By Brandon Turbeville

In a surprise revelation, U.S. Representative from Hawaii, Tulsi Gabbard, has embarked upon an unannounced visit to Syria for a “fact-finding trip . . . to promote and work for peace.” Gabbard did not announce her trip publicly for obvious safety and security reasons. However, now that the news is out, the Western corporate press is reacting in apoplectic rage at her audacity to act in a manner unapproved by the establishment.

These press outlets have attacked her for not giving “advance notice” to Democratic Party leadership, for not yet disclosing who funded the trip, and for possibly meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. [We are sure the same reaction would be provided if she had traveled to Israel, right?] Gabbard has even been maligned as the GOP’s favorite Democrat, a wholly unfair label but one ironically hoisted upon her because of her opposition to international destabilization and imperialist wars.

What her office did say in regards to the trip was that, “She felt it was important to meet with a number of individuals and groups including religious leaders, humanitarian workers, refugees and government and community leaders.”

Gabbard is a member of the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committee and is herself an Iraq war veteran. She has repeatedly called for an end to America’s arming and assisting of terrorist groups in Syria, even introducing the Stop Arming Terrorists Act, which would bar the U.S. government from providing money or assistance to al-Qaeda, al-Nusra, Jobhat Fatah al-Sham, and the Islamic State.

“If you or I gave money, weapons or support to al-Qaeda or ISIS, we would be thrown in jail,” she said. “Yet the U.S. government has been violating this law for years, quietly supporting allies and partners of al-Qaeda, ISIL . . . and other terrorist groups with money, weapons and intelligence support, in their fight to overthrow the Syrian government.”

Gabbard is not alone on the trip, however. Former Ohio Congressman and Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich is also in Syria, according to reports, having visiting both Damascus and Aleppo. Kucinich has long been a critic of U.S. aggression both under the Bush and Obama regimes.

As he stated to Sputnik in November of last year, “The United States has made wrong decisions and needs to change its course, and change it quickly. We need to back away from this idea that somehow we are going to usurp the administration of [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assad. That is not our job. It is not for us to determine who the leaders of any country should be.”

He also added that, “It does not do us any good to continue to spread Cold War psychology, to engage in fantasies and lies about Russia’s role in the United States and to build policies upon those fantasies and lies.”

According to Syrian Pastor, Ibrahim Nasser, both Gabbard and Kucinich, as part of the delegation, affirmed their opposition to America’s foreign policy under the Obama administration of the destabilization and destruction of Syria. Pastor Nasser stated, “During the meeting [with the church officials] as members of the US Congress they confirmed that they oppose the policy of their administration, especially with regard to the issue of support of terrorists and they will try to convey the real picture to the US people.”

Brandon Turbeville – article archive here – is the author of seven books, Codex Alimentarius — The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies, Five Sense Solutions and Dispatches From a Dissident, volume 1 and volume 2, The Road to Damascus: The Anglo-American Assault on Syria, and The Difference it Makes: 36 Reasons Why Hillary Clinton Should Never Be President. Turbeville has published over 850 articles on a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, government corruption, and civil liberties. Brandon Turbeville’s radio show Truth on The Tracks can be found every Monday night 9 pm EST at UCYTV. His website is BrandonTurbeville.com He is available for radio and TV interviews. Please contact activistpost (at) gmail.com.

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