Why is the Democrat Congress batshit crazy?

The Democrats took their new electoral mandate to the legislative branch of government in January of this year and promptly addressed one of the most dire issues facing America in the contemporary age: the alleged (and likely true) complicity of the Japanese imperial government in facilitating forced prostitution for soldiers on the front line during World War II, and demanding an apology from the current government.

Having showed the moral courage and resolve to pass the aforementioned meaningless, non-binding, pat-yourself-on-the-back feel good resolution, Congress has since forged onwards to address the second most important issue facing middle class America today: a congressional resolution calling the 1915 massacres of Armenians by post-Ottoman Turkey a genocide.

My thoughts on the first resolution could be applied almost verbatim to the later:

Exactly what business other countries have sticking their beaks in how other country’s treat history is beyond us here at CA, and it’s been addressed previously here. To go a step further, I personally think it’s batshit crazy for another country to criticize another country’s history for no other apparent reason than to 1.) appeal to domestic interest groups, and 2.) pat themselves on the back for being so self-righteous, especially when, such as in this case, the result will be nothing other than piss off Washington’s only remaining major geopolitical ally, and reward a country (ROK) whose people loathe America.

Turkey has said that if it passes there will be repurcutions, just as when Turkey cancelled military exercises with France after Paris pulled a similar stunt last year. And this just as Turkey confirms it may conduct operations in northern Iraq to strike Kurdish rebels; the bulk of supplies for U.S. troops in Iraq pass via Turkey’s Incirlik airbase; and then there’s the fact that Turkey provides thousands of truck drivers and other workers for U.S. operations in Iraq.

Not surprisingly, the White House is stepping in to urge that this resolution “is not the right response to these historic mass killings.” But what’s national interest worth when a statement can be made? The resolution goes to a vote later today and has no less than 226 co-sponsors, more than half the House.

For the record, Turkey opposes any assertion that the 20th century wars with its government and Armenia were genocide, and says that many Muslim Turks and Christian Armenians died in the ethnic conflict following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. That’s basically my view. But even if I thought it was a genocide, that wouldn’t change the fact that matters of history should never be used to sacrifice today’s relations at the expense of political relations. (Like the Comfort Women Resolution, introduced by a Japanese-American Congressmen with large numbers of Korean Americans in his district, the Armenian Genocide Resolution was introduced in the House by Adam Schiff, a California Democrat Congressman who has a large number of Armenian-Americans in his district. Once again, interest group politics are interfering with America’s national interest.)

I hold out a faint hope that Congress will see the foolishness of this resolution—because as even some Democrats realize (pdf), if it passes Turkey will reduce or terminate its support for US forces in Iraq, and that will ultimatley cost lives. But considering our Congress’ batshit crazy record on historical issues, I’m not holding my breath.

SIDENOTE: in reference to this topic, I invite you to read my (now 2 1/2 years old) living will.

SECOND SIDENOTE: As Chirol noted exactly one year ago:

As usual, Europe ignores smaller problems like North Korea, the Sudan, Iraq, Iran and others to focus on more important things, such as warping history, making free speech a crime and generally overlegislating. If you haven’t guessed already, it’s France [which just approved the Armenian Genocide bill].

Slap that sticker on America’s Democratic Party.

THIRD SIDENOTE: Nathan weighs in.