The “foolish” Speaker
The WaPo editorial, Pratfall in Damascus:
Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) offered an excellent demonstration yesterday of why members of Congress should not attempt to supplant the secretary of state when traveling abroad. After a meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, Ms. Pelosi announced that she had delivered a message from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that “Israel was ready to engage in peace talks” with Syria. What’s more, she added, Mr. Assad was ready to “resume the peace process” as well. Having announced this seeming diplomatic breakthrough, Ms. Pelosi suggested that her Kissingerian shuttle diplomacy was just getting started. “We expressed our interest in using our good offices in promoting peace between Israel and Syria,” she said.
Only one problem: The Israeli prime minister entrusted Ms. Pelosi with no such message…”We came in friendship, hope, and determined that the road to Damascus is a road to peace,” Ms. Pelosi grandly declared.
Never mind that that statement is ludicrous: As any diplomat with knowledge of the region could have told Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Assad is a corrupt thug…The really striking development here is the attempt by a Democratic congressional leader to substitute her own foreign policy for that of a sitting Republican president. Two weeks ago Ms. Pelosi rammed legislation through the House of Representatives that would strip Mr. Bush of his authority as commander in chief to manage troop movements in Iraq. Now she is attempting to introduce a new Middle East policy that directly conflicts with that of the president…Ms. Pelosi’s attempt to establish a shadow presidency is not only counterproductive, it is foolish.
The Washington Post is very kind, all things considered.
April 5th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Has there been a coup at the Post?
April 7th, 2007 at 6:03 am
The entire fiasco may prove to be the cheapest ad the Rupublicans ever produced. Its essence is the fact that only Nancy thought it was serious.
The Terrorist states loved her complicity while even a liberal house organ like the WaPo was embarassed that they back people like her.
Bush could cement it by having Condi debate her on the correct foreign policy technique with an enemy. The more she repeats the”be sweet, kiss butt, and negotiate America away” mantra of the left, the better chances are for a GOP victory in “08.”