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July 2007 Stats for The Big Picture.
The Washingon Post says Pelosi's behavior in Syria was a "counterproductive," "foolish" attempt to "substitute her own foreign policy for that of a sitting Republican president."
USA Today says:
...House Speaker Nancy Pelosi crossed a line this week by visiting Syria, where she met with President Bashar Assad. She violated a long-held understanding that the United States should speak with one official voice abroad - even if the country is deeply divided on foreign policy back home.
...It's not up to the speaker to unfreeze relations with Assad.
And a Wall Street Journal article says she broke the law:
The Logan Act makes it a felony and provides for a prison sentence of up to three years for any American, "without authority of the United States," to communicate with a foreign government in an effort to influence that government's behavior on any "disputes or controversies with the United States." Some background on this statute helps to understand why Ms. Pelosi may be in serious trouble.
...the offense is greater when the usurpation of the president's constitutional authority is done by a member of the legislature--all the more so by a Speaker of the House--because it violates not just statutory law but constitutes a usurpation of the powers of a separate branch and a breach of the oath of office Ms. Pelosi took to support the Constitution.
Pelosi has been trying to impose her foreign policy strategy on the Presidency since the moment she became speaker, most notably with regard to Iraq. Per the Washington Post (same link as above):
The really striking development here is the attempt by a Democratic congressional leader to substitute her own foreign policy for that of a sitting Republican president. Two weeks ago Ms. Pelosi rammed legislation through the House of Representatives that would strip Mr. Bush of his authority as commander in chief to manage troop movements in Iraq.
Republicans should make sure to bring this to Pelosi's attention the very next time she tries to discuss such issues. Pelosi's foolish behavior ( the Washington Post called it a "pratfall" ) should be thrown in her face such that she never can say a word about foreign policy again.
