I'd like to do a lightning poll on the White House response on HR 106, aka "Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution."
Read the resolution.
Then visit Guy Fawkes' excellent diary, "Bush Wants Congress to Deny Armenian Genocide."
Then read this, from the White House:
President Bush strongly urged Congress on Wednesday to reject legislation that would declare the World War I-era killings of hundreds of thousands of Armenians a genocide, saying it would do "great harm" to relations with Turkey, a key ally in the Iraq war.
And this too:
Bush reiterated his opposition to the bill, saying he recognized the tragedy, but that the determination over whether the events constitute a genocide should be a matter for historical inquiry, not legislation.
State & Defense have weighed in as well:
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates issued a joint appeal at the White House just hours before the House Foreign Affairs Committee was to vote on the measure opposed by Bush — and which Turkey insists could severely damage U.S. relations with a NATO ally that has been a major portal for U.S. military operations in the region.
"The passage of this resolution at this time would be very problematic for everything we are trying to do in the Middle East," Rice said.
Gates said that 70 percent of U.S. air cargo headed for Iraq goes through Turkey, as does about a third of the fuel used by the U.S. military in Iraq.
"Access to air fields and to the roads and so on in Turkey would very much be put at risk if this resolution passes and Turkey reacts as strongly as we believe they will," Gates said. He also said that 95 percent of the newly purchased Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles are flying through Turkey to get to Iraq.
Got it? Now please respond to the poll. Thanks.
UPDATE: The poll is asking for your opinion of Bush's response to the bill.