Author: Antonian Lara

CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF OF ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES DENIES FIRST ARMENIAN PRESIDENT LEVON TER-PETROSYAN’S STATEMENT THAT PRIME MINISTER SERZH SARGSYAN WAS EXPELLED FROM NAGORNO-KARABAKH IN HIS DAY

2007-11-12 22:47:00

ArmInfo. Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces
Colonel General Seyran Ohanyan denied first Armenian President Levon
Ter-Petrosyan’s statement that Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan
was expelled from Nagorno-Karabakh in his day.

Today Seyran Ohanyan told journalists that any political event may be
given wrong assessment in course of time. Though military men should
show restraint in political matters, nevertheless, each serviceman
is also a person and a citizen of Armenia, he noted. "As a person,
I reserve the right to express my opinion about the man who also
passed the path of struggle.

Those familiar with Serzh Sargsyan can confirm that he was one of
the originators of the Karabakh movement and the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic, and his contribution to establishment and reinforcement of
the Armenian Army is great," S.Ohanyan said. According to him, the
statement that Serzh Sargsyan was expelled from Nagorno-Karabakh is
wrong. S.Sargsyan’s absence from Karabakh didn’t last long and aimed
to solve urgent problems of the army, he added. S.Ohanyan stressed
that the first president’s statement is groundless as "people gave
S.Sargsyan a title of a hero" and "he has not only professional but
also high human qualities".

To recall, during a meeting with youth, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the
first president of Armenia, said that Serzh Sargsyan was expelled
from Nagorno-Karabakh: "I brought Serzh Sargsyan not from Karabakh,
but Moscow.

Serzh Sargsyan was expelled. He had serious problems there. It was
really so, no matter what they say now. He lived in Moscow for a
year, did useful work, cooperated with Vazgen Sargsyan and some
representatives of Karabakh authorities to support the army".

EUROPEAN LESSONS

"HAYOTS ASHKHARH" Daily Newspaper
8 Nov 07
Armenia

Let’s learn to respect ourselves

Council of Europe Secretary General Tarry Davis’ recent visit to
Yerevan, his press conference and lecture at the University made a
very unpleasant impression in general.

This was first of all because of his instructive manner of speaking,
which Mr. Davis did not even try to conceal. As if the white-skinned
man had visited the aborigines to see how the latter have learned
the European lessons. So, let me see how you are doing, sirs!

We like to speak about being the historical bearers of European
values in the region and a member of the European family; we like to
say that we are building the country in compliance with the European
standards etc.

That’s to say, we seem to be the truest Europeans at first sight.

But as a matter of fact, we and the Europeans are different. And that
difference is manifested in everything, including both the everyday
behavior and the political traditions. So, when they say that Armenia
forms part of the European civilization, such truth does, nonetheless,
contain an element of exaggeration.

And the skin color has absolutely nothing to do at this point.

The inhabitants of the Southern part of Spain and Italy, for instance,
are obviously more dark-skinned than the inhabitants of the Northern
regions of China and Japan. By the way, according to the "Loushan
scale", a standard accepted in anthropology, the skin color is divided
into 32 shades.

Number 1 and 2 refer to the albinos; the normal skin of the lightest
color is number 3, which is first of all common in Scandinavia and then
among the Evens and the Evenks, tribes living in Siberia. The latter
are not, however, classified among white-skinned people. Number 32,
i.e. the absolute black color is, in more or less pure form, common
only among the peoples of Southern Sudan, living nearby the river Nile,
i.e. the Shilluks, the Nuers and the Annuaks.

Nevertheless, when the Europeans visiting our regions say that "we
form part of the European civilization", this expression sounds like
a kind of haughty "tap on the shoulder"; just make efforts and this
will be recorded to your benefit! And ours, in their turn, are trying
to show how they are making efforts.

However, we they will accept us in Europe as their own people, be
it on the level of everyday life or in politics. We do not mean the
Armenians living, for example, in France from generation to generation;
we mean the people living in Armenia.

To snack one’s lips saying, "Oh, Khackhars (cross-stones), oh, the
first Christians state! Oh, Khachatryan – well, this is welcome. But
snacking will remain on the level of snacking; nothing more.

