H
Harry Dope
Guest
October 17, 2007
Support Wanes in House for Genocide Vote
By CARL HULSE
WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 - Worried about antagonizing Turkish leaders, House
members from both parties have begun to withdraw their support from a
resolution supported by the Democratic leadership that would condemn as
genocide the mass killings of Armenians nearly a century ago.
Almost a dozen lawmakers had shifted against the measure over the last 24
hours, accelerating a sudden exodus that has cast deep doubt over the
measure's prospects. Some representatives made clear that they were heeding
warnings from the White House, which has called the measure dangerously
provocative, and from the Turkish government, which has said House passage
would prompt Turkey to reconsider its ties to the United States, including
logistical support for the Iraq war.
Until today, the resolution appeared to be on a path to House passage, with
strong support from the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi of California. It was
approved last week by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. But this evening,
a group of group of senior House Democrats had made it known they were
planning to ask the leadership to drop plans for a vote on the measure.
"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 Monday night. .
Others who took the same action said that while they deplored the mass
killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, beginning in 1915, the
modern-day consequences in the Middle East could not be overlooked.
"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.
"I think it is a good resolution and horrible timing," said Representative
Mike Ross, Democrat of Arkansas.
The Turkish government has lobbied heavily against the resolution, which is
nonbinding and largely symbolic. But lawmakers attributed the erosion in
support mainly to fears about a potential Turkish decision to deny American
access to critical military facilities in that nation and its threat to move
forces into northern Iraq to attack Kurdish rebels.
"This vote came face to face with the reality on the ground in that region
of the world," said Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, the chairman of
the House Democratic Caucus and an opponent of the resolution.
The Bush administration and top American generals have been vocal in warning
that passage of the resolution could cause great harm to the American war
effort in Iraq and have put significant pressure on Republicans to abandon
their support for the measure. President Bush called Ms. Pelosi today and
asked her to prevent a floor vote on the resolution.
"The president and the speaker exchanged candid views on the subject and the
speaker explained the strong bipartisan support in the House for the
resolution," said Brendan Daly, a spokesman for Ms. Pelosi.
The Democratic leadership has been examining the exact level of that support
to gauge its next step, but lawmakers and officials said it was now unclear
whether the resolution could be approved, given Republican resistance and
Democratic defections. "We will have to determine where everyone is," said
Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the majority leader.
Ms. Pelosi, who has promised a vote on the resolution if it cleared the
Foreign Affairs Committee, said she was leaving it to its chief backers to
round up votes. "I have never known a count," she said.
Backers of the resolution, which has the fervent backing of the
Armenian-American community, described the loss of support as slight and
attributed it to the intense lobbying by the Turkish government, the Bush
administration and their allies. They said they would try to change the
minds of some of those who were wavering.
"This is what happens when you are up against a very sophisticated
multimillion-dollar campaign," said Representative Brad Sherman, Democrat of
California, who chided the Turkish government. "Since when it has become
fashionable for friends to threaten friends."
But he acknowledged there was little margin of error for backers of the
resolution, which had once boasted 225 co-sponsors. "If the vote were held
today, I would not want to be my house on the outcome," he said.
Mr. Sherman and others noted that Turkey, at the start of the Iraq war, had
refused to let American forces operate from its territory, and that Turkey's
intentions toward the northern border of Iraq had clearly captured the
attention of Congress.
American military officials in Iraq and in Washington said today that they
were concerned about possible Turkish military incursions into northern Iraq
against the Kurdish rebels, which the Turkish government blames for a wave
of attacks in eastern Turkey.
At the moment, these officials said, they did not see many indications that
Turkish military was preparing for large-scale incursion into the
mountainous strongholds of the Kurdish rebels. They d expressed hope that
diplomatic efforts under way between Iraqi and Turkish officials would ease
the crisis.
"We see no signs that there's anything imminent by Turkey," one senior
military officer said. "So there's time for the diplomacy to work for a few
more days, if not weeks." But, he added, the situation could get "ugly" if
Turkey sent troops across the border and they clashed with Kurdish militias
or Iraqi forces.
The biggest fear, several former officials said, is that Turkish forces
could push past the border and head for Kirkuk, forcing Iraq to respond and
presenting the United States with mediating between two allies and a
decision about whether to commit American troops. Such a crisis could also
draw in Iran, which has also had growing problems with Kurdish groups
crossing into its territory from Iraq.
In addition to the potential movement of Turkish forces, opponents of the
Armenian genocide resolution continued to point to Turkey's role as a prime
staging area for moving American military supplies into Iraq.
"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."
While the resolution enjoyed more than enough support to pass earlier this
year, about two dozen lawmakers have removed their names from the official
list of sponsors of the resolution in recent weeks as a vote on it grew more
likely and the reservations grew more pronounced.
"I think there was genocide in Turkey, in 1915, but I am gravely concerned
about the timing," said Representative Jane Harman, a California Democrat
who said she would l remain a co-sponsor of the resolution but at the moment
would oppose it were it to reach the floor. "I see no compelling reason to
do this right this minute."
Representative Doug Lamborn, a Colorado Republican who dropped his backing
of the measure today, said, "Nothing changes the fact that mass killings and
unspeakable acts of brutality occurred. However, passing this nonbinding
resolution at this critical time would be a destabilizing action when the
United States needs the help of its allies, including Turkey, in fighting
the global war on terror."
David S. Cloud contributed reporting.
--
Meanwhile, Hillary hires Berger as a consultant on her campaign. Consider
that move in light of what she said regarding the commutation of Scooter
Libby's sentence:
"This commutation sends the clear signal that in this administration,
cronyism and ideology trump competence and justice."- Sen. Hillary Rodham
Clinton, D-N.Y.
