One by one - Senators revolting against Bush

December 16th, 2006

Washington, D.C. - Republican senator Arlen Specter said he will visit Syria on a diplomatic mission with Syrian President Bashar Assad due to President Bush's failure to act on any recommendations of the Iraq Study Group.

Republican senator Arlen Specter said he will visit Syria on a diplomatic mission with Syrian President Bashar Assad due to President Bush's failure to act on any recommendations of the Iraq Study Group.

Specter says he and other Republicans are concerned that the administration's policies in the Middle East are failing and that other GOP members may follow in his footsteps.

More direct coordination with Iran and Syria over Iraq is one of the recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group.

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow suggested Thursday that just by engaging Syrian President Bashar Assad in diplomatic dialogue, visiting senators could dilute Washington's hard-line approach, even if they adopt the administration's language.

"I've talked to my Republican colleagues, and there is a disquiet here," Specter said.

The White House attacked senator Bill Nelson, a Democrat, on Wednesday for meeting with Assad in Damascus.

Nelson said Syrian President Bashar Assad said he was willing to help control the Iraq-Syrian border, where foreign fighters cross into Iraq.

Democratic senators, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and John F. Kerry of Massachusetts plan to travel together to Syria in coming days.

"We think it's inappropriate," White House spokesman Tony Snow said Thursday.

"The concern here, among other things, is that this does not strengthen the hand of democracy in the region ... but instead allows the Syrians to dodge the real responsibilities they have," Snow said.