Republican Sen. Specter plans Syria trip

[madokie]

BY ANNE PLUMMER FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer
Fri Dec 15, 9:30 PM ET

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061216/ap_on_go_co/specter_iraq

WASHINGTON - Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), a 26-year Senate Republican, said he will visit Syria despite loud objections by the Bush administration, contending the situation in Iraq is so dire that it is time Congress step up to the plate and see what it can do.

Specter, R-Pa., said in an interview late Friday that he is planning a trip to the Middle East that will include Israel and Syria. The senator said he and other Republicans are concerned that the administration's policies in the Middle East are not working and that other GOP members may follow in his footsteps.

"I've talked to my Republican colleagues, and there is a disquiet here," Specter said.

The visit, coming on the heels of a trip by Florida Sen. Bill Nelson (news, bio, voting record), would be a direct affront to the White House. The United States has limited diplomatic ties with Syria because of its support for Hezbollah and Hamas, which the U.S. deems terrorist organizations. President Bush has expressed reluctance to seek help from Damascus on Iraq until the Syrians curb that support and reduce their influence in Lebanon

[Cooley Hurd]

1. More and more, it appears that Congress is taking foreign policy out of...

...the Bush admin's hands. I guess someone had to.;)

[madokie]

4. something has to give

I want to borrow your pic there If I may, add it to my many others that sometimes helps me to get my point across

[Cooley Hurd]

5. Feel free - here's another that says a lot about Bush:

[Hubert Flottz]

2. Mr. Sphincter VS Emperor Gluteus Maximus ?

I see it, but once again I don't believe it!

Can we trust Arlen Specter to ever hold Bush's feet to any real fire?

[madokie]

3. I really don't think so but this trip is bringing to light what is not happening

the bush* team talking to the people who possibly could hold a key to ending this whole misguided illegal war. I suspect if I was a Sycrian I wouldn't want to talk to the criminal cabal but in the the same breath if I were them I would welcome anyone from America who is not tied to the bush* whitehouse, just saying

Oh I about forgot, bush* doesn't want the Iraqi war to end he wants it to escalate into a much broader regional war, sunni's, shia's. lots of his friends oil still under that region of the world after all
:hi:

[Hubert Flottz]

6. I heard James Baker shoot W's "no contact with a nuclear threat"

story to pieces the other day! Baker said that the US kept up diplomatic communications with the USSR all during the "Cold War," knowing that the USSR had "REAL" nuclear warheads on "REAL" ICBMs, pointed at every city in America!

Here we have a guy that isn't playing with a full deck, playing with the atomic football. If Robert Oppenheimer had ever dreamed of W, I think he would have scrapped the whole project in 1945.

[madokie]

8. without a doubt the last person who should have another person's life in his hands

and he has the whole damn world. If that doesn't tell it all about his handlers there's nothing to tell. So sad, so many dying for the fool.

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. Now that the Repugs have lost control of Congress

seems Arlen is a day late and a dollar short at this point.

[SAXMAR]

9. Specter is candidate to switch parties.

He is in disagreement with major points of GW and Co. If he switched he could possibly retain his position as head of the Judiciary Committee. He will not win in Pa. again as a Repug.