John Kerry Meets With Syrian President

Former Presidential Candidate Is On Two-Week Tour Of The Middle East

Jan 8, 2005 9:28 am US/Pacific
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) Former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry met Saturday with Syria's president and said he was hopeful that strained U.S.-Syrian relations could be improved, provided Washington seized "a moment of opportunity" currently available in the Middle East.

The United States has accused Syria of doing too little to stop insurgents from infiltrating into Iraq to attack coalition forces. Washington also has imposed sanctions on Damascus, accusing it of seeking weapons of mass destruction and hosting Palestinian groups Washington deems to be terrorist organizations.

Syria denies the accusations but says it cannot fully control its long, porous border with Iraq.

Sen. Kerry, D-Mass., met for two hours with President Bashar Assad and then with Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa, with both meetings centering on Iraq and how to prevent militants from moving from Syria into neighboring Iraq.

"I think we found a great deal of areas of mutual interest, some common concerns and some possibilities for initiatives that could be taken in the future to strengthening the relationship between the U.S. and Syria," Kerry told reporters after meeting with al-Sharaa.

"I leave here with a sense that we can improve our relationship. There are significant possibilities, particularly with the elections in Iraq and the elections in the West Bank ... This is the moment of opportunity for the Middle East, for the U.S. and for the world. I hope that we would seize that opportunity."

Assad stressed "the importance of dialogue between the two sides over all issues under discussion, especially those of common interest," Syria's official news agency reported.

Kerry said he and Assad discussed Iraq, security, Lebanon and weapons of mass destruction.

In September, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution calling on Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon and dismantle the Syrian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah guerrilla group. Syria, with some 14,000 troops stationed in Lebanon, is the main power broker in that country.

More recently, President Bush has warned Syria and Iran against "meddling" in the internal affairs of Iraq. Washington and Baghdad both have said that key support for the insurgency in Iraq was coming from a half brother of Saddam Hussein and Baath Party leaders based in Syria.

Kerry, who is on a two-week tour of the Middle East, arrived Friday from Iraq, where he met U.S. troops in the volatile northern city of Mosul, the scene of a suicide bombing last month on a military base that killed 22 people, including 14 U.S. soldiers and three American contractors.

Kerry, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will be in the West Bank for Sunday's Palestinian election and is expected to visit a polling place.

After Kerry left the Foreign Ministry on Saturday, 13-year-old Mustafa al-Nabulsi approached him with a drawing of the senator as a soldier in his Vietnam days.

"You have made me much more important than I was, though. You made me a general," Kerry said.

"I wish you were the president," al-Nabulsi said.

"Thank you very much. So do I," Kerry said.

Quoted: "I wish you were the president," al-Nabulsi said. "Thank you very much. So do I," Kerry said.

well no shit.

When will he learn ???

Looks like he's meeting with the enemy again.

Quoted: Looks like he's meeting with the enemy again.

Did he take Hanoi Jane with him?

Quoted: Looks like he's meeting with the enemy again.

Could it be a case of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend"?

Kerry still telling "W" how to run the country. Thought we just settled that.

Mild Bill

Quoted: Rot in hell you piece of shit.

Okay Lumpy, tell us how you really feel....

Ben

John Kerry isnt confused at all........He's not dumb - he honestly think his vision of the world is the only vision - and that vision does NOT include the security of the United States. He's a goddamn traitor who has been practicing his technique as a modern Benedict Arnold since 1971........He deserves to rot in hell  + 1 MILLION!!

During the Viet Nam War, he met with the Viet Cong.

During the Contra War, he met with the Sandinistas.

During the Iraq War, he meets with the Baathists.

I think I see the pattern...

Quoted: John Kerry Meets With Syrian President

To surrender?....Vive La France!

Quoted: Quoted: "I wish you were the president," al-Nabulsi said. "Thank you very much. So do I," Kerry said. well no shit.

Christ, THAT should be put on a fucking billboard.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: "I wish you were the president," al-Nabulsi said. "Thank you very much. So do I," Kerry said. well no shit. THAT should be put on a fucking billboard.

+1

Kerry for President of Syria 2008

Quoted: During the Viet Nam War, he met with the Viet Cong. During the Contra War, he met with the Sandinistas. During the Iraq War, he meets with the Baathists. I think I see the pattern...

+1

damn......i'm sick and tired of these traitorous bastages meeting with those who would do us in.

and on top of that uttering phrases like"i wish you were the president"!!!!?????????

why doesn't someone censure the bastard in the senate for this kind of crap?

stinkin' conive-in' back stabbin' sell out ya mama liberal traitors.......

