Do you approve of Nany Pelosi visiting Syria?

[JohnRM]

Independent.

The Speaker of the House is not a diplomat. That duty is reserved to the State Department. If she wants that post, she should talk to Hillary Clinton.

 

[Irish Caesar]

It's ridiculous, much like Senator McCain's recent trip to Iraq. They're legislators, they should do what we pay them to do and then maybe we wouldn't be in such a foreign policy mess in the first place.

I similarly disapprove (well, probably more strongly) of Secretary Rice not being in Syria.

 

[jameson]

Bush is criticizing her trip also.

I got that, but he's not criticizing the trip of three Republican Congressmen to Syria. And like I pointed out, while eschewing official cointacts with Syria, President Bush isn't above 'unofficial' contacts with Syria when the Syrians are willing to do the dirty work for him. In short, the President's a hypocrite.

 

[Cuivienen]

Why is she visiting? I mean shes not the secretary of state or president so why is it her responsibility and what could come from it?

Diplomacy is carried out by the legislative branch as much as the executive. The legislature will also have to make foreign policy decisions, so it, too, should know foreign countries.

I also feel that it's the duty of the legislature to step in when the executive is clearly incompetent, but that's a different issue.

 

[Xanikk999]

I got that, but he's not criticizing the trip of three Republican Congressmen to Syria. And like I pointed out, while eschewing official cointacts with Syria, President Bush isn't above 'unofficial' contacts with Syria when the Syrians are willing to do the dirty work for him. In short, the President's a hypocrite.

Wow that certainly is news? Arent all politics hypocrites?

They lie to get elected, then do different things.

 

[JollyRoger]

I feel the same way about her visit as I feel about Republican Congressional Representives Aderholt, Wolf, and Hobson going.

 

[Hygro]

It's ridiculous, much like Senator McCain's recent trip to Iraq. They're legislators, they should do what we pay them to do and then maybe we wouldn't be in such a foreign policy mess in the first place.

I would make an opinion about her visit to Syria if I knew why she went and what was discussed there.

If she went for the same reasons as McCain then yeah, no big deal. I really can't pass judgement because I have no evidence she was doing anything more than learning things and meeting folks.

Diplomacy is carried out by the legislative branch as much as the executive.

Actually no, diplomacy is the chief perogative of the executive. Legislators don't get to make deals and treaties and such. However your second point about legislators educating themselves with regards to the people and places they might pass laws affecting is legitimate.

 

[Speedo]

Her visit lends legitimacy to a dictatoprship. What is she trying to accomplish? She is being completely irresponsible.

She's only acting in the finest traditions of the US government.

 

[emzie]

I could care less that she went. I think visiting the mosque was pretty stupid -- it's not going to resonate well with a lot of Americans.

 

[Che Guava]

...I think visiting the mosque was pretty stupid -- it's not going to resonate well with a lot of Americans.

I sincerely hope that 'a lot of americans' are more open-minded than that...!

 

[Azale]

I thought she was a feminist...and she is wearing the head dress...which most of her feminist group supporters are adamantly against. I just don't see the point.

 

[JollyRoger]

I could care less that she went. I think visiting the mosque was pretty stupid -- it's not going to resonate well with a lot of Americans.

Just like Laura Bush & Condi Rice having similar photos when visiting mosques?

 

[Xanikk999]

I sincerely hope that 'a lot of americans' are more open-minded than that...!

I dont think the vast majority of americans give a damn.

 

[BasketCase]

If Nancy goes over there and slaps the bejeezus out of Syria's top muckety-mucks and gives them a good earful about everything they're screwing up, more power to her.

My concern is about what is being said, rather than who says it. If Adolph Hitler were to say 2 + 2 = 4, I hate to break it to ya, but he would be right.

Unfortunately, she's probably over there to schmooze, and since I hate the Syrian government....well, the rest is pretty cut-and-dried.

 

[emzie]

Just like Laura Bush & Condi Rice having similar photos when visiting mosques?

Didn't see right-wing blogs filled with those pictures, tbqh. Well not in that context. It was in a "palisstinieans are teh evil" context.

I dont think the vast majority of americans give a damn.

You're right, xanikk. On the other hand, there's a lot of Americans who don't like Muslims. I don't think it's a stretch to say there are Americans who would see such a picture as Democrats submitting to dem dirty arabz.

 

[Cuivienen]

Actually no, diplomacy is the chief perogative of the executive. Legislators don't get to make deals and treaties and such. However your second point about legislators educating themselves with regards to the people and places they might pass laws affecting is legitimate.

Given that only Congress has the power to declare war, arguably the most important diplomatic tool, I would say the legislature has as much diplomatic prerogative as the executive.

Also, Congress does have to approve treaties and the like though it's never refused to do so.

I could care less that she went. I think visiting the mosque was pretty stupid -- it's not going to resonate well with a lot of Americans.

I mean, really.

 

[Xanikk999]

You're right, xanikk. On the other hand, there's a lot of Americans who don't like Muslims. I don't think it's a stretch to say there are Americans who would see such a picture as Democrats submitting to dem dirty arabz.

Not the vast majority.

In fact the only people i can think of that hate someone for being a religion is akin to a skinhead.

Thats not very common.

 

[downtown]

I dont have a real passionate opinion one way or the other here. This is a bipartisian trip after all, and the executive branch has royally effed up diplomatic relations....but I can see Bush's point of view as well.

Like Irish pointed out though, the real issue is that Rice ISNT there, not that some congresspeople are.

 

[emzie]

Not the vast majority.

In fact the only people i can think of that hate someone for being a religion is akin to a skinhead.

Thats not very common.

Where did I say the vast majority?

It's more common than you'd think, though. Look at what fellow a fellow congressman said about Keith Ellison:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/12/20/lawmaker.koran/index.html

Or polls!

One in four Americans holds a negative stereotype of Muslims, and almost one-third respond with a negative image when they hear the word "Muslim," according to a new national poll commissioned by a Washington-based Islamic advocacy group.

To be fair, those numbers are a lot lower than I'd've guessed.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7097-2004Oct4.html

 

[Xanikk999]

Negative stereotypes are very common, that doesnt mean you hate muslims though.