For at least the second time this month, the Washington Post went after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) for meeting with Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad.
For those that have forgotten, the Post was harshly critical of the Speaker’s trip at the time, calling it “foolish” and “ludicrous.”
On Friday, the Post editorial staff, in a piece entitled “No Results in Damascus,” chronicled what’s happened in Syria, and the rest of the region, since Pelosi returned.
As you might imagine, the news wasn’t good (h/t Glenn Reynolds and Gateway Pundit, emphasis added throughout):
THE CONGRESSIONAL leaders who visited Damascus this month to meet Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad gave a practical test to the oft-stated theory that "engaging" his regime is more likely to produce results than the Bush administration's policy of isolating it. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was particularly unstinting in her goodwill, declaring that she had come to see Mr. Assad "in friendship, hope, and determined that the road to Damascus is a road to peace." In a statement, her delegation reported that it had talked to Mr. Assad about stopping the flow of foreign terrorists to Iraq and about obtaining the release of kidnapped Israeli soldiers. It also said it had "conveyed our strong interest in the cases of [Syrian] democracy activists," such as imprisoned human rights lawyer Anwar al-Bunni.
Nice laundry list, wouldn’t you agree? Well, what were the results?
Mr. al-Bunni might offer the best answer -- if he could. On Tuesday, one of Mr. Assad's judges sentenced him to five years in prison. His "crimes" were to speak out about the torture and persecution of regime opponents, to found the Syrian Human Rights Association and to sign the "Damascus Declaration," a pro-democracy manifesto.
Strike one. How about stopping the flow of foreign terrorists into Iraq?
Well, there has been a major surge in suicide bombings in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq this month, in what U.S. commanders describe as an attempt by al-Qaeda to defeat the new security operation in the capital. According to U.S. and Iraqi officials, almost all suicide bombers in Iraq are foreigners, and some 80 percent of them pass through Syria. The border remains as porous as ever.
Strike two. And how about obtaining the release of Israeli soldiers?
Meanwhile the military wing of Hamas, whose headquarters is in Damascus, launched a barrage of rockets and mortar rounds at Israel from Gaza on Tuesday. Israeli officials said the attack appeared aimed at creating a diversion that would allow Hamas to capture more Israeli soldiers. If so, the operation failed -- but none of the hostages Ms. Pelosi said she spoke to Mr. Assad about have been released.
Strike three. What was the Post’s conclusion?
The danger of offering "friendship" and "hope" to a ruler such as Mr. Assad is that it will be interpreted as acquiescence by the United States to the policies of dictatorship. Ms. Pelosi's courting of Mr. Assad didn't cause Mr. al-Bunni's prison sentence this week -- but it certainly did not discourage it.
Ouch.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.




















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I find it interesting that th
April 29, 2007 - 19:26 ET by Gat New YorkI find it interesting that the Washington Post takes Pelosi to task but her opponents are silent - particularly the President - and the GOP wonders why they are in the minority.
Republicans are all cowards
April 29, 2007 - 19:33 ET by liberal_bug_zapperRepublicans are all cowards. If they can't continually ask for her resignation and for the justice department to investigate her for violation of the Logan act, they are all useless idiots as far as I am concerned. I have not heard a peep out of congressional or senate Republicans. The Executive Branch is equally as cowardly. They need to all go on the attack. The best defense is a good offense. Why should the only ones doing the attacking be the Democrats? If republicans do not attack Nazi Pelosi, I won't vote for any of them ever again.
____________________________________________________
"It's not that they're [liberals] not aware of all the things we're aware of, it's that they need to reject them in order to remain in this five-year-old utopia that they've been told is the only hope for mankind." ~ Evan Sayet
indeed they should be after N
April 29, 2007 - 19:37 ET byindeed they should be after Nancy to resign and take Reid with her.
How 'bout this one- members o
April 29, 2007 - 19:51 ET by NortonalecHow 'bout this one- members of both parties are more interested in covering their individual asses-period. I don't believe that there is one person in Washington that really gives a flying crap about me or my family. I am a Republican, and am equally disappointed in their lack of aggressiveness. The Dems, on the other hand, will sell their souls to get the White House back. Most of the problems this country is facing (Social Security, welfare, poverty, taxes, etc.) could have been fixed YEARS ago, but BOTH parties play us for idots, and will continue to do so.
Nortonalec
Evening lbz...Well, count on
April 29, 2007 - 19:53 ET by bigtimerEvening lbz...
Well, count on not voting and don't be holding your breath!
I agree with you, unfortunately there aren't enough conservatives to do this in unison as there should be...there have been some, scattered here and there, don't ask me for names tonight but there have some.
As a whole the republican party are gutless, clueless, whimpering wonders.
Just my opinion.
