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	<title>Comments on: Lifeline: Congress passes temporary spending patch</title>
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		<title>By: Google</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-1134478</link>
		<dc:creator>Google</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:19:59 +0000</pubDate>
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Hey Websmaster , Awesome blog , if you need backlinks to your website I provide upto 10,000 high quality SEO backlinks for only $5. Check it out here :http://bit.ly/msweL2...</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>The best website…&#8230;</strong></p>
<p>Hey Websmaster , Awesome blog , if you need backlinks to your website I provide upto 10,000 high quality SEO backlinks for only $5. Check it out here :<a href="http://bit.ly/msweL2.." rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/msweL2..</a>.</p>
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		<title>By: bmac727</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-642233</link>
		<dc:creator>bmac727</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:01:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michellemalkin.com/?p=24307#comment-642233</guid>
		<description>&lt;em&gt;POTUS, Congress Fiddle while America&#039;s Wealth Burns!&lt;/em&gt;

Just since Barack Obama was installed as POTUS - a mere 6 wks ago, our Major Stock Market Indices have plunged more than 20% (the defining point of a &quot;Bear Mkt&quot;) and the Recession has deepened with over 8.1% now officially Unemployed.  Fire-sale prices are in effect - Citigroup stock is around $1 and GM shares are now less than $1.50 - as investors see major American financial and manufacturing behemoths on the brink of bankruptcy. 

Zoom out a bit, and we see the situation even more dire. Since Mr. Obama&#039;s Election, Americans have lost some $3 trillion in wealth, reports Investors&#039; Business Daily, as the markets have plummeted some 30%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, for example, has collapsed from 9,625.28 on November 4, 2008 to 6,626.94 on March 6, 2009. In the midst of all this: Millions of Americans have lost their jobs. Small businesses are dying. Big businesses are dying. Credit is tight. Confidence is low. And people are anxious. 
 
The White House and Congress are fiddling - with an &quot;Omnibus Spending&quot; (&amp; Pork) bill (that was supposed to be done last Sep for FY 2009) , a &quot;Cap and Trade (carbon tax)&quot; bill, the (so-called) &quot;Employee Free (i.e. Forced) Choice (card check)&quot; Act, and a (National Socialist) Universal Health Care plan - while America&#039;s Financial Markets and Banking System are BURNING!  
 
Please e-mail or call your Sens &amp; Reps &amp; tell them to stop fiddling with this hogwash, pass a simple Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government running for the last 6 1/2 mos of FY 2009, and to come home for a REALITY CHECK!
 
