In mid-January, U.S. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hi) visited Syria and met with its president Bashar Al-Assad. In an April 3, 2017 article, Ibrahim Al-Amin, editor of the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, which is close to the Assad regime and to Hizbullah, claimed that Gabbard had met with Assad on behalf of U.S. President Donald Trump to examine possibilities for cooperation between the U.S. and Assad in the war against ISIS, and that she had relayed a message to Assad from Trump, to the effect that Trump does not seek to depose him and that the lifting of sanctions and the establishment of direct ties between the countries were a matter of time.[1]
Al-Amin, who likely received leaked information reflecting the position of the Syrian regime, added that during the meeting with Assad, Gabbard inquired, on President Trump's behalf, about the possibility that the two would speak directly via telephone, and Assad instantly agreed without consulting with Iran and Russia. Al-Amin's article was translated and published by MEMRI in a report.
Al-Amin's article on Al-Akhbar's front page
That same day, Gabbard denied Al-Amin's claims, tweeting: "The exchange described in this story never happened. Claims suggesting otherwise are false."[2]
On April 5, in response to the denial, Al-Amin published another article, titled "Gabbard, Are You Willing to Debate?". In this article, which was published in Arabic and English, he challenged the Congresswoman to a televised debate, so that the audience would discover what really happened and who is telling the truth. He claimed that there are at least 13 witnesses to what transpired, and added that this affair would not diminish his "contempt for the staff of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut which, in its majority, serves as an intelligence office on behalf of the Israeli enemy."
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The following is the English version of Al-Amin's April 5 article, as it was published by Al-Akhbar.[3]
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (image: votetulsi.com)
"'The exchange described in this story never happened. Claims suggesting otherwise are false.'
"What is cited above is what was said by U.S. Member of Congress Tulsi Gabbard in response to what was published in Al-Akhbar two days ago about [her] recent trip to Syria and Lebanon and the details of her meetings with presidents Donald Trump and Bashar Al-Assad. I remember former president Bill Clinton, when he appeared before the media and said ironically and firmly that he categorically denies that there was ever sexual relations between him and former White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. Whether it was a long time afterwards or not, it was later revealed that he was not telling the truth. And his problem was that he falsely assumed (as is common among US politicians) that there was no evidence of the charge against him. And Ms. Gabbard may need some more time to reorganize her files, [considering that] she knows full well that there are at least 13 people (here and there) who were witnesses to what transpired. We here are not accusing Ms. Gabbard of committing a major sin. And maybe it bothered her that the matter was revealed now. But is it possible to ask her if she is willing to participate in a TV debate, in the presence of whoever she wishes, no matter, provided we act on the premise of an honor code 'our word versus her word,' or that she pledges to not lie, or to commit herself to a bet about what will be exposed — by facts and days — to be false? Or that she brings with her a copy of the American Constitution, not as a sacred text but to prove that she respects it, and to say that out of respect for it she will only tell the truth. Only then the audience will find out whatever happened, and it will be revealed who is telling the truth and who is concealing the truth… and I am waiting.
PS: This matter won’t diminish my contempt for the staff of the US embassy in Beirut which, in its majority, serves as an intelligence office on behalf of the Israeli enemy. And its nervousness has increased recently, as has the symptoms of its psychological exhaustion, due to finding out that it lives today in the 'Post-Feltman[4] Lebanon.'"
[1] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), April 3, 2017.
[2] Twitter.com/TulsiPress, April 3, 2017.
[3] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), April 5, 2017. The original English has been lightly edited for clarity.
[4] An allusion to former U.S. ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey D. Feltman, who is accused by the supporters of the resistance axis in Lebanon of flagrant interference in Lebanese affairs and of imposing U.S. policy on Lebanon.
