Of course, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Syria was blatant, politically partisan grandstanding masquerading as “fact-finding.” But so was that of the Republican trio of congressmen who had preceded her. And then there was last year’s Syrian sortie by Florida Senator Bill Nelson.
This is obviously no way to conduct a coherent, credible foreign policy. The U.S. needs to speak with one consistent, adult, non-partisan voice – without sending the signal that the Bashar Assads are mere props for those who disagree with the Bush Administration.
Ultimately, however, the fault lies with the Administration. It never believed in talking to its adversaries – and thus painted itself into a geo-political corner. It also paved the way for the Iraq Study Group to make the sort of recommendations that gives cover to those who want to free-lance for political gain in the Middle East.