US warns of Turkish reprisals

[questionmark]

US warns of Turkish reprisals as Armenia 'genocide' vote looms

10/10/2007 16h37

WASHINGTON (AFP) - A bid by US lawmakers to label the Ottoman massacre of Armenians a "genocide" will trigger Turkish reprisals and undermine Iraq, Afghanistan and Middle East peace, the administration warned Wednesday.

President George W. Bush and his top lieutenants were unusually blunt in attacking what is a non-binding resolution in the House of Representatives, highlighting anxiety over the impact on a key diplomatic and military alliance.

Bush said the resolution would do "great harm" to ties with Turkey, a Muslim-majority member of NATO whose territory is a crucial transit point for US supplies bound for Iraq and Afghanistan.

"This resolution is not the right response to these historic mass killings; its passage would do great harm to our relations with a key ally in NATO and in the global war on terror," the president said outside the White House.

In a joint appearance following talks with Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates also denounced the measure as the House Foreign Affairs Committee convened for debate later Wednesday.

Rice said she sympathized with Armenians' fate during World War I, when according to the Armenians, 1.5 million of their kinsmen died in systematic deportations and killings under the Ottoman Empire.

"But the passage of this resolution at this time would, indeed, be very problematic for everything that we're trying to do in the Middle East because we are very dependent on a good Turkish strategic ally for this," she said.

Full story, Source: AFP

[__Kratos__]

Muslims and genocide?! Never!!!

Though I see this is more about our country's interests in the region rather then what the resolution would stand for. Gotta look out for number 1 in these things. Actually surprised that the nutjob christian rights aren't rambling on about calling it genocide though...

[Mekorig]

IIRC, the Armenian Genocide was made in the time of the Young Turkmen...werent them secular and nationalistic? I dont have Wikipedia or a History Book to corroborate in this moment.

[Unlimited]

ya lets cover up the murder of 1.5 million people so we dont offend anyone...anyone smell the hypocrisy..

[questionmark]

and the saga continues:

Ankara plays diplomatic 'hardball' with US

Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington

Thursday October 11, 2007

Guardian Unlimited

Turkey today recalled its ambassador to Washington and warned that it would "play hardball" to persuade Congress to abandon a bill recognising the historic persecution of Armenians.

The diplomatic rebuke to Washington came amid furious lobbying by Bush administration officials to try to pull back the bill.

The measure, which was endorsed by the house foreign affairs committee, yesterday in defiance of warnings from White House and Turkish officials, would recognise the 1915 massacres and forced deportations of Armenians as a genocide.

A house vote on the bill could come as early as tomorrow. With that prospect looming, Turkish and US officials stepped up their pressure on Congress today.

A Turkish foreign ministry spokesman said the ambassador, Nabi Sensoy, would stay in Ankara for about a week or 10 days. "We are not withdrawing our ambassador. We have asked him to come to Turkey for some consultations," the spokesman, Levent Bilman, told reporters.

Meanwhile, the US ambassador to Turkey, Ross Wilson, was summoned to the foreign ministry in Ankara where officials expressed their "unease".

In Washington, a visiting adviser to the Turkish prime minister, Tayyip Erdogan, suggested there would be more such manoeuvres to come.

"I can assure you Turkey knows how to play hardball, the adviser, Egeman Bagis, told reporters.

The Turkish parliament is expected to vote next week to authorise a broader intervention into northern Iraq following yesterday's air strikes on suspected Kurdish rebel positions.

Such a move is opposed by the US and the European Union, who fear disrupting the relative peace in northern Iraq.

However, widespread anger in Turkey that Congress was moving forward on a bill to classify the first world war killings of Armenians as a genocide, could push Turkish legislators into supporting military strikes.

Full story, Source: The Guardian

[questionmark]

Update: The resolution was accepted!!!! Edited October 11, 2007 by questionmark

[Spurious George]

Turks burning Barbie and Spiderman dolls

11.10.2007

Cinemas screening American films are closed in Istanbul. To protest adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee dozens of Macdonald's employees did not appear at work.

Besides, Turkey threatens to restrict the U.S. use of Incirlik base and seems to neglect Washington’s warning against intrusion into Northern Iraq.

--

Students and trade companies’ employees are holding pickets at the U.S. Consulate building in Ankara shouting out anti-American slogans. Turkey is launching a campaign in "defense of national dignity." Protestors call to break off relations with the U.S., to boycott American goods.

Turkish media reports that dozens of American toys, including Barbie and Spiderman dolls, were burnt in a shop in southeast of the country, the RFE/RL reports.

http://www.panarmenian.net/news/eng/?nid=23664

I am afraid things have gotten very VERY serious now... they may soon turn violent on their kittens

[Duality]

President George W. Bush and his top lieutenants were unusually blunt in attacking what is a non-binding resolution in the House of Representatives, highlighting anxiety over the impact on a key diplomatic and military alliance.

