Did Hill kill the Armenia bill?
posted at 11:37 am on October 17, 2007 by Bryan
Veddy eenteresting speculation over at Campaign Spot.
Now we hear a dozen lawmakers have changed their mind on the resolution in the past 24 hours. Of the three Democrats mentioned as flipping this morning — Reps. Allen Boyd of Florida, Jane Harman of California, and Mike Ross of Arkansas — two (Harman, Ross) have endorsed Hillary.
It does make sense: Would you want to start your term in the White House with a major NATO ally spitting mad at the US?
I’m sure the Democrats who were all set to vote on this bill will still get a chance to annoy another vital ally eventually. Hey look, Japan’s cabinet has approved extending its naval mission in support of the war in Afghanistan. Let’s draft a resolution condemning them for the 17th century suppression of Christianity!
Blowback
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As long as it doesn’t go through it won’t matter why.
R D on October 17, 2007 at 11:41 AM
They are still going to be irritated for the fact that the resolution was proposed in the first place.
Canadian Imperialist Running Dog on October 17, 2007 at 11:43 AM
They got the Turks riled up and they’ll settle for that. Any more might have made them look bad.
NellE on October 17, 2007 at 11:44 AM
Was all this a Clinton/Democratic ploy to pander for votes? Create a big problem with the resolution then along comes Hillary to save the day?
/Immense Left Wing Conspiracy
Wade on October 17, 2007 at 11:48 AM
Of course. Hillary is perfectly willing to go whichever way the wind is blowing. Who would expect her to stand up for something on moral grounds? Not I.
Spirit of 1776 on October 17, 2007 at 11:52 AM
Think bigger! Let’s get all of our Western European allies angry by condemning the Crusades as unforgivable crimes against humanity!
highhopes on October 17, 2007 at 11:53 AM
Well, you could knock me over with a feather… (I’m pathetic, I know.)
Numenorean on October 17, 2007 at 11:55 AM
Or are people looking so hard for ANY type of Hillary foreign policy clue, that they will give her credit for these guys realizing the POLITICAL implications of what they probably thought was a no brainer type of vote…
Reps could have used this vote as a HUGE CLUB agianst them for getting troops killed.. and they figured it out.
Romeo13 on October 17, 2007 at 11:57 AM
I’m just glad it isn’t going through and I don’t really care why it isn’t at this point. I used to argue that such a resolution should be passed, and I can sympathize with anyone of Armenian descent on the issue. But there is just way too much at stake in that part of the world to be antagonizing allies right now.
BadgerHawk on October 17, 2007 at 11:59 AM
Nuking them wasn’t enough. We need a sternly worded resolution too!
tommylotto on October 17, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Crossed my mind, but this resolution is so strange and obscure I doubt many swing-voters will even hear about it. So it doesn’t provide much political leverage.
The only other theory I can concoct would be that the inention was to send Turkey a message to protest its installation of an Islamist government. But since when do Democrats care about things like that?
Rather, I suspect the congressional Democrat leadership’s intention to disrupt the nation’s ability to support its own troops in a hostile theater of operations by angering a key ally was sincere.
Blacklake on October 17, 2007 at 12:02 PM
Betwen thios resolution and the letter to Rush…
I want my money back! MY taxes pay Feinstein’s and Boxer’s salaries. I want that money back for wasting time.
Mazztek on October 17, 2007 at 12:04 PM
Look at that. Clinton showing a bit of ‘experience’ and ‘leadership’ on international policy.
repeat after me – ‘to the right of Rudy’.
ThackerAgency on October 17, 2007 at 12:05 PM
I am surprised that the liberals did not go for passing this bill. If they did pass it the result would be a major problem for the Iraq war effort as Turkey is a supply point for the troops. Without that supply, Bush would be forced to as least reduce the military presence. It would also give them an opportunity for a feel good moment in condemning an event that is almost 100 years old.
davidcaskey on October 17, 2007 at 12:11 PM
I’m sure that all of this mess was a cold, calculated move made by the Cankles Camp! I question everything they do!!!!!!
