Bush criticizes US House leader's trip to Syria

US President George W. Bush voiced displeasure on Tuesday with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Syria, saying it sends mixed signals to the government of President Bashar Assad. "A lot of people have gone to see President Assad....and yet we haven't seen action. He hasn't responded," Bush told reporters at a Rose Garden news conference. He said Assad had not reined in violent elements of Hamas and Hizbullah as requested by the international community and had acted to destabilize the democratically elected government of Lebanon. "Sending delegations doesn't work. It's simply been counterproductive," Bush said.