Genocide condemnation failing

It turns out that the condemnation of the Turkish genocide perpetrated against Armenians is a “twofer” for Nancy Pelosi. Not only does she get to stroke the weathered hags of Code Pink, but she also has a large Armenian community in her district. She can get the protesters off her lawn if she makes the war more difficult for the Administration and the troops by shutting down air bases and supply routes from Turkey – and pander for votes in her district.

But apparently, pelosi and her bill are falling on hard times, according to the Washington Examiner’s Susan Ferrechio;

House Democrats are slowly losing support for a resolution that would label mass killings nine decades ago as genocide committed by Turkey.

At least 10 sponsors of the measure — eight of them Democrats — have removed their names from the resolution in the past few days following warnings from State Department officials and the Turkish government that its passage would threaten relations between the two allies.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., whose district is home to an Armenian community, have been leading the fight to pass the resolution.

Hoyer acknowledged that the waning enthusiasm among members of the House could scotch plans to vote on the resolution any time soon. Initially, Hoyer promised to take up the measure by Nov. 16.

“There are a lot of people who are revisiting their position,” Hoyer said.

Six Democrats and one Republican lined up at the clerk’s desk in the well of the House late Monday, waiting their turns to strip their names from the resolution, which would direct the president to recognize the killings as genocide.

One of the lead sponsors, Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., said she has decided not to vote for the resolution because it is “highly destabilizing” to the region. She left her name on the measure, though, saying that she thinks genocide was committed but that “Congress acting now is incendiary.”

With sponsors leaving Pelosi’s ill-considered attempt to defund the war and kill more troops while buying votes, her “twofer” could turn into a “twofer” for Republicans. With the polls showing general dissatisfaction with Congress, pelosi, trying to cut her negatives in half blames the Senate, according to The Hill’s Mike Soraghan and Manu Raju;

In March, the Speaker celebrated the first 100 days of the congressional majority by stating, “Democrats have brought the winds of change to the Capitol.”

These days, she’s confined to claiming those winds are blowing on her side of the building. In the minds of her caucus members, the Senate is in the doldrums and House members are paying the price for Senate inaction on Democratic priorities.

With support dissipating for what should be her easiest piece of legislation to push through the House, Nancy Pelosi is losing her grip on the House. (Washington Examiner)

Rep. Wally Herger, R-Calif., who removed his name from the resolution Monday, said sponsors like the idea of condemning the killings, “but I think many people now realize we shouldn’t be sticking our finger in the eye of someone who is an ally.”

Yeah, 90 years after the fact. The Democrats knew that Turkey was upset (Hoyer and Pelosi met with the Turkish Ambassador last Wednesday) and plowed ahead regardless of the sensitive situation.

My sources tell me that it’s intentional in order to cause a hardship maintaining our troops, and keeping them safe – forcing the administration to withdraw from Iraq. But, until I can dig up some hard paper, it’s has to remain just a rumor. 

Can you imagine that we live in times in which one party can plot to undermine our war efforts – kill our own soldiers and plot to disintegrate their air cover and resupply – all for a few votes. Regardless of their intentions, Democrats know this bill will have that effect.

Is there another kinder and gentler definition of traitorous that I don’t know about?

Category: Foreign Policy, Politics, Terror War