Winebabe on October 17, 2007 at 12:14 PM
Might’ve been a political move by her Thighness but, as much as I support that we MUST do this at SOME POINT, she made a smart move helping to kill it.
Defector01 on October 17, 2007 at 12:16 PM
Isn’t it interesting that nobody in the media is making Hillary Clinton publicly state whether she supports the resolution? BTW, why not post on hotair or you tube the now infamous photos and video of Hillary Clinton in the mid 1990s standing with and kissing Suha Arafat after Suha Arafat gave a speech saying that Israel was poisoning drinking water so the Israelis could kill Palestinian children? At the time, Hillary said she was merely being diplomatic. This video and accompanying photos would be all over the media if Mitt Romney or Rudy Giuliani had acted like a milktoast the way Hillary Clinton did.
Larraby on October 17, 2007 at 12:22 PM
Defector01, president Reagan and the Europeans, especially the French, already did strongly condemn Turkey over this. This should have been over since the 80s and no one disputes the genocide.
There is too much reading into and credit given to the (phantom) party, the Glacier. It’s simply to placate two liberal congressmen who get a lot of votes from the Glendale area, and Armenians in general. Also to garner Armenian votes for ’08 for the libs. It was idiotic and the stupidity surfaced. That’s all. Biggest looser in this, after the U.S., is Pelosi, who’s not very erudite or bright. Otherwise, she would have scuttled this before it even surfaced.
Entelechy on October 17, 2007 at 12:27 PM
That is a good political move if you have a majority in congress and can pick a worthless issue for dems to support so that you can come in at the last minute and nix the deal, thereby creating the image that you support the war yet have no downside in alienating the moveon.org crowd.
csdeven on October 17, 2007 at 12:30 PM
As large as her ego is, I am sure she would be crowing about it if she did…even at the expense of pissing off the kooks.
SouthernGent on October 17, 2007 at 12:31 PM
Condemning Western Europe for the Crusades would be like tying up a masochist and spanking him. They’d love us for it.
thuja on October 17, 2007 at 12:32 PM
I find it very interesting you think this needs to be done at SOME POINT. I can only hope you mean kill it at SOME POINT. Judging historical events with current day theology does no one good. Instead we need to read and study the past with open minds and learn from the past, not judge and condemn.
Wade on October 17, 2007 at 12:34 PM
as a fellow Californian I heartily agree, however I don’t think you go anywhere near far enough. I personally want to see Feinstein in a prison cell right next to Randy “Duke” Cunningham.
doriangrey on October 17, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Good point, but she will definitely keep this little jewel in her quiver and use it in the general.
csdeven on October 17, 2007 at 12:36 PM
Just reminds me that even Hillary/a clock that has stopped, is right twice a day. It is a stupid bill, which needed to be put to sleep.
doufree on October 17, 2007 at 12:52 PM
The Turkish parliament has given the okay for military actions against the Kurdish rebels in Iraq.
And in the article is this quote.
I am afraid the damage is done. Granted the PKK is not the good guys in this but notice how Turkey doesn’t let things like borders stop them in pursuit of who they view as their enemies.
LakeRuins on October 17, 2007 at 12:54 PM
If only we would insist Mexico not invade OUR borders like we’re asking Turkey to respect Iraq’s borders. *sigh*
SouthernGent on October 17, 2007 at 12:56 PM
As to Japan remember right after taking power the Dems put through a resolution condemning the “comfort women” of WWII.
CommentGuy on October 17, 2007 at 1:00 PM
“Let’s draft a resolution condemning them for the 17th century suppression of Christianity!”
Or the Bataan Death March….
georgej on October 17, 2007 at 1:01 PM
Not while el primer Mexicano el Presidente Senor Jorge Arbusto is in la Casa Blanca.
MB4 on October 17, 2007 at 1:10 PM
I have to agree with you on the point that they probably finally realized the political ramifications of this entire thing. I bet Shrillary tries to use it to her advantage somehow anyway.