Quoted: Quoted: During the Viet Nam War, he met with the Viet Cong. During the Contra War, he met with the Sandinistas. During the Iraq War, he meets with the Baathists. I think I see the pattern... +1

More than you know.

Former Presidential Candidate

Wouldn't "Unsuccessful Presidential Candidate" be more on target?

WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL THIS TRAITOROUS DEMOCRAPTIC COCKSUCKER THAT HIS 15 MINUTES OF FAME ENDED NOV. 3


I GUESS SHOOTING HIS  EMBARASSING BIG MOUTH OFF IN OTHER NATIONS IS A LIFELONG GOAL

It's best I not comment.

Quoted: Quoted: "I wish you were the president," al-Nabulsi said. "Thank you very much. So do I," Kerry said. well no shit.

Quoted: John Kerry Meets With Syrian President Former Presidential Candidate Is On Two-Week Tour Of The Middle East Jan 8, 2005 9:28 am US/Pacific DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) Former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry met Saturday with Syria's president and said he was hopeful that strained U.S.-Syrian relations could be improved, provided Washington seized "a moment of opportunity" currently available in the Middle East. The United States has accused Syria of doing too little to stop insurgents from infiltrating into Iraq to attack coalition forces. Washington also has imposed sanctions on Damascus, accusing it of seeking weapons of mass destruction and hosting Palestinian groups Washington deems to be terrorist organizations. Syria denies the accusations but says it cannot fully control its long, porous border with Iraq. Sen. Kerry, D-Mass., met for two hours with President Bashar Assad and then with Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa, with both meetings centering on Iraq and how to prevent militants from moving from Syria into neighboring Iraq. "I think we found a great deal of areas of mutual interest, some common concerns and some possibilities for initiatives that could be taken in the future to strengthening the relationship between the U.S. and Syria," Kerry told reporters after meeting with al-Sharaa. "I leave here with a sense that we can improve our relationship. There are significant possibilities, particularly with the elections in Iraq and the elections in the West Bank ... This is the moment of opportunity for the Middle East, for the U.S. and for the world. I hope that we would seize that opportunity." Assad stressed "the importance of dialogue between the two sides over all issues under discussion, especially those of common interest," Syria's official news agency reported. Kerry said he and Assad discussed Iraq, security, Lebanon and weapons of mass destruction. In September, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution calling on Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon and dismantle the Syrian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah guerrilla group. Syria, with some 14,000 troops stationed in Lebanon, is the main power broker in that country. More recently, President Bush has warned Syria and Iran against "meddling" in the internal affairs of Iraq. Washington and Baghdad both have said that key support for the insurgency in Iraq was coming from a half brother of Saddam Hussein and Baath Party leaders based in Syria. Kerry, who is on a two-week tour of the Middle East, arrived Friday from Iraq, where he met U.S. troops in the volatile northern city of Mosul, the scene of a suicide bombing last month on a military base that killed 22 people, including 14 U.S. soldiers and three American contractors. Kerry, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will be in the West Bank for Sunday's Palestinian election and is expected to visit a polling place. After Kerry left the Foreign Ministry on Saturday, 13-year-old Mustafa al-Nabulsi approached him with a drawing of the senator as a soldier in his Vietnam days. "You have made me much more important than I was, though. You made me a general," Kerry said. "I wish you were the president," al-Nabulsi said. "Thank you very much. So do I," Kerry said.

Another missed friendly fire opportunity....

CW

Can someone tell me why in the hell John Kerry is in Syria representing the United States? Does this asswipe not realize that he LOST the election?

Quoted: Quoted: During the Viet Nam War, he met with the Viet Cong. During the Contra War, he met with the Sandinistas. During the Iraq War, he meets with the Baathists. I think I see the pattern... +1

+2

I assume we found one of kerry's much vaunted foriegn leaders?

:P

Quoted: Looks like he's meeting with one of his allies again.

Looks more accurate now.

What a POS.

I will delete my COC violation before I even make it.

Quoted: Looks like he's meeting with the enemy again.

Are you admiting we went to war with the wrong country?

Next on Kerry's itinerary:

A date with his boyfriend, cyanide!

Preview of their date:

"I wish you were the president," cyanide said. "Thank you very much. So do I," Kerry said.

On who's request is Kerry jumping around the Middle East? I want to know what gives a senator the authority to be running around in a hot zone like that "building relations" and developing potential future policy in that region. Is he there representing Mass or the US... or himself for the 08 election?

What a total clown. The way I see he has no place over there... he should be doing what his moron state elected him to do... which as far as I'm concerned doesn't involve meeting with terrorist states that have been giving us nothing but grief over there.