Misguided Left

It appears the left has given up on efforts to legislate the end of the war in Iraq. Now they have come up with a way to just injure the troops.

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee are moving forward a bill that condemns Turkey for persecuting Armenians during World War I (1915-1917). It labels the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks an act of genocide.

Turkey, a NATO ally, rejects the claim and may cut logistic support to U.S. troops in Iraq. Should Turkey bar the U.S. from the Incirlik military base a critical staging area for supplying both Iraq and Afghanistan is lost? Defense Secretary Robert Gates has stated that the possible threat to U.S. supply lines amounts to 70 percent of U.S. air cargo, 30 percent of fuel shipments and 95 percent of new Mine Resistant Armored Protected Vehicles.

Tom Lantos, the committee's chairman, admits that the resolution posed a "sobering" choice. They have to weigh the desire to please the Armenian people against the risk it could cause the men and women in military service in Iraq. Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker, insisted the resolution would go forward to a full House vote.

The left once again show a callous indifference to those in harm's way. Any delay of material to our troops during war time is regrettable but to bring it about by malicious and purposeful design is below contempt. Whether or not the Ottoman Turks committed genocide against the Armenians has been argued for decades. One would think we could put aside the liberal mania for political correctness for a little longer or at least until it wouldn't end up killing one of our brave heroes in Iraq.

George Moon

Lake Placid