[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 158 (Thursday, October 18, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S13032]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  Mr. President, it is my intent to oppose the non-binding resolution, 
passed by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, that states that the 
deportation of nearly 2 million Armenians from the Ottoman Empire 
between 1915 and 1923, resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million of them, 
amounted to genocide. While I deplore the killings of Armenians 92 
years ago by the Ottoman Empire, I urge my colleagues to consider the 
grave consequences this may have on United States-Turkish relations and 
on interests of the United States in Europe and the Middle East. Turkey 
has been a steadfast ally and an indispensable friend in a critical 
region of the world. If Turkey decides to respond negatively to our 
passage of this resolution, their decision could have lasting 
repercussions for U.S. foreign policy interests in the region and 
compromise our conduct of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  The House resolution on the Armenian genocide appears at a 
particularly sensitive point in United States-Turkish relations. The 
possibility of a Turkish incursion into northern Iraq must be an 
immediate concern. There is no doubt that tensions are mounting along 
the Iraqi-Turkish border. The United States has urged Turkey not to 
send troops over the border into northern Iraq to fight Kurdish 
separatist rebels, who launched cross-border attacks against Turkish 
targets. We must all urge Turkey and Iraq to seek a diplomatic solution 
to this crisis and the House resolution could undermine our diplomatic 
leverage.
  Last week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that relations with 
Turkey are vital because 70 percent of the air cargo sent to U.S. 
forces in Iraq and 30 percent of the fuel consumed by U.S. forces in 
Iraq are flown through Turkey. Secretary Gates said that U.S. 
commanders ``believe clearly that access to airfields and roads and so 
on, in Turkey, would very much be put at risk if this resolution passes 
and the Turks react as strongly as we believe they will.''
  I would like to share some important facts with my colleagues about 
how Turkey is enabling our forces to achieve the mission we have given 
them. Turkey has provided over 20,000 overflight clearances to U.S. 
military and contracted aircraft since 2002. These flights carry 
critical supplies and equipment to our forces in the field, currently 
including 95 percent of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, MRAP, 
vehicles. These flights also include our medical evacuations from Iraq 
to Landstuhl, Germany. KC-135 tankers operating out of Incirlik, 
Turkey, have flown over 3,400 sorties and delivered 35 million gallons 
of fuel to U.S. fighter and transport aircraft on missions in 
Afghanistan and Iraq. Finally, approximately 30 percent of the fuel and 
17 percent of the food used by U.S. and coalition forces enter Iraq 
from Turkey via the Habur Gate border crossing.
  I would like to expand on these military concerns. The loss of access 
to critical air and ground lines of communication through Turkey to 
Iraq and Afghanistan may result in: (1) temporary interruptions to the 
flow of cargo; (2) increased aircraft requirements; (3) increased 
costs; and (4) longer transit times.
  If these supplies need to be rerouted by ground through Kuwait, or 
Jordan, we must be concerned about additional force protection issues. 
I am very troubled about our ground convoys that already move from 
Kuwait to Iraq. They are high-value targets to insurgent groups. I 
visited with a number of the convoy drivers on my last visit to Kuwait. 
We have brave and experienced drivers leading these dangerous convoys, 
but I am concerned about the heightened risks associated with an 
increase in number of convoys or employing less experienced drivers on 
the road to meet the new mission caused by the loss of access to lines 
of communications through Turkey.
  There is one additional point I would like to make about the impact 
on our operations in Iraq. I believe we should all be concerned about 
the potential negative impact this resolution could have on the 
eventual redeployment or withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. If Turkey 
decides to cut off our lines of communications through their country 
that redeployment or withdrawal would be more difficult.
  I would also like to remind my colleagues that there are over 1000 
Turkish soldiers in Afghanistan. Turkey remains the only Muslim country 
in the International Security Assistance Forces, ISAF, in Afghanistan. 
Their troops have significant responsibilities in ISAF which include 
providing security in Kabul.
  I urge my colleagues to consider the consequences which may result 
from passing the House legislation on Armenian genocide and encourage 
them to reject the measure. The passage of this measure would do great 
harm to our relations with a key ally in NATO, our interests in the 
region, and our military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  It is the House of Representatives' business. But I do believe here 
in the Senate we have to address that issue.
  I do not in any way disparage or denigrate the seriousness of what 
happened 92 years ago, at another time in history. But right now we 
have young men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States, and 
our coalition partners, risking their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
The passage of this could have implications on nations in that region 
which I think could be detrimental and could put at risk the lives of 
our service persons.

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