Regretfully Decline

This is a picture of ruins in Palmyra, Syria. I am from Palmyra, Pennsylvania.

I got a lovely email from my friend Michel who lives in Damascus, Syria. He has invited TIRH and me (and *ahem* the cats) to visit him. In fact, Michel (who was studying architecture on a Fulbright scholarship the last year that I was an undergraduate at PSU) could be reading this right now!

I have always wanted to visit Syria. Here’s a simple map to show geographically-challenged Americans where the country is located. I’ve also always wanted to visit Iran (for reasons that most people know already) and I have open invitations to both places.

Unfortunately, for reasons that most people know already (um, yeah, there’s a war going on) and the fact that both Syria and Iran are ‘on the Department of State’s list of State sponsors of terrorism’ coupled with aggressive US policies against these countries (that are inhabited by some of the most wonderful people in the world) prevent me from visiting at this time.

BB (Before Bush) I more than entertained the possibility of visiting the Middle East. You could say I seriously considered it.

AB (After Bush) I think it will be many years before I entertain that notion again. I’m rather pessimistic that the damage the Bush administration has done will be fixed within 10-15 years, if at all in my lifetime.

In the immortal words of Morrissey: America your head’s too big, Because America, Your belly’s too big.