Cenk Uygur claims that Nancy Pelosi, by visiting Syria, "is doing [President] Bush's job for him." In support of this assertion, Uygur notes that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "had to find some way to get a diplomatic message to Syria. So, he chose the one responsible senior US stateswoman going there -- Nancy Pelosi." But Pelosi wasn't sufficiently responsible to avoid the need for Olmert to issue a clarification of his country's position following the Speaker's public statement on the subject.
In light of "quotes attributed to Pelosi," Olmert's office felt compelled to say that "although Israel is interested in peace with Syria, that country continues to be part of the axis of evil and a force that encourages terror in the entire Middle East." Olmert's office added that "in order to conduct serious and genuine peace negotiations, Syria must cease its support of terror, cease its sponsoring of the Hamas and Islamic Jihad organizations, refrain from providing weapons to Hizbollah and bringing about the destabilizing of Lebanon, cease its support of terror in Iraq, and relinquish the strategic ties it is building with the extremist regime in Iran."
This, of course, has been Israel's position throughout, so Uygur is completely off base in claiming that Olmert is employing Pelosi to any substantive purpose. Instead, Olmert had to waste his time mopping up after Pelosi. But if Pelosi remembered to tell Assad that he's "part of the axis of evil," it was worth the extra effort.
Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 8)
31. Where does this arrogant ass crack Pelosi get off doing what ever she feels like?? I find it frightening that our tax dollars are paying for all of this. Shame on this arrogant broad
Maybe the dems. should send Hillery to the middle east with Nancy, that would scear the enemy to death
dirty dam democrats, sham on you!!!
kntnew at 7:39PM on Apr 5th 2007
32. Nancy Pelosi is a socialist more interested in embracing and appeasing anti-American, terrorist-sponsoring dictators than in supporting her country's efforts to defeat terrorism. She's trying to score points with her European socialist counterparts while damaging our Commander-In-Chief during time of war. She's a defeatist who is subverting her own country. Keep in mind the ultimate goal of her and the rest of the far-left liberals in America.....to weaken our democratic form of government so socialism can take root. That's certainly not what our founding fathers intended. I don't know about the rest of you, but socialism scares the hell out of me.
Kyle Baxter at 3:40AM on Apr 5th 2007
33. I think that Pelosi is acting in a manner worthy of being a traitor to the country. Alot of men and women in Iraq from our American military already feel she is no better than a Tokyo Rose, or a Benedict Arnold and I stand amongst them in that feeling. She's not a diplomat and was not hired to do the job of one either. Leave the diplomacy to the Presidents pleasure and his cabinet officials. All I see in this is a democratic trainwreck with no survivors. I hope they plan on holding her as hostage when she gets there it will teach her to keep her nose out of the diplomatic arena.
sobear at 4:55AM on Apr 5th 2007
34. Here's the gist for you Peter, and history refreasher.The Vietnam War was the longest military "conflict" in U.S. history. The hostilities in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia claimed the lives of more than 58,000 Americans. Another 304,000 were wounded. The Vietnam War was a military struggle fought in Vietnam from 1959 to 1975, involving the North Vietnamese and the National Liberation Front (NLF) in conflict with United States forces and the South Vietnamese army. From 1946 until 1954, the Vietnamese had struggled for their independence from France during the First Indochina War. At the end of this war, the country was temporarily divided into North and South Vietnam. North Vietnam came under the control of the Vietnamese Communists who had opposed France and who aimed for a unified Vietnam under Communist rule. The South was controlled by Vietnamese who had collaborated with the French. In 1965 the United States sent in troops to prevent the South Vietnamese government from collapsing. Ultimately, however, the United States failed to achieve its goal, and in 1975 Vietnam was reunified under Communist control; in 1976 it officially became the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. During the conflict, approximately 3 to 4 million Vietnamese on both sides were killed, in addition to another 1.5 to 2 million Lao and Cambodians who were drawn into the war.
No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now. --Richard M. Nixon, 1985
The Vietnam War was the longest and most unpopular war in which Americans ever fought. And there is no reckoning the cost. The toll in suffering, sorrow, in rancorous national turmoil can never be tabulated. No one wants ever to see America so divided again. And for many of the more than two million American veterans of the war, the wounds of Vietnam will never heal.
Fifty-eight thousand Americans lost their lives. The losses to the Vietnamese people were appalling. The financial cost to the United States comes to something over $150 billion dollars. Direct American involvement began in 1955 with the arrival of the first advisors. The first combat troops arrived in 1965 and we fought the war until the cease-fire of January 1973. To a whole new generation of young Americans today, it seems a story from the olden times.
"Let every nation know, whether, it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival of liberty." -President John F. Kennedy, 1961
Danny at 8:04AM on Apr 5th 2007
35. Your story stinks of Republician/Bush B.S. You should find another job if you can't honestly report news but than most you reporters are jewish ... and are too one sided. the world can see the truth now you look like fools....Joseph
joseph at 8:14AM on Apr 5th 2007
36. Are there any nude photos of Pelosi out there?
winston at 8:37AM on Apr 5th 2007
37. Why so much criticism of Pelosi when there have been numerous republican senators and representatives that have visited Syria and other middle eastern countries? As a matter of fact, Pelosi has the RIGHT to go see what they are voting for or against, warring. It IS her duty to know first hand the situation. After all, we can't believe what this administration tells us so the responsible thing to do is see first hand.
