Pelosi To Tell Syria To Stop Terror

Israelis Say Speaker Of The House Will Tell Assad Not To Support Militants

(CBS/AP)  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will tell Syrian leaders when she visits Damascus this week on a trip criticized by the Bush administration that Israel will only engage in peace talks if Syria stops supporting Palestinian militants, Israel said Sunday.

The message came during Pelosi's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during the Israel part of her Mideast tour.

"Pelosi is conveying that Israel is willing to talk if they (Syria) would openly take steps to stop supporting terrorism," Olmert's spokeswoman Miri Eisin said. "But at this point the Syrian government, by openly backing terror all around the Middle East, is not a partner for negotiations."

Israel and Syria are sworn enemies, though peace talks came close to success in 2000 before breaking down. Israel charges that Syria-based Palestinian militants are directing violence against it from the West Bank and Gaza.

Washington also considers Syria a sponsor of terror and had asked Pelosi not to visit Damascus.

"I think most Americans would not think that the leader of the Democratic Party in the Congress should be meeting with the heads of a state sponsor of terror," White House counselor Dan Bartlett said on Face the Nation.

Bartlett said the White House tried to stop the Speaker's trip.

"We did ask her not to go," he told Bob Schieffer. "We did not believe it would advance the diplomatic efforts in the Middle East."

Pelosi said Sunday she will raise the issue of two Israeli soldiers captured by the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah and a third captured by Palestinian militants last year with Syrian President Bashar Assad when she meets with him. The delegation met with the families of the three soldiers during the visit to Israel.

Pelosi's trip with six other lawmakers also includes stops in the Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

On Sunday night, Pelosi spoke at a dinner in the parliament building, and told Israeli lawmakers that the U.S. remains strongly behind their country.

"Americans have many political differences, but we stand united with Israel now and always," she said.

Representatives for the delegation did not immediately return calls requesting comment on the meeting with Olmert.

The meeting took an hour, twice as long as planned, and delayed Israel's Cabinet meeting, Eisin said. Olmert and the delegation talked "extensively" about a Saudi peace plan, dormant since 2002 and relaunched last week at an Arab League summit.

Olmert has welcomed the plan, which calls for a recognition by all Arab states of Israel in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from territories captured in 1967 as a "revolutionary change." But he has expressed reservations, as well.

On Sunday, Olmert invited Arab leaders to a regional peace conference, saying that he hoped for an exchange of views about solving the Mideast conflict.

After a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas demanded that Israel "accept the initiative and allow an opportunity for direct, serious negotiations aimed at ending the Arab-Israeli conflict."

Merkel said the European Union will try to help. "I believe time is of the essence and we have to try to reach results as quickly as possible," she said.

Pelosi, D-Calif., and the delegation, which includes the first Muslim member of Congress, Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, is scheduled to meet Abbas on Monday.

Ellison is also scheduled to meet with the mufti of Jerusalem, Mohammed Hussein, at the Al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City. Ellison said Saturday that his presence — as a Muslim — on the trip sends a message to Israelis and Palestinians that "people can come together."

Pelosi told Olmert there is strong bipartisan support in the United States for demands that the Hamas-led Palestinian government moderate its stance toward Israel before international sanctions against it are lifted, Eisin said.

She reiterated that point in her speech to the parliament, saying she is "concerned that the new Palestinian government, some of the people in the government, continue to remain committed to the destruction of Israel." However, a majority of Palestinians and Israelis support a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Pelosi's opposition to the U.S. war in Iraq was not raised in the Olmert meeting, Eisin said. But Olmert emphasized to the delegation the need for further sanctions against Iran to stop it from developing nuclear weapons, she said.

Pelosi's visit to Israel is her second trip to the Middle East since she took over leadership of the House in January. Other representatives traveling with Pelosi and Ellison include Democrats Henry Waxman and Tom Lantos of California, Louise Slaughter of New York and Nick Rahall of West Virginia, and Ohio Republican David Hobson.

[us_infidel]

Hey, Nancy.......love your suit! :)

[us_infidel]

I imagine all you libs would been just as happy if Gingrich had gone to Syria while Clintax was pres, right? You libs are ALL a big steaming pile of horse squeeze!

[realpatriot1]

Superpatr 898/885/lieberman,

You've been accused by several people of being an Israeli Super Patriot and you haven't denied it. That's how we know where your alliegance really lies, it's you who betrays America.

[realpatriot1]

Suppat American-hater,

Where is your Likud apologist cell located, Tel Aviv or AIPAC headquarters? We don't want you in our midst, American killer.

I'm pro Labour party and anti-Likud, so I guess in your deranged world view I'm anti Israeli and thus anti semitic. I don't hate the "Joos" or the Jews. But I do hate the Likud,AIPAC, and the handful of dual alliegance NeoCons who place Israel above America.
Why don't you take Lieberman,Wolfowitz,Feith,Pearl,Kristol, and AIPAC back to Tel Aviv with you.They can work for Likud there.They're the ones who've lied to America. Take all your moving company Mossad spies with you too! We'll keep Jonathan Pollard's slimy ***...until he dies! He shold've been shot already!

