Via Laura Rozen

Kerry in Syria

After Kerry left the Foreign Ministry on Saturday, 13-year-old Mustafa al-Nabulsi approached him with a drawing of the senator as a soldier in his Vietnam days.

"You have made me much more important than I was, though. You made me a general," Kerry said.

"I wish you were the president," al-Nabulsi said.

"Thank you very much. So do I," Kerry said.

John Kerry Visits the Troops in Mosul

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Former US presidential hopeful John Kerry (news - web sites) visited US troops stationed in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, scene of a major suicide attack against on a US base in December, the US military said.

Kerry ate dinner on Thursday with soldiers at Camp Freedom, a former Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) palace, and met with Brigadier General Carter Ham, commander of troops in northern Iraq (news - web sites), and local provincial governor Duraid Kashmula, it said in a statement.

"Thanks for what you're doing," the senator from Massachusetts told soldiers. "The folks back home really appreciate your courage and sacrifice."

He arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday and is expected to make to more stops besides Mosul to meet soldiers and officials.

During the presidential campaign, Kerry was a strong critic of how the administration of US President George W. Bush (news - web sites) was managing its involvement in Iraq and said the invasion of the country in 2003 diverted resources and focus from the global war on terror.

Catholics for Fatihful Citizenship from Eric McFadden, President of Catholics for Kerry 04.