Support Wanes in House for Genocide Vote
By CARL HULSE
WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 - Worried about antagonizing Turkish leaders, House
members from both parties have begun to withdraw their support from a
resolution supported by the Democratic leadership that would condemn as
genocide the mass killings of Armenians nearly a century ago.
Almost a dozen lawmakers had shifted against the measure over the last 24
hours, accelerating a sudden exodus that has cast deep doubt over the
measure's prospects. Some representatives made clear that they were heeding
warnings from the White House, which has called the measure dangerously
provocative, and from the Turkish government, which has said House passage
would prompt Turkey to reconsider its ties to the United States, including
logistical support for the Iraq war.
Until today, the resolution appeared to be on a path to House passage, with
strong support from the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi of California. It was
approved last week by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. But this evening,
a group of group of senior House Democrats had made it known they were
planning to ask the leadership to drop plans for a vote on the measure.
"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 Monday night. .
Others who took the same action said that while they deplored the mass
killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire, beginning in 1915, the
modern-day consequences in the Middle East could not be overlooked.
"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.
"I think it is a good resolution and horrible timing," said Representative
Mike Ross, Democrat of Arkansas.
The Turkish government has lobbied heavily against the resolution, which is
nonbinding and largely symbolic. But lawmakers attributed the erosion in
support mainly to fears about a potential Turkish decision to deny American
access to critical military facilities in that nation and its threat to move
forces into northern Iraq to attack Kurdish rebels.
"This vote came face to face with the reality on the ground in that region
of the world," said Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, the chairman of
the House Democratic Caucus and an opponent of the resolution.
The Bush administration and top American generals have been vocal in warning
that passage of the resolution could cause great harm to the American war
effort in Iraq and have put significant pressure on Republicans to abandon
their support for the measure. President Bush called Ms. Pelosi today and
asked her to prevent a floor vote on the resolution.
"The president and the speaker exchanged candid views on the subject and the
speaker explained the strong bipartisan support in the House for the
resolution," said Brendan Daly, a spokesman for Ms. Pelosi.
The Democratic leadership has been examining the exact level of that support
to gauge its next step, but lawmakers and officials said it was now unclear
whether the resolution could be approved, given Republican resistance and
Democratic defections. "We will have to determine where everyone is," said
Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the majority leader.
Ms. Pelosi, who has promised a vote on the resolution if it cleared the
Foreign Affairs Committee, said she was leaving it to its chief backers to
round up votes. "I have never known a count," she said.
Backers of the resolution, which has the fervent backing of the
Armenian-American community, described the loss of support as slight and
attributed it to the intense lobbying by the Turkish government, the Bush
administration and their allies. They said they would try to change the
minds of some of those who were wavering.
"This is what happens when you are up against a very sophisticated
multimillion-dollar campaign," said Representative Brad Sherman, Democrat of
California, who chided the Turkish government. "Since when it has become
fashionable for friends to threaten friends."
But he acknowledged there was little margin of error for backers of the
resolution, which had once boasted 225 co-sponsors. "If the vote were held
today, I would not want to be my house on the outcome," he said.
Mr. Sherman and others noted that Turkey, at the start of the Iraq war, had
refused to let American forces operate from its territory, and that Turkey's
intentions toward the northern border of Iraq had clearly captured the
attention of Congress.
American military officials in Iraq and in Washington said today that they
were concerned about possible Turkish military incursions into northern Iraq
against the Kurdish rebels, which the Turkish government blames for a wave
of attacks in eastern Turkey.
At the moment, these officials said, they did not see many indications that
Turkish military was preparing for large-scale incursion into the
mountainous strongholds of the Kurdish rebels. They d expressed hope that
diplomatic efforts under way between Iraqi and Turkish officials would ease
the crisis.
"We see no signs that there's anything imminent by Turkey," one senior
military officer said. "So there's time for the diplomacy to work for a few
more days, if not weeks." But, he added, the situation could get "ugly" if
Turkey sent troops across the border and they clashed with Kurdish militias
or Iraqi forces.
The biggest fear, several former officials said, is that Turkish forces
could push past the border and head for Kirkuk, forcing Iraq to respond and
presenting the United States with mediating between two allies and a
decision about whether to commit American troops. Such a crisis could also
draw in Iran, which has also had growing problems with Kurdish groups
crossing into its territory from Iraq.
In addition to the potential movement of Turkish forces, opponents of the
Armenian genocide resolution continued to point to Turkey's role as a prime
staging area for moving American military supplies into Iraq.
"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."
While the resolution enjoyed more than enough support to pass earlier this
year, about two dozen lawmakers have removed their names from the official
list of sponsors of the resolution in recent weeks as a vote on it grew more
likely and the reservations grew more pronounced.
"I think there was genocide in Turkey, in 1915, but I am gravely concerned
about the timing," said Representative Jane Harman, a California Democrat
who said she would l remain a co-sponsor of the resolution but at the moment
would oppose it were it to reach the floor. "I see no compelling reason to
do this right this minute."
Representative Doug Lamborn, a Colorado Republican who dropped his backing
of the measure today, said, "Nothing changes the fact that mass killings and
unspeakable acts of brutality occurred. However, passing this nonbinding
resolution at this critical time would be a destabilizing action when the
United States needs the help of its allies, including Turkey, in fighting
the global war on terror."
David S. Cloud contributed reporting.
--
Meanwhile, Hillary hires Berger as a consultant on her campaign. Consider
that move in light of what she said regarding the commutation of Scooter
Libby's sentence:
"This commutation sends the clear signal that in this administration,
cronyism and ideology trump competence and justice."- Sen. Hillary Rodham
Clinton, D-N.Y.