Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, receives US Democratic Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) in Damascus, Syria, Wednesday Dec. 13 2006 and reviews with him the latest developments in Iraq, the Palestinian territories and in Lebanon. Assad's meeting with the Florida Democrat was his first with a U.S. official since the Iraq Study Group recommended last week that Washington should engage Syria and Iran in efforts to curb the bloodletting in Iraq. (AP Photo /Sana).
Senator Nelson, I could've sworn that the Department of State was solely responsible for representing the United States to foreign governments. Why would you bother to meet with a known sponsor terrorism, other than to somehow improve your party's chances of success in the 2008 elections?
To think that a mere 40 years ago, such actions were still identified as what they are:
HIGH TREASON
Update: Provided a picture of the happy couple, above.
Here is the Dishonourable Nelson's side of the story. Even as a future member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, there is no precedence for Senators conducting the foreign policy of the nation, is there? Why else would the Congress have created the Department of State, anyway??
Update again: Condoleeza Rice has reiterated that direct talks with the terrorist supporters in Syria and Iran are not on the table. Is the Congress planning on pursuing its own foreign policy, wholly seperate and distinct from the Executive Branch's? If so, can they please consider seceding into their own nation to do so, so they don't get the rest of us killed?
And yet again: I'm very pleased to report that Doug Ross has fired up the ol' trusty Blogotronic⢠recorder and presented us with an unofficial transcript of the surely intellectual depths that these two reached. My favorite part:
Not to worry. It's off the record as far as I'm concerned. One last thing: I wanted to present a gift on the behalf of the people of the great state of Florida... It's an NCAA Championship Basketball autographed by the Florida Gators!
Thanks, Doug! It's fitting for the Senator to prefer the Gators, though I hope for the Booster's sake that Assad is, truly, not an FSU fan.
Go 'Noles!
;)
A general view of Damascus on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2006. Syrian President Bashar Assad held talks Wednesday with U.S. senator Bill Nelson, a democrat, on the situation in Iraq, the Palestinian territories and Lebanon. Syria's official news agency /SANA said Assad has called on the international community to exert efforts with the region's countries to bring about security and stability to the region. It added that there was a common interest from both sides to reactivate dialogue among the two countries and to find mechanisms for bilateral cooperation. Assad's meeting with Nelson is the first with a U.S. official following the Iraq study group report recommending a dialogue on Iraq with the Syrians and the Iranians.(AP Photo/ Bassem Tellawi).
Tags: bassem tellawi assad AP #DailyFodder
Comments:
#1 Doug Ross @ Journal 13-Dec-2006
Fortunately, our patented Blogotronic recorder was able to capture the visit and it delivered this high-quality, exclusive transcript of the proceedings...
