House Speaker Pelosi: A force to be reckoned with.

Jordan Times, Jordan

Bush is Wrong: Pelosi's Trip to Damascus 'Constructive'

"The House Speaker's initiative should be regarded as an effort that compliments those of President Bush rather than as negative interference."

Editorial

April 4, 2007

Jordan - Jordan Times - Home Page (English)

Contrary to the opinion of President George Bush, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Damascus for talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad and high-ranking officials could influence Syrian policy and help solve the crisis in Lebanon and Iraq.

In a statement in Beirut on Tuesday, Pelosi said the visit was very important. Certainly, this was this kind of visit that was deemed important by the Baker-Hamilton Commission, headed by former Secretary of State James Baker, which recommended encouraging diplomacy and a dialogue with Syria.

Aware that the road to solving many of the region's  problems goes through Damascus, the powerful Democrat dismissed criticism of her visit, expressing her delegation's "clear intention to make our stances very clear to the Syrian leadership."

The U.S. Congressional delegation will not have traveled all the way to Syria simply to congratulate Bashar al-Assad, but rather to prod him to change course. Most likely they will ask the Syrians to stop meddling in Lebanese political affairs and contribute more convincingly to stability and security in Iraq.

In view of Syria's proximity to Iraq and allegations that terrorists cross the Syria-Iraq border to wreak havoc on innocent Iraqis, the Baker-Hamilton Commission made mention of the fact that talks with Damascus would be indispensable to finding a solution to the Iraqi conflict.

On the eve of her Syrian trip, Pelosi said: "We have no illusions, but we have great hope."

There can be no harm in trying to persuade Syria to be more forthcoming and cooperative, and that's obviously what Pelosi and her delegation plan to do.

The Iraqi conflict has become a major regional and international one which calls for a bipartisan effort in the United States. The House Speaker's initiative should therefore be regarded as an effort that compliments those of President Bush rather than negative interference.

Years after starting a conflict whose end is nowhere in sight, the U.S. administration should have come to realize and accept this much by now.