When I read an article by the AP regarding the legislation from Congress to denounce the Armenian Genocide during World War One, the little 'conspiracy theory' light went on in the back of my mind. For the mostly Democrat-controlled Congress to suddenly pass legislation of this kind begs the question of why now? Why now, when Turkey is a much needed ally in the war in Iraq, should Congress suddenly feel compelled to denounce the actions of the Turkish government almost a century ago? Nobody alive today was involved in that agreeably horrific activity. Turkey doesn't appear to have a currently policy aimed at Armenian extermination.
So why would the Democrats use our tax dollars to draft such legislation? Why the Armenian genocide? Why not chastise the government of German for Hitler's actions? After all, there are still people alive today that were involved in the Nazi party. And why stop there. Let's attack the South for slavery, attack Spain for the Aztecs and Inca of the Americas, attack Rome for destroying the Celtic culture of southern Europe almost two thousand years ago.
Of course, this would be absurd. The Democrats wouldn't gain nothing besides a headache from it. However, insulting the government of Turkey would have a nice result. As a long-standing supporter of the US military in our efforts in Iraq, I believe the Dems (and some Republicans) have found a golden goose among the ugly ducks. After repeatedly failing to draw the Iraq war to a close by cutting funding for the war, this is their chance to do some damage without overtly being anti-war. In fact, to many they sound down-right angelic: they order a decent helping of strong marks for human rights, and get a thorn in Bush's side on the house. What could be better?
The thought of Turkey disallowing American supply routes from and over their territory must have the Dems salivating. While it may not completely threaten the war, it offers that much more aggravation to the Bush Administration. Perhaps it will be the straw that breaks Bush's back. Who knows?
Of course, the Dems will not come out and say this is the case. Their leading candidates for 2008 have all declared they will not withdraw the troops if they are elected. And why should they? That would count as a loss on their clock. If anything, let the Iraq war crumble while Bush is in his lame-duck presidency, then swoop in to be the ones to pat the American public on the back and say "well, we tried our best but the leadership just wasn't up to snuff."
What good does it do the American public to officially state what it already knows to be true? It doesn't take an act of Congress to acknowledge atrocities and educate our children about the past. Congress needs to leave well enough alone.
3 comments:
Red Knight,
My thoughts exactly. The Dems couldn't care less who killed who, how often, when, where, etc.
I hope that at least a few Armenians who have been pushing for this (which they've been doing for decades) recognize that they're being used.
You wrote: "Why not chastise the government of German for Hitler's actions?"
And that's the last point that I think is worth emphasizing. The Armenian genocide was committed during the final years of the Islamic Ottoman empire, not by the modern Turkish secular government. This isn't even a good comparison, however, as what went on back then is better described as mass confusion, perhaps most similar to the disintegration of Yugoslavia, and far from the systematic killings carried out by the Nazis.
Yes, the easiest way to end this war is for the US to be defeated. The Dems want to end this war at all costs, which includes the loss of our military personel, the safety of our citizens and our future as a world power. They are only worried about the NOW, with not much thought about 10 or 50 years from now. The US is in peril of losing the respect of the world. We can't continue to rest on the laurels of WWII. If the US enters a war, rightly or wrongly, we must win or there will be hell to pay later.
Paul, you are right I think about the systematic genocide by the Nazis being different than the genocide of the Armenians.
But what I try to emphasize is that NOBODY THAT WAS ALIVE THEN IS ALIVE NOW!!!
The government is not the same. The Armenians are not the same. The Turks are not the same. When I found myself wondering what Congress is trying to prove, it occurred to me that they are trying to prove absolutely nothing. There's nothing to prove!! Trying to tell the American public that genocide is bad and that it occurred during WWI is like me trying to convince people that the sky is blue. We can teach our kids about history on our own. WE DO NOT NEED AN ACT OF CONGRESS TO TELL US THIS!!!
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