Posted on 04/04/2007 7:57:52 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Three Republican congressmen who parted with President Bush by meeting with Syrian leaders said Wednesday it is important to maintain a dialogue with a country the White House says sponsors terrorism.
"I don't care what the administration says on this. You've got to do what you think is in the best interest of your country," said Rep. Frank Wolf (news, bio, voting record), R-Va. "I want us to be successful in Iraq. I want us to clamp down on Hezbollah."
Washington accuses Syria of backing Hamas and Hezbollah, two groups it deems terrorist organizations. The Bush administration also says Syria is contributing to the violence in Iraq by allowing Sunni insurgents to operate from its territory and is destabilizing Lebanon's government.
Bush sharply criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., for leading a delegation to meet with Syria's president, Bashar Assad.
The White House, however, stayed relatively quiet about a similar trip just a few days earlier by Wolf and GOP Reps. Robert Aderholt (news, bio, voting record) of Alabama and Joseph Pitts (news, bio, voting record) of Pennsylvania.
Returning on Wednesday, the lawmakers said they made clear to Assad that they support Bush and were not representing the administration. But they said they felt it was important to keep open lines of communication.
"This is an area where we would disagree with the administration," Aderholt said. "None of us in the Congress work for the president. We have to cast our own votes and ultimately answer to our own constituents. ... I think there's room that we can try to work with them as long as they know where we draw the line."
A White House spokesman, Alex Conant, said the administration tries to deter lawmakers from both parties from engaging Assad.
"We discourage all visits to Syria because it's a state sponsor of terror," he said. "A lot of officials have gone, and it hasn't changed the Syrians' behavior."
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Associated Press writer Kimberly Hefling contributed to this report.
Screw these weasels. Bush should have them arrested.
Why is it so bad to talk to people. When did U.S. foreign policy become bomb first, ask questions later?
What questions exactly do you have for Hamas?
Regards.
1772.
You'd think that in the Age of the Anecdote, these clueless dweebs would notice the phalanx tactics of the Democommies.
But, NOOOOOOO - "See! ONE Republican disagrees with Bush! See! SEE!"
Problem is that we have 535 self-appointed commander in chiefs. Publicly at least, Bush doesn't’t seem to object.He lets them get away with it and they continue to act like CINC wannabees...
Trouble is they support murder and you CANNOT trust them.
Prolly when it was realized that Syria ended up with most of Iraq's WMDs...
Three useful Republican idiots, fortunately there are not too many of them in the Republican party.
Nevertheless, Pelosi's buddy act with a certain Syrian dentist is a bit too much. He is, after all, playing the "nudge, nudge, wink, wink" game with the scum who are crossing his border to kill our soldiers and Marines.
Make peace with the Devil, loose freedom (Neville Chamberlin (note to self) after advising Europe and particularly Britains, after meeting with Hitler and declaring "Peace in Our Time!!!")
Perhaps because Syria is DIRECTLY involved in the deaths of some of our troops in Iraq? And that they are a major sponsor of terrorism?
Perhaps because Assad is no idiot, and can easily play that dumb ass Pelosi like a fish against her own country?
Perhaps because as a Democrat, by her own actions and that of her entire party has shown that she does not have the best interests of our country or our foreign policy at heart?
Ya think?
I see your point, but why did the democrats send Nancy before George Bush asked Assad to come and talk to him one on one.
Why can’t we just usurp the United Nations and have direct talks.
We all can agree that the UN is worthless, but look how our relations are with Pakistan... much better than Iran, Syria and North Korea.
Is our only plan to talk like equals to nations who have the bomb? That is what these nations see, if you get the bomb the USA will talk to you..
your kidding, right?
Today a new term is born, “Neville Chamberlain Republicans.”
please go get real education, history is a great teacher.
try starting with 2001, shouldn’t be that challenging.
No I’m really not kidding.
Why couldn’t Syria have talked to this popular and democratically oriented leader in Lebanon?
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http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-10-20-haririprobe_x.htm
Posted 10/20/2005 1:24 PM Updated 10/21/2005 9:28 AM
U.N. says Syria, Lebanon involved in Hariri killing
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A U.N. investigation concluded that high-ranking Syrian and Lebanese security officials were involved in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, according to a report released Thursday.
Former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was killed Feb. 14 in a massive bomb explosion.
By Mahmoud Tawil, AP
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Why couldn’t Syria have not occupied Lebanon for the last couple of DECADES?
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_occupation_of_Lebanon
During the Lebanese Civil War, Lebanon requested Syrian assistance as an Arab peacekeeping force. The Arab League agreed to send a peacekeeping force mostly formed by Syrian troops. Initially Syria’s mission was to protect the Christians; two years later, in 1978, Syria changed its position and sided with the PLO....
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Why couldn’t Syria have not assisted in arming Hezbollah with rockets to bombard Israel?
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http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=29728
Syria is supplying Iranian-backed Hezbollah with hundreds of new short-range rockets for attacks on northern Israel, reports Geostrategy, the global intelligence news agency.
The rocket was first offered to Hezbollah nearly two years ago. It has a range of 75 kilometers and is said to be a product of Syria’s defense industry.
Military sources say Syria’s new rocket is not very accurate. Damascus has reportedly been working on improving the launcher and developing a more stable version.
‘’Syria is developing Hezbollah into a military force that can fight Israel from Lebanon,’’ a senior Israeli military official said.
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Why couldn’t Syria stop the influx of jihadists who KILLED AMERICAN SOLDIERS??!?!?!?!?!
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http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=15953&only
WASHINGTON, May 23 - Syria has halted military and intelligence cooperation with the United States, its ambassador to Washington said in an interview, in a sign of growing strains between the two nations over the insurgency in Iraq.
The ambassador, Imad Moustapha, said in the interview on Friday at the Syrian Embassy here that his country had, in the last 10 days, “severed all links” with the United States military and Central Intelligence Agency because of what he called unjust American allegations. The Bush administration has complained bitterly that Syria is not doing enough to halt the flow of men and money to the insurgency in Iraq.
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But Rodney, it was nice of you to remind us that “Lets all just get along.”
http://www.net4tv.com/voice/Story.cfm?storyID=1907
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