ARMENIA GENOCIDE MEASURE LOSING SUPPORT
By Michael Doyle
Sacramento Bee, USA
Oct 18 2007
WASHINGTON – Key congressional opponents of an Armenian genocide
resolution claimed on Wednesday that they had the votes to kill the
measure, as one-time supporters continued to abandon the controversial
declaration.
With White House and Turkish pressure escalating, lawmakers on both
sides acknowledged momentum had turned against the resolution, which
describes the Ottoman Empire massacres of 1915-1923 as a genocide.
The Capitol Hill endgame could now conclude by week’s end, some House
members predict.
"If it were to run today, it would not pass," Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa.,
said at a news conference Wednesday. "I think the decision has been
made by the members; (the resolution supporters) don’t have the votes."
Murtha chairs the House defense appropriations subcommittee and is
one of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s chief advisers. An adroit vote
counter, he’s been fighting against Armenian genocide resolutions since
he helped turn back a 1987 proposal by a 201-189 vote. He joined with
Florida Democratic Reps. Robert Wexler and Alcee Hastings in publicly
opposing the measure Wednesday.
While not yet conceding defeat, the genocide resolution’s authors
admitted that they were losing altitude. Seven House members withdrew
their co-sponsorship of the resolution on Monday, another four did
the same on Tuesday and additional defections were considered likely.
"Right now, we’re below the number of co-sponsors needed to assure
passage," Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa, said Wednesday.
The Armenian genocide resolution has taken different forms in different
years. But it primarily exists to put the congressional imprimatur on
the genocide characterization. Turkish officials dispute the charge,
saying that many died on all sides.
This year’s version of the resolution states that "the Armenian
genocide was conceived and carried out by the Ottoman Empire from
1915 to 1923."
An estimated 1.5 million Armenians died, the resolution states,
while 500,000 were expelled, resulting in "the elimination of the
over 2,500-year presence of Armenians in their historic homeland."
The Bush administration, like administrations before it, opposes the
measure as an insult to a key NATO ally. The U.S. occupation of Iraq
has further intensified White House concerns, as upward of 70 percent
of U.S. military cargo flowing into Iraq goes through Incirlik Air
Base in Turkey.
"Congress has more important work to do than antagonizing a democratic
ally in the Muslim world, especially one that is providing vital
support for our military every day," Bush said at a morning news
conference.
Resolution supporters say they won’t seek to have the measure brought
up for a House vote if they know they’ll lose.
Although she is a resolution backer who has previously promised to
bring up the measure for a vote, Pelosi on Wednesday left the door
open for retreat.
"Whether it will come up or not, what the action will be remains to
be seen," Pelosi said.