Kerry in Syria, Lebanon & Israel ...

"... Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, held meetings in Lebanon Monday before traveling to Damascus for meetings with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The purpose of Kerry's Levant trip is to show continuing United States support for Lebanon and for Lebanon's independence, Kerry's spokesman Frederick Jones said. ...... Following his visit to Damascus, Kerry is expected to travel on to Israel, the West Bank and Turkey, although his itinerary is still tentative.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently in the United States, where he met with Vice President Joe Biden Sunday and is due to meet with Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Thursday in New York. ...."