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March 5 2010
Another Year, Another Armenian Genocide Vote, Another Set Of Tensions
With Turkey
By: David Dayen Friday March 5, 2010 11:13 am
This is about as predictable as the sunrise. Since the Democrats have
been in power, every year around the commemoration of the Armenian
genocide the House Foreign Affairs Committee passes a nonbinding
resolution calling it, you know, a genocide, and Turkey responds by
recalling its ambassador, and the President, whether Bush or Obama,
tries to soothe tensions by gently rebuking the House panel.
Howard Berman is the chair of the committee and there's a substantial
Armenian population in and around his House district, so this will
happen basically every year. And Turkey will get mad, and the bill
won't get a vote on the floor, and they'll relent. It's boring
already.
Perhaps when the US military has a lesser connection to the region,
the Administration will be more willing to call a clear extermination
a genocide. Or perhaps if reconciliation talks between Turkey and
Armenia proceed, this issue will work itself out. Otherwise, it's
mainly political posturing meant to please a narrow constituency in
Southern California, and at the same time a batting down of that
posturing meant to please the Turks and keep their air force bases and
supply lines open.
http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/03/05/anot her-year-another-armenian-genocide-vote-another-se t-of-tensions-with-turkey/
March 5 2010
Another Year, Another Armenian Genocide Vote, Another Set Of Tensions
With Turkey
By: David Dayen Friday March 5, 2010 11:13 am
This is about as predictable as the sunrise. Since the Democrats have
been in power, every year around the commemoration of the Armenian
genocide the House Foreign Affairs Committee passes a nonbinding
resolution calling it, you know, a genocide, and Turkey responds by
recalling its ambassador, and the President, whether Bush or Obama,
tries to soothe tensions by gently rebuking the House panel.
Howard Berman is the chair of the committee and there's a substantial
Armenian population in and around his House district, so this will
happen basically every year. And Turkey will get mad, and the bill
won't get a vote on the floor, and they'll relent. It's boring
already.
Perhaps when the US military has a lesser connection to the region,
the Administration will be more willing to call a clear extermination
a genocide. Or perhaps if reconciliation talks between Turkey and
Armenia proceed, this issue will work itself out. Otherwise, it's
mainly political posturing meant to please a narrow constituency in
Southern California, and at the same time a batting down of that
posturing meant to please the Turks and keep their air force bases and
supply lines open.
http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/03/05/anot her-year-another-armenian-genocide-vote-another-se t-of-tensions-with-turkey/