Your Tax Dollars Send Kerry to Damascus

Kerry arriving at Damascus

I noticed that (in the press photos) that Sen. John Kerry (and Sen. Christopher Dodd D-Conn) used military aircraft to travel to Damascus, Syria, to meet with President Assad.

Is this a routine thing? I mean, for a Senator to use military transport for a private meeting with the Head of State of a nation we have accused of accused of sponsoring terrorism, ordering political assassinations and the supporting those killing American troops in Iraq?


Kerry & Dodd meet with Assad in Damascus

I always thought that foreign policy was the responsibility of the President/Executive Branch of government through the Department of State.

News reports describe Kerry's journey as "a diplomatic push from congress." I never knew that congress discussed foreign policy matters with the leaders of other nations, especially those who are considered to be America's "enemies."

Is this the best use of our military in these days when it is being described as "almost broken" and "stretched too thin?"

Are members of congress authorized to use military aircraft and personnel for personal trips to other countries? If so, how and why? Does this require approval from the Department of Defense? The State Department? The President?

How come Kerry and Dodd get this treatement? Would this be offered to any Senator or member of Congress?

I just don't get it. It's as if Kerry is pretending to be a mini-me President shoving his nose into matters that are constitutionally designated to be the responsibility of the man who defeated him for the Presidency. I can't for the life of me see how this sort of trip does anything useful for our nation, our foreign policy or much of anything else except for the personal benefit of Kerry.

For heaven's sake, we don't even have a US Ambassador in Damascus any more because we recalled him after Syria blew up the former President of Lebanon in 2005.

We may not have a US Ambassador of Damascus these days . . . but we do have two Democratic Senators visiting there courtesy of our tax dollars and members of the US military.

And I still don't get it!