Whereas Europe itself is gradually dying. It lives a sweet life
(dolche vita) for the time being, but in the 21st century we will
eyewitness the decline of Europe, the de facto elimination of the
Western peoples who ruled over the whole world in the 19th and 20th
centuries. It is astonishing. In 1950, the white-skinned people of
the West formed 35 per cent of the world’s population. In 1960 they
formed 20 per cent. Presently, they form 16 percent and in the middle
of the 21st century their number will decrease to 10 per cent. And
this 10 per cent will be the Earth’s most elderly population.

What if we try and give up the attempts of imitating everything that
is European? Not in a sense that we have to fall to the bosom of
barbarism ostentatiously and build an Asian khanate in our country. We
have simply to try and cease to follow the pattern of the Europeans
in every matter.

Let’s choose self-improvement as a goal, shifting the emphasis on
our "self-" For the sake of welfare; in order to live a comfortable
life in welfare and not to be ashamed of ourselves (and not only of
the Europeans).

Let’s learn to respect ourselves. So as our people will first of all
learn to respect ours (those having power will respect the population,
and only then will the contrary happen) and secondly, the foreigners
will learn to respect our people. If that happens, all the rest will
be settled too.

And then, both our way of living and civilization will deserve respect
in the same Europe, being built on the principles of self-respect and
democracy, the latter being perceived by the people as a key issue (and
not as something leading to compliance with the EU standards). In other
words, it is necessary to give Europe the opportunity to respect us.

The old Jewish wisdom speaks on how Abraham prayed to God every
evening, for winning a "Volga" by lottery. After the successive
prayer, a voice was heard from heaven, saying "Abraham, give me a
chance! Buy me a lottery ticket". A piece of advice that is concerns
not only Abraham.

P.S. But there is definitely one thing we have to learn from the
Europeans. Unlike our people who are extremely politicized, very
many people in Europe do not even know the name of their President
or Prime Minister.

They don’t know and don’t even want to, and it is the most precise
sign of society being sustainable. The people there are sure that
the change of this or that individual representing the authority will
not particularly make any changes in their lives. So, why should they
take pains, trying to keep in mind the successive name? Let him work
to the benefit of society, and if he works badly, they will not elect
him next time.

SECRETARY GENERAL OF COUNCIL OF EUROPE HOPES THAT POSSIBLE REDUCTION OF THE OSCE MONITORING MISSIONS NOT TO AFFECT THE RESULTS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ARMENIA

arminfo
2007-11-05 18:29:00

ArmInfo. Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry Davis
hopes that possible reduction of the OSCE monitoring missions will
not affect the results of the presidential election in Armenia, he
said at the joint press-conference with Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanyan in Yerevan, Monday.

‘I hope that Russia’s suggestion supported by Armenia about reduction
of the OSCE monitoring mission over the election will not affect
holding of the presidential election in Armenia, in February 2008. The
OSCE itself should comment on Russia’s suggestions and their affecting
the electoral processes’, – Terry Davis said.

He also emphasized an important role of mass media in raising
transparency of election holding. He also mentioned the balanced
covering of the election campaign and the candidates. Nevertheless,
T.Davis emphasized that the programmes of the Council of Europe do
not impose their policy upon the member-states of the CE but give
the needed assistance for holding of free and fair elections.

For his part, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said that
Russia’s suggestion to reduce the number of the monitoring missions
to 50 people caused some misunderstanding in Yerevan. He explained
that this was only regarding to long-term monitoring missions financed
from the OSCE budget.

‘Taking of such a decision will not affect Armenia as not more than
30 observers of the OSCE take part in monitoring of the elections
in Armenia’, – Oskanyan said. He thinks that Russia’s suggestion is
directed to improvement of the OSCE activity, and Armenia supports
this initiative as it is an active participant in reforming of the
OSCE structure.

WHAT SHALL HE SAY AFTER MEETING IN BAKU?
By A. Haroutiunian, translated by A.M.

AZG Armenian Daily #203
06/11/2007

Davis Promises to Send Experts to Research Monuments

Foreign Minister of Armenia Vardan Oskanian and Council of Europe
Secretary General Terry Davis before the meeting with reporters,
had discussed issues of bilateral partnership, Karabakh conflict
settlement and problems of preservation of regional culture and
religious monuments

Terry Davis stressed that during the meeting Prime Minister of
Armenia Serge Sarkisian the Armenian side assured him that, unlike
the Azerbaijani side, it is ready to receive the PACE delegation
without ay impediments.

