The Armenian lobby is pushing Congress to vote on the so-called “Armenian Genocide Resolution,” H.Res. 252. There is a chance that it may come to a vote before Congress adjourns, today or tomorrow.
We urge Turkish Americans and friends of Turkey to contact your member of Congress by PHONE to urge him/her to VOTE AGAINST this resolution. Please click here and type-in your zip code to get to your Representative’s information. To send your message by E-MAIL, please click here.
Here are some discussion points:
** Bad for national security: Incirlik Airbase; partnership in Afghanistan; cooperation in Iraq, energy security, etc.
** Bad for foreign policy in the Balkans, Caucasus and Middle East, where Turkey continues to work with us on moderation.
** Highly negative for the bilateral commercial relationship where we have had billion dollar sales in commercial aviation and continue to have strong prospects for multi-billion dollar deals in aerospace alone. These are real American jobs. Nothing remotely comparable comes from Armenia commercial relations.
** Approval in the House will certainly result in the withdrawal of the Ambassador and an extended downturn in bilateral relations, with no benefits for any of the American people, apart from the Diaspora.
** The Obama Administration opposes Floor passage; both the Defense Department and State are active on Capitol Hill in their opposition.
** The Resolution was passed by the HFAC by the narrowest of margins — one vote. The American people and American interests deserve better than to be asked to deal with the destruction that will be left in the wake of this political grenade thrown by a leadership that is going out the door.