Turkey: Official warns of irreversible damage if Congress passes genocide resolution

[Aelfwine]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21294333/

Turkey's top general warned that ties with the U.S., already strained by attacks from rebels hiding in Iraq, will be irreversibly damaged if Congress passes a resolution that labels the World War I-era killings of Armenians a genocide.

Doesn't congress have better things to do then piss people off over what happened almost 100 years ago? Whats next? A resolution condeming the UK for forcing the opium trade on the chinese 150+ years ago.

[Noleader]

The next question should be "Why do they care?"

[Negative0]

I don't think we should be pissing turkey off this close to thanksgiving. I don't want to miss out on my bird because of congress.

[Aelfwine]

The next question should be "Why do they care?"

Maybe they should not, but I would imagine they do care because they think this puts their country in a bad light. What if they passed a resolution saying the systematic decimation of native americans by the US amounted to genocide. You think our represantatives would be happy?

Every country has things in their past they should be ashamed of. At this point in time it is up to history to judge things that happened 100 or more years ago, not congress. This is a attempt by a impotent congress to look like they are doing something. The sad thing is it is not helping at all.

[Golmacmourna]

I think the idea is that someone thinks this will court the friendship of kurds, possibly in preparation for an independent kurdistan. I hope that's the case. It's a better idea than running our supplies through quasi-hostile non-allies like turkey.

[Noleader]

Maybe they should not, but I would imagine they do care because they think this puts their country in a bad light. What if they passed a resolution saying the systematic decimation of native americans by the US amounted to genocide. You think our represantatives would be happy?

What we did to the Native Americans is as plain as day and if someone in the world wanted to call us out on it then by all means more power to them. Part of becoming a better nation is admitting your mistakes and growing. What you support is no better then those that try to down play the holocaust.

[Aelfwine]

What you support is no better then those that try to down play the holocaust.

Thats bull. I am not downplaying anything. I am saying the US congress should be concentrating on current events, not past events. They should be trying to help the current situation, not antagonising alies.

The armenians seem to have a powerful lobby group that got this through. This is politics as usual. Glad your ok with that.

[Rooster]

Aelf, how do you know they're not trying to set a precedent for something else they plan to pursue; that IS current...

[Golmacmourna]

morally, it's an obvious choice.

The reason this is coming in now, I think, is because of Turkey's interest in becoming part of the EU. If they do that, then their policy toward us might change, though, I'm not up to date on exactly what's going on. The last I heard the EU was denying Turkey membership, in part, because of whether they admitted to this genocide or not (and other human rights issues).

This does make a difference because Turkey might have been using us, in a manner of speaking, as a reference. If we burn them in this way, we might be forcing them to maintain their relationship with us--in the way that a person might manipulate someone into being their friends by poisoning the person's other friendships.

It's the only explanation about why it would be happening now as opposed to a few years ago that I can think of.

[Noleader]

The armenians seem to have a powerful lobby group that got this through. This is politics as usual. Glad your ok with that.

If you want to see what I am ok with you should read up on Ron Paul... He leans more Jeffersonian then I but still in the same general area.

[Allison]

Whatever the reasons, it's most certainly the result of political influences, not some sudden impluse by Congress to make a statement simply for morality's sake. Who knows what's giong on behind the scenes or what pressure this is meant to bear. It could have something to do with the EU, or be an attempt to keep Turkey out of Northern Iraq, or any number of things, I'd imagine. I certainly hope there's a good reason for it, and that it's not just Dems cowtowing to some Armenian lobby, because it sickens me to no end when Congress uses the people's time and money to garner votes.

[MickeyFinn]

Istanbul has been one of the most violent parts of the world since man stood on two feet. They have better things to do than tug the lion's tail. They have problems from everyone in all directions. Greece, Syria, you name it. Have any of you ever been there? It's hard to fear people with an average height of 4 feet and ten cats to each person. Never in our lifetime will we see Turkey do anything other than talk.

[Allison]

Never in our lifetime will we see Turkey do anything other than talk.

What I'm referring to are the conflicts Turkey has had with PKK, a pro-Kurd organisation operating in southern Turkey, and which Turkey claims is using Northern Iraq as a safe haven - and Turkey's threats to enter Northern Iraq to weed them out. Whether or not they do it, the mere threat could be enough to agitate the U.S.

[MickeyFinn]

Hence the reference to tugging on the tail.

[Aelfwine]

Aelf, how do you know they're not trying to set a precedent for something else they plan to pursue; that IS current...

I don't, just like you.

IMHO it would be ignorant to bring up 100 year old stuff to set a precendant for something current. Actually that sounds right up congresses alley, so you may be on to something.

[Rooster]

Of course I don't know... however, I don't presume everything to be known is already known.

I am not assuming they have a really good reason, just submitting before the court of opinion that they COULD have a good reason.

[Golmacmourna]

... so, to summarize, they may or may not have a good reason? Awesome. Hopefully, with that out of the way, some sort of discussion or speculation can occur.

[Allison]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=arlKJvZ940lg&refer=home

the Turkish parliament will approve an incursion into Northern Iraq, but will Turkey actually do it? What will they get in return if they don't?

Stay tuned!

[gepper]

Turkey going into Iraq is simple. Iraqies have not done anything about Kurds using Northern Iraq as an area they can hide and be safe. It is like playing tag as a kid. They hit and run in Turkey and run to Iraq which is safe.
Kind of like what UN is fighting in Afghanistan and then the "bad guys" running into Pakistan(safe). Of course in both circumstances the safe area is also a area that is heavily tribal that the leaders of those countries can not afford to do anything about. So, they make empty promises that they will do something about it, which they know they can't.