It takes a big man to admit he’s wrong — and Bush is not a big man.  So we end up with this:

In the next week there will be senators in Syria and House members in Cuba, countries where the United States has no official ambassador and with which, for political reasons, the Bush administration refuses to speak.

While technically fact-finding missions, the congressional trips come amidst criticism that the Bush administration is not doing enough to diplomatically engage countries whose relations with the United States are strained.

In the case of Syria, the cold shoulder from the White House comes despite the strong recommendations of Democrats and the Iraq Study Group that a direct dialogue with Damascus could be essential to stabilizing Iraq.

Typical right-winger response: “those damn Defeatocrats & their fraternizing with teh enemy!  Less talk, more war!”

Oh…what have we here?  Republicans are sidestepping the Petulant-Child-in-Chief too!

It’s not just Democrats flouting the Republican White House, which has official control of American foreign policy. The eight-member delegation to Cuba is made up of four Republicans and four Democrats. That group may meet with acting President Raul Castro before returning Sunday. Arlen Specter, a Republican from Pennsylvania, is one of the four senators who either were just in or are going to Syria in the coming weeks. Specter delivered a speech on the Senate floor last week advocating dialogue between the United States and Syria, as well as with North Korea. (emphasis mine)

It makes sense to talk with Syria for one very important — and very obvious — reason: as regional neighbors to Iraq, they know much more about them than we ever could.  We don’t potentially deal with iraqis every day back home.  Besides that, if this becomes a regional clusterfuck then it’s better to have an idea where they’re coming from when they jump in than to be surprised later.

As for Cuba, it’s amazing how they’re still being treated as if the Reds are going to overrun us at the drop of a hat.  I hope that the dialog there is a crack in the foundation of that far-outdated belief, & we’re on the road to ending that trade embargo.  If it takes Fidel sliding towards a dirt nap to get to that, then so be it.

Of course, this situation just wouldn’t feel right without some comic relief.  Take it away, Tony:

“We have discouraged members of Congress from doing this,” White House spokesman Tony Snow said Thursday.  “We spoke with [Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida who went on a fact-finding mission to Syria this week] beforehand. He went. We think it’s inappropriate. … The point is that even lending a further specter of legitimacy to that government undermines the cause of democracy in the region.”

Y’know what REALLY undermines the cause of democracy over there?  The sight of the iraqi interpretation of it as a circular firing squad.   Besides, considering how the borders in the middle east were created, one could argue that there is no “legitimacy” to be had in the entire region*.

(* - first one to call me anti-semetic for not excluding Israel from this needs a history lesson.  And a proctologist to remove the stick from their ass.)