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→Nancy Pelosi
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>
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>
=====Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton=====
The Obama position started in support of Assad, with Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] calling him a reformer. Shortly after the murder of [[Gaddafi]] by Obama-supported rebels, Obama ordered covert aid to anti-Assad forces as well.<ref>[http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/secret-order-signed-president-obama-cia-u-s-agencies-provide-support-syrian-rebels-oust-president-bashar-al-assad-reuters-article-1.1126994 ‘Secret’ order signed by President Obama allows CIA and other U.S. agencies to provide support to help the Syrian rebels oust President Bashar al-Assad,] REUTERS, August 1, 2012. nydailynews.com</ref> Some of these forces may be non-indigenous. In March 2013, Secretary of State [[John Kerry]] reiterated that the U.S. is training elements of the Syrian belligerent forces.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/05/kerry-confirms-us-helping-train-syrian-opposition/ Kerry appears to confirm US helping train Syrian opposition,] Fox News, March 05, 2013]</ref> Russia is Syria's ally and has been supplying the regime with weapons and air defence. A NATO fighter jet was shot down by Syrian forces when it intruded into Syrian airspace from Turkey.<ref>NATO has been testing Syria's Russian-supplied air defences as talk of a no-fly zone has been floated. Among NATO, only the US has the capability to implement a no-fly zone.</ref> Putin is angry with the Obama administration for helping the jihadists,<ref>Putin has been fighting similar forces in Chechnya for a decade.</ref> blaming the U.S. for the deteriorating situation.
Obama has sought to do more for the jihadis and has vowed to work with "opposition forces" to topple Assad. In addition, [[Qatar]] and [[Saudi Arabia]] at US direction have set up a base in Turkey to help funnel supplies and weapons.<ref>[http://www.rt.com/news/syria-rebel-base-turkey-qatar-230/comments/ Turkey sets up secret anti-Assad rebel base with Saudi Arabia and Qatar - reports, RT.com, July 27, 2012]</ref> Israel does not want to see [[chemical weapon]]s<ref>Republican [[Michael J. Rogers|Mike Rogers]], chairman of the House Intelligence oversight committee, spoke publicly about the Obama administration's claim Syria has used, or is preparing to use chemical weapons. ''[https://www.cnn.com/2013/03/19/world/meast/syria-civil-war Syria's 'probability' of using chemical warfare,]'' By Michael Martinez, Joe Sterling and Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, March 20, 2013. This is regarded by many as a pretext for direct US intervention.</ref> in the hands of Obama-backed forces and has publicly announced they have military plans to stop that transaction. [[Iran]] says they will not let the Assad regime collapse and is prepared to attack Qatar and Saudi Arabia.<ref>[https://dailycaller.com/2012/08/01/source-iran-readies-attacks-against-saudi-arabia-qatar/#ixzz22KvLDJfmSource: Iran readies attacks against Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Daily Caller, August 1, 2012]</ref> In August 2012 [[Barack Hussein Obama]] warned of chemical weapons and mentioned that he would attack Syria.<ref>http://frontpagemag.com/2013/alan-w-dowd/chemical-weapons-in-syria-obamas-red-line-bluff-exposed/</ref> In August 2013 Obama wanted to attack Syria finally,<ref>http://frontpagemag.com/2013/raymond-ibrahim/obama-crosses-red-line-by-supporting-jihadi-terrorism/</ref> but Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]] could persuade him.
The Obama policy of arming Kurds has led to improved relations between Russia and Turkey, threatening the reliability of a key member of the NATO alliance.<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/josh-rogin/wp/2016/12/22/how-the-obama-administration-pushed-turkey-into-russias-arms/?noredirect=on </ref>
==Economy==
==Economy==