New FBI wiretaps show Turkish foreign agents mentioning Hastert’s name in the context of a bribe, right before he flip-flopped on a genocide resolution.
Why exactly did Denny Hastert flip-flop at the last moment, derailing a Congressional resolution designating as genocide the killings of Armenians between 1915 and 1923? He initially attributed it to a letter from Bill Clinton, but new FBI wiretaps show Turkish foreign agents mentioning Hastert’s name in the context of a bribe, right before the resolution was scheduled to pass.…
Article comments
26 - Rich
>>Cases of wrongdoing, such as Whitewater, Travelgate and the questionable deaths of Vince Foster and Ron Brown are good goalposts to use when considering what is wrong and what is right.
Shpilk,
Where does this fall into our discussion? Is it a spill over from another weblog?
If anything this discussion is an alleged "Hastertgate", it falls on the heals of "Rovegate". I'm curious where this Federal investigation will lead us.
I hope truth prevails. After all isn't that what we want for a viabrant democracy? transparency
--Rich
27 - Dave Nalle
What are you talking about, Shpilk? I mean aside from some events that happened in the Clinton administration and are largely irrelevant today?
Dave
28 - Nanul
Dave Nelle,
You miss my point. The U.S. admin manipulates with the issue. The U.S. admin. doesn't care if Turks start committing a Kurdish genocide today unless it is in Iraq (since this would be a bad PR for them) the way they hardly care about what's going on in Darfur. The best way to prevent another genocide is to recognize and condemn the ones that have already happened or stop the ones that are happening now.
29 - Nanul
>>I'm not sure if I remember the US >>using the Armenian Genocide to hold >>back the Turks from going into >>northern Iraq. If so it was an issue >>that was on the bottom of the list to >>twist there arms to hold back.
>>Is there a reference to this that you >>have Nanul?
I agree with you Rich. Armenian Genocide is one of the many cards that the US admin has. Sorry, I don't remember where I read it, but it wasn't in mainstream media, however it was a quite legitimate source.
30 - Rich
Nanul,
I was dissagreeing with you.
The Armenian Genocide is hardly used as a bargaining chip agianst the Turks by the US.
Re-read my post.
--Rich
31 - Dave Nalle
>>The U.S. admin. doesn't care if Turks start committing a Kurdish genocide today unless it is in Iraq (since this would be a bad PR for them) the way they hardly care about what's going on in Darfur. <<
I think you give them far too little credit here. No one wants to see Kurds or the people in Darfur or anyone else massacred or abused, especially not the Bush administration. But they have to set priorities for the nation, not just for their own consciences. Since the UN and the EU have a stated responsibility in Darfur and the US has a responsibility in Iraq, that's where they've chosen to direct their attentions. The US can't do everything for everyone all at the same time. It's not realistic to expect more.
Dave
32 - Rich
>>I think you give them far too little credit here. No one wants to see Kurds or the people in Darfur or anyone else massacred or abused, especially not the Bush administration. But they have to set priorities for the nation, not just for their own consciences. Since the UN and the EU have a stated responsibility in Darfur and the US has a responsibility in Iraq, that's where they've chosen to direct their attentions. The US can't do everything for everyone all at the same time. It's not realistic to expect more.
Dave,
For decades, yes decades before Iraq was not on the radar screen. The Kurds were abused, killed off, you name it
When the Armenian genocide was happening the Kurds killed off Armenians as well as the Turks. We told the Kurds, your next, they didn't listen now they are being persecuted in Turkey.
The Kurds stab eachother in the back.
The US is a part of the UN. When the UN makes public statements against genocide in Darfur, I am sure the US is included in the UN's concern.
No one is asking the US to do everything for everyone, but since when is the US unable to multitask? Diplomacy goes a long way before troops on the ground in Darfur. Maybe the situation can be resolved by more diplomacy or arm twisting.
Lets get Bolton to work on Darfur, since he has that reputation of heavy handedness.
