The Marmot’s Hole

captbbq

I think the Turkish government knows, they recalled their ambassador for “talks”, they did not withdraw him. After all they know first hand how the executive will intend one thing, and the parliament will do another, case in point when the United States took the Turkish government’s permission to allow the 4th Infantry Division to pass through its territory to heart, only to find their parliament blocking the measure when the ships arrived at port, meaning the United States could not simultaneously invade Iraq from the North. The absence of the 4rth ID early in the war allowed the insurgency to take hold IMHO…

I believe that the Democratic congress fully realizes the consequences of this resolution on the war effort, and that they fully intend them. They have taken a beating from their base for passing appropriation bills funding the war (though in reality they couldn’t politically afford not to) and for failing to get a timetable for withdrawal passed. By indirectly scuttling the US’s relationship with a key ally, they see a chance to improve their ratings among their base by making the war more difficult for the Bush Administration.

As for the resolution on Japan, that was plain and simple pandering to minorities, something that Democrats are traditionally masters at (Hillary in Korea Town). The Democrats have been solidifying themselves among Korean Americans, and by the looks of it, taking the ever breeding/growing Hispanic block as well.

That, is owed in large part to the Republicans xenophobic destruction of the inroads into the hispaic voterbase that Bush worked feverishly (and perhaps vainly) to build via their knee-jerk reaction to immigration policy. (yes I’m saying Bush was wise and the rest of the Republicans were dumb)

All the Democrats had to do was shut up and let the Republicans self destruct.