It never ceases to amaze me how hypocritical politicians can be. Both sides are often guilty of it, especially with "conservative" Republicans of the past 2 Congresses spending like a bunch of poets on payday. Once again however, I'm just completely amazed at the absolute hypocrisy of the Democratic party today and the devastating impact its having on our relations worldwide.
One of the Democrats' chief complaints during the 2004 election was that George Bush didn't utilize our allies enough to construct a robust coalition for Iraq. Another complaint of the Democratic Party in the 2006 election was George Bush's lack of diplomacy and understanding of world affairs, as well as a failed strategy for Iraq. Having been in office for less than 1 year, the Democratic Party, which obviously has very little shame left, is again completely contradicting itself.
Earlier this week, Representative Tom Lantos, who heads the House Foreign Relations Committee, along with fellow San Fransiscan Nancy Pelosi, introduced a bill condemning the mass killing of Armenians by Turkish Ottoman forces in World War 1 as genocide. The annihilation of over 1 million Armenians was a horrific episode in Asia Minor's history, and the ramifications are still felt today. Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a nasty little war in 1990 over territory, and nobody in the region really seems to like each other. It obviously goes without saying, "they've got some issues." Turkey strongly opposes the resolution, and right or wrong, says their ancestors were justly protecting themselves from sepratist Armenian elements. The resolution passed yesterday, and now Turkey, which is a NATO member, staunch ally, lifeline to U.S. forces in Iraq, and the only secular Muslim nation in the world has recalled its ambassador. What a fantastic way to conduct international relations and consult with our allies on that one. Why on earth would the Democrats be taking up this issue, of all times now, 90+ years later? This goes far beyond California having a rich and influential Armenian population, especially in San Fransisco, just wait for it, this is about to get good.....
Armenians aren't the only ethnic group in the region that has problems with the Turks. Kurds have always been a nuisance in the eyes of the Turks. Large pockets of Kurds live in southeastern Turkey, and have strong ties to their cousins in northern Iraq. Those ties have strengthened lately, and the PKK (Kurdish Workers Party), which has bases in northern Iraq, is also seen as terrorist element by the Turks for supporting their fellow kurds' indpendence streak in southeastern Turkey. Turkey has become fed up with the situation, and is now poised to strike said bases in Iraq, and possibly invade. Needless the say, this whole situation is a mess. Kurdistan is the only part of Iraq in which the U.S. can claim success so far. Shopping malls and an international airport is the norm in Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan. The Kurds love America, and have even gone so far as to say they want to take Israel's place as America's best friend in the region. Turks obviously are our buddies as well. To put it bluntly, we need them both, badly. The absolute last thing we need are these two groups fighting. The Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has even weighed in, saying no damage in relations between the U.S. and Turkey is too great. "Democrats are harming the future of the United States and are encouraging anti-American sentiments," Erdogan said. Erdogan also said Turkey was ready to sacrifice good ties with Washington if necessary. "Let it snap from wherever it gets thin," Erdogan said, using a Turkish expression that means breaking ties with someone or something.
This is where our dimwitted Democrats have just made things a whole lot worse. The U.S. has been keeping Turkey at bay because we are such good friends. Well, were such good friends. Now that the Turkish Ambassador has been recalled to Ankara to protest the Democrats resolution, Turkey says it sees no reason why it should listen to a "friend" which has recently condemned it, and now looks like it is on the eve of an invasion into Iraq of its own. If this indeed happens, it will be catastrophic. The last functioning piece of Iraq will be involved in another war, just as we have started to see progress stemming violence in other parts of the country. Democrats are certainly aware of this outcome. They have to be, nobody can be this dim. The only possible explanation is that they absolutely cannot allow themselves to see Iraq become a success story. Their entire campaign in 2006 was that "Iraq is bad and we'll get us out." If their anti-Iraq policy fails, everything they've stood for, everything that got them elected will go down the tube.
