Dems Determined To Destroy Critical GWOT Alliance For Cali Votes
Democrats love to berate President Bush for his “cowboy diplomacy,” saying it has angered our friends and isolated us in the so-called international community. Then they go and engage in hippie diplomacy that does exactly the same thing.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee voted yesterday to label Turkey’s 1915 slaughter of ethnic Armenians as genocide. The committee did this in the full knowledge that this would enrage Turkey, a strategically important American ally.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to bring the bill up for a full House vote.
Now, how in the world can this possibly be a good idea?
Supposedly the vote is a matter of conscience. America simply must declare the 92-year-old atrocity a genocide — now — so we can live with ourselves. But this is all about politics. The resolution was introduced by Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. Schiff represents California’s 29th district, which includes Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena and other areas just east of Los Angeles. The committee’s chairman is Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif. Lantos represents California’s 12th District, just south of San Francisco. Pelosi, of course, represents San Francisco.
Oh, and California has about half a million Armenians — the largest Armenian population outside of Armenia. Glendale, Calif., has the largest Armenian population of any city outside Armenia.
So to ingratiate themselves with their constituents, California Democrats are sparking an international incident and alienating America’s strongest Islamic ally.
Turkey today recalled its ambassador to the United States. It has threatened to stop assisting us with the Iraq war. (Turkey allows us to transport materials through and over its country.)
All eight living former secretaries of state signed a letter opposing the resolution and sent it to Nancy Pelosi. They understand that although the resolution is historically accurate, it is diplomatically foolish.
A Turkish grad student at Duke University has written a compelling comment explaining why the resolution should not be passed.
“While I believe it is historically credible to call the 1915 massacres a genocide, the current international political climate means this bill would do little to advance justice, prevent further genocide or promote the stated American aim of supporting democracy in the Middle East,” said Yektan Turkyilmaz, a graduate student in cultural anthropology.
“The effect of the ‘genocide’ bill, even before being passed, has been to invigorate ultra-nationalists in Turkey who see the bill as evidence of America and Armenia conspiring to paint Turks as victimizers,” Turkyilmaz said. “It does not strengthen groups in Turkey and Armenia open to better relations through dialogue.
“A better way to pursue those goals is proposed in another bill regarding Turkey, also currently in Congress,” Turkyilmaz said. “That bill condemns the assassination this year of the Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink and calls for the continuation of the investigation of his murder.”
Turkyilmaz is no patsy for the Turkish government. He was imprisoned there two years ago for investigating the Armenian genocide. He’s just realistic.
This is a diplomatic disaster. It might even harm the war effort. And Schiff and Co. are doing it just to help their electoral prospects.
Andrew Cline is editorial page editor of the New Hampshire Union Leader.
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Pat, I truly believe that these democrats have all sold their soles to Beelzebub. They are playing with the lives of our soldiers when they pull this self promoting bullshit. They should be held accountable for their treachery
October 13th, 2007 at 6:39 amSo the Dhimis have replaced “cowboy diplomacy” with pussy diplomacy. Yeah, way to show how not to lead Dhimis. Children should be seen and not heard (from).
October 13th, 2007 at 6:42 amSomebody here made an interesting point yesterday or the day before. That was the Ottoman Empire, not Turkey. Kind of like blaming me for slavery. This effort is the democrats stabbing the military in the back right to their faces. The democrats should be charged with sabotage.
October 13th, 2007 at 6:49 amThis move can only translate into more dead or injured American soldiers.
I guess thats not nearly as important as a liberal holding
political office a while longer.
:evil: Good job liberals. 
:evil
October 13th, 2007 at 7:35 amThe politicians and government types have , thru the years, encased themselves, to make themselves almost impervious to any legal attack to remove them from their position and activities.
Ways and means must be developed to remove the bad apples ASAP……………
October 13th, 2007 at 7:40 amA chill wind is blowing through the dem controlled congress.
October 13th, 2007 at 8:09 amThis is an ill-conceived unilateral plan by the dem leadership to rush to diplomatic war with Turkey that can only lead to failure for the US and condemation by the world community.
Shouldn’t Pelosi first attempt to open dialogue with the Turkish government and explore all other options to resolve this matter diplomatically?
Shouldn’t Reid first approach the UN seeking a resolution condemning the 1915 Turkish Government’s actions before pursuing this misguided unilateral US response to what some claim as Turkey’s right in 1915 to defend it’s own territory from the Armenian occupiers?
Shouldn’t Congress demand multiple-party talks between the US, Turkey, Armenia and neighboring countries in an effort to reach a peaceful compromise before taking this bullying, misguided, one-sided unilateral action?
If all else fails, what is the US plan for victory?
Shouldn’t the media be held equally culpable for supporting Congress’ overtly provocative phraseology in pursuit of this brash, risk-taking, intimidating policy directed at Turkey?
The Demoidiots at works
The issue: genocide
The solution: lets pass a bill that says genocide happened 100 years age, and we denounce that.
The democratic response: We’re Brilliant!
The result: Democratic self adulation and praise
October 13th, 2007 at 9:40 amHow can Congress engage in holocaust denial just after lambasting Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s appearance at Columbia?
October 13th, 2007 at 9:46 am“How can Congress engage in holocaust denial ”
idiot troll
October 13th, 2007 at 10:45 amvigilante:
There is a big difference between playing with words, and playing with words that affect the lives of soldiers in battle .
October 13th, 2007 at 2:15 pmFrom the way the question was presented, I would expect you to be a deceptive non-trustworthy individual, with an extremely myopic and incomplete view of the world situation. If you are an islamist, I can understand, and I would just love to help you be buried in a pigskin jacket.
Vigalante:
“How can Congress engage in holocaust denial…”
They already did. HR 398 in 1999 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 12 of February 9, 1916.
So how many more times do we need to condemn Turkey?
October 13th, 2007 at 3:06 pmLook at his blog. The dude is a pacifist web troll from Cali with dreams of Lenin still dancing in his head from that “blur” he calls the 60’s.
October 13th, 2007 at 3:20 pmHe’s no Islamist. He’s Islamist food.
Schiff, Lantos and Pelosi: all unqualified to be in Congress. Troublemakers for the United States, acting against US interests. These are the dumbies who say diplomacy is the answer–Pelosi goes to Syria to kiss Asad’s behind, an avowed enemy, yet goes out of her way to antagonize a US ally and member of NATO. Acting on behalf of persons in the US who call themselves Americans, but first of all think of themselves as Armenians. Go back to Armenia. It does not serve our country to antagonize a NATO ally upon whose soil we have nuclear weapons. Do you get it? What I wonder is: where is the Administration’s congressional liaison: are the Bush people so hated they can’t talk any reason into these Congressional traitors? I guess not. It’s politics first, US national interest last. Remember this when you vote for these losers.
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October 14th, 2007 at 11:04 pm