On the House Floor
The House is currently in recess for the Spring District Work Period and will reconvene on April 16th.
Pelosi Trifecta
First, Nancy Pelosi pushed an emergency supplemental appropriations bill through the House that imposes artificial timelines for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq – effectively scheduling our military defeat at the central front of the global War on Terror. Then she adjourned the House for the Spring recess without allowing a vote on a resolution condemning Iran’s illegal capture of 15 British sailors and marines – sparing a charter member of the Axis of Evil from one source of well-deserved political pressure. Now this week, contrary to the White House’s urging, she arranged for a tea party with Bashar al-Assad, the Baathist dictator of Syria and patron of terrorists throughout the Middle East.
According to the Associated Press on Wednesday, Pelosi stated, “We came in friendship, hope, and determined that the road to Damascus is a road to peace.” That would sound nice if it were not so far from reality. Actually, the road to Damascus is stained with the crimson taint of innocent blood. Syria provides sanctuary to Hamas’s senior leadership, is a principal sponsor of Hezbollah, has maintained instability in Lebanon for decades, and is a close ally to Iran’s rogue regime.
The problem lies not in having members of Congress travel abroad to meet with foreign leaders. Rather, it lies in the fact that this particular visit by the Speaker of the House to this particular country at this particular time greatly undermines U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Despite all of the problems Syria causes, America does not have many tools to leverage improved behavior. President Bush’s strategy has been to maximize international pressure so as to isolate the al-Assad regime. A cordial meet-and-greet with the leader standing third in the U.S. presidential line of succession greatly eases that pressure. It is difficult to gage how many months it will take America to overcome the setbacks incurred by Pelosi’s trifecta of foreign policy fiascos during the past two weeks.
Iran Hostage Situation
The 13-day standoff between Iran and the West over the kidnapped British naval crew came to a humiliating end this week. Happily, the eight sailors and seven marines were released to the welcoming embrace of family and loved ones in England. However, the reunion came about after Great Britain paid an unduly high price. At a time when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been pushing the envelope of international permissiveness as he advances Iran’s nuclear weapons program, he learned a crucial and horrifying lesson – that he can commit an overt act of war against a Western power and get away with it without feeling any repercussions. On the contrary, in exposing the U.K.’s weakness, he was able to portray himself as a benevolent, forgiving leader through his use of propaganda. Civilized nations have to muster their resolve in facing future crises in order to avoid emboldening this rogue state further.
Economy Still Strong
Yesterday, the new chief economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Simon Johnson, said that the United States will overcome its housing slowdown and will avert recession. He also testified to the underlying strength of the U.S. economy as well and its important role in the world economy. However, if the massive tax increase passed by congressional Democrats takes effect, the economy will reverse course drastically. In order to preserve the position of economic strength we have achieved, we must keep American entrepreneurial ingenuity unshackled by the heavy fetters of taxation that the Republican Congress unlocked in 2001 and 2003.
Quote of the Week
“The U.S. is in the midst of two wars authorized by Congress. For Ms. Pelosi to flaunt the Constitution in these circumstances is not only shortsighted; it may well be a felony, as the Logan Act has been part of our criminal law for more than two centuries. Perhaps it is time to enforce the law.” Wall Street Journal “Illegal Diplomacy” April 6, 2007, editorial on Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Syria.
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