Airan Scruby
Editor in Chief
Since her instatement as speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi has been called many things, not all complimentary.
Her awkward political maneuvers have earned raised eyebrows from political commentators. Especially notable has been her recent decision to visit Syria, a country with which the President and loyal “Bushies” claim to have no diplomatic relations.
Her visit has earned her a new descriptor, this one from the Syrian press.
The Syrian Times has called Pelosi “a brave lady on an invaluable mission.”
Her welcome in Syria has been exceedingly warm, and her presence is helping to cool tensions with a nation which could be an essential ally in America’s war on terror.
As is to be expected, Bush and his cronies have been disapproving and condescending about Pelosi’s visit.
Bush has called her trip “counterproductive,” and the general sentiment is that Pelosi is out of line for going against the President’s official policy in the international arena. Their complaint is that sending mixed messages to countries with whom relations are difficult can undermine the President’s agenda in the world community.
But Bush’s worldwide political agenda has shown its flaws many times over, and the Administration’s obstinate refusal to have direct talks with nations like Iran and Syria is hurting the nation’s ability to succeed in Iraq.
Pelosi cannot damage
relations with Syria any more than Bush already has.
In reality, her visit has done the opposite. Most press from that country indicates that her visit is helping to improve popular views about the United States.
It cannot be denied that Pelosi is playing a partisan game by visiting Syria, a country deemed untouchable in official Administration rhetoric. She is asserting her power as the Speaker of the House in a Congress learning to sidestep a lame duck president in his executive death throes.
However, her words abroad have not been inflammatory, and her mission in Syria is more about sightseeing and building a rapport than it is about negotiating any major terms of policy in the Middle East.
Moreover, the Bush Administration is playing a political game as well. Several Republicans in Congress have visited Syria on similar tours to Pelosi’s, and though they were of a lower rank than Madame Speaker, they were carrying out the same kinds of diplomatic missions.
Bushies raised no alarms about these visits. It is only the positive attention that Pelosi is already receiving for her trip to Syria that could possibly irk the Administration, and perhaps that it might seem to the outside world that Bush policy abroad may be on its way out.
With any luck, those notions will ring true. Already, Congress is putting pressure on the executive branch to make changes to foreign policy. These changes certainly will not stop after the next presidential election, as every major candidate has vowed (at least for the campaign’s sake) to make serious changes to the way the war on terror is being fought.
Syrian officials do not need a visit from Pelosi to understand that there is political turmoil within the United States. Even if her visit does underscore this strife or make foreign officials feel that talks with the right-winged face of foreign policy the U.S. presents are unnecessary, it will make little difference.
The Bush Administration, despite advice from the Iraq Study Group, retired military personnel, politicians on both sides of the aisle and advisers within, has made clear that they have no plans to reopen relations with Syria or Iran in the near future.
Pelosi visited Christian churches in Damascus and prayed, went to observe at Muslim schools and places of worship, and spoke with locals in marketplaces, trying their goods and talking about life in Syria, according to news reports.
Pelosi also spoke, as did the overwhelming majority of Syrian politicians, of her hope that relations between the countries would improve and grow.
Goodwill was overflowing in Syrian newspapers because of her visit and her kind words on unity and common interest in security. The press called her visit a key step in rebuilding relations with the United States.
There can be little to lose for the Bush Administration from goodwill among Syrians. While the nation has many of its own problems, including those with women’s rights and other issues, the country would make a significant strategic partner, especially when it comes to stabilizing the Middle East.
Syria borders Iraq, and a strong partnership with the Syrian government, corrupt as it may be, would undoubtedly strengthen operations in the war zone. Quick acceptance of Pelosi, despite the disapproving attitude of Bush toward their government, shows that Syrian authorities may be willing to work with our conditional support and offer theirs as well.
Pelosi’s visit has revealed a nation ripe for negotiation. Bush and his hardliners need not accept everything about the Syrian government, recognizing the importance of the nation and reopening talks might uncover an unexpected ally in the fight to stabilize the region.
04-05-2007