Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
New York Post
October 23, 2007 By Tom Topousis
The commander of U.S. military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan yesterday blasted congressional leaders for pushing a resolution to recognize the Armenian genocide, saying "it just sticks a knife" in Turkish officials when America needs them most.
Adm. William Fallon, appointed to the helm of the U.S. Central Command in March, yesterday took a shot at the measure, spearheaded by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, during a meeting with Post editors who asked about the prospects of Turkish troops crossing into northern Iraq to pursue Kurdish rebels.
"I don't think they really want to do this. But I think they're really frustrated," Fallon said of a Turkish military incursion into Iraq.
"And as if they don't have enough [to worry about], we do things like, however well-intended, this resolution in the House last week on Armenian genocide. It just sticks a knife in and just runs it around."
At Pelosi's urging, the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Oct. 11 passed a resolution formally declaring the deaths of up to 1 million Armenians at the hands of Turkish troops in 1915 a genocide - a declaration that has infuriated Turkey.
Despite pressure from the White House to pull the resolution, Pelosi vowed to put it up for a vote on the floor.
Asked if there could have been any worse timing for the resolution to move forward, Fallon said, "I'm hard pressed to find it."
Fallon called the mountainous border between Turkey and the Kurdish-dominated northern Iraq "a tinderbox."
Kurdish rebels who have been waging attacks inside Turkey - which is home to millions more Kurds - have used northern Iraq as a base of operations for years. Turkish leaders last week paved the way for an incursion, but have yet to make the move.
Fallon said he had not spoken directly to Turkish leaders about their anger over the resolution, "but I certainly got it indirectly."
"It's pretty obviously going to tick them off," he added.
Turkey provides crucial supply routes into northern Iraq for U.S. forces, as well as air bases and fly-over routes for military aircraft.
Furthermore, northern Iraq is one of the few sections of the country that has been relatively peaceful, with new economic development.
After the House committee's vote, Turkish leaders in Ankara hinted at withdrawing their support for U.S. military operations in Iraq. And now Democrats appear to be abandoning their support for the resolution.
October 23, 2007 By Tom Topousis
The commander of U.S. military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan yesterday blasted congressional leaders for pushing a resolution to recognize the Armenian genocide, saying "it just sticks a knife" in Turkish officials when America needs them most.
Adm. William Fallon, appointed to the helm of the U.S. Central Command in March, yesterday took a shot at the measure, spearheaded by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, during a meeting with Post editors who asked about the prospects of Turkish troops crossing into northern Iraq to pursue Kurdish rebels.
"I don't think they really want to do this. But I think they're really frustrated," Fallon said of a Turkish military incursion into Iraq.
"And as if they don't have enough [to worry about], we do things like, however well-intended, this resolution in the House last week on Armenian genocide. It just sticks a knife in and just runs it around."
At Pelosi's urging, the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Oct. 11 passed a resolution formally declaring the deaths of up to 1 million Armenians at the hands of Turkish troops in 1915 a genocide - a declaration that has infuriated Turkey.
Despite pressure from the White House to pull the resolution, Pelosi vowed to put it up for a vote on the floor.
Asked if there could have been any worse timing for the resolution to move forward, Fallon said, "I'm hard pressed to find it."
Fallon called the mountainous border between Turkey and the Kurdish-dominated northern Iraq "a tinderbox."
Kurdish rebels who have been waging attacks inside Turkey - which is home to millions more Kurds - have used northern Iraq as a base of operations for years. Turkish leaders last week paved the way for an incursion, but have yet to make the move.
Fallon said he had not spoken directly to Turkish leaders about their anger over the resolution, "but I certainly got it indirectly."
"It's pretty obviously going to tick them off," he added.
Turkey provides crucial supply routes into northern Iraq for U.S. forces, as well as air bases and fly-over routes for military aircraft.
Furthermore, northern Iraq is one of the few sections of the country that has been relatively peaceful, with new economic development.
After the House committee's vote, Turkish leaders in Ankara hinted at withdrawing their support for U.S. military operations in Iraq. And now Democrats appear to be abandoning their support for the resolution.