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm   -  http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>POTUS, Congress Fiddle while America&#8217;s Wealth Burns!</em></p>
<p>Just since Barack Obama was installed as POTUS &#8211; a mere 6 wks ago, our Major Stock Market Indices have plunged more than 20% (the defining point of a &#8220;Bear Mkt&#8221;) and the Recession has deepened with over 8.1% now officially Unemployed.  Fire-sale prices are in effect &#8211; Citigroup stock is around $1 and GM shares are now less than $1.50 &#8211; as investors see major American financial and manufacturing behemoths on the brink of bankruptcy. </p>
<p>Zoom out a bit, and we see the situation even more dire. Since Mr. Obama&#8217;s Election, Americans have lost some $3 trillion in wealth, reports Investors&#8217; Business Daily, as the markets have plummeted some 30%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, for example, has collapsed from 9,625.28 on November 4, 2008 to 6,626.94 on March 6, 2009. In the midst of all this: Millions of Americans have lost their jobs. Small businesses are dying. Big businesses are dying. Credit is tight. Confidence is low. And people are anxious. </p>
<p>The White House and Congress are fiddling &#8211; with an &#8220;Omnibus Spending&#8221; (&amp; Pork) bill (that was supposed to be done last Sep for FY 2009) , a &#8220;Cap and Trade (carbon tax)&#8221; bill, the (so-called) &#8220;Employee Free (i.e. Forced) Choice (card check)&#8221; Act, and a (National Socialist) Universal Health Care plan &#8211; while America&#8217;s Financial Markets and Banking System are BURNING!  </p>
<p>Please e-mail or call your Sens &amp; Reps &amp; tell them to stop fiddling with this hogwash, pass a simple Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government running for the last 6 1/2 mos of FY 2009, and to come home for a REALITY CHECK!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm" rel="nofollow">http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm</a>   &#8211;  <a href="http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml" rel="nofollow">http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml</a></p>
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		<title>By: Laree</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-642087</link>
		<dc:creator>Laree</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2009 16:02:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michellemalkin.com/?p=24307#comment-642087</guid>
		<description>&lt;a href=&quot;http://youhavetobethistalltogoonthisride.blogspot.com/2009/03/get-inside-imus.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Imus In The Morning &lt;/a&gt;is offering a new subscription feature like Bill O&#039;Reilly&#039;s premium service. The proceeds go to Imus Ranch for Children with Cancer and Blood Disorders a lot of charities are going to be affected by the caps for charitable giving. Meanwhile Obama lectures us on spending money on the things we need and not on the things we don&#039;t. uh huh so who gets to decide what (A) need turns out to be?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://youhavetobethistalltogoonthisride.blogspot.com/2009/03/get-inside-imus.html" rel="nofollow">Imus In The Morning </a>is offering a new subscription feature like Bill O&#8217;Reilly&#8217;s premium service. The proceeds go to Imus Ranch for Children with Cancer and Blood Disorders a lot of charities are going to be affected by the caps for charitable giving. Meanwhile Obama lectures us on spending money on the things we need and not on the things we don&#8217;t. uh huh so who gets to decide what (A) need turns out to be?</p>
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		<title>By: GaMidnightRider</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-641973</link>
		<dc:creator>GaMidnightRider</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2009 06:01:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michellemalkin.com/?p=24307#comment-641973</guid>
		<description>&lt;blockquote&gt;On March 6th, 2009 at 8:01 pm, Tazed and Confused said: This is not a time for preschoolers to be running the country. Is there no one with intelligence and leadership capability within this Administration????&lt;/blockquote&gt;

They have no plan. They do not know what they are doing. Why do you think they are making a big deal about Rush Limbaugh. Keep peoples mind off their imcompetence. I agree with you. We need to impeach the A^&amp;hole.
I am doing research for my blog on how many campaign promises B. Hussein Obama has broken since he took office. So far I am up to 15.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote><p>On March 6th, 2009 at 8:01 pm, Tazed and Confused said: This is not a time for preschoolers to be running the country. Is there no one with intelligence and leadership capability within this Administration????</p></blockquote>
<p>They have no plan. They do not know what they are doing. Why do you think they are making a big deal about Rush Limbaugh. Keep peoples mind off their imcompetence. I agree with you. We need to impeach the A^&amp;hole.<br />
I am doing research for my blog on how many campaign promises B. Hussein Obama has broken since he took office. So far I am up to 15.</p>
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		<title>By: HotMES: CR: Safeguard on Wasteful Spending</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-641893</link>
		<dc:creator>HotMES: CR: Safeguard on Wasteful Spending</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2009 02:28:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michellemalkin.com/?p=24307#comment-641893</guid>
		<description>&lt;strong&gt;CR: Safeguard on Wasteful Spending ...&lt;/strong&gt;

I work for the federal government. I am quite familiar with the term &quot;CR.&quot; We operate under it every year. In the federal government you are rewarded for spending and/or exceeding your budget. You are punished for saving taxpayer dollars. A CR requir...</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>CR: Safeguard on Wasteful Spending &#8230;</strong></p>
<p>I work for the federal government. I am quite familiar with the term &#8220;CR.&#8221; We operate under it every year. In the federal government you are rewarded for spending and/or exceeding your budget. You are punished for saving taxpayer dollars. A CR requir&#8230;</p>
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		<title>By: vsatt</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-641887</link>
		<dc:creator>vsatt</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2009 02:07:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michellemalkin.com/?p=24307#comment-641887</guid>
		<description>Not to sound too much like a mad-tinfoil-hatter or anything, but does anyone know the date of Obama&#039;s 666th day in office?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Not to sound too much like a mad-tinfoil-hatter or anything, but does anyone know the date of Obama&#8217;s 666th day in office?</p>
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		<title>By: Tazed and Confused</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-641864</link>
		<dc:creator>Tazed and Confused</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:01:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michellemalkin.com/?p=24307#comment-641864</guid>
		<description>Just send everyone home for heaven&#039;s sake... and stick a &quot;For Sale&quot; sign on the White House lawn... or &lt;em&gt;has Michelle already refinanced&lt;/em&gt; that dwelling and blown the proceeds on her wardrobe and DVD collection...?

