Let’s see, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the San Francisco treat, ticked off Turkey by dredging up the Armenian genocide that happened more than 80 years ago. Pissing off a key ally in the war on terrorism is dumber than dirt. And dangerous. 70% of our troop supplies in Iraq pass through Turkey. House members balked and she had to eat her resolution.
Enter Democrat Robert C. Byrd, West Virginia’s Cons ution-waving senator. He and Republican Sen. Gordon Smith of Oregon introduced Senate Resolution 358, which praises Turkey to no end as an ally, as a democracy and as “a strong example of a predominantly Muslim country with a true representative democratic government.”
Who could argue with that? Well, I'll tell you who...
The American enic Ins ute and the Armenian National Committee. The AHI site noted: “The American enic Ins ute, Inc. was founded on August 1, 1974, following Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus with the illegal use of American-supplied arms in violation of U.S. laws and agreements.”
In a joint statement, the groups said: “The resolution introduced by Senators Smith and Byrd neither serves U.S. interests nor advances American values by sugarcoating Turkey’s record or by ignoring serious tensions in the U.S.-Turkey bilateral relationship.
“Any legislation that the Congress considers on this issue should clearly and prominently address Turkey’s threats to invade and destabilize northern Iraq, its immoral and heavy-handed threats against the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, military occupation of Cyprus, continued airspace violations of Greek-sovereign airspace over the Aegean, blockade of Armenia, mistreatment of the Kurds, and restrictions on the religious freedom of the E enical Patriarch and other Christian leaders.”
Byrd might try reading that Cons ution he carries in his pocket. It says presidents, not congressmen, make foreign policy. I recommend it to Pelosi, Reid, Murtha, Durbin, and all the other Globetrotting, dictator-hugging, Democrats as well...Not to mention the idiots in this forum who think Congress should be playing around with foreign policy and military command.
In embracing one ally, Byrd ticked off two. Makes one appreciate Bush’s ability to maintain as allies Pakistan and India.
Or for that matter, Greece and Turkey.
Byrd should stick to what he knows best: Getting his name on buildings.
The press release (with Byrd’s resolution) is
here.