Peolsi`s Trip to AXE of Evil
06 April, 2007
Despite strong opposition of White House, the US Congress Speaker Nancy Peolsi visited Damascus in a bid what she termed to seek the solution of Iraq and Lebanon issues.
The White House, while condemning the trip said the road to Damascus was “lined with the victims” of Syrian-backed extremists.
Vice President Dick Cheney said in a radio interview that the visit undermined US-led efforts to isolate Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and instead rewarded his “bad behaviour” in Lebanon, Iraq and elsewhere.
He`s been isolated and cut off because of his bad behaviour. And the unfortunate thing about the Speaker`s visit is it sort of breaks down that barrier,” Cheney said.
However, Ms Peolsi, the first lady speaker of US Congress, rejected the Bush administration’s criticism, said that the road to Damascus is a road to peace.
Pelosi, the most senior US official to visit Syria in years, also pointed out that some of the Republican met Assad days ago without drawing a public White House rebuke.
She said she also raised with Assad and other top Syrian officials her “concern” about alleged support for militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah and infiltration into Iraq.
Here are some questions:-
1) Is Peolsi’s visit an indication of a shift in future US foreign policy, particularly about Middle East?
2) In your opinion, what brings Democrats to initiate dialogue with one of the “axis of evil”?
3) Should this approach be undertaken vis-à-vis Iran too?
4) Why does White House disapprove Peolsi’s visit?
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