Posted on 10/12/2007 7:00:44 AM PDT by Turret Gunner A20
A House committee voted to label the death of Armenians during WWI as genocide. Because these deaths were at the hands of the Ottoman Turks, the nation of Turkey is all but pleased with the vote.
In fact, now the nation has ordered its ambassador in Washington to return to Turkey for "consultations." While they claim to not be withdrawing the ambassador permanently, it definitely has not helped relations with Turkey.
Now you may wonder why in the world the U.S. House of Representatives, which can't even pass the budget bills that are needed to fund our federal operations, would vote to condemn Turkey for something that happened to Armenians nearly 100 years ago. Would it help you to understand why they have done this, and why they have angered a strong ally in our war against Islamic terrorism, because the district of the Speaker of the House (that would be Nancy Pelosi) happens to have a large Armenian population?
Whether the House, or any members of Congress, wants to admit it or not, Turkey is vital to our war on terror. 70% of our air cargo that is headed to Iraq goes through Turkey. So does one-third of our fuel used by the military in Iraq. The US bases there are vital to supply water and other supplies to the troops, which are taken by Turkish truckers into the northern region of Iraqi Kurdistan.
Despite all of this, the Democrats in Congress decide that now – during war time – is the appropriate time to pass this resolution. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that she has been in Congress for 20 years and they have been trying to pass this for 20 years. She says that the excuse is always "bad timing." Well, Nancy, maybe you should have thought harder about this particular timing ... just because you have the power doesn't mean that you need to ruin relations with nations that are essential to our war on terror. Oh wait, that's right. You don't support our troops OR the war, so what do you care anyway.
The Bush administration is clearly upset over the vote, and it said that Congress could "better spend their time passing legislation attending to today's problems at home." But it all comes down to this, folks. This vote was a "triumph" for an extremely well-organized Armenian-American interest group who has lobbied Congress for decades. And there you have it. The special interest groups. The lobbyists. These are the people that are, apparently, running the show.
This doesn't fit into a neat, tidy column. Congress is commemorating the massacre of Orthodox Christians by Muslims -- something you'd think, from that bare description, FReepers would get behind.
But in the real world, we need our allies. Muslim allies. While I firmly believe that there was a massacre of Arenians by the Ottomans, and that genocide is the proper term; while I believe that the Turkish government is wrong in not only denying the genocide, but punishing writers and historians who acknowledge it -- Turkey is the closest thing the Muslim world has to a secular democracy, and second place isn't close. If Iraq were Turkey, we wouldn't have to be there.
What Congress is doing with this resolution isn't just symbolism without substance, it's symbolism that is actively hostile to substantive policy goals. Yes, I believe there was a genocide, and yes, I believe it should be called by that name. As it is, by most historians and journalists. But why Congress, and why now? If it hasn't been an urgent matter for the first 90+ years, why not let that sleeping dog lie a while longer?
my house radio doesn't pick up Rush well enough to hear it - and short of going out in my car, or paying $70 I don't have, I can't listen. Is there a way to just get the daily radio on line for ole folk like me who don't have the $$$ to subscribe?
No need to subscribe anywhere. You can listen on line (www.wabcradio.com or www.wowo.com are two good places—check your local radio stations) AND all of Rush’s transcripts are posted after 6 p.m. every evening, accessible to all on www.rushlimbaugh.com. I am a Rush Babe...what can I say.
Goody...because a day without Rush is like a day without sunshine.
And from what I read here, in the Conservative press, rightwing pundits, and former office holders, ie, Dick Army, 08 will contain even more brilliancy from the right!
What was the announcement? I have him on, but didn't hear it, since I'm at work.
Read all aabout it -- http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1910385/posts
**But Turkey’s betrayal of the U.S. in the opening stages of the war vis-a-vis the 4th ID ALREADY cost American lives, by taking pressure off of Syria in the opening stages of the war, and complicating combat operations.**
The French put pressure on the Turks to oppose the USA such as acting like they would keep the Turks out of the EU. I strongly suspect they also bribed some of the Turk lawmakers. Against this we put Colin Powell who either didn’t want to or know how to play the game.
I blame a lot of our problems in Iraq on Colin Powell.
Unlike the democrats in DC?
No, wait. Their interests don't coincide with ours ever, if they can help it.
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