I didn't say I wouldn't vot
April 30, 2007 - 12:41 ET by liberal_bug_zapperI didn't say I wouldn't vote. I just said I wouldn't vote Republican ever again.
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"We can only reason from what is; we can reason on actualities, but not on possibilities." ~ Thomas Paine
Ginsberg alert
April 29, 2007 - 19:59 ET byIf republicans do not attack Nazi Pelosi, I won't vote for any of them ever again.
the SCOTUS is way too important do whatever in the primaries but remember the final results
Evening bot,I know how lbz fe
April 29, 2007 - 20:18 ET by bigtimerEvening bot,
I know how lbz feels, but I hope when it comes down to it he votes for the very reason you stated, as I too have done in the past.
Along with other reasons too, like our security here with war against the enemies, better known as terrorists, and the borders, possibly self-dependency on our own oil here, and getting out of the UN and the State Dept someday...as you can tell I am going on too long...and could continue...
LOL!
Hi BT if voted on feelings we
April 29, 2007 - 20:24 ET byHi BT
if voted on feelings we'd be libs :)
you posted something yesterday about 3 essentials for a prez which i am considering adapting as my signature with your permission of course
bot,I feel privileged that yo
April 29, 2007 - 20:35 ET by bigtimerbot,
I feel privileged that you would want to do that bot.
I know what you are talking about too.
Have at it.
hows this?Supreme Court, Na
April 29, 2007 - 20:57 ET byhows this?
Supreme Court, National Security, Borders, my litmous test for President. BT(adapted)
Sounds good to me, I knew you
April 29, 2007 - 21:01 ET by bigtimerSounds good to me, I knew you would be able to put it much more succinctly.
Btw...you do not need to put the BT adapted part in...you and I know, that's all that counts.
Makes me think of the cute
April 29, 2007 - 19:34 ET by lnthompMakes me think of the cute little "beryllium miners" in Galaxy Quest -- they eat their own!
Lee T.
U.S. Navy (ret.) / Vancouver, Washington
The history of the race, and each individual's experience, are thick with evidence that a truth is not hard to kill and that a lie told well is immortal.-- Mark Twain
Lee, do remember the painting
April 29, 2007 - 19:38 ET byLee,
do remember the painting masterpiece 'The Potatoe Eaters'?
http://www.vangoghgallery.com
April 29, 2007 - 19:44 ET byhttp://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/images/potato.jpg
Pelosi
April 29, 2007 - 20:02 ET by pocomocoPelosi has been on a one-woman appeasement crusade, traveling throughout the Middle East, scarf-on-head, using her feminine wiles to turn thugs and murders into compliant pussy cats. I bet if you open the dictionary to the word ‘naiveté’, you’ll find her picture there.
Not too long ago, I saw Nancy
April 30, 2007 - 00:18 ET byNot too long ago, I saw Nancy Pelosi on Jay Leno. I came away from watching her with two thoughts.
1) She is actually quite likable.
2) She is probably the number one biggest mistake in US Political History.
I will explain:
She falls into the category of the majority, in that she is not, at the very least, walking a correct walk with Christ --if she is even a believer to start with. But her fruits tell a story. Bad fruit #1 - She is pro-abortion.
With that said, she basically falls into a group of people who are walking through this life quite foolishly. However, walking through life foolishly does not necessarily make one an unlikable person; it just makes one hard to stomach, for those of us who choose to walk with wisdom.
She basically reminded me of the typical woman of her age group, who is wrong on many issues and chooses to bury her head in the sand, rather than facing her own demons.
She is not a "Statesman" by any definition of the word. She comes across as someone who really does belong in the kitchen, not politics. I am not saying that women cannot be in politics. I am saying that she should not be and no woman should be in line to the presidency (Sorry, but if a person is going to be commander and chief of the armed services, the person should be a man.)
She is in line for the presidency after the Vice President. What on earth were people thinking when they put her into that position? We do not need grandma in the most powerful political position in all of world history.
Oh, and on the topic of her trip to Syria? Grandma said, she didn't know the President would be upset about it.
:::: shaking head :::::
Debra…
www.InformingChristians.com
To digress a little: Don't
April 30, 2007 - 01:07 ET by mattmTo digress a little: Don't you love how these proud feminists go to the Middle East and capitulate to the anti-female traditions by wearing those ridiculous head coverings?
Yes, mattm, they are basicall
April 30, 2007 - 05:18 ET byYes, mattm, they are basically joining in with the men in those countries to further the degrading of women. DJ...
This poor woman seems to ha
April 30, 2007 - 13:30 ET by MilesDThis poor woman seems to have no friends left
How come Pelosi is not wear
April 30, 2007 - 13:43 ET by MightyMouthHow come Pelosi is not wearing her crown? It must be in Emerald City being polished. Yea.. that's it...
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...