The "word on the street" tonight, Wednesday, is that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is looking for a quiet way to bury the Armenian genocide resolution she pledged on Sunday to bring to the House floor for a vote.
I've got some questions.
I understand what we'll call "the thinking on Wednesday night:" Pelosi's hearing from some Dem colleagues.
They're telling her they don't want to have to vote on the resolution. They wish she'd never pushed the matter. It's upset a critical ally, Turkey, which has recalled its ambassador and threatened to deny America the use Turkish facilities vital to supporting our troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
So I understand why it's a sure bet now Pelosi will find a burying place for the resolution.
So much for Pelosi's thinking on Wednesday night.
But what was she thinking on Sunday, and before when she said she'd bring the Armenian resolution to the floor for a vote; and made it very clear she personally supported the resolution?
Everything that's happened since Sunday was very predictable. The Turks have warned before what they would do.
Pelosi’s had prior first hand experience with the matter. She and other Dems helped prevent a vote on a similar resolution when President Clinton was in office.
So what was Pelosi's thinking on Sunday?
Did Dems promise to support the resolution who are now backing down because they don't want to be seen as hurting our troops at war?
I'm at a lost to explain how Pelosi got herself into the mess she's trying to get out of tonight.
What do you think?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Pelosi Update & Questions
Posted by JWM at 6:39 PM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
John,
You ask a good question. I will speculate and answer it for you, if I may. Please bear with me for a minute.
In my previous life, I worked for a large and bureaucratic organization. In our department, we used to get a new boss every 4 years by tradition. However, we had a few mishaps where our bosses kept dying (one out of cancer, one of old age, etc.). In short, I ended up having about 10 bosses over a 25 year period. Each time we had a new boss appointed, we (the line managers) received a memo from him asking why we spent 1 million dollars per year in computing costs alone to maintain a certain mundane sounding database. Each time this memo arrived, one of us (the line managers) would go upstairs and explain to our new boss how this mundane sounding database was what the department was built around and how if we got rid of the database there would not be a need for the department. We also explained that our new boss did not have to take our word for this because within a day or so, he would be contacting us and asking for statistics on many issues for which we would have to rely on that mundane database. Eventually, we were always proven right.
One time, we had a new boss and I was the lucky line manager to explain the situation to him. After he listened he said “May I make a suggestion? Please write this down and present it to the next dummy (my successors) on the day he arrives here.” We took his advice and wrote it down. It has been a custom since then to present this information to every incoming boss on the day he arrives.
Based on what I heard in the news today, Nancy Pelosi (the new boss) heard from the line-managers today. My suggestion to the White House staff is to write down whatever they shared with Pelosi and her friends over the last couple of days. They will need it for the next dummy (future speakers, presidents, etc.). 8 previous speakers apparently had the same talk with the White House. I think it is time to write it down.
Pelosi and Reid, two incredibly craven politicians, are doing all in their power to harm George Bush. In so doing, they are harming U.S. interests and endangering the lives of U.S. servicemembers serving in harm's way. Short-sighted politicians are nothing new, but the so-called "leaders" of the current congress are despicable in their militant anti-Americanism. The only reason the Republicans weren't as dangerous when they held the majority is they're not as smart as the Democrats. A pox on both their houses!
Of course, ticking off China at a time like this over a somewhat politically-based statement would seem to be a bad idea too....
It's quite simple really, Pelosi is trying to undemine the logistical situation with the Iraq situation. She wanted to force Bush's hand by removing Turkey from the logistical equation. No Turkey, more likely troops will have to leave Iraq. Can't get it through by vote, try another tactic. I totally agree with the assessment that Pelosi and Reid are trying to sell us down the river just to get rich. Absolutely no doubt in my mind. Voter surverys indicated that she was busted from the get/go. she was just too stupid to know it. Absolute scum.
What possible American national interest could be served by passing a meaningless resolution about events that happened a century ago during the Ottoman empire, specifically designed to antagonize one of our strongest and most important current allies in the entire region? What were members of Congress thinking/not thinking about?
The sole result would be to earn brownie points with a noisy Armenian expatriate population living a blood feud five generations old. It is not, and should not, be American policy to reopen ancient wounds and promote ancient rivalries.
One of our greatest foreign policy successes during the 20th century was to develop Japan and Germany as ALLIES during the Cold War. We did this by good faith, money, and foresight through the Marshall Plan. It worked.
Provoking old feuds and, in the process, alienating critical allies, is stupid and dangerous policy.
Congress just doesn't do foreign policy.
To Jim in San Diego, I share your sentiments precisely.
Having lived in DC for years I witnessed firthand the wide gulf between the Capital Hill politcos who barter & pose endlessly over domestic policy and the finesse needed to undertake foreign policy. We are seeing with Pelosi why we need diplomats and State Department experts.
There's no thinking involved. It's the leadership of those without leadership. Try whatever seems like a good idea at the time. When it doesn't work in 48 hours, switch to something else.
She can sell trying to her base in lieu of actual accomplishment, which would require horsetrading with President Bush to achieve.
Does Nancy Pelosi know that during the same Armenian/Russian/Ottoman war, during WWI, 2.5 million Turks died as well? Perhaps, we need another senate resolution to document that genocide. Oops, I almost forgot. What about the Anzac genocide in Gallipoli during WWI? Why stop with the Armenians, I say let's go for all.
Here is a bit of info for the historically curious, from the genocide victims' perspective:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Maybe she (Pelosi) thought insulting Turkey would help "the children."
I think she's just incredibly dense, and easy to manipulate. Make her believe she's in control, then take her to the cleaners.
Worse, she keeps getting set up by men of marginal brightness - which tends to drive home Ann Coulter's point regarding the wisdom of continuing the 19th Amendment.
It is reported in todays Washington Post that the head of the Armenians living in Turkey has stated he opposes the Congressional resolution on the Armenion genocide. He calls it a result of local American politics.
Where, or where, did Ms. Pelosi get this very unfortunate idea?
Her hairdresser must be an Armenian!
Post a Comment