This is not a time for preschoolers to be running the country. Is there no one with intelligence and leadership capability within this Administration????

Isn&#039;t &lt;strong&gt;IMCOMPETENCE &lt;/strong&gt;grounds for &lt;strong&gt;IMPEACHMENT&lt;/strong&gt;?

How many more times...?

&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2018:14;&amp;version=47;&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;John 18:1&lt;/a&gt;4</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Just send everyone home for heaven&#8217;s sake&#8230; and stick a &#8220;For Sale&#8221; sign on the White House lawn&#8230; or <em>has Michelle already refinanced</em> that dwelling and blown the proceeds on her wardrobe and DVD collection&#8230;?</p>
<p>This is not a time for preschoolers to be running the country. Is there no one with intelligence and leadership capability within this Administration????</p>
<p>Isn&#8217;t <strong>IMCOMPETENCE </strong>grounds for <strong>IMPEACHMENT</strong>?</p>
<p>How many more times&#8230;?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2018:14;&amp;version=47;" rel="nofollow">John 18:1</a>4</p>
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		<title>By: Khyris</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-641789</link>
		<dc:creator>Khyris</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:20:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michellemalkin.com/?p=24307#comment-641789</guid>
		<description>That is an unbelievably biased article... makes it sound like Republicans are responsible for 9000 earmarks, and are now trying to add MORE pork! But noble Harry Reid has vowed to defeat their wasteful ways!

Makes me want to barf.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>That is an unbelievably biased article&#8230; makes it sound like Republicans are responsible for 9000 earmarks, and are now trying to add MORE pork! But noble Harry Reid has vowed to defeat their wasteful ways!</p>
<p>Makes me want to barf.</p>
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		<title>By: denver republican</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-641772</link>
		<dc:creator>denver republican</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:03:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michellemalkin.com/?p=24307#comment-641772</guid>
		<description>&lt;blockquote&gt;On March 6th, 2009 at 2:42 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

Good grief. How long before we can get the adults back in charge?
&lt;/blockquote&gt;

By my calculations, about 668 days, when the newly-elected Republican majority takes over Congress.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote><p>On March 6th, 2009 at 2:42 pm, Dexter Alarius said:</p>
<p>Good grief. How long before we can get the adults back in charge?
</p></blockquote>
<p>By my calculations, about 668 days, when the newly-elected Republican majority takes over Congress.</p>
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		<title>By: sonofdy</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-641569</link>
		<dc:creator>sonofdy</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:39:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michellemalkin.com/?p=24307#comment-641569</guid>
		<description>Note this spending will probably be on TOP of the 410 billion. Cool eh???</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Note this spending will probably be on TOP of the 410 billion. Cool eh???</p>
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		<title>By: NJ-Aviator</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-641489</link>
		<dc:creator>NJ-Aviator</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:46:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michellemalkin.com/?p=24307#comment-641489</guid>
		<description>&lt;blockquote&gt; Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul said:

Totally OT, but probably completely correct…&lt;/blockquote&gt;

Ed... that&#039;s pretty shocking. I&#039;ve read about some the statements made, but between Clinton and Kerry, they seem all but ready to invade Israel themselves to appease Syria, Hamas and Iran.

