White House: Syrian Visits Hurt Progress
From the Washington Post:
WASHINGTON -- The White House said Thursday that trips to Syria by U.S. lawmakers are a public relations victory for a government that is thwarting democratic reform in the Middle East.
The Bush administration has tried to discourage lawmakers from going to Syria, White House press secretary Tony Snow said. "We think it's inappropriate."
Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., emerged from a meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus on Wednesday, saying Assad was willing to help control the Iraq-Syrian border. Nelson said he viewed Assad's remarks as "a crack in the door for discussions to continue. I approach this with realism, not optimism."
Snow said the trip by Nelson, a member of the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, and future visits to Syria expected by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa., send an unhelpful, mixed message to the Syrians.
"The point is that even lending a further specter of legitimacy to that government undermines the cause of democracy in the region," Snow said about Nelson's trip.
The United States has limited diplomatic ties with Syria because of its support of Hezbollah and Hamas, which the United States considers terrorist organizations. Bush expressed reluctance to seek help from Damascus on Iraq until the Syrian government curbs that support and reduces its influence in Lebanon.
Leave it to a useful idiot Democrat Congressman to get the ball rolling on a seriously dangerous suggestion by the Iraq Study Group (who have no authoritative power), to engage with Syria. I think we should pause and reflect lest this NEW DIRECTION for America blinds us to who Syria is already engaged with- Hezbollah and Hamas.
Labels: Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria, useful idiot
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