I would be remiss if I did not mention the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee's vote Wednesday October 10, 2007 to approve a resolution calling the 1915 massacres of Armenians, genocide. Conventional wisdom says that up to 1.5 million Armenians died in the Ottoman Turk region during World War One. The committee vote was 27-21. It now goes to the House floor, where Democratic leaders could bring the resolution to a full House vote. There is a companion bill in the Senate, but both measures are only symbolic and do not require the president's signature.
Why is this of any concern 90 years after World War I? Because, the Turks are riled by what they perceive as our meddling. They have recalled their Turkish Ambassador to Washington for consultations. Also, when I was in Turkey and Northern Iraq, everyone I met liked me and America. I have not been to other Middle Eastern areas, but I get the feeling the Turkish and Northern Iraq regions are the only two Muslim dominated regions on earth that outwardly like us.
Haven't you ever heard an American complain that the Middle Easterners hold a grudge way too long? Then I am forced to ask the question, a question that begs asking, "Why have we stuck our nose into a 90 year old battle?" Call me silly, I guess. The Turks are using our judgment against their forefathers as an excuse to ignore our desire they not invade Northern Iraq. Poetic, since they rejected Bush's initial 2003 request to send Turkish troops into Iraq. Now they are spewing fire and brimstone, in rhetoric at any rate. Although some artillery has already started flying.
One eight-letter word, g-e-n-o-c-i-d-e, used by a third party - us guys - could be used as the straw that broke the camel's back in the never ending centuries' old feud between the Turks and the Kurds.
The Turks are inching to attack the Kurds of Northern Iraq. We like the Turks. The Turks like us. We like the Kurds. The Kurds like us. So who do we side with? A new theater of war in "The Iraq War?" Oh wonderful! Tomorrow I should write a line or two about the perils of the Turks and Kurds going at each others' throats in an expanded "War in Iraq." Those two peoples in combat could make the current hostilities look like a good day. Stay tunned.
By the bye, I see Wisconsin media is all over this story that the war may yet expand further - tongue in cheek. The only station I have heard a peep from on the issue is WTDY 1670 in Madison - and international news is not their forte too boot. The major Wisconsin papers seem to be ignoring it completely. Pages and pages about some Badger football player having a bowel movement though.
This week's Wisconsin soldier to remember is Army Ranger Specialist Robert J. Cook, 24. He was killed in an accidental explosion at a weapons cache west of Ghazni, Afghanistan, near the village of Dege Hendu, about 90 miles southwest of the capital, Kabul on January 29, 2004. Specialist Cook was Wisconsin's first soldier to die in the Afghanistan War. Specialist Cook was sent to Afghanistan in August of 2003. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said Robert graduated from Sun Prairie High School in 1997. Cook played football and was a defensive tackle when the team went to the state championship in 1995 and won the only state football championship for Sun Prairie. After high school Robert spent three years working in construction and carpentry. Cook joined the Army in 2000. His first duty station was in New York. He was assigned to Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division. Robert is survived by his mother Sandra Selheim and a sister.
3,829 Americans have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
445 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
28,171 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
1,652 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
81 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
5 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
118 journalists (several nationalities) have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
9 journalists (various nationalities) have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
Soldier of the week, military casualty, and journalist casualty information sources: Committee to Protect Journalists; cnn.com; and, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