[superpatr898]

Well, well, well, the circus has come to town with all of the Bush hating, Pelosi admiring chimps and cockroaches on board.

We've got the usual Jooz-haters like Loser-man, Grazingjacka%%, and Bluestarbigot, the guy who will NEVER rail about Arab terrorists in our midst, like the Al Qaeda cells in the Northwest and in Phoenix, nor the Mex ILLEGALS, but hey, its always the Jooz fault, oh, he'll say Israelis.

Then there are the mental midgets like ImprisonBush (for what??? Carter, Kerry, the Clitons and KKK Byrd have done much worse).

Speaking of doing much worse our botox girl has lied to the American people blatantly, yet these stooges will kiss her wrinkled butt. She has pushed pork when promised not to, appeased terrorism when she promised not to, demanded a plane of her own when she promised a Congress beholden to the people - including the idiots who voted for her and her friends. And she has betrayed our troops.

When will the mongrel morons get it? When she raises our taxes to pay for her Botox treatments, or for the ILLEGALS she hires, or better yet to pay off her Syrian and AL Qaeda friends?

Probably not. Her grovelling to Assad is only symptomatic of this whiney b%tch when once had to guts to stand up to the Chinese. Now, like Feinsten and Boxer her twin sis, she'll do business with them. Just as she has with a terror supporting regime - her friend Assad's.

[irishbitch1]

Diplomacy is something that is necessary if we intend to find any type of solution to the garbage that bush and cheney started in Iraq.The Iraq study group that bush sr sent to aid his pathetic son encouraged it and of course jr just ignored it. It is time for us to stop being Israel's ***!

[realpatriot1]

actually gunnerv, Republican conservatives ran out of Korea(Eisenhower), Vietnam(Ford), and Lebanon(Reagan), and Iraq(Bush,Sr.). Find me a conservative who hasn't run.

[gunnerv1]

THESE COLORS NEVER RUN (unless you're a liberal)

[sandy5274]

OMG! And here I thought that Liar in Chief Foul Up George W Bush and Vice Liar Psycho Delusional
Draft Dodger *** Cheney were total losers and liars,and out of control power grabbing egomaniacs,until I saw what Idiotic and Insanity
old Botox Queen Mental Midget Looney Toons Idiot
San Francisco Madame Speaker Nutty Nancy Pelosi is up,and all I can figure is the Pelosi Democrat
Jackasses Party are Equal Insanity Employers!
Note to BlueStarDad Thank You and its always good to see other thinking people agree with me
on some of this Insanity that passes as a US Congress,A Presidency and Government under the
Combined King George43,Prime Minister & Self Appointed Vice President Draft Dodger Delusional
*** Cheney and now Queen Nancy The Nut Peolosi!
God Save The United States From This Insanity!
Impeach Bush,Cheney And Pelosi and try all these
War Criminals for Treason,War Crimes And Crimes
Against Humanity! God What A Mess! Wake Up People

[toolmangler-2009]

forthepeaple, What you are advocating is insurrection, is that 'armed' insurrection, or are you telling us to become communist, Stalinist, should we tell the Queen (no disrespect) to come on back that those 'mean old colonist' didn't mean it. or are you working in secret for Alqaeda? If you are unhappy enough with our form of government to want to overthrow it then you had better have a REAL good plan to keep the FEDS out of your life because 'you' just invited them in.

On another note, this woman parading her 'femininity' in the face of 'Muslim' leaders and 'telling' them anything is asking to get us in more trouble than we are in now. Rice was bad enough

[imprisonbush]

I thank Pelosi for her willingness to demonstrate some diplomacy, something this Bush Administration knows nothing about. Condi Rice is an embarassment to this country and needs to be impeached and prosecuted for war crimes (i.e. advocating kidnapping, torture, murder, illegal incarcerations and prosecutions). Pelosi is showing that she is one tough b*tch, appropriately telling this Shrub of an alleged President to "calm down, take a breath" when he spouts of his fascist demands that Congress stay out of his personal war. Well, Georgie, you did your best [right] but your best just wasn't good enough. Face it. You ****ked up. You're incompetent. A moron and belligerent on top of that. We need knew leadership, and Pelosi is impressing a lot of folk - unlike this pathetic group of losers.

[taddles-2009]

"Is this a sample of the democratic leadership Americans voted for?
Posted by sandycat2 at 11:05 PM : Apr 01, 2007"

Yes, it is. After 7 years of a do-nothing Republiscum congress and a Presidrunk completely disengaged from international politics, ANY attempt at real politics by ANYONE is a huge change.

Your pathetic moron of a presidink isn't worth the waste of a good squirt of pi$$.

[bigsk8fan]

W complains about Pelosi going to Syria. But the following Republicans were there yesterday: Wolf, Joe Pitts and Robert Aderholt. And all of them met with the Syrian President. We know W won't get anything done. Let's try Pelosi.

