The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Shopping
    • Stores
    • Coupons
    • Daily Double
    • Promotion
    • How It Works
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • Sports

    KNOTT: Pollin honored as a D.C. treasure

  • Sports

    Jamison lights fire under Wizards

  • Politics

    Uninvited White House guests met Obama in line

  • Sports

    Wife aids Woods after SUV crash

  • National

    Volunteers for drug trials hard to find

  • Business

    Dubai debt crisis rocks U.S., Asia markets

  • World

    Piracy threatens fishermen in Yemen

Friday, April 6, 2007

Pelosi defends visit to Mideast

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen
  • Videos

More Stories

  • Atlantis, crew of 7 back on Earth
  • Uninvited White House guests met Obama in line
  • iPhone lands in Korea
  • Wife aids Woods after SUV crash

By

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi yesterday defended her whirlwind Middle East peace mission in the face of wide criticism about her choice of words -- and fashion -- during the trip.

The California Democrat, who touted her visit abroad as fostering diplomacy and following the Iraq Study Group's recommendation, said yesterday she is spreading "President Bush's message" of anti-terrorism.

The Bush administration and others all week accused her of overstepping her bounds and making critical gaffes as she, five other Democrats and one Republican met with heads of state in Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia and the Palestinian territories. The lawmakers' goal was to stimulate a regional solution for a peaceful end to the Iraq war.

The speaker's visit with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus, over Mr. Bush's objections, drew the most ire. It prompted the Wall Street Journal editorial board to wonder whether Mrs. Pelosi was trying to embarrass the president.

Mr. Bush called the trip counterproductive and Vice President Dick Cheney said he was "disappointed" in Mrs. Pelosi, calling her actions in Damascus a signal that the U.S. is rewarding Mr. Assad for his "bad behavior."

But the speaker told the Associated Press yesterday she thinks the visit proved U.S. leaders are united against terrorism.

"Our message was President Bush's message," she told AP. "The funny thing is, I think we may have even had a more powerful impact with our message because of the attention that was called to our trip.

"It became clear to President Assad that even though we have our differences in the United States, there is no division between the president and the Congress and the Democrats on the message we wanted him to receive."

Mrs. Pelosi also attracted negative headlines for telling Mr. Assad that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert sent a message with her that he was "ready to engage" in peace talks, a claim Mr. Olmert quickly refuted.

The Washington Post editorial board called the trip "foolish" and an "attempt by a Democratic congressional leader to substitute her own foreign policy for that of a sitting Republican president."

12Next »

Post a comment

There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

Commenting is disabled for this entry.
If you feel there is still something worth mentioning about this entry please contact the author or the site admin.

Ask a Question

You Report

Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

Top Stories

Most Read

  1. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
  2. Climate 'czar' says hacked e-mails don't change anything
  3. EDITORIAL: The global-cooling cover-up
  4. Wife aids Woods after SUV crash
  5. PRUDEN: Trouble afoot for high priests
More Top Stories »
  1. In tobacco-loving Virginia, bars give up the habit
  2. Grade-schooler unearths fossil at dinosaur park
  3. Climate czar rejects doctored data claims
  4. HOLMES: Behind Obama's overseas allure
  5. EDITORIAL: The duty of a nation to obey God

Most Shared

  1. EDITORIAL: The global-cooling cover-up
  2. PRUDEN: Trouble afoot for high priests
  3. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
  4. Climate 'czar' says hacked e-mails don't change anything
  5. In tobacco-loving Virginia, bars give up the habit
More Top Stories »
  1. Finance mavens gloomy
  2. Fenty's approval in D.C. divided by race
  3. Drug lords finding safe haven in Bolivia
  4. Global Warmists exposed
  5. Robotic hamster holiday craze

Most Commented

  1. Climate 'czar' says hacked e-mails don't change anything
  2. EDITORIAL: The global-cooling cover-up
  3. Climate czar rejects doctored data claims
  4. PRUDEN: Trouble afoot for high priests
  5. Crashers probe may become criminal investigation
More Top Stories »
  1. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
  2. EDITORIAL: The duty of a nation to obey God
  3. HOLMES: Behind Obama's overseas allure
  4. Ads add heat to health care debate
  5. Fenty's approval in D.C. divided by race

Listen to Washington Times Radio

  • America's Morning News

    with John McCaslin and Melanie Morgan

Blogs & Columns

  • Hot Button Blog

    RNC: Breast cancer recommendations may lead to 'rationing'

  • Belief Blog

    Evangelicals OK civil disobedience

  • Out of Context

    Foods that might kill libido

  • On the Fly

    United lifts some 'award' blocking

  • Technology

    Facebook wins round against phishing spammer

  • Redskins 360

    Hall out, Rogers will start

  • SNOBlog

    Beyond 'Woody'

Videos

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.