Echoing conservative talking points and making false assertions, an April 6 editorial in The Pueblo Chieftain criticized U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) direct talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as “a disgrace” without noting that congressional Republicans met with Assad before and after Pelosi did. The editorial further claimed that Pelosi went to Syria “with her own foreign policy,” but failed to note that the bipartisan Iraq Study Group recommended that the United States engage in direct talks with Syria and Iran in an effort to enlist those nations' help in stabilizing Iraq. In addition, the Chieftain falsely asserted that "[u]nder the constitution, foreign policy is to be the province of the executive branch, not Congress." In fact, while the executive branch has broad latitude in formulating foreign policy, the U.S. Constitution does not bar Congress from playing a role.

According to the Chieftain editorial:

We'd remind our readers that the Iranians are supplying the insurgents in Iraq with weapons, including many of the roadside bombs which have killed a substantial number of our troops. And we'd remind them that it is Syria that has turned a blind eye to the number of insurgents that have entered Iraq from that country, where House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went this week with her own foreign policy.

Under the constitution, foreign policy is to be the province of the executive branch, not Congress.

We are at war with a virulent religious fringe of Islamofascists who find aid and comfort from Iran and Syria. For Speaker Pelosi to be canoodling with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus is a disgrace.

In criticizing Pelosi, however, the Chieftain failed to note examples of Republican congressmen who met with Assad both before and after her visit to Syria.

For example, a House Republican delegation, consisting of Reps. Frank Wolf (VA), Joe Pitts (PA), and Robert Aderholt (AL), met with Assad on April 1, three days before Pelosi spoke with the Syrian president. As the Associated Press reported, the delegation's statement declared, “We came because we believe there is an opportunity for dialogue ... We are following in the lead of Ronald Reagan, who reached out to the Soviets during the Cold War.” The AP later quoted Wolf saying, “I don't care what the administration says on this. You gotta do what you think is in the best interest of your country.” Furthermore, Republican Rep. Darrell Issa (CA) met with Assad on April 5, a day after Pelosi's meeting. As the AP reported on April 5, Issa “said President Bush had failed to promote the dialogue that is necessary to resolve disagreements between the United States and Syria.”

In addition to omitting mention of Republicans' trips to Syria, the Chieftain failed to note the Iraq Study Group recommendation that the United States “should try to engage [Iran and Syria] constructively.” But as the April 5 AP article noted, “President Bush has rejected direct talks with Syria.”

Finally, contrary to the Chieftain's claim that U.S. foreign policy under the Constitution “is to be the province of the executive branch, not Congress,” Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution states: “The Congress shall have Power ... [t]o regulate Commerce with foreign Nations” and "[t]o declare War." Moreover, Article II, Section 2 articulates the president's powers regarding foreign policy, which include the participation of Congress:

He [the president] shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United State, who Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be establish by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The Chieftain's editorial echoed similar omissions about the Republican visits to Syria by KCNC CBS4, KMGH 7News, KDVR Fox 31, and The Gazette of Colorado Springs in their reporting of Pelosi's visit, as Colorado Media Matters noted (here, here, here, and here).