don’t see the electorate clamoring for change. And even if we asked for change, demanded change, I don’t see politicians listening to us at ALL.
>...unless we do something radical in the next eighteen months, this country is in major trouble...<
Don’t look now, but, by many indications, this country is in major trouble NOW.
I hope there are pictures and sound bites. Could be some juicy stuff for some anti-nan commercials. Put her in the position of being on defense. Sadly, no one on our side has the gonads though.
“Neville Chamberlain would be proud...”
Beaming!
So true, Peach.
The politicians are too afraid to make ANY ethnic, racial, sexual, financial, political group mad...but, they can’t be being honest with themselves, because no one can honestly say that these changes are for the better.
However, I just feel this urgency to do something, because I FEAR the future, and I don’t mean the distant future..I mean the next few years...the problem is, I am beginning to wonder if I am not in the minority of the minority...
I don’t sense any groundswell of people that are as worried as we are Peach...do you?
I have a few friends in town who are very worried for the future. One senses long-term problems and the other more immediate problems. But most people are more interested in television or mindless activities than really paying attention to geopolitics or what is happening in their own country.
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The 'rat party is no longer fit to be called the "loyal opposition." The malignant totalitarians of the left have taken control, and violations like this are going to be par for the course as they act to cripple our government of laws. The plan has always been simple: create chaos, render the government incapable of governing, then seize power with the promise of bringing order out of chaos. This violation by Pelosi is part of creating chaos.
She and a sizable group of like-minded traitors need to be dealt with decisively, although it will probably take a major catastrophe to get the sleepy body politic to wake up.
Pelosi is committing treason in my book.
The only reason Conservatives are losing is because they do not want to win.
It’s much easier to snivel, which is a sign of losing heart.
Hard work, hard decisions, and actually producing is so outdated.
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