The CE Secretary General also said that there shall be no progress
in case Armenia and Azerbaijan carry on condemning each other, and
added that he would speak about the questions referring to Azerbaijan
in Baku, not in Yerevan. Terry Davis announced that the monitoring
group shall soon arrive in South Caucasus in order to research the
historical, culture and religious monuments.

Referring to the Karabakh issue, Mr. Davis reminded that he has been
the very first CE Rapporteur on Nagorno-Karabakh and is still paying
much attention to the peace process. Davis called the authorities of
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic "a regime" and "separatists", and put no
difference between them and the "regimes" of South Osetia, Abkhazia,
Dniester. At the same time CE Secertary General assured that there
is no "separatist regime" in Kosovo.

It is also noteworthy that during his recent visit to Georgia Terry
Davis said that the experience of South Osetia conflict6 settlement
would also be useful for Karabakh. He said that the peace settlement
of the Karabakh conflict is the only affordable.

ON BORDER OF NORTHERN IRAQ
By Romy Kerwin

Korea Times, South Korea
Nov 4 2007

Northern Iraq or Kurdistan is bordered on the West by Turkey, on the
East by Iran. Turkey is on the left side of Kurdistan and Iran on
the right. There are guerillas fighting on both fronts.

On the Turkish side, the Kurd insurgents are called the Kurdistan
Workers’ Party or simply PKK. The Kurds attacking Iran are calling
themselves PJAK or Party for Free Life in Kurdistan. There are constant
squirmishes along the borders.

It is believed that the United States backs the PJAK and even arm them
even though Washington denies it. That probably means it is true. On
the opposite, Washington does not hide the fact that they are on the
side of Turkey, a vital ally in the region.

The Turkish government preaches moderation and non-involvement in war
measures. The Turkish people, on the other hand want to go to war
with Iraq. If the Kurds continue to attack Turkish citizens during
night raids, war will be inevitable.

On the border with Iran, we know that the Iranian Kurds have the
upper hand in a very hostile terrain. They are also well armed. If
Turkey attacks Iraq, it is almost certain that Iran will join in and
Iran is in possession of nuclear weapons.

The situation is potentially very explosive. What is South Korea
doing in this dangerous region which may explode at any time? Have
you forgotten the massacre of the Armenians in early 20th century?

The Turkish government ordered the annihilation of the Armenians living
in Turkey in the summer of 1915. To this day, the Turks deny that they
massacred one million and a half Armenians under the cover of the First
World War. They got away with it. If they had been justly punished,
it is certain that Hitler would have thought twice about the Holocaust.

The fate of the Armenians, which remained a secret gave him the idea
for the Final Solution. Turkey is not a democracy and like Japan,
continues to deny its atrocities. It could happen again in Kurdistan.

In this part of the world, war is a way of life, of solving problems
and then denying that there was a problem in the first place..

Do not make the mistake of believing that President Bush cares about
South Korea. He doesn’t. Why continue to please him ? Bush only cares
about Bush first and the US second. That is all.

Get out of Iraq while it is still possible. The Kurds love you because
you have made them what they are now : strong and Kurdistan fortified.

Why is Bush interested in Kurdistan ? Because there is OIL. You will
never get all the glorious contracts that you fancy, not for long.

Life in Kurdistan can only be lived one day at a time under the
present conditions.

What will happen when Iraq is left to its own devices and all allied
troops are left? I prefer not to think about it. But, you should.

Romy Kerwin was born in Algeria of French parents. She taught
philosophy and political science at the Department of Environmental
studies of York University, Toronto. She has worked voluntarily and
unofficially for the Ministry of Foreigns Affairs in Seoul for 6 years.

AZG Armenian Daily #202, 03/11/2007

Sports

ARMENIAN CHESSMASTERS DEFEATED OPPONENTS FROM TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN

Armenian chess players were impatiently waiting for the fifth round of
the World team championship, as the men’s team of Armenia was to meet
with the Turkish team, and the women’s team of Armenia with the
Azerbaijani team. Both the Armenian teams won their opponents with the
same count, 2,5-1,5.

The victory of the Armenian men’s team victory was ensured by the game
of Vladimir Hakobian, who won Suat Atalik form Turkey. The rest of the
games were draw. Now the Armenia with 7 points earned is the 10th in
the rating list.

The women’s team won due to the victories of Elina Danielian and
Lilith Mkrtchian. Nelly Aghinian played draw with her opponent from
Azerbaijan and Siranoush Andreasian lost the game. The women’s team
has earned 6 points and is on the 11th place.