Unreal.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote><p> Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul said:</p>
<p>Totally OT, but probably completely correct…</p></blockquote>
<p>Ed&#8230; that&#8217;s pretty shocking. I&#8217;ve read about some the statements made, but between Clinton and Kerry, they seem all but ready to invade Israel themselves to appease Syria, Hamas and Iran.</p>
<p>Unreal.</p>
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		<title>By: Dexter Alarius</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-641482</link>
		<dc:creator>Dexter Alarius</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:42:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michellemalkin.com/?p=24307#comment-641482</guid>
		<description>&lt;blockquote&gt;How &lt;strike&gt;Obama&lt;/strike&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Moe&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strike&gt;Hillary&lt;/strike&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Larry&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strike&gt;Kerry&lt;/strike&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Curly&lt;/strong&gt; will, ultimately, bring peace to the Middle East&lt;/blockquote&gt;

Good grief.  How long before we can get the adults back in charge?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote><p>How <strike>Obama</strike> <strong>Moe</strong>, <strike>Hillary</strike> <strong>Larry</strong> and <strike>Kerry</strike> <strong>Curly</strong> will, ultimately, bring peace to the Middle East</p></blockquote>
<p>Good grief.  How long before we can get the adults back in charge?</p>
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		<title>By: As lawmakers struggled over an omnibus, Congress passes a temporary spending measure to keep the government open through Wednesday &#124; Fire Andrea Mitchell!</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-641477</link>
		<dc:creator>As lawmakers struggled over an omnibus, Congress passes a temporary spending measure to keep the government open through Wednesday &#124; Fire Andrea Mitchell!</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:39:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michellemalkin.com/?p=24307#comment-641477</guid>
		<description>[...] As the left wing moonbats continue to kick and whine and can&#8217;t get their way because even some..., including pig odor research, Congress passes a temporary &#8220;SPENDING&#8221; measure [from the Washington Times]: Congress Friday passed a temporary spending measure to keep the government open through Wednesday as lawmakers struggled over an omnibus appropriations bill for the remainder of the fiscal year. [...]</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>[...] As the left wing moonbats continue to kick and whine and can&#8217;t get their way because even some&#8230;, including pig odor research, Congress passes a temporary &#8220;SPENDING&#8221; measure [from the Washington Times]: Congress Friday passed a temporary spending measure to keep the government open through Wednesday as lawmakers struggled over an omnibus appropriations bill for the remainder of the fiscal year. [...]</p>
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		<title>By: WarTip</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-641462</link>
		<dc:creator>WarTip</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:23:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michellemalkin.com/?p=24307#comment-641462</guid>
		<description>Dang, just close the government down, lock the doors and turn the lights out as you leave PLEASE!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Dang, just close the government down, lock the doors and turn the lights out as you leave PLEASE!</p>
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		<title>By: Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul</title>
		<link>http://michellemalkin.com/2009/03/06/lifeline-congress-passes-temporary-spending-patch/comment-page-1/#comment-641457</link>
		<dc:creator>Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:20:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://michellemalkin.com/?p=24307#comment-641457</guid>
		<description>Totally OT, but probably completely correct...


&lt;a href=&quot;http://jewishworldreview.com/0309/glick030609.php3&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;How Obama, Hillary and Kerry will, ultimately, bring peace to the Middle East&lt;/a&gt; 


&lt;blockquote&gt;Compare and contrast the following three events: 

At the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors meeting on Wednesday, George Schulte, the US ambassador to the IAEA pointed an accusatory finger at Syria. Syria, Schulte said, has not come clean on its nuclear program. That program of course, was exposed in September 2007 when Israel reportedly destroyed Syria’s North Korean built, Iranian financed al Kibar nuclear reactor. 

In its report to its board of governors, the IAEA stated that in analyzing soil samples from the bombed installation, its inspectors discovered traces of uranium. The nuclear watchdog agency also noted that the Syrians have blocked UN nuclear inspectors from the site and from three other suspected nuclear sites. 

Reacting to the IAEA report, Schulte said that it, “contributes to the growing evidence of clandestine nuclear activities in Syria.” He added, “We must understand why such [uranium] material - material not previously declared to the IAEA - existed in Syria and this can only happen if Syria provides the cooperation requested.” 

On Tuesday, at a press conference in Jerusalem with outgoing Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that the Obama administration is sending two senior envoys to Syria. Their job, as she put it, is to begin “preliminary conversations,” on how to jump start US-Syrian bilateral ties. 

