vinism

Mark it down. December 13, 2006 is the day I officially gave up on Democrats in the House of Representatives. It is the day where I decided things are just hopeless. And the thing is -- I really wanted to believe. I was hoping that with Dems in office, our foreign policy would change and shape up. And we'd gain some respect in the world. But then I read how Rep. Sylvester Reyes -- Nancy Pelosi's handpicked incoming chairman of the House intelligence commitee -- miserably failed a pop quiz on Mideast 101.

Here's part of the quiz, administered by CQ's Jeff Stein:

We warmed up with a long discussion about intelligence issues and Iraq. And then we veered into terrorism’s major players.

To me, it’s like asking about Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland: Who’s on what side?

The dialogue went like this:

Al Qaeda is what, I asked, Sunni or Shia?

“Al Qaeda, they have both,” Reyes said. “You’re talking about predominately?”

“Sure,” I said, not knowing what else to say.

“Predominantly — probably Shiite,” he ventured.

If it was me writing this piece, the next sentence would have been: "How stupid are you!"

Stein was little more diplomatic (though not much more) with:

He couldn’t have been more wrong.

Al Qaeda is profoundly Sunni. If a Shiite showed up at an al Qaeda club house, they’d slice off his head and use it for a soccer ball.

Stein did give Reyes a chance to redeem himself:

And Hezbollah? I asked him. What are they?

“Hezbollah. Uh, Hezbollah...”

He laughed again, shifting in his seat.

“Why do you ask me these questions at five o’clock? Can I answer in Spanish? Do you speak Spanish?”

“Poquito,” I said—a little.

“Poquito?! “ He laughed again.

“Go ahead,” I said, talk to me about Sunnis and Shia in Spanish.

Reyes: “Well, I, uh....”

And now you know why I've given up.

Labels: congress, foreign policy, house of representatives, intelligence, iraq, mideast, pelosi, reyes