Translated by A.M

Mercury-Register, CA
Nov 3 2007

Postponement of resolution saddens Bay Area Armenians

Some Turks relieved as House delays vote on genocide declaration

By Arya Hebbar, CORRESPONDENT
Article Launched: 11/03/2007 02:41:57 AM PDT

Bay Area Armenians are disappointed the House delayed voting on a
resolution declaring the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during
World War I a genocide, but their Turkish counterparts are relieved.
An international furor caused the bill’s Southern California sponsors
to ask Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week not to bring a vote this year on
the Armenian Genocide Resolution.
"It is disappointing that Turkey was shamelessly allowed to interfere
in the process of a simple resolution," said Roxanne Makasdjian,
chairwoman of the Bay Area Armenian National Committee. "It is always
the right time to tell the truth."
Ilkcan Cokgor, president of the Turkish American Association of
California, disagreed.
"All of us Turkish Americans believe very strongly that it is an issue
between Turkey and Armenia and it is definitely not (the) American
Congress’ business."
That sentiment was echoed by Oytun Eskiyenenturk, president of Bay
Area Cultural Connections and a San Francisco resident, who suggested
"A fact-finding committee with respected historians from both Turkey
and Armenia should look at evidence and decide if it should be called
a genocide or not."
The Armenian-American community had cheered the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs’ passage of the non-binding genocide
resolution Oct. 10, saying it would bring closure to the thousands of
Armenians ‘ estimates range as high as half a million ‘ who left their
homeland in search of safety and a better life in the aftermath of
mass killings of Armenians during World War 1.
Now, Florence Janjigian, 65, of Saratoga wonders whether the
resolution will be passed in the lifetime of the remaining genocide
survivors. Most of them are very old, like her mother, Nevart
Karagozian, who turned 100 recently.
"We are kind of small potatoes as far as the United States is
concerned," said a disheartened Janjigian, reasoning that it was more
advantageous to America to have Turkey as an ally than express the
truth about what happened to the Armenian people in World War I.
But Bay Area residents of Turkish heritage say the resolution would be
a mark of shame that their children and grandchildren would have to
carry far into the future. And they argue that the Turkey of today is
not the same as the Turkey of the Ottoman Empire.
"I felt like being punished, shamed and isolated. I am a Turkish
person. I don’t want it in my name, in my child’s name," said Berna
Atik-Watson, 41, of Berkeley, who stressed at the same time that no
human suffering is acceptable.
Support for the House resolution had dropped from 226 co-sponsors to
215 in less than two weeks due to pressure from President Bush, senior
administration officials and Republican congressional leaders who
opposed the measure because it incensed the Turkish government.
House critics of the resolution claimed this was not the right time to
vote on the resolution given Turkey’s strategic importance to America
in the war in Iraq.
"I am disappointed in the democratic system of the U.S. that it will
give in to pressure from a foreign government regarding diplomatic
policy and I am disappointed in our country’s leaders," 20-year-old
Shant Hagopian of Berkeley said of the decision.
Armenian-Americans say the resolution’s passage would validate their
history, officially acknowledge their suffering, provide proof of
American solidarity for Armenian-Americans and, perhaps most
important, bring a sense of closure to the Armenian people. And many
believe it would improve the relationship between Armenia and Turkey.
That’s a sentiment shared by at least some Turkish people in the Bay
Area, such as Mia Koknar-Tockey of San Francisco. A member of Opening
Mountain, a group that brings together Armenian and Turkish people as
a solution to the 100-year-old conflict, she said that the genocide
needs to be recognized.
"We
e there is a big fear about us Turks, but when they talk to us they
understand we are not monsters. We have the same food, jokes; we are
culturally so close," Koknar-Tockey said.
The group was started by an Armenian who didn’t want her fellow
Armenians to raise their kids with hatred and fear of the Turks.
"For me it was just a political thing," says Koknar-Tockey. "For them
(Armenians) it is not (just) political; it is also part of their
lives. They are still carrying all these memories."
That’s certainly true for 100-year-old Karagozian, who lost many
family members in the conflict. She is among the hundreds of thousands
of supporters of the resolution who refer to the written records of
Henry Morgenthau, the American ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from
1913 to 1916, as evidence of the genocide, University of San Francisco
professor Stephen Zunes said.
Canada, France, Italy, Russia and other nations, as well as 40
American states including California, have recognized the Armenian
Genocide, Zunes said.
The International Association of Genocide Scholars, which declares
itself a "global, interdisciplinary, non-partisan organ-ization" that
furthers research about genocide, recognized the genocide and
supported the resolution.
The issue is far from settled ‘ nor should it be, says Khatchig Tazian
of San Mateo.
"It’s significance for the future is one of deterrence. Though such
resolutions won’t bring back the dead, they might have an effect on
regimes that contemplate such actions in the future," Tazian said.
And despite the decision not to go forward with the vote, Tamar
Sarkissian, 27, of Oakland remains hopeful.
"The resolution has been shot down before, but we kept moving
forward," she said. "We got closer this time."

