Pelosi To Visit Syria, Ally Of Democrats
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will visit Syria, a country President Bush has shunned as a sponsor of terrorism, despite being asked by the administration not to go.
"In our view, it is not the right time to have these sort of high-profile visitors to Syria," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters Friday.
Pelosi arrived in Israel on Friday in what is her second fact-finding trip to the Middle East since taking over leadership in the House in January.
Her repeat trip, an indication she plans to play a role in foreign policy, is also a direct affront to the administration, which says such diplomatic overtures by lawmakers can do more harm than good.
Pelosi will not be the first member of Congress in recent months to travel to Syria, but as House speaker she is the most senior.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the speaker "should take a step back and think about the message that it sends."
The Democrats have to strengthen ties with allies. No doubt a trip to Iran will follow. I'll have to look up the exact treason law, but I thought giving aid and comfort to the enemy was treason. Since we have declared war on terrorists and those that harbor them (state sponsors of terrorism), I think Syria falls into the "enemy" category.
