From Speaker Pelosi's Office
Congressional Delegation Statement on Middle East Trip
Washington, D.C. – A senior bipartisan Congressional delegation led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today following their visit to Israel, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, Syria, and Saudi Arabia.
In addition to Pelosi, the delegation included Representatives David Hobson of Ohio, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, Tom Lantos of California, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Henry Waxman of California, Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Nick Rahall of West Virginia, Chairman of the Resources Committee, Louise Slaughter of New York, Chairwoman of the Rules Committee and Keith Ellison of Minnesota, the first Muslim American elected to Congress.
“The purpose of the visit to the Middle East was to assess the impact of events in the region on the national security interests of the United States. There is no separation between this delegation, Congress, and President Bush on the commitment of the United States to fight terrorism, end the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and pursue peace. We have no illusions about the complexity of the challenges facing this region, but hope that recent diplomatic activity will generate some momentum for progress.
Israel
“During our trip to Israel, we underscored the commitment of the United States to a secure Jewish state living in peace with its neighbors. We were pleased that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert expressed his desire for peace with Syria if Syria rejected terrorism, and asked us to bring that message to President Assad, which we did. We promised the families of kidnapped, captured, and missing Israeli soldiers that we would raise the issue of their loved ones in our meetings with leaders, which we also did by name and the circumstances of their loss.
Lebanon
“Our meetings with Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora, Saad Hariri, and Speaker Berri reinforced our belief that the people of Lebanon must be free to determine their country's future without outside interference. We were moved by our visit to the grave of Rafik Hariri, the former Lebanese Prime Minister. Those responsible for his assassination must be identified and brought to justice through an internationally administered process that is thorough, independent and transparent. We also emphasized to Speaker Berri that the Lebanese Parliament, which has not met for more than five months, must convene in order to approve the tribunal to investigate the Hariri assassination.
Palestinian Territories
“In our visit to the Palestinian Territories, we were encouraged by the plan of Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, to reform Fattah and shore up his security forces to reduce the influence of Hamas. We believe, as the Administration does, that efforts to strengthen President Abbas will enhance his effectiveness in a peace process intended to produce a two-state solution.
Syria
“In the interest of our national security and the stability of the region, the delegation strongly urged President Assad to control Syria’s border with Iraq to stop the flow of foreign fighters who are a threat to U.S. troops and to the Iraqi people. Syria must also stop supporting terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah, and must end any interference in Lebanon's internal affairs.
“We emphasized to President Assad that peace with Israel is essential to a U.S.-Syria relationship. We conveyed to him Prime Minister's Olmert's overture for peace talks when Syria openly takes steps to stop supporting terrorism.
“President Assad declared that he is ready to resume the peace process and enter into negotiations. The test will be whether Syria ceases its support for terrorism, engages in a productive and realistic effort to resolve its differences and live in peace with the State of Israel, and acts to stop the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq.
The delegation hopes that discussions that occurred during our trip will continue in the future.
“We requested Assad's help in freeing missing and kidnapped Israeli soldiers including: Gilad Shalit; Ehud Goldwasser; Eldad Regev; Guy Hever; Zachary Baumel; Tzvi Feldman; Yehuda Katz; and Ron Arad. And we requested the return of the remains of Eli Cohen for burial in Israel.
“In Damascus, we met with opposition leaders and representatives of families of dissidents. We conveyed our strong interest in the cases of Syrian Democracy Activists Anwar al-Bunni; Aref Dalila; Kamal al-Labwani; Mahmoud Issa; Michael Kilo; and Omar Abdullah.
Saudi Arabia
“The delegation had an extended meeting in Saudi Arabia with King Abdullah and discussed the importance of the U.S.-Saudi relationship, particularly in the war against terrorism. The delegation commended the King on his efforts to end the violence and suffering in Darfur and Somalia, and to move the Israeli-Palestinian peace process forward.
“In the meeting with the Shoura Council, the delegation discussed regional threats including Iran, and visa issues of concern to the Saudis.”
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Victory In Iraq Is Beyond Mission Impossible!
By Jean-Pierre Ady Fenyo, Philosopher & Intellectual Writer
Yes, you heard me right!
Too many of Iraq's neighbors and even forces and powers based much further away cannot ever afford to have the U.S. win an outright victory in Iraq!
Why?
Simple.
If the U.S. were "allowed" to have its way in Iraq and win a clear-cut victory then that would:
a. give the U.S. leadership and public the impression that it is alright to invade nations, devastate their infrastructure and impose one's will in the name of wonderful ideals that are so easily corrupted by opportunists in the midst of chaos!!!
b. force the rest of the world to live in perpetual fear, hate and loathing of the U.S., which would eventually devastate the U.S. economy and the major economies of the world that depend on relative U.S. economic stability!!! (People who fear, hate and loath you are not likely to buy your products...some of which are great and others which are crap!)
and
c. mean that the rules of internationalism, of reciprocity, of diplomacy, of CIVILIZATION are totally worthless, and nations would start going to war with one another like crazy, practically overnight!!!
Yes, siree! The days of imposing one's will by conventional force are OVER!
Time to work on internationalism again, to restore the maxims, respect for others, cooperation over conflict, constructive business exchange over competition, that once made the U.S. one of the most respected and preferred nations on Earth!
THIS IS THE REAL LESSON THAT THE PSEUDO-REPUBLICANS, THE NEO-CONS, MUST LEARN A.S.A.P.!!!
And for this reason alone a U.S. victory in Iraq will never happen! The best we can hope for is the calming effects of political cooperation, dialogue, diplomacy and unequivocal evidence that WE the United States of America were wrong on this one and that, though our troops really did (for the most part) fight as valiantly and respectably under the circumstances, the days of conventional military invasions of entire nations, especially without the full support of the major players in the International community and the United Nations, ARE OVER! ONCE AND FOR ALL TIME!!!
WOE BETIDE ANY WHO QUESTION THIS INTELLIGENT AND WISE ADVICE!!!
Related Conclusions:
1. Time to reduce our presence in Iraq and reposition our forces and work double-hard on the diplomatic fronts, with giant carrots and smaller sticks!
2. Time to restructure our entire military and military technology bank and weapons systems!!!
3. Time to restore sanity to our overall foreign policy!
4. Time to get the Syrians and the Israelis to make peace, to get a peace deal between Israel and Lebanon, to get a peace between Israelis and the Palestinians, so as to reduce the main source of terrorism and conflict no one can truly afford!!!
5. Time to tell the criminal opportunists (organized ones and major opportunists) that they must not force the word to self-destruction by excessive greed and a failure to understand the long-term beenfits of moderation and cooperation!!!
6. Time to make the Moon an industrial and scientific research base! (By 2010, latest!)
7. Time to go to Mars and inspire a new generation of young people to value peaceful, non-violent resolution of conflict!!! (We can get there by 2014 if we really want to! And without any significant harm to social programs on Earth).
TIME FOR A LASTING ERA OF ENLIGHTENMENT TO BEGIN!
(PS: I consider this posting of mine the most important I have ever contributed yet. If you doubt my reasoning read it over again really slowly and carefully, think it over, take a nap, sleep a night, and if you still doubt my reasoning then make a call to the following people: President Jimmy Carter, President William Jefferson Clinton, Presidential Candidates Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bill Richardson, Joseph Biden, Wesley Clark, Former ABC-News analyst and ex-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (don't like most of his politics though). See whether they will dare disagree with me!)
Posted by: Jean-Pierre Ady Fenyo | April 12, 2007 at 10:27 PM