Bush said the resolution would do "great harm" to ties with Turkey, a Muslim-majority member of NATO whose territory is a crucial transit point for US supplies bound for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Bush gets involved - Are there untapped oil reserves in Turkey?

[Mekorig]

No much that i am aware. Just the loyalty of this country to the OTAN and the USA.

Edit: Some info about it:

Armenian Genocide

Denial of the Armenian Genocide

Recognition of the Armenian Genocide

Edited October 11, 2007 by Mekorig

[SnakeProphet]

The denial of this holocaust, not only by the turkish government, but most everyone else(europe, especially germany), is hypocrisy at it's finest.

[questionmark]

The denial of this holocaust, not only by the turkish government, but most everyone else(europe, especially germany), is hypocrisy at it's finest.

Huh? Both the European and the German parliaments passed resolutions calling this a genocide ages ago.

[SnakeProphet]

Oh really? You know how it's illegal to deny the holocaust? Well, it's certainly not illegal to deny this one. It's also hardly ever mentioned, and no one here knows sh** about it. This is what I call hypocrisy.

[questionmark]

Oh really? You know how it's illegal to deny the holocaust? Well, it's certainly not illegal to deny this one. It's also hardly ever mentioned, and no one here knows sh** about it. This is what I call hypocrisy.

I see, you want a law forbidding to deny this atrocity, as soon as the first Turkish Zündel shows his head in Germany it will be, I bet ten to one.

So far nobody is going around trying to gain political capital out of the denial of this genocide, while Zündel and Co. do. That is why there is no law against it.

[Mekorig]

Armenians are not the only ones who the Turks killed and raped....

Assyrian Genocide

[SnakeProphet]

I see, you want a law forbidding to deny this atrocity, as soon as the first Turkish Zündel shows his head in Germany it will be, I bet ten to one.

So far nobody is going around trying to gain political capital out of the denial of this genocide, while Zündel and Co. do. That is why there is no law against it.

No I'd rather have it the other way round, but anyway. You are german aren't you? You should know. There's no need for a Zündel to show up, just like there's no need for this law to exist.

Edited October 11, 2007 by Volos

[questionmark]

No I'd rather have it the other way round, but anyway. You are german aren't you? You should know. There's no need for a Zündel to show up, just like there's no need for this law to exist.

Nope, am not (though some of my ancestors are), but it is my job to know what goes on in Europe, and why it goes on.

And don't worry, as soon as the last generation of perpetrators and victims are dead the holocaust denial law will disappear... cause there will be nothing to be gained on the back of the victims anymore. So will the Zündels

[Mars]

What the hell is it with the government where they constantly 'suck up' to Turkey?

[ninjadude]

Besides, Turkey threatens to restrict the U.S. use of Incirlik base and seems to neglect Washington’s warning against intrusion into Northern Iraq.

You know, I've been scratching my head over this "resolution". Why now. What's the purpose. There it is. Restrict W's ability to wage war outside of Iraq by limiting access to US Turkey bases and having Turkey engage the Kurds. He can't go bombin in Iran with all that going on. Well it would add more limits to sane people.

[The Silver Thong]

What the hell is it with the government where they constantly 'suck up' to Turkey?

I do believe Turkey is about to become a member of the EU. Don't want to ruffle any feathers, sorry had to be said.

[Unlimited]

75% of all supplies to the US troops go thru turkey...they say they might not tommorow...the turks are irate....

[Stardrive]

You know, I've been scratching my head over this "resolution". Why now.

I heard on the news Pulosi was pushing this one. But I thought the same thing. Why now almost 100 years after the fact?

Too little way too late comes to mind.

I do believe Turkey is about to become a member of the EU. Don't want to ruffle any feathers

[Stardrive]

75% of all supplies to the US troops go thru turkey

So does 75% of all dressing. Sorry, I have a case of the can't help it's tonight.

[robdawg75]

I do believe Turkey is about to become a member of the EU. Don't want to ruffle any feathers, sorry had to be said.

The Turkish refusal to admit the occurrence of the genocide is one of the things standing in the way of its entrance into the EU. There are some EU countries that will not agree to Turkey becoming a member until they officially recognize the Massacre. So it would be better for Turkey if they just quite denying it. Also, if they were members of the EU they would be bound by the EU parliament, so the parliament could allow the use of the Turkish bases. And don't forget the billions of dollars that Turkey makes from allowing US use of those bases. The Turks are full of hot air, cutting of the US as an ally and a source of income would do too much damage to the Turkish economy.

The Turkish government should recognize it and move on and the US government should stop acting as selfish cowards and recognize it.

The Armenian Genocide is fact pure and simple. The Turks can't change history by denying it and the US gov't should not continue to facilitate the idea that it is not history. Despite having full knowledge of the massacre as it was occurring the US gov't failed to do anything at the time and it is now denying the existence of historical fact, lying to the US people and willfully keeping citizens ignorant of historical fact. This administration just continues to show that it does not care for anybody unless it is convenient. Convenience should not be the measure of when a government should do what is morally correct and extremely past due.