Genocide Bill passes major hurdle
As Lori reported, the the Genocide Bill (House Res. 106) has passed on the House International Relations Committee! This was a big hurdle after the massive pressure brought down on them not to introduce/pass the bill on to Speaker Pelosi.
What was very interesting for me this morning, was reading all the news articles, and there was definitely no shortage of them. I opened Google News to search for "Armenian Genocide" to see if it passed, but instead was greeted with "Armenian Genocide Resolution Passes Committee" as the top headline, with 650 stories already on the topic. That's big news! The coverage and points being raised were quite varied, from the sickening editorial in the Washington Post to widespread calls for doing the right thing. Lantos, head of the committee, summarized the vote beforehand as choosing between acknowledging a genocide, and appeasing Turkey for military reasons. Basically, do the right thing, or give in to the questionable arm-twisting of a supposed ally - though he did not put it in those undiplomatic terms.
Turkey's huge blackmail threat - not allowing transport through Turkey to Iraq simply doesn't impress me. Most of it seems already to go through the Persian Gulf... why can't all of it?
So, we are closer than ever to the big day... I have a hard time believing it can be so close, but... it really might happen. Then the only one left to come around is the big Turk himself!
What was very interesting for me this morning, was reading all the news articles, and there was definitely no shortage of them. I opened Google News to search for "Armenian Genocide" to see if it passed, but instead was greeted with "Armenian Genocide Resolution Passes Committee" as the top headline, with 650 stories already on the topic. That's big news! The coverage and points being raised were quite varied, from the sickening editorial in the Washington Post to widespread calls for doing the right thing. Lantos, head of the committee, summarized the vote beforehand as choosing between acknowledging a genocide, and appeasing Turkey for military reasons. Basically, do the right thing, or give in to the questionable arm-twisting of a supposed ally - though he did not put it in those undiplomatic terms.
Turkey's huge blackmail threat - not allowing transport through Turkey to Iraq simply doesn't impress me. Most of it seems already to go through the Persian Gulf... why can't all of it?
So, we are closer than ever to the big day... I have a hard time believing it can be so close, but... it really might happen. Then the only one left to come around is the big Turk himself!
posted by Raffi K. at 7:38 AM
5 Comments:
The pressure this bill managed to resist is incredible.
In one morning the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, and President each gave White House press conferences against it, along with in the past few days every single living Secretary of State, three past Secretaries of Defense, the entire State department, the entire military establishment, NATO member Turkey, Israel and it's many influential groups in America, the Pentagon, various Congresspeople- including ones who were supporting the bill only days ago, various editorials in leading newspapers, and many more all attacked the bill and yet it still passed. It's kind of impossible to even think about.
The most damning part is that even the loudest opponents have been using Iraq as the reason for opposing the bill- as opposed to attacking it on historical grounds. Turkey seems to be alone in doing that. Bush describes 1915 in a fashion that always opposes the Turkish view, and yet they are ok with that, just not the g word being applied. It's almost ridiculous how much importance is now assigned to that one word and they don't get angry at the US for totally opposing the Turkish view of events- only when the g word gets involved do the threats fly, and in a most juvenile manner which does nothing but hurt Turkey's reputation in the world.
Meant to add that after all those things listed above, it's hard to imagine who else could move on the full floor bill itself. Is there anyone left? It's amazing how much of an arsenal was unleashed on the bill just in committee- but it's because they obviously know that by passing committee it will likely come to the floor and will likely pass. Will Rice, Gates, Bush, etc. really all trot out again and say the same things all over again when it's time for that one? What else can they possibly do? Perhaps I should be afraid to ask.
Be afraid to ask, they will stop at nothing. Fortunately their tactics are wearing thin and wont do the dirty job for the Turks anymore. I'm baffled how the US Administration so willingly cowers to Turkey, putting it's reputation on the line to defend a not so loyal friend. Shameful.
I'm surprised by the silence of Robert Kocharyan. Has anyone heard what he said concerning this vote???
Armenian President Robert Kocharian also hailed “the efforts of U.S. congressmen to recognize the Armenian genocide.”
“The recognition of historical justice cannot damage the U.S.-Turkey bilateral relationship,” Kocharian said in Brussels, responding to the concerns voiced by certain congressmen on the committee on Wednesday.
The Armenian president also added that despite the tension that once emerged in the Turkish-French relations after France recognized the Armenian genocide, trade between the two countries grew 1.5 times only a year later.
Kocharian also advocated starting a dialogue with Turkey without any pre-set conditions which he called “the easiest formula” for reconciliation between the two neighbors.
http://www.armenialiberty.org/armeniareport/report/en/2007/10/C633559F-8ADD-473E-914F-A329E1A2D7FF.ASP
http://www.armenialiberty.org/armeniareport/report/en/2007/10/1DEEA3A0-0ABA-4CF7-BF92-1A106585A33D.ASP
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