[grazinggoat]

Yahoo, the Syrians will stop supporting terrorism just cause Pelosi tells them too. Is she a simpletom or what? Is this a sample of the democratic leadership Americans voted for?
Posted by sandycat2

-Things have to start somewhere, sindycatz. What do you understand in International politics? Everytime you post something it%u2019s useless and empty of common sense.

Pelosi trip to Damascus is the start of a case buildup. Diplomacy must be the first step, and patiently negotiate a peace talk, Israel greatly needs. Turtle-Face Olmert needs this peace process start up because his administration hasn%u2019t been very popular (reminds me of an actual dumba$$ in the White-House), and all it did is to step in the mud and sinking to its knees.

July %u201906 War on Lebanon was a mess and a shame on Israelis and their patrons in the AIPAC and White-House corridors. It has been a negative realization to his file. He needs some floating device and Pelosi is trying to give it to him by talking to Syria.

[processor2]

I doubt very seriously that the Syrians are afraid of
Nancy Pelosi's non-binding resolutions.

[forthepeaple]

well wake up america! Its a new world today? why you may ask? because it is time to put a end to our government.!! how you may ask? by this and i hope everyone listting. so get it out there anyway you can ok here goes, sence our own government doesn't want to follow our constitution or any other laws, we the people of this united states of america will not give or PAY ANY TYPE OF GOVERNMENT TAXES,WE WILL TELL OUR WORK PLACE TO CHANGE OUR DEDUCTION TO SAY 10 SO NO TAXES WILL COME OUT. TRY TO RUN THIS COUNTRY WITH NO MONEY COMMING IN..THIS IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN STOP THE BLEEDING IN THIS COUNTRY..

I HOPE EVERY AMERICAN DOES EXECTLY WHAT I STATED HERE, GET THE WORD OUT.

THIS GOVERNMENT IS AND WILL NOT HELP THE AVERAGE AMERICAN SO EVERYONE BETTER WAKE UP AND TAKE CONTROL OF OUR GOVERNMENT NOW BEFORE ITS TO LATE.

IF YOU SIT BACK AND DO NOTHING, THAN DONT SAY A WORD, THIS IS TO GET OUR COUNTRY BACK.

THIS GOVERNMENT HAS LIED,CHEATTED YOU, AND WILL NOT FOLLOW THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY, SO WHY SHOULD WE..

SO GO AHEAD DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO TREAT EVERYDAY LIKE THEY DO WITH NO RESPECT TO THE LAWS AND OUR CONSTITUTION OR BILL OF RIGHTS, SO GO AHEAD HAVE FUN LIKE THEY DO ALL IN WASHINGTON....

[realpatriot1]

I'm sure the Syrians will be shivering in their boots(and the Iranians too).-bigdad

They certainly aren't shivering in their boots about the mess we've gotten ourselves into in Iraq; they're toying with us with this hostage *** and laughing all the way to the Mosque. Our inability to secure the borders to Iran & Syria doesn't exactly strike fear into anyone nor our inabilty to track Bin Laden in Afghanistan and Pakastan.

Diplomacy is the only thing that will extract us from this fiasco. Since Bush won't allow his puppet Condi to do her job, someone has to take the suggestions of the Iraq Study Group that the Drunk-in-chief commissioned to pull his cookies and ours out of the fire.

Besides, Syria & Iran would love us to stay so they can keep arming the insurgents to kill Americans. What will actually make them shiver in their boots is if we leave and they have to deal with the resulting hostage crisis and sectarian civil war which will draw them both in on different sides. If you really want the Syrians and Iranians to kill one another then withdrawal is the way to go.

However, diplomacy would be better for EVERYONE!!!!

[bluestardad]

sandy5274; great post, I LOVE YOU! You are right, Syria will not quit supporting Hammas because of Nancy Pelosi and they should not if she is doing Israeli bidding! She has no constitutional authority to make Treaties but Bush has misused his and Miss No Actionable Intelligence Condi Rice has no Credibility with anyone in the Diplomatic field. I hope America does Impeach Bush and Cheney then tries them for War Crimes along with the Neocons that pushed us into this war. There are millions of other good people in the Middle East and they can work out their problems without American Intervention which up to this point has only been there to ensure the Inrests of Israel are secure in the Middle East. It is time we pull out of the Middle East and give American School Kids Band Uniforms!

[silver9991]

"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will tell Syrian leaders when she visits Damascus this week on a trip criticized by the Bush administration that Israel will only engage in peace talks if Syria stops supporting Palestinian militants, Israel said Sunday."

I'm sure the Syrians are already aware of this.

[randalds]

RandalDS,, They don't really go away, they hide under the covers & come out when your back is turned with different screen names. Superpatr898 is Lieberman.
Posted by j-whitman at 09:30 PM : Apr 01, 2007

Really? I thought sdb101 was? Oh well. I don't know if it's that this blog is infested with trolls or only one or two really obnoxious ones.