Unhappy White House Threatens Dem Sen. Bill Nelson Over Syria Visit: “May Cost Some People Their Credibility”…

The New York Times SHERYL GAY STOLBERG December 15, 2006 04:12 PM

The White House said Thursday that a Democratic senator's meeting with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria was inappropriate and undermined democracy in the region, while three more senators, including a Republican, made plans to visit Damascus in defiance of President Bush.

The visits are troublesome for the Bush administration because they come in the wake of the report by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, which has called for the United States to engage in direct talks with Iran and Syria. Mr. Bush has steadfastly resisted such talks, and the visits by the senators could add to public pressure on the White House to change that policy.

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