By Marty Salo
News Correspondent
Speaker Pelosi it seems is trying to follow through on the recommendations made by the Iraq Study Group.
At least that seems to me to be a possible motivation behind the trip with Representative Ellison (the first muslim representative in the US House).
The Bush Administration has said that they think it is a bad idea for the Speaker to visit Syria.
I'd think even further out of the box, what is to stop this lady from developing a Messiah-complex, and pressing on to Tehran to try to negotiate the release of the British Sailors and Royal Marines?
What is to stop the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps from taking Speaker Pelosi hostage?
Heck, what sorts of protective detail does Pelosi have planned for her time spent in Syria?
Am I the only one who views this as potentially disasterous?
Oh, she'll also be adressing the Kenesset, and meeting with members of the Israeli government as well as meeting with members of the Palestinian government.
If she helps negotiate a lasting peace between the countries of the Middle East, it will be an accomplishment.
Perhaps she would have been wise to consult with Jill Carrol (of the Christian Science Monitor) before embarking on this trip.
So, am I making too much of possible things which could really really go wrong on thi trip?
Do other people on Gather think this is a bold idea? A good idea? Will productive legislation emerge as a result of this trip?
Marty Salo, News Correspondent:
Can We Talk About This?, published every day to Gather Essentials: News is about current news. Marty is 36 years old and lives in sunny Tampa, FL.
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Comments: 38
No one else seems have been taking the lead except Ms. Rice who has been oddly relatively silent these days.
If we can have some bold initiatives and at least see what our adversaries are thinking face to face how bad can it be. It is better than these sweeping rhetorical verbal spit ball contests that are little more than adolescent power struggles that can easily get out of hand and turn into deadly wars.
More power to her.... someone has to try to fill the rational political vacuum.
Most important, I hope that the bubble of invincibility that she seems to think she has due to her position and who she is does not go pop at an inopportune time.
Yes, provided she is able to return safely to the United States, we may gain some perspective, but I'm doubtful that we will be able to broker a lasting peace in the Middle East.
Possibly Al Qaeda could be behind attempts on her life and those of her fellow travellers, but we will want more than a handful of patsies to take the fall.
And if I write so, I mean so.
Greetings from Amsterdam
I think she has a Queen Complex for sure. Her opinion right along is that she is the true savior for the US. I cannot find one plausible reason for her to go Syria, except it will give them credibility.
Sometimes you really have to wonder about some of these politicians...
But when you sling around words like "has the b***s" and "C*** Jemima," I see you in the same light as protesters that shout down a speaker.
You have deliberately tried to get this article flagged, and that is just plain dirty tricks.
If you don't like the topic, tuff. If you disagree with other comments, that's freedom. If you haven't got the intellect to debate without deliberately closing down the thread with profanity, get off the board and go back to school.
I don't think this will be an official visit to Syria or Palestine. The executive branch of government has said that this is a bad idea. Yet, it is a free country. Taking Pelosi hostage would be a foolish thing to do. Wisdom seems not to be the strong suit of terrorists.
James, don't draw attention to his misuse of language.
Folks, remember, the Baker group wanted us to engage the Syrians and Iranians in dialogue to share power in Iraq and solve the Jewish problem. The Saudis also would like a solution to the Jewish problem. The Egyptians and Jordanians would also like a solution to the Jewish problem, the Israelis say what problem? There is no problem.
Good article!
Also hun,
If you have not yet already submitted this to my group called: "C" ~ Articles/Images That Start with the letter "C" (All subjects matter allowed...). Please do so...
But if you had sorry I have not approved it just yet... Fell kind of behind due to appointments so far this week... :)
When we get in a cycle of cheap oil again, there will be a large exodus from ethanol, there will be a flood of corn on the market which is too expensive to make into ethanol.
Maybe there will not be a cycle of cheap oil again.
To think, she gets to ride on a jet protected by the same Forces she refuses to fund...I do not like this. I do not it all.
Keisha, initiative could get her into trouble with hostile regimes. Not everyone operates with the same level of respect for law and order as we do in this country.
Rosemary, Bush would be accused of being heavy handed were he to restrict her movement. I think there are laws against providing support to terrorist organizations, and hostile countries. But until laws are broken, she should be allowed to do as she wishes.
This is sort of why there should be clear lines between the duties and responsibilities of the executive and the representative branches of government.
Carrol was in Iraq, not in Syria.there is no "civil war" going on in syria so i don't think Speak of the house of the US will be attacked or whatever in that country.also, syria is taking more Iraqi refugees than the US, so i guess this would be an education trip for Ms. Pelosi
The distance between Baghdad, Iraq and Damascus, Syria is 467.0 miles(752.0 km)
I hope that no trouble befalls our Speaker on her trip. As I understand, Hizbollah might have some presence there. The fact that Damascus signed a treaty with Iran to stand up to the Americans would place them in the bad guys category on my list.
Maybe we are more interested in dialog. I guess some people have faith that liars won't lie, cheaters won't cheat, and deceivers won't deceive.
How about common sense. They might not like to hand captured soldiers over to a woman in the first place. Jesse Jackson would have a much better chance. He's done it before.
"What is to stop the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps from taking Speaker Pelosi hostage?"
The instinct of self-preservation.
"Heck, what sorts of protective detail does Pelosi have planned for her time spent in Syria?"
How about the protective detail given to the 3rd ranked politician is the US going to the middle east. She outranks Condi and Condi did it. If Condi can do it, anybody can.
"Am I the only one who views this as potentially disasterous?"
Probably not. I'm sure some are hoping that it is.
"Oh, she'll also be adressing the Kenesset, and meeting with members of the Israeli government as well as meeting with members of the Palestinian government."
She'll have the opportunity to meet the people the Congress has done so much business with through AIPAC while at the same time getting a Palestinian point of view.
"If she helps negotiate a lasting peace between the countries of the Middle East, it will be an accomplishment."
It would be a friggin miracle. Before Bush Israel and Palestine were closer to peace than they have ever been. Now it's the 80s again over there.
"So, am I making too much of possible things which could really really go wrong on thi trip?"
I think so.
"Do other people on Gather think this is a bold idea? A good idea? Will productive legislation emerge as a result of this trip?"
Anything is better than the status quo.
But hey, what's to stop them from developing a 'messiah complex' as you call it.
Oh wait, George W. Bush already has one!!!!!
Can I suggest actually reading the news fully before you comment on it?
Sean-Paul, I'm disappointed that other congress people are trying to mend fences with an enemy of the United States. I guess travel at the expense of lobbyists and indeded on the tax-payer's dime is too large of a perk for these politicians to pass up.
I guess I worry about physical safety more than most.