Posted by
Mr. Anonymous on Thursday, April 05, 2007 11:14:55 PM
You know, I really don't care all that much if this or that congressional delegation wants to travel to some foreign country and pow-wow with the leaders there. Such excursions are mostly junkets in reality, but I generally don't care about it.
However, Nancy Peolosi's trip to Syria and Israel crosses the line of what's acceptable. To shuttle between the two countries, and then announce to the world that both sides are willing to pursue a path of peace when in reality neither side said anything of the sort, is disturbing for a couple of reasons. First, it shows that Pelosi is not cut out for big-time international diplomacy. The Washington Post put it best when it characterized her efforts as "foolish."
But secondly, and this is more worrisome, it strikes me as an unconstitutional thrust by the House Speaker to usurp Executive powers. Perhaps I'm the only one who thinks it goes this far. But if Pelosi and her gang are attempting to execute diplomacy on behalf of the US, then they are treading in the President's water and attempting to speak for the country, which is clearly unconstitutional. It probably won't be played up that way by the press, but it sure appears that she's trying to do the State department's job. I'm sure Condi Rice is fuming.
At this point I cease to empathize with the Democrats and their efforts to improve the situation in Iraq. Pelosi has clearly stepped over the line and needs to be called on it.