WASHINGTON’S TASK IS TO INVOLVE TURKEY IN TALKS WITH IRAQI KURDISTAN
By H. Chaqrian

AZG Armenian Daily
31/10/2007

October 29 was the Day of the Republic of Turkey. The festive
atmosphere was stained by the armed clashes with the PKK forces, mainly
taking place near mountain Joudy, and Dersim region. Although the
Turkish officials declare thast the forces of PKK have been trapped,
on October 29 the Turkish army lost 5 soldiers, and the previous day
4 soldiers were killed.

In October 27 publication "Azg" expressed opinion that Turkey has
become the hostage of its own initiative of armed invasion into
North Iraq. Yesterday the same opinion was expressed by "Eni Safak"
correspondent Ibrahim Karagul.

Evidently, even the authorities of Turkey have realized the fact of
becoming a self-hostage and are seeking to avoid military campaign in
Iraq. This notion is grounded by the talks that have started between
the USA, Iraq and Turkey.

Sooth to say, Turkey is failing the negotiations.

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s demand to hand the three leaders of
PKK to the authorities of Turkey was categorically rejected by the
Iraqi side. Official Washington advised Ankara to settle the problems
with PKK in close cooperation with the authorities of Baghdad. In
the meanwhile the Turkish political circles are accusing the USA for
arming the Kurdish forces, instigating them for an assault on Turkey
and encouraging Iraq’s confrontation with Turkey.

The aforementioned challenges, the unrest in the Kurdish-populated
regions of South-Eastern Turkey, and the ill-foreboding "advices" from
Washington made Turkey to withdraw the troops preparing to enter the
territory of Iraq. The EU and most of the countries of the region,
except Syria and Iran, are also against Turkey’s invasion to Iraq,
therefore Turkey, in case of venturing an assault on "Kurdistan", will
face the resistance of the EU, the USA and its neighbor countries,
as well as PKK forces, reinforced by "pashmagars" and equipped with
American arms.

In this respect head of the Armed Forces of Turkey, Yasar Buyukanit,
who on the eve of the parliamentary elections was demanding to strike
at PKK as soon as possible, has now stated that the assault must be
postponed until the meeting of Prime Minister Erdogan and US President
George Bush in Washington.

Most probably, Bush will urge Erdogan to cooperate with Baghdad. The
latter shall press on the involvement of North Kurdistan’s local
government bodies, and Masoud Barzanee shall demand to start
negotiations. Negotiating with Barzanee will mean the de-facto
recognition of sovereignty of Kurdistan, and Turkey shall refuse. This
will lead the process of settling the Kurdish problem to a dead end,
after which Turkey will have the only chance of provoking anti-Kurdish
hysteria among its citizens and the European states.

How can be explained Washington’s demand to settle the problem of PKK
militant forces by the means of Trukey-Iraq cooperation? Evidently,
the reason is hidden in the US Government’s plans of division of
Iraq. That is why Washington, neglecting the indignation of Ankara,
is handing the solution of PKK question to Baghdad, and the latter
– to the local government of North Iraq, Kurdistan district. The
Turkey-Iraq-Kurdistan negotiations shall first of all work for the
interests of the United States, therefore Turkey shall either be
forced to give way, or continue military operations. Otherwise,
Washington has no problem with destroying the PKK bases with the
forces of Bagdad or Kurdistan.

ELIE WIESEL: EVENTS OF 1915 WERE GENOCIDE

Yerkir
30.10.2007 18:21

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize Elie Wiesel
declared that the events at the turn of the past century were genocide.

"I think that if the word "genocide" existed at the time, the events
that befell the Armenians would have been called genocide," Holocaust
survivor Elie Wiesel said in an interview with the "Philadelphia
Jewish Voice."