Clinton’s statement made good headlines, but she was light on details. On Wednesday, hours after Schulte accused Syria of covering up its illicit nuclear program, US Senator John Kerry helpfully filled in the blanks about the nature of the Obama administration’s overtures to nuclear-proliferating Damascus. In an address before the left-leaning Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institute in Washington, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who just returned from a visit to Syria, Israel and the Palestinian Authority said that the purpose of US overtures to Syria is to appease Syrian President Bashar Assad. 

If in the past, both American and Israeli policymakers interested in engaging Syria have made ending Syria’s alliance with Iran a central goal of their proposed engagement, Kerry dismissed such an aim as unrealistic. In his words, “We should have no illusions that Syria will immediately end its ties with Iran.” 

Indeed, as far as Kerry is concerned, Syria’s role in these talks is not to actually give the US anything of value. Rather, Syria’s role is to take things of value from the US - and of course from Israel. 

Kerry proposed that in exchange for Syrian acceptance the US’s offer of friendship and Assad’s willingness to negotiate an Israeli surrender of the Golan Heights, the US should consider “loosening certain sanctions” against Syria. Doing so, he claimed will also be good for the US economy because it will open new opportunities for US businesses. 

...

&lt;/blockquote&gt;</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Totally OT, but probably completely correct&#8230;</p>
<p><a href="http://jewishworldreview.com/0309/glick030609.php3" rel="nofollow">How Obama, Hillary and Kerry will, ultimately, bring peace to the Middle East</a> </p>
<blockquote><p>Compare and contrast the following three events: </p>
<p>At the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors meeting on Wednesday, George Schulte, the US ambassador to the IAEA pointed an accusatory finger at Syria. Syria, Schulte said, has not come clean on its nuclear program. That program of course, was exposed in September 2007 when Israel reportedly destroyed Syria’s North Korean built, Iranian financed al Kibar nuclear reactor. </p>
<p>In its report to its board of governors, the IAEA stated that in analyzing soil samples from the bombed installation, its inspectors discovered traces of uranium. The nuclear watchdog agency also noted that the Syrians have blocked UN nuclear inspectors from the site and from three other suspected nuclear sites. </p>
<p>Reacting to the IAEA report, Schulte said that it, “contributes to the growing evidence of clandestine nuclear activities in Syria.” He added, “We must understand why such [uranium] material &#8211; material not previously declared to the IAEA &#8211; existed in Syria and this can only happen if Syria provides the cooperation requested.” </p>
<p>On Tuesday, at a press conference in Jerusalem with outgoing Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that the Obama administration is sending two senior envoys to Syria. Their job, as she put it, is to begin “preliminary conversations,” on how to jump start US-Syrian bilateral ties. </p>
<p>Clinton’s statement made good headlines, but she was light on details. On Wednesday, hours after Schulte accused Syria of covering up its illicit nuclear program, US Senator John Kerry helpfully filled in the blanks about the nature of the Obama administration’s overtures to nuclear-proliferating Damascus. In an address before the left-leaning Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institute in Washington, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who just returned from a visit to Syria, Israel and the Palestinian Authority said that the purpose of US overtures to Syria is to appease Syrian President Bashar Assad. </p>
<p>If in the past, both American and Israeli policymakers interested in engaging Syria have made ending Syria’s alliance with Iran a central goal of their proposed engagement, Kerry dismissed such an aim as unrealistic. In his words, “We should have no illusions that Syria will immediately end its ties with Iran.” </p>
<p>Indeed, as far as Kerry is concerned, Syria’s role in these talks is not to actually give the US anything of value. Rather, Syria’s role is to take things of value from the US &#8211; and of course from Israel. </p>
<p>Kerry proposed that in exchange for Syrian acceptance the US’s offer of friendship and Assad’s willingness to negotiate an Israeli surrender of the Golan Heights, the US should consider “loosening certain sanctions” against Syria. Doing so, he claimed will also be good for the US economy because it will open new opportunities for US businesses. </p>
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