Posted on 01/08/2005 9:19:18 AM PST by rface
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) -
Former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry met Saturday with Syria's president and said he was hopeful that strained U.S.-Syrian relations could be improved, provided Washington seized "a moment of opportunity" currently available in the Middle East.
The United States has accused Syria of doing too little to stop insurgents from infiltrating into Iraq to attack coalition forces. Washington also has imposed sanctions on Damascus, accusing it of seeking weapons of mass destruction and hosting Palestinian groups Washington deems to be terrorist organizations.
Syria denies the accusations but says it cannot fully control its long, porous border with Iraq.
Sen. Kerry, D-Mass., met for two hours with President Bashar Assad and then with Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa, with both meetings centering on Iraq and how to prevent militants from moving from Syria into neighboring Iraq.
"I think we found a great deal of areas of mutual interest, some common concerns and some possibilities for initiatives that could be taken in the future to strengthening the relationship between the U.S. and Syria," Kerry told reporters after meeting with al-Sharaa.
"I leave here with a sense that we can improve our relationship. There are significant possibilities, particularly with the elections in Iraq and the elections in the West Bank ... This is the moment of opportunity for the Middle East, for the U.S. and for the world. I hope that we would seize that opportunity."
Assad stressed "the importance of dialogue between the two sides over all issues under discussion, especially those of common interest," Syria's official news agency reported.
Kerry said he and Assad discussed Iraq, security, Lebanon and weapons of mass destruction.
In September, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution calling on Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon and dismantle the Syrian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah guerrilla group. Syria, with some 14,000 troops stationed in Lebanon, is the main power broker in that country.
More recently, President Bush has warned Syria and Iran against "meddling" in the internal affairs of Iraq. Washington and Baghdad both have said that key support for the insurgency in Iraq was coming from a half brother of Saddam Hussein and Baath Party leaders based in Syria.
Kerry, who is on a two-week tour of the Middle East, arrived Friday from Iraq, where he met U.S. troops in the volatile northern city of Mosul, the scene of a suicide bombing last month on a military base that killed 22 people, including 14 U.S. soldiers and three American contractors.
Kerry, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will be in the West Bank for Sunday's Palestinian election and is expected to visit a polling place.
After Kerry left the Foreign Ministry on Saturday, 13-year-old Mustafa al-Nabulsi approached him with a drawing of the senator as a soldier in his Vietnam days.
"You have made me much more important than I was, though. You made me a general," Kerry said.
"I wish you were the president," al-Nabulsi said.
"Thank you very much. So do I," Kerry said.
a fun yesterday post - -
Fake testicles say more about your boyfriend than dog: Limbaugh: "Neuticles are just plain neat!"
Thank God he is not coming home to be inaugerated.
Screw lib-dem garbage, sKerry and Kennedy.
We should invade *Syria*, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity... Ann Coulter.
Is this a joke? It sure reads like one.
Kerry meeting with any of our enemies, considering his actions of the 70's is scary.
"The United States has accused Syria of doing too little to stop insurgents from infiltrating into Iraq to attack coalition forces. Syria denies the accusations but says it cannot fully control its long, porous border with Iraq
The United States accuses another country of DOING TO LITTLE to stop insurgents? What has our country done to stop illegal insurgents from entering OUR COUNTRY?
and the obligatory reference to Kerry in Vietnem
Presiden Bush. Please declare war on Syria now.
Then have Commi-terrorist loving Kerry arrested and prosecuted for making crack deals with the enemy.
I think most of our enemies would agree!
After Kerry left the Foreign Ministry on Saturday, 13-year-old Mustafa al-Nabulsi approached him with a drawing of the senator as a soldier in his Vietnam days.
"You have made me much more important than I was, though. You made me a general," Kerry said.
"I wish you were the president," al-Nabulsi said.
"Thank you very much. So do I," Kerry said.
A 13 year old budding suicide bomber wishes Kerry were president. Isn't that touching?
