Democracy In Doubt Update - 04-04-2007

Nancy Pelosi Meets with Syrian President
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that Syrian President Bashar Assad assured her of his willingness to engage in peace talks with Israel.

Pelosi said she and other members of her congressional delegation raised with Assad their concern about militants crossing from Syria into Iraq, as well the Israeli soldiers kidnapped by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and the Palestinian group Hamas.

The Californian Democrat spoke to reporters shortly after talks with Assad at the end of a two-day visit to Syria, which the White House has criticized as undermining American efforts to isolate the hard-line Arab country.

She said the delegation gave the Syrian leader a message from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert whose essence was that Israel was ready to hold peace talks with Syria. LINK
More evidence that Bush has become completely irrelevant.

Bush blasts Pelosi for her mission to Syria
President says trip 'sends mixed signals'
The San Francisco Democrat shrugged off Bush's criticism, pointing out that the White House was silent over the weekend when three Republican congressmen - Reps. Frank Wolf of Virginia, Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania and Robert Aderholt of Alabama - were in Syria and met with Assad. LINK

Latest Meme: Bush is Holding Our Troops Hostage In Iraq
Bush says troops will have longer deployments. LINK
Troops prepare for their 5th Iraq tour of duty LINK
Bush's nightmare scenarios of chaos breaking out in Iraq are already happening, have been happening.

Iran to Release 15 British Sailors
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says 15 British naval personnel captured in the Gulf will be freed.

He repeated allegations that the British sailors and marines "invaded" Iranian waters, but said they would be freed as a "gift" to Britain.

He made the announcement at a news conference, in which he also awarded medals to the commanders who captured the British personnel in the Gulf.

He said the Britons would be released immediately and taken to an airport.

"They are free after this meeting and can go back to their families," Mr Ahmadinejad said. LINK

Pelosi goes to Syria, Iran releases hostages. Bush will not deal with Syria. Iran releases its hostages, while we torture ours.

gwb43.com is About to Get Very Sticky

Today, oversight committee chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) issued a letter to the Republican National Committee requesting it turn over all email communications by White House officials relating to the presentation.

In communicating with GSA about the presentation, Mr. Jennings and his assistant used “gwb43.com” e-mail accounts maintained by the RNC rather than their official White House e-mail accounts. In their e-mails, they described the presentation as a “close hold” and said that “we’re not supposed to be emailing it around.” LINK

Repugs, sidestepping clearly defined rules of electronic communication, are about to get a hard dose of reality.