"For many years I have been struggling for the Armenians’ right
to remember. How can I tell the Armenians they have no right to
remember, having struggled for the Jews’ right to remember throughout
my lifetime?

But I understand the position of the Bush Administration. Fortunately,
as a private citizen I do not need to worry about a Turkish
passport. I’m assured Armenians are victims, and as a Jew I must
stand by Armenians," the Nobel Prize Laureate said.

DEMS GO COLD TURKEY…
by Jayme Evans

The Conservative Voice, NC
Oct 30 2007

Having failed miserably to force a US retreat in Iraq, House
Democrats and their skittish Republican counterparts have now
resorted to asymmetrical political warfare against President Bush,
his administration and US military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.

About 70% of all supplies supporting current US combat operations
flow through Turkey. Its strategic location has made the air base
at Incirlik a vital lifeline to the US military. It doesn’t take a
legal scholar to articulate the implications to Iraq or Afghanistan
if Turkey denied access to Incirlik.

On October 10, 2007, over the objections of the Bush Administration,
the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved a non-binding resolution
that Chairman Tom Lantos and Speaker Nancy Pelosi insist merely
acknowledges that the forced expulsions and murders of 1.5 million
Armenians by the Ottoman Empire in the early 1900’s were genocide.

This resolution has surfaced regularly for years. Even Bill Clinton
believed so strongly in the present-day foreign policy damage it would
cause, that he urged Congress to withdraw the measure. Yet many in
both parties still support it.

Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) recalled that Turkey denied use of its soil for
attacking Iraq in 2003, which he said cost the lives of US servicemen
and women. My question to Republican Kirk then is: Knowing what you
now know about what happened in 2003, what will happen to US soldiers
already in harm’s way in 2 theaters if Turkey does it again?

To Kirk, 2 wrongs apparently will make this right.

The resolution originally had over 200 co-sponsors, but in October,
dozens withdrew. This year’s version calls on President Bush to
"accurately characterize" the killings, yet in April 2007 he already
said that "1.5 million Armenians were annihilated through forced
exile and murder."

Last month, eight former Secretaries of State, including Henry
Kissinger, Madeline Albright and Warren Christopher wrote a letter
to Nancy Pelosi warning her that the resolution would endanger US
national security interests. Tom Lantos himself warned against the
resolution in 2000, citing a "long list of reasons…" But now he
says that if we adopt it, it will magically restore morality to our
foreign policy. Nancy Pelosi was quoted as telling her critics:
"There’s never a good time…" Maybe, maybe not; but there most
certainly is a bad time, and this is it.

We have nearly a quarter of a million soldiers in 2 wars in the
Middle East.

Attacks on US soldiers and Iraqi civilians, vehicle-borne IEDs and
other indicators of violence in and around Baghdad show declines of
up to 70 percent due to the recent of efforts coalition soldiers. By
every objective measure the surge has been a success, but Democrats
simply can’t afford to allow success in Iraq. They ran in opposition
to it in the 2006 midterm. Any Democratic presidential candidate with
a snowball’s chance in hell has already branded the effort a failure.

They must lose at all costs to maintain even a shred of their
credibility.

Democrats would have you believe that those against this measure are
trying to bury the truth; trying to deny genocide. The truth is,
this resolution is not just about Armenian genocide. It is a back
door attempt at ending the war in Iraq by driving a wedge between
the United States and one of our most important allies in the region.

They have been loudly criticizing the president for his lack of
diplomacy, and they now directly sabotage those efforts by slapping
Turkey in the face for something that occurred nearly a century ago.

What’s not reported in the mainstream media is that the current US
Congress has even lower approval ratings than President Bush. They’re
abysmal, precisely because of antics like this. The question of
genocide should be left up to long-dead presidents, historians or
tribunals in The Hague, not the 110th congress.

Turkey has already made several incursions into Iraq in US-made F-16s
striking Kurdish terrorists hiding in the north and promises more.

US soldiers may need to divert from Baghdad for security, and could
get caught in the middle of that mess.

We could also be denied the use of Turkish airspace to render air or
logistical support to our own military. That could leave them short
on food, armor or bullets.

Northern Iraq, which had been the most secure region could become
destabilized.

But that’s the risk Democrats are willing to take in order to vote
on which technical term they should apply to mass killings committed
in a foreign country nearly a century ago.