The Senate challenging White House over Iraq policy...

[kentuck]

Senator Bill Nelson visited President Assad of Syria and the White House was not happy about it. Tony Snow, the spokesman, said it "did not strengthen the hand of democracy in the region". Huh?

John Kerry, Chris Dodd, and Arlen Specter also plan visits to Syria. No doubt as we speak, the White House is passing the talking points to Limbaugh and other right-wing shills, to portray these Senators as enemies and traitors to our country. That's the way they work.

However, after the many months of work on the Baker-Hamilton ISG, many Senators thought the White House would pay more than lip-service to it. They barely got lip-service. The study was mostly ignored or portrayed as a plan for "surrender".

With that new reality, they have decided to follow the ISG findings for themselves. They have given up on any progress being made by this White House. They have decided to take on a bigger role for themselves, for better or worse. Normally, the House and Senate would leave such negotiations and meetings to the Executive Branch. However, this White House has shown itself incapable of dealing with the problem.

[karynnj]

1. It is sickening the way the Bush administration resorts to challanging

the patriotism of men who are better than they are and are working to try to find a solution. In terms of speaking to Syria, these Senators are all on the Senate Foreign Relations committee - this is their JOB.

The Democrats need to get out the facts that:
- The Baker group recommended including Syria. So, someone needs to do fact finding to see where they really are on the issues.

- The Senate included - BY VOICE VOTE - Kerry's language calling for a summit in the defense appropriations bill in September. The fact that it was included by voice vote means the Republican leadership agreed with it.