I pray, I aboslutely pray that this isn't the reason the Democratic Party is taking up this issue now, although I see little reason to believe anything else. It is my most profound hope that the Democratic leadership is just profoundly stupid, and not this self rightousely pugnacious.
One of the Democrats' chief complaints during the 2004 election was that George Bush didn't utilize our allies enough to construct a robust coalition for Iraq. Another complaint of the Democratic Party in the 2006 election was George Bush's lack of diplomacy and understanding of world affairs, as well as a failed strategy for Iraq. Having been in office for less than 1 year, the Democratic Party, which obviously has very little shame left, is again completely contradicting itself.
Earlier this week, Representative Tom Lantos, who heads the House Foreign Relations Committee, along with fellow San Fransiscan Nancy Pelosi, introduced a bill condemning the mass killing of Armenians by Turkish Ottoman forces in World War 1 as genocide. The annihilation of over 1 million Armenians was a horrific episode in Asia Minor's history, and the ramifications are still felt today. Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a nasty little war in 1990 over territory, and nobody in the region really seems to like each other. It obviously goes without saying, "they've got some issues." Turkey strongly opposes the resolution, and right or wrong, says their ancestors were justly protecting themselves from sepratist Armenian elements. The resolution passed yesterday, and now Turkey, which is a NATO member, staunch ally, lifeline to U.S. forces in Iraq, and the only secular Muslim nation in the world has recalled its ambassador. What a fantastic way to conduct international relations and consult with our allies on that one. Why on earth would the Democrats be taking up this issue, of all times now, 90+ years later? This goes far beyond California having a rich and influential Armenian population, especially in San Fransisco, just wait for it, this is about to get good.....
Armenians aren't the only ethnic group in the region that has problems with the Turks. Kurds have always been a nuisance in the eyes of the Turks. Large pockets of Kurds live in southeastern Turkey, and have strong ties to their cousins in northern Iraq. Those ties have strengthened lately, and the PKK (Kurdish Workers Party), which has bases in northern Iraq, is also seen as terrorist element by the Turks for supporting their fellow kurds' indpendence streak in southeastern Turkey. Turkey has become fed up with the situation, and is now poised to strike said bases in Iraq, and possibly invade. Needless the say, this whole situation is a mess. Kurdistan is the only part of Iraq in which the U.S. can claim success so far. Shopping malls and an international airport is the norm in Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan. The Kurds love America, and have even gone so far as to say they want to take Israel's place as America's best friend in the region. Turks obviously are our buddies as well. To put it bluntly, we need them both, badly. The absolute last thing we need are these two groups fighting. The Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has even weighed in, saying no damage in relations between the U.S. and Turkey is too great. "Democrats are harming the future of the United States and are encouraging anti-American sentiments," Erdogan said. Erdogan also said Turkey was ready to sacrifice good ties with Washington if necessary. "Let it snap from wherever it gets thin," Erdogan said, using a Turkish expression that means breaking ties with someone or something.
This is where our dimwitted Democrats have just made things a whole lot worse. The U.S. has been keeping Turkey at bay because we are such good friends. Well, were such good friends. Now that the Turkish Ambassador has been recalled to Ankara to protest the Democrats resolution, Turkey says it sees no reason why it should listen to a "friend" which has recently condemned it, and now looks like it is on the eve of an invasion into Iraq of its own. If this indeed happens, it will be catastrophic. The last functioning piece of Iraq will be involved in another war, just as we have started to see progress stemming violence in other parts of the country. Democrats are certainly aware of this outcome. They have to be, nobody can be this dim. The only possible explanation is that they absolutely cannot allow themselves to see Iraq become a success story. Their entire campaign in 2006 was that "Iraq is bad and we'll get us out." If their anti-Iraq policy fails, everything they've stood for, everything that got them elected will go down the tube.
I pray, I aboslutely pray that this isn't the reason the Democratic Party is taking up this issue now, although I see little reason to believe anything else. It is my most profound hope that the Democratic leadership is just profoundly stupid, and not this self rightousely pugnacious.
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