Washington, DC | April 5, 2007 | The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) welcomes Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s efforts on her recent trip to the Middle East. Specifically, the nation‘s largest Arab-American grassroots organization views Speaker Pelosi‘s recent trip to Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Israel, and Saudi Arabia as proactive steps in engaging in dialogue with key players in the Middle East that is vital to achieving peace in the area and securing the long-term national interests of the United States.
It should be noted that Pelosi’s trip to Syria, in particular, was only one of several trips to Syria by Republican and Democratic members of Congress in recent months. These trips come following the recommendation of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group report that recommended US diplomatic engagement with both Syria and Iran. ADC is encouraged by Speaker Pelosi’s statement, “We came in friendship, hope, and determined that the road to Damascus is a road to peace.”
Pelosi’s delegation also included Reps. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Nick J. Rahall II (D-WV), Louise M. Slaughter (D-N.Y.), Henry A. Waxman (D-CA.), David L. Hobson (R-OH), and Tom Lantos (D-CA). Rep Lantos, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said, “The meeting reinforced sharply the potential benefits of talking to Syria. This is only the beginning of our constructive dialogue with Syria and we hope to build on this visit.”