House to Armenians: Drop Dead!

[richards1052]

This post should be sub-titled: The House: Profiles in Shame.

The House of Representatives is showing its proverbial moxie by http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/17/washington/17cong.html?ex=1350273600&en=599d308b7a8ff99b&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss">running from a big fat Turkish general who http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/15/world/europe/15turkey.html?ex=1350100800&en=f7b1a51d274d9d47&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss">threatened dire consequences if Congress faced up to its moral responsibility and acknowledged what all the world except Turkey has known since 1916: that the Turks perpetrated a massive genocide against Armenians.

What does the big fat general hold over Congress' head? A very big U.S. airbase in Turkey which is one of the major supply sources for U.S. troops in Iraq. Not to mention Turkey's favorable relations with Israel which the latter does not want to jeopardize for the sake of a little moral insignificance like the Armenian genocide. Of course, the fact that Israel's citizens also suffered a similar genocide of their own seems to be safely entombed somewhere at the back of the Israeli government's mind.

The dithering moral equivocation emanating from our brave solons really needs to be read to be believed. Read 'em and weep:

“Turkey obviously feels they are getting poked in the eye over something that happened a century ago and maybe this isn’t a good time to be doing that,” said Representative Allen Boyd, a Florida Democrat who dropped his sponsorship of the resolution on Monday night.

...“We simply cannot allow the grievances of the past, as real as they may be, to in any way derail our efforts to prevent further atrocities for future history books,” said Representative Wally Herger, Republican of California.

This little bit of obfuscation apparently alludes to the fact that without that U.S. airbase there would be an even greater atrocity occurring in Iraq than is already occurring. Which leaves aside that the fact that had we not botched our invasion and subsequent occupation of that country there might not be any bloodbath--or at least not one of the current scale.

Representative Mike Ross, Democrat of Arkansas, said, “I think it is a good resolution and horrible timing.”

That's the funny thing about genocide. It happens at the most inconvenient times. If it only couldn't happened say, a year ago or maybe a year from now--then we could give it the attention it deserves. But now? Certainly not. Too inconvenient.

“This happened a long time ago and I don’t know whether it was a massacre or a genocide, that is beside the point,” said Representative John P. Murtha, the Pennsylvania Democrat who is urging Ms. Pelosi to keep the resolution from the floor. “The point is, we have to deal with today’s world.”

Ah yes. The longer ago the crime happened the less relevant it is. Genocide is, after all, so much less significant than whether Turkey invades Iraq's Kurdish region hunting for guerrillas.

“I think there was genocide in Turkey in 1915 but I am gravely concerned about the timing,” said Representative Jane Harman, a California Democrat.

More about "timing." When does Harman think the time will be "right?" After we leave Iraq and no longer need Turkish help there? After Turkey has wiped out all the Kurdish rebels so it no longer has to threaten to invade Iraq? Not to mention that Jane Harman is one of AIPAC's best friends in Congress and would never brook the Lobby on an issue of importance to our 51st state (Israel).

I have one thing to say to Congress: get a spine. Can't we say No to a damn Turkish general? What are we--sheep to be led by the nose by a Turkish strongman?

Cross posted to http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/2007/10/17/us-congress-to-armenians-drop-dead/">Tikun Olam

[Devlzown]

1. I thought they already were.

n/t

[lvx35]

2. Oh good, we can finally forget about that pesky holocast in Nazi Germany.

You know, the one that Ahmadinejad says never happened? Its so politically inconvenient to worry about it right now, with all these tensions flying around. We'll just pretend it didn't happen until its convenient to do so.

Damn, if only we had these values in WWII, we could have denied the genocide of jews entirely, and stayed out of the war. Imagine how politically convenient that would have been! The lives we could have saved!!!
:sarcasm:
Jeebus. Genocide is genocide guys!!!

[abmand]

3. this is disgusting

....and nothing more than political grandstanding by congress (and especially pelosi) First off, id like to mention that these acts were not committed by the Turkish Government, but the OTTOMAN EMPIRE. Though its center of power was in modern day turkey, the ottoman empire was a different country, with a different government and i dont agree with this idea of "placing blame on the turkish republic" which didnt come into existance until 1923 (even though it is just an implied blame. Also the perpertrators of this "genocide" are not totally known. there are reasonble beliefs that these killings were carried out by NSA (non-state actors) or a combination of both NSA and Ottoman authorities.

This is like placing blame for attrocities committed by the Republic of Texas on the Federal Government of the United States (when texas was another country).

Also, id like to add that this is in congress every year and is only being brought up in the media right now because pelosi is in charge and just so happens to have a large amernian constituency back home (a coincidence?)

Lastly- nothing good can come of this. Turkey is one of our closest friends and all this really does is piss them off.

Its all political and its all disgusting....in fact it reminds me of the Terry Schivo incident