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Letter of the Week - Armenian Genocide Resolution

Every week, 2,000 - 3,000 Second District residents write to me about the issues pending before Congress, and I work hard to respond to each person as promptly and thoughtfully as possible.  On this "Letter of the Week" blog, I highlight constituent letters that are of general interest.  If you'd like to share your own views, please feel free to e-mail me at any time!

Dear Nancy,

Congressional Democrats anxious to force a withdrawal of American forces from Iraq are frustrated by their inability to muster a veto-proof majority for legislation that would establish a firm date for retreat. But what they cannot do directly they are now working hard to do indirectly.

According to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Incirlik Air Base near Adana, Turkey is the transshipment point for about 70% of all air cargo (including 33% of the fuel) going to supply US forces in Iraq. Included are about 95% of the new “MRAP” -- mine-resistant, ambush-protected -- vehicles designed to save the lives of American troops. Turkey wasn’t always this helpful. In 2003, the Turks refuse permission for the 4th Infantry Division to enter Iraq through Turkey.

Turkey’s Erdogan government has indicated that if the House of Representatives takes action on a non-binding resolution being pushed by Speaker Pelosi, Turkey might revoke our ability to use Incirlik as a waypoint for Iraq supplies.

At issue is the non-binding resolution passed on October 10 by the House Foreign Affairs Committee that labels the 1915-1923 massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire a genocide. Such resolutions can be passed by either or both houses of Congress and are not subject to presidential veto.

Please stop this vote or vote against this.

- Karl in Leavenworth, KS

Dear Karl,

Thank you for contacting me regarding H. Res. 106, the Armenian Genocide Resolution. I appreciate hearing from you on this matter.

The thought of purposely killing others on a mass scale because of their race, religion or ethnicity is simply horrific. We’ve seen the worst of humanity in World War II, in Bosnia and Kosovo in the 1990s and today in Darfur.

The resolution requests the President to “accurately characterize the systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1,500,000 Armenians as genocide and to recall the proud history of United States intervention in opposition to the Armenian Genocide.” However, Turks strongly reject the genocide label, insisting there was no organized campaign against the Armenians and that many Turks also died in the chaos and violence of the period.

Both Armenia and Turkey have a dialogue to establish a joint commission to examine the events of the time and possibly other issues. This resolution could result in this dialogue ending.

Turkey is an important ally for U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The U.S. uses Incirlik Air Base for operations to deliver over half of the cargo flown into Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, Turkey’s diplomatic future is at an unprecedented crossroad. Turkey is the only majority-Islamic country in the Middle East that is a democracy. It is in our best interests to continue to support the democratic ideals that have been a hallmark of modern Turkey.

While the resolution is well-intentioned, the recent actions by the House Foreign Affairs Committee are counterproductive to relations between the United States and Turkey. The Turkish government has temporarily recalled its Ambassador to the United States. While not directly related, the Turkish government has indicated that it may take military action against ethnic Kurds inside northern Iraq, potentially fracturing a relatively peaceful area in Iraq.

I sent a letter to the Speaker that bringing H. Res. 106 to the floor would be a step in the wrong direction for our national security. I will encourage my colleagues to do the same and to vote against the resolution should it come for a vote before the House of Representatives.

Thank you again for contacting me on this important issue. As your representative, I truly value your input and I hope you will continue to keep in touch in the future.

Sincerely,
Rep. Boyda's signature
Nancy Boyda
Member of Congress