You are 100% correct. This guy should be barred from meeting any foreign leaders, especially from countries like Syria. Given his 1970's, 1980's, and even his recent actions, I think he should be barred from coming back unless he faces trial for treasonous activity. Leave the foreign policy to the professionals in charge Mr. Kerry. Go live in your foreign houses and don't come back.
I don't approve of unlimited illegal immigration either. But there's a difference between coming into the U.S. to get a job and coming into Iraq to blow people up.
Yes, there's a big danger that terrorists may be among the other immigrants. But they haven't started blowing people up--at least not yet.
The more important consideration is that it was a bipartisan, patriotic consensus that "politics stops at the edge of the water." We were reminded of that not long ago when a few Republicans ventured to criticize clinton for bombing aspirin factories in order to take the spotlight off of Monica. But the Democrats completely ignore that rule, with the complicity of the MSM. Senator or not, kerry has no business interfering in delicate foreign policy and national security matters like this, without clearance from the President and/or the State Department.
I'm kinda thinking so.....particularly because of the last bit about his picture and "I Wish"....
Why is this man conducting foreign policy? This is not the responsibility of the Senate!
"John Kerry - STILL Collaborating With America's Enemies!"
I am all for truth in titling...
"John Kerry Pimped Out By Syrian President"
Oh and let is not forget his involvement with the communist Sandinista's, along with commie buddy Harkin.
I hope the CIA is documenting his every move this time, and he is actually tried for treason.
OK I can dream can't I?
BUMP!
Oh yea....the kid that gave him the picture is 13.....Knows
all about Vietnam!!!!
Wot, no barf alert?
I feel safer already.........
*Rolling eyes*
The SOB is meeting with the enemy again!!!!
PING!!!
"You have made me much more important than I was, though. You made me a general," Kerry said.
"I wish you were the president," al-Nabulsi said.
"Thank you very much. So do I," Kerry said.
Okay, anyone else here smell bovine excrement?

John Kerry: Having Delusions of Presidential Grandure.
I pity this rotten traitorous SOBs security detail. Talk about drawing $hitty duty....
"Presiden Bush. Please declare war on Syria now."
Good of you to remember that sentiment!
You can bet your booties he's being monitored.
>> OK I can dream can't I?<<
We're all dreamin of that. He has gotten away with murder. Someone needs to punch his ticket, so to speak.
Thank GOD sKerry is not President!
EXACTLY! that was my question did he actually get approval?
Once again, giving aid and comfort to the enemy.......
Accidents DO happen. I too can dream.
Another example of Kerry still acting like he is the president. I wonder what all he really said to the Syrian President? Will we see his picture hanging up in some Middle East war museum similar to the one hanging up in Hanoi?
And there it is. The Middle East in a nutshell: a kid strapped up with bombs... wearing a Nike shirt.
Why can't we patrol the border with all the spy-in-the-sky stuff and anyone crossing the border will be shot. No questions asked. Soon we will find that gap hurt, maybe not totally shut but somewhat stopped.
Well, heck, he's gotta make these obligatory side trips to get the American taxpayer to pay for what is probably just another of his many vacations. The man is a pampered elitist who falls back exhausted for a week for every single day of "work."
He needs to go back to windsurfing and STFU!
It reads like a joke because it's about Democrat joke John Kerry.
If the USA had bombed Damascus and killed only Kerry it would have been the most successful USA air-strikes against worldwide terrorism to-date.
yeah, although if I were to pick a region to vacation in on taxpayer money, it wouldnt be Syria but Dubai :)
Since when does a Senator conduct unilateral foreign policy?
This A-hole is repeating his actions after VietNam when he went to Paris to "negotiate" with the North VietNamese while the war was going on!
John Kerry needs to be expelled with prejudice from the United States Senate. Just as he was from the military.
I really wish this loser would have just quit the senate.
Boy I sure miss Tony Snow on Sunday
This is sKerry's dream vacation...LOL
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