33 - Ara Manoogian
I guess I’m coming into this discussion a little bit late, thus only skimmed over the comments.
I just wanted to touch on the economic damage that Turkey could have if the Armenian genocide is accepted by the international community as the fact it is.
It’s plain and simple. Genocide has no statue of limitations and restitution to be paid to the victims and their decedents would come from those who posses the spoils of this genocide, namely the present day Turkish government and it’s people.
I for one am ready to reclaim my inheritance that was taken from my family by the Turkish people during the genocide. I’m sure there are tens of thousands like me out there who are in this same position to make a claim.
34 - Nancy
Restitution for genocide is never gonna happen - for anyone. Why? Because every single modern nation/government on earth currently was built on & profited from genocide of one episode or another. To admit restitution of one genocidal incident would be to admit them all, and where would that leave world governments? The powers that currently be will commit more genocide before they allow that to happen.
35 - Ara Manoogian
Germany is still paying to the Jews and the Turks will pay to the Armenians one day. You can mark my words on this one.
36 - Nancy
I do hope to see justice done. Ref: the Germans paying the Jews, I thought they gave a selected few survivors a lump sum payment & that was it. Otherwise, even people that could prove ownership of stolen monies, art, etc. have had to fight in court to get it back, if they got it at all.
37 - Dave Nalle
>>Lets get Bolton to work on Darfur, since he has that reputation of heavy handedness.<<
One of the reasons I thnk Bolton was appointed is that he may be one of the few diplomats undiplomatic enough to walk onto the floor of the UN and tell the Europeans that they screwed up Darfur in the first place and that they now have the obligation to fix it.
Dave
38 - Nancy
Actually, I think siccing Bolton onto the food-for-oil & Darfur messes may be a good idea. He's a nutcase, but maybe if he chases a few of them around the UN building a couple of times, they'll pay attention.
39 - billy
the problem with bolton is it is all an act and he is going to be laughed out of the un. the hand grenade on his desk hides the fact that he is a cowardly chickenhawk, who opresses his subordinates and kisses up to his bosses. if i saw bolton coming id laugh in his face. he only plays a tough guy in front of republican hearings.
40 - Nancy
Yeah, he's a classic bully, which is why Smirk likes him so much: two nasty cuts of the same bolt of greasy cloth. Still, it would be funny if Bolton did chase a few of these mini-me sovereign state idiots around their offices.
41 - Nancy
I do wish he'd either shave or prune a little that ridiculous Wally Walrus moustache...or does he maintain it in imitation of his hero, Joe Stalin?
42 - billy
it would be funny, but i dont think bolton really has any gonads when faced with a real adversary. he sounds tough on hannity and rush, but that is just acting.
43 - Rich
>>Restitution for genocide is never gonna happen - for anyone. Why? Because every single modern nation/government on earth currently was built on & profited from genocide of one episode or another. To admit restitution of one genocidal incident would be to admit them all, and where would that leave world governments? The powers that currently be will commit more genocide before they allow that to happen.
Hi Nancy,
I'm with Ara's comments on this one. The word "never" is too absolute especially when we have precident on specific cases of a perpetrator governemts paying back for inhumanity.
The International community counting many of the Western Countrys are acknowledging the Genocide as genocide. THese are incremental steps toward the perpetrator government Turkey fessing up.
Its relatively recent that these governments have acknowledged Turkey's worng doing. It doesnt matter if it was almost a century ago. There is no statue of limitations on murder.
>>One of the reasons I thnk Bolton was appointed is that he may be one of the few diplomats undiplomatic enough to walk onto the floor of the UN and tell the Europeans that they screwed up Darfur in the first place and that they now have the obligation to fix it.
I was kidding about Bolton. Since when did Bolton do something for the sake of humanity? I'm very curious to know.
Yes Bolton is just the man to chase those in the UN down the hallways and pound on doors. Idol threats will work even better.
Will someone pass me the coolaid?