I also agree with LakeRuins that the damage is already done. Protests in Turkey against the US Congress… We’ve already pissed them off completely. It doesn’t matter if this passes. Maybe that was the whole point. Make Turkey mad, sacrifice our efforts in Iraq (slow bleed), then back off and say “Oh, well we didn’t really mean it!” Who wants to bet that this never even hits the floor for a vote?
lan astaslem on October 17, 2007 at 1:17 PM
I wouldn’t read to much into this, it is after all the exact same thing we told Pakistan. My guess is that the US and Iraq will work out a compromise with Turkey, where if Turkey feels the need to enter Iraqi territory they will be allowed to only as a joint venture with US or Iraqi troops for the express purpose of hunting down fleeing PKK members.
Or that any Turkish ventures will likely resemble US excursions into Pakistani territory. Very short, very quick precision strikes with the Turkish personal retreating back across the border before practically anyone knows that they were there.
Turkey has a pretty modern and effective military and I have little doubt that they could pull such light/small raids off, nor do I doubt that so long as Turkey did not attempt a major long term incursion that both Washington and Baghdad would be inclined to complain but otherwise ignore any actions taken by Turkey that could clearly be demonstrated by Turkey to be valid and justifiable acts of self-defense against the PKK.
doriangrey on October 17, 2007 at 1:20 PM
Now we hear a dozen lawmakers have changed their mind on the resolution in the past 24 hours. Of the three Democrats mentioned as flipping this morning — Reps. Allen Boyd of Florida, Jane Harman of California, and Mike Ross of Arkansas — two (Harman, Ross) have endorsed Hillary.
It is more like sheep following their leader blindly. Then they loose their way and wound up following a new leader (Hillary). They do not have a mind to change.
SIJ6141 on October 17, 2007 at 1:25 PM
Open cabinet positions are up for sale
Kini on October 17, 2007 at 1:45 PM
All very valid points. But what about the fact that we may lose what little cooperation we get from Turkey for base operations/supply lines/routes for our troops? I think that’s where the worst fallout will be.
lan astaslem on October 17, 2007 at 1:46 PM
I don’t think we will, mostly I expect saber rattling from Turkey. I don’t think Turkey wants a confrontation with our military, what I think they want is our help with their very real PKK problem. The democrats in congress are very much intentionally trying to cause problems between us and Turkey, but I think Turkey knows that in this particular matter congress is actually pretty toothless.
doriangrey on October 17, 2007 at 1:51 PM
I guess the Dems think that a leader is someone who can tell which way the wind is blowing….
landlines on October 17, 2007 at 2:06 PM
I sure hope you are right! :-) Otherwise, the Dems win without even firing a shot.
lan astaslem on October 17, 2007 at 2:06 PM
All Bush really has to do to turn this situation around is send a special envoy to Turkey and reassure Turkey that he recognizes that their problem with the PKK is very real and very serious and that Washington in spite of congress’s empty rhetoric is willing to help Turkey find a solution to their PKK problem. A solution I might add that does in fact include military action where and when warranted.
doriangrey on October 17, 2007 at 2:13 PM
“I guess the Dems think that a leader is someone who can tell which way the wind is blowing….”
Precisely. If you want US policy to be determined by polls conducted among our enemies worldwide, just elect Dems!
drunyan8315 on October 17, 2007 at 4:00 PM
Fine, if you want to take a run at the Japanese. But I have a better idea.
Why not antagonize your closest ally in Iraq…the British. You could nail them for attempted genocide against the Irish, something similar to the Scots after Culloden and imperialism in their conquest of the Malvinas.
Imagine the sabotage that Pelosi could do to the war effort with that ammunition…obviously, with Turkey, she was just thinking small.
Blaise on October 17, 2007 at 4:12 PM
Well you know, she had to run something small up the flag pole first to see which way the wind was blowing.
doriangrey on October 17, 2007 at 4:17 PM
Dems thought they could pull off this sabotage without much public awareness. If they could alienate Turkey, our defeat in Iraq would be almost certain.
Then, when the word got out what they were up to, and the backlash began to mushroom, they got cold feet.
petefrt on October 17, 2007 at 5:28 PM
Probably the best analysis of the situation yet.
doriangrey on October 17, 2007 at 5:39 PM
~ President Abraham Lincoln
Entelechy on October 17, 2007 at 9:43 PM