As for Isreal, they sure are making their demands, with us on the front line. Perhaps, we should clarify THEIR position first so THEY can understand just where WE feel THEY should be standing. As for Pelosi, she praised Isreal then Isreal criticises her. Hell, who do the Isrealis think WE are, their personal fools?
For Viet Nam, it was escualted based upon a lie. First we should NEVER have entered that conflict, and secondly, we should never been told a lie to promote that conflict. There is NOTHING in this world that is built on a faulty foundation that can pass the test of time. Hence, VN and Iraq. Afghanistan has had and does have, the support of the American ppl and many of our OLD allies because, it is the true fight on terror. Iraq was and is a war of choice..... republican bush supporters choice. 30% does not give the president the right to demand that 70& go along with his failed agenda. It DOES require the elected president to do as the majority of citizens in America want and that is to withdraw in a reasonable manner, in a reasonable time. Like pack it up and leave NOW.
I appreciate the fact that Pelosi has the balls to do her research prior to going any further in Congress concerning the republican bush war in Iraq. That way she can truly make a first hand decision as to what is the best path to take in getting this nation out of the bush created mess.
Personally, I would like to see bush/cheney convicted of war crimes and crimes against the American citizen/military but know that isn't going to happen. Pelosi can't very well start something that would promote her to the presidency , now can she? So get over the impeachment. I ain't going to happen.
Keep up the good work, Nancy!
cherryl at 4:38PM on Apr 5th 2007
38. How many times have other politicans gotten facts wrong? Quite a lot of times, and they have been corrected by other people afterwards!
Politicians and leaders of state are no more or less accurate as other people when they are talking about things overseas or a lot of things that you would think they would know a lot about.
Christopher at 10:13AM on Apr 5th 2007
39. The Zom-Bushes with their self-delding partisan hatred really need to take a look at the whole picture. It's not going to be from the ashes of Iraq or Afghanistan that any threat will come. It's not going to come from Syria, a state the size of what, Pennsylvania? If there ever would be a threat, it would come from Saudia Arabia, where the terrorists on the 9/11 planes originated.
Wake up, Zom-Bushes!!! Haliburton is scraping millions of dollars from our treasury, or more appropriately from the Chinese loans which your unfortunate children will have to repay, and Cheney is on call to their KING!!! Georgie boy kisses their king's hand!!! How "American" is that?
PS - The war on terror is a sham. It's an excuse to bring uncooperative countries to their knees. Uncooperative with the Saudi ambitions and the oil companies ambitions. What does Big Oil need more then anything? A port on the Mediterranean, and Israel is not going to survive it they put it there. They're not excited with Syria or Lebanon, but if Big Oil can lay them waste, they would not need their cooperation, would they? And when has the Reich sought anyone's cooperation.
I am ecstatic that the one party system of the first term has ended. Maybe we can behave humanely and restore the faith the rest of the world used to have in us. We were once #1. We've squandered it all thanks to the Reich.
Gregor at 10:24AM on Apr 5th 2007
40. Nancy Pelosi is Iraq's Jane Fonda.
eklojoe at 10:40AM on Apr 5th 2007
41. Nancy Pelosi is Iraq's Jane Fonda.
eklojoe at 10:42AM on Apr 5th 2007
42.
Uhh, I was well aware of that Danny, how does that conflict with anything I said?
Peter at 10:43AM on Apr 5th 2007
43. WE CERTAINLY KNOW THAT DEPLOMACY DOES NOT WORK. WE NEED MORE ARROGANT HYPOCRITAL NAME CALLING AND FINGER POINTING BY THE DECIDER IF WE ARE TO GET ANYWHERE IN THE MIDEAST AND AROUND THE WORLD. LOOK HOW WELL THIS HAS WORKED THUS FAR.
Ron at 12:30PM on Apr 5th 2007
44. 2. Paul, this is all simply minutiae. Nancy is one of numerous members of Congress from both sides of the aisle who has visited Syria - but of course Bush only chastizes Democrats for attempting to get a dialogue started>>>
Nice try. Those numerous, I believe four or five members of congress suppor the Bush administration policy, whereas Nancy impeachment is off the table does not. That you don't see this vast difference is mindboggling. Read what they Syrains are saying about her visit, before you award her the medal of freedom
tom gassett at 12:44PM on Apr 5th 2007
45. . George W. Bush is a failure. He started this war on false pretense and it has gone for five years with no end in site.
This statement is often repeated and makes no sense at all. Go figure?
70% of Americans were all for the war in Iraq. Democrats voted overwhelmingly for the war ... then immediately turned agaisnt it. When the going got tough it suddenly became Bush's war. When the going got tougher, liberals had to say something to their lunatic base, so they tell them Bush lied. Odd since it was Clinton that made the only opeartional connection between Saddam and Al Qeada. Remember the factory Clinton bombed in Sudan? Well, you obviously don't remember what he said: "The factory was built by Bin Laden to make WMD for ... say it with and maybe you will remember ... Saddam".
Suggestion: Instead of making the same acusations you made before the election, why not demand your Congress act? Don't you even wonder why there are no impeachment hearings? The only explanation I can come up with is that liberals did all the lying and the last thing they want are hearings that prove it.
tom gassett at 12:46PM on Apr 5th 2007