White House Criticises Genocide Recognition

[Athena]

White House Blasts Lawmakers for Legislation Recognising the Armenian Genocide (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071011/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_armenia_genocide)

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration, chafing over a House committee vote to label as genocide the deaths of Armenians a century ago, said Thursday lawmakers could better spend their time passing legislation attending to today's problems at home.

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White House deputy press secretary Scott Stanzel reiterated the administration's disappointment with the vote by the House Foreign Affairs Committee and said it would be problematic for American efforts in the Middle East.

"While the House is debating the Ottoman Empire, they are not moving forward with appropriations bills," said Stanzel. "The House has not appointed conferees, they aren't coming to the table to discuss children's health care, and they haven't permanently closed the intelligence gap that will open up when the Protect America Act expires."

Meanwhile, the administration is trying to soothe Turkish anger over the vote. The foreign affairs panel defied warnings by President Bush with its 27-21 vote Wednesday to send the Armenian measure to the full House for a vote. The administration will now try to pressure Democratic leaders not to schedule a vote, though it is expected to pass.

"Its passage would do great harm to our relations with a key ally in NATO and in the global war on terror," Bush said.

Turkey's President Abdullah Gul criticized the decision to move the measure toward a vote in the House.

"Unfortunately, some politicians in the United States have once again sacrificed important matters to petty domestic politics despite all calls to commonsense," said Gul, according to the state-run news agency Anatolia. "This unacceptable decision by the committee, like its predecessors, has no validity or respectability for the Turkish nation."

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So, what do you think? Is the systematic murder of 1.5 million Armenians back in 1915 worth straining or even severing ties with a Middle Eastern ally, given the situation in Iraq?

[CPL CHUD]

The House vote came as Turkish warplanes and helicopter gunships attacked suspected positions of Kurdish rebels near Iraq on Wednesday, a possible prelude to a cross-border operation that the Bush administration has opposed. The United States, already preoccupied with efforts to stabilize other areas of Iraq, believes that Turkish intervention in the relatively peaceful north could further destabilize the country.

That explains why. I'm not sure what America recognizing it as a genocide really accomplishes. What would the benefit be other than peace of mind, a peace of mind that seem insignificant next to the actual horrors of what happend?

[Athena]

That explains why. I'm not sure what America recognizing it as a genocide really accomplishes. What would the benefit be other than peace of mind, a peace of mind that seem insignificant next to the actual horrors of what happend?

Being of Armenian descent, I will tell you that Armenian populations feel very disenfranchised by the lack of recognition. Imagine the outrage if Germany simply never recognised the Holocaust...In Germany, denying the Holocaust can get you jail time. What about more recent genocide like that in the Balkans? We can no longer hunt down the war criminals responsible for these atrocities to the Armenians, but we CAN force recognition. What kind of message does it send if countries are able to simply sweep this sort of thing under the rug?

The Turkish government is very adamant about not taking responsibility for the genocide. It is rumored that people who speak out against this policy within Turkey tend to go missing or get "shut up" by various means. Turkey is lobbying for acceptance into the UN; this type of behavior simply cannot be justified or excused. Acceptance would be the best move diplomatically that Turkey could make in terms of UN acceptance...But it would open them up to monetary claims from the families of victims, which why I imagine they are avoiding it.

[swivel]

I support the Congress wasting their time with anything other than the passing of more laws. I think we need more of this stuff which is designed for PR. More nice-sounding, yet hollow words. Because otherwise they are sitting around trying to figure out how to get more of my money back to their district before another congressperson or senator can grab it. And usually they just shake hands and both agree to take an equal, large amount of it.

More lame-duck presidents and incompetant, divided congresses, I say. Anyone that votes straight-ticket should be shot with a handgun. Less compromise, more bickering!

[Count Dragula]

I'm not sure what America recognizing it as a genocide really accomplishes. What would the benefit be other than peace of mind, a peace of mind that seem insignificant next to the actual horrors of what happend?

I don't see that peace of mind as being insignificant. I imagine going through such a horrible ordeal could only be amplified by the denial and or dismissal of its magnitude.

It does seem silly our ever bunglingly inept Congress needs to meet on this, only to decide whether or not it actually happened. It obviously did, anyone who bothers to take a five minute google search can see that. It should of been formally acknowledged many many years ago, instead of being muffled by diplomatic bureaucracy.

[CPL CHUD]

I support the Congress wasting their time with anything other than the passing of more laws. I think we need more of this stuff which is designed for PR. More nice-sounding, yet hollow words. Because otherwise they are sitting around trying to figure out how to get more of my money back to their district before another congressperson or senator can grab it. And usually they just shake hands and both agree to take an equal, large amount of it.

More lame-duck presidents and incompetant, divided congresses, I say. Anyone that votes straight-ticket should be shot with a handgun. Less compromise, more bickering!
I totally agree and would take it a step further. We needn't worry about current diplomatic relations. We should force punishment on inhumane, ghastly events that happend in other countries roughly 75 years ago. Track down every scumbag responsible for this genocide and use American tax paying dollars to do so. More than recognize it, more than merely mark it as an historical event. Send our money to the families of the Armenians who've been indirectly effected, they've been disenfranchised with our lack or recognition for too long. Find the handfull of people that have actually survived the event and bronze their names on the side of a 30 million dollar monument. After the suffering they endured it's the least the United States government could do, especially since it's taken us so much time to get to it while keeping our own pesky trivial diplomatic interests in mind.
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I think the point is that whatever America does at this point will be frowned upon. There is little benefit in us spending time really addressing issues that happend in the past, in other countries, that had nothing to do with us. It's not up to the current legistration to right every wrong. I mean, imagine if you were a survivor of the genocide......does the recognition of another country the better part of a century later really matter all that much to you, especially when it is going to be recognized, by history, and by anyone that actually cares? It's more of a "gee....thanks" type of deal, and I'm not sure if it's beneficial to sacrifice modern diplomatic relations for feel good policies.

[Athena]

Indeed. Although I am of Armenian descent and understand the impact that denying such an event can have on a population, I'm also a Libertarian and am PISSED that the House is wasting their time with such foolishness. Legislation does not need to pass to officially recognise something. That's the job of the Executive branch. Still, Turkey is a valuable enough ally that we shouldn't needlessly strain relations. Of course, that being said, if Turkey wants to cut off their nose to spite their face in retaliation, that's their gig. We all know who truely benefits from our alliance.

[swivel]

I think we are fucking crazy to be upsetting Turkey with Thanksgiving just around the corner. How the hell is that going to work out?

[Morbid]

I think we are fucking crazy to be upsetting Turkey with Thanksgiving just around the corner. How the hell is that going to work out?

Who cares? In regards to Thanksgiving and the food, I'd rather lose the bird than the GREASE. *rimshot*

[swivel]

Who cares? In regards to Thanksgiving and the food, I'd rather lose the bird than the GREECE. *rimshot*

Fixed.

[Morbid]

Fixed.

Joke ruined.

[swivel]

Joke ruined.

BWWWAAHAHAAA!!!! For everyone but MEEEEE!!!! HAAHHAHAHAA!!!

[Athena]

Oh, man...You guys are tacky. :p

[swivel]

Joke ruins.

Fixed again.

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/3908/thalosur2.jpg



Of all the people to rag on our grease joke, it would be ATHENA!!!

BWWAHHAHHAAAHHAHAAA!!!!!!!!!

[Athena]

LMAO...That's awesome. :rofl:










I love you guys.

[CPL CHUD]

Here is some follow up to the story about Turkey invading Iraq despite American protest.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071017/ap_on_re_mi_ea/turkey