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→Relations with the United States
On September 12, 2006 the U.S. Embassy was attacked by four armed assailants with guns, grenades and a car bomb (which failed to detonate). Syrian Security Forces successfully countered the attack, killing all four attackers. Two other Syrians killed during the attack were a government security guard and a passerby. The Syrian Government publicly stated that terrorists had carried out the attack. The U.S. Government has not received an official Syrian Government assessment of the motives or organization behind the attack, but security was upgraded at U.S. facilities. Both the Syrian ambassador to the U.S., Imad Mushtapha, and President Bashar Asad, however, blamed U.S. foreign policy in the region as contributing to the incident.
On September 12, 2006 the U.S. Embassy was attacked by four armed assailants with guns, grenades and a car bomb (which failed to detonate). Syrian Security Forces successfully countered the attack, killing all four attackers. Two other Syrians killed during the attack were a government security guard and a passerby. The Syrian Government publicly stated that terrorists had carried out the attack. The U.S. Government has not received an official Syrian Government assessment of the motives or organization behind the attack, but security was upgraded at U.S. facilities. Both the Syrian ambassador to the U.S., Imad Mushtapha, and President Bashar Asad, however, blamed U.S. foreign policy in the region as contributing to the incident.
=====Nancy Pelosi=====
[[File:Pelosi Logan Act (2).jpeg|right|250px|thumb|Speaker Nancy Pelosi, an Assad apologist, violating the Logan Act.]]
[[Democrat]] Leader [[Nancy Pelosi]] traveled to Damascus, Syria in April 2007 to meet with Syrian [[Ba'athist]] leader [[Bashar al-Assad]]. Pelosi indicated at a press conference that she had carried a message from the government of Israel. "Our message was President Bush’s message," Pelosi told The Associated Press in Portugal.<ref>[http://cnsnews.com/news/article/pelosi-delivered-wrong-message-assad-israel-says Pelosi Delivered Wrong Message to Assad, Israel Says], [[CNSNews]] Apr 7 2007.</ref> Pelosi told reporters the meeting "enabled us to communicate a message from Prime Minister [[Ehud Olmert|Olmert]]".
The Israeli Prime Minister's office stated Olmert told Pelosi that Israel continued to regard Syria as "part of the axis of evil and a party encouraging terrorism in the entire Middle East." The ''Jerusalem Post'' reported sources at the Prime Minister's Office said, "Pelosi took part of the things that were said in the meeting, and used what suited her." <ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=845618&contrassID=2&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0 PMO: Pelosi did not carry any message from Israel to Assad], Yoav Stern and Amiram Barkat, Haaretz Correspondents and AP, 5 April 2007.</ref>
The trip was praised by terrorists as "brave". Members of the [[Palestinian Islamic Jihad]] have said Pelosi aligns to their views about terror much better than Bush and Dr. [[Condoleezza Rice]].<ref>[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3385140,00.html Terrorists endorse Pelosi's 'good policy of dialogue'], Aaron Klein, Israel News, 04.05.07. "Palestinian terror group members call US House speaker's visit to Damascus 'brave' and hope for talks with Iran; ‘I think the Democratic Party can do things the best,’ Islamic Jihad member says"</ref> Khaled Al-Batch, spokesman for Islamic Jihad, which along with [[Fatah|Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades]] has taken responsibility for every suicide bombing in Israel since 2005,<ref>http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3392403,00.html</ref> expressed [[hope]] Pelosi and the Democratic Party will pressure Bush to create dialogue with Syrian rebel and Middle East "resistance movements" and prompt an American withdrawal from Iraq.
In the lead editorial of Thursday, April 5, The ''[[Washington Post]]'' commented on '''"The Pratfall in Damascus":'''<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040402306.html Pratfall in Damascus], [[Washington Post]]</ref>
<blockquote>
HOUSE SPEAKER Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) offered an excellent demonstration yesterday of why members of Congress should not attempt to supplant the secretary of state when traveling abroad. After a meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, Ms. Pelosi announced that she had delivered a message from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that "Israel was ready to engage in peace talks" with Syria. What's more, she added, Mr. Assad was ready to "resume the peace process" as well. Having announced this seeming diplomatic breakthrough, Ms. Pelosi suggested that her Kissingerian shuttle diplomacy was just getting started. "We expressed our interest in using our good offices in promoting peace between Israel and Syria," she said.</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Only one problem: The Israeli prime minister entrusted Ms. Pelosi with no such message. "What was communicated to the U.S. House Speaker does not contain any change in the policies of Israel," said a statement quickly issued by the prime minister's office. In fact, Mr. Olmert told Ms. Pelosi that "a number of Senate and House members who recently visited Damascus received the impression that despite the declarations of Bashar Assad, there is no change in the position of his country regarding a possible peace process with Israel." In other words, Ms. Pelosi not only misrepresented Israel's position but was virtually alone in failing to discern that Mr. Assad's words were mere propaganda. ...</blockquote>
<blockquote>Never mind that that statement is ludicrous: As any diplomat with knowledge of the region could have told Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Assad is a corrupt thug whose overriding priority at the moment is not peace with Israel but heading off U.N. charges that he orchestrated the murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri. The really striking development here is the attempt by a Democratic congressional leader to substitute her own foreign policy for that of a sitting Republican president. Two weeks ago Ms. Pelosi rammed legislation through the House of Representatives that would strip Mr. Bush of his authority as commander in chief to manage troop movements in Iraq. Now she is attempting to introduce a new Middle East policy that directly conflicts with that of the president. We have found much to criticize in Mr. Bush's military strategy and regional diplomacy. But Ms. Pelosi's attempt to establish a shadow presidency is not only counterproductive, it is foolish. </blockquote>
Pelosi was roundly criticized from all quarters for making the trip. The ''[[New York Post]]'' said, "the sad reality is that Pelosi is sending Assad the same message she and her Democratic colleagues in Congress have sent the terrorist [[Iraq insurgency 2004-2008|insurgency in Iraq]]: Just wait until President Bush leaves office and a Democratic administration will hand you what you want on a platter."<ref>[http://www.nypost.com/seven/04032007/postopinion/editorials/nancys_nonsense_editorials_.htm Nancy's Nonsense], [[New York Post]], 3 April 2007.</ref> The ''Philadelphia Enquirer'' ran an editorial declaring Pelosi "was nuts" to visit Assad.<ref>Claudia Rosett, [http://articles.philly.com/2007-04-05/news/25243155_1_president-bashar-assad-syrian-involvement-damascus Pelosi was nuts to visit with Assad], ''Philadelphia Enquirer'', Thu, Apr. 05, 2007.</ref>
==Economy==
==Economy==