Syrian Meeting is On

Well the rumors proved true and Secretary of State Rice did meet with the Syrian foreign minister Walid Moallem for a half-hour at the conference at Sharm el-Sheik in Egypt. This is good news. The US needs to keep it's communications open to all parties, particularly in the Middle East. By all accounts the meeting was cordial and professional. Hopefully, this will be the start of more productive conversations. Thanks again to Nancy Pelosi for starting this ball rolling.

Now Syria is OK

So now it would seem that perhaps talking to the Syrians is OK? It seems that Condoleezza Rice may be meeting with the Syrian foreign minister in Egypt later this week. Now in all fairness the meeting is not confirmed at this point, yet when asked about it she said that she "wouldn't rule it out." So, apparently talking to the Syrians isn't quite the horror we were lead to believe just a few weeks ago. Or perhaps Speaker Pelosi opened an important door for us. I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

But humor and irony aside, this could be an important development. Never underestimate the power of this Administration to mess things up, but talking to Iraq's neighbors is vital to US interests. Lots of the people so solidly opposed to the war now, especially those who were supportive or unsure at its start, have long argued for the need for less US involvement and more international involvement. Had the effort to stabilize Iraq since 2003 been more international, it would have been perceived less as an occupation, and thus would have had a better chance for success. The need for international involvement has only grown as the ability of the US to control the situation has diminished. It is good to see the Bush Administration taking some small steps in the right direction. It will make things easier for their successors at least.

Pelosi in Syria

Phoenix woman at Firedoglake has put together a summary debunking the Nancy Pelosi in Syria smear campaign. I've got nothing to add to what she says, but this is a great resource for anyone wanting to know about this issue.

Nancy Pelosi in Syria

Ok, I haven't had anything to say on this absurd controversy in part because it is so absurd, and also because other folks have covered this story so well. Josh Marshall has been all over this story and has provided a wealth of information. There is a great video blog post on the Israeli denial that Speaker Pelosi carried a message to Assad. Also this commentary on Richard Holbrooke's appearance on Hardball. There is plenty more at TPM. The whole controversy can be summed up with this from Holbrooke

I think this whole thing has been blown out of proportion by a deliberate ambush plan by the opposition, in this case the Republicans, and frankly, exploited by journalists who are just looking for a fake controversy. There is no issue here. Congressman Wolf, a major Republican, was in the region a few days earlier. Republicans were on her trip. There's no issue. None.

There is no issue. None.

But one other thing about the conservative view of our times and our nation is highlighted by this whole controversy. Our system of government makes plentiful use of critical review to reach policy decisions. There is a constant process of debate and discussion on all aspects of policy. That includes foreign affairs and national security. This can be seen in the fact that every Speaker of the House for the past thirty years or more, has been involved with foreign policy, has made trips abroad and has spoken with foreign leaders. This discussions have not always, perhaps not generally, been in complete harmony with the White House. This is the way our system works, and while it is at times awkward, it is in fact a strength. A great strength. We are not weaker because of this open debate, we are stronger, much stronger because of it.

Now there may well be times when a single, clear, unchallenged position is necessary if a nation is to overcome the dangers it faces. We today, however, are not in such a time. The Russians at Stalingrad, the battle of Britain, Washington at Valley Forge. These are not like what we face today, for all the conservative histrionics to the contrary. We are vastly safer, vastly more secure than any of these situations, indeed than almost any people at any time in history. We are, beyond doubt, not in the kind of desperate situation that would preclude the normal state of affairs where a Speaker of the House of Representatives can freely go and speak with foreign leaders.