Turkish, Armenian, and American Politics

If you have watched any news recently I am sure you have seen what passes for media now days refer to "The Armenian Genocide" resolution. This is a resolution in Congress that would acknowledge the death of Armenians around and after WWI as an act of genocide. You may have even seen reference to Turkey limiting access to Incirlik Air Base or kicking the Americans out of Incirlik if America allows the resolution out of committee. So let me say here and now that I don't believe this will happen. Has anyone been paying attention to the Democratically controlled Congress at all? Nancy Pelosi hasn't gotten one piece of legislation through Congress. Not one! Who is everyone kidding? Not that it matters anyway. Democrats such as Dick Murtha and others have already withdrawn their support commenting that (paraphrase), "...no one really knew what this resolution was all about." Now, I could point out that it seems silly to think that some of us are paid $0 by the US government and could tell you more about the political and strategic history of this issue than Mr. Murtha, Pelosi or their supporters - yet they are paid over $100,000 a year to know such things and still don't understand the most basic concepts of the region...oh wait, I just did point that out. The issue is not if someone believes genocide happened or not. For me, the issue is Congress has things it should be doing other than spending time attempting to sabotage over 100 years of diplomatic efforts and cultural influence just to analyze one of hundreds (if not thousands) of events of history to decide if they were genocide or not. It doesn't matter. It's history. It has also really bothered me that both sides seem to now be talking about how the whole issue could harm the troops in Iraq. This is true, but it is short-sighted to not be aware of how it would effect the thousands of Americans at Incirlik, Izmihir, Ankara, and Istanbul. Military members could literally loose every possession they own if forced to leave without notice. But it's especially short-sighted to be unaware of how such an event would affect NATO, the EU, the IMF, or the future of secular governments in the Muslim world. Anyway, mark my word, Nancy Pelosi hasn't passed one of her agenda items and this won't pass either.

What else is new? I now have signed a contract to start a second job at Incirlik as a guitar instructor! My coworker and next-door neighbor Wes is the current guitar instructor. I should be replacing him as he gets ready to return to the states. I'm a little nervous but looking forward to getting paid to do something I truly love. I haven't been able to do that since I drove the Zamboni or when I worked in radio. It should only be two nights a week for 2-3 hours.

Karen and I have been hanging low in the last two weeks or so. We keep busy on base walking. But money is going to be a little tight as we await the 09 raise, and MSgt pay raise. Still no car or household goods yet. The car has actually arrived in port. I'm hoping household goods will arrive in late October or at least by mid-November.

Also, it appears as if some of this blog's fans (there are at least three besides my mother) have been complaining about my spelling! Remember, I only have one hour to get this in before they kick me off the computer. Once it's done - it's done and in the history books. So please forgive the spelling. Actually, today I did try to go back and correct a few that I missed.....just for my father-in-law, Jim Kuhns ! So hopefully my editor sitting there on West Avenue J-10 in Lancaster, California...will find it in his hart to furgiv my speelings.

A couple of photos I was able to pull out of our g-mail and place on the library computer. On the upper left is one of the Chuck Norris photos we had taken. We have one other that isn't quite so blurry. On the upper right is Karen and I at the Iftar dinner during Ramazon. Bottom left is the tea man at the Iftar dinner (27 Oct edit - OK evidently my page displays differently after I create it, so the order of the pics may be different than described but you can figure out who is who):

The US Passport and Background Check System

This is the update on the passport status. Last week, both of my Missouri Senator's said they would work this issue and request the passport be expedited. However this week they are unable to give me any status on the matter other than to say an e-mail was sent or a call was made. So today I also contacted my Missouri Federal Congressman's office, Todd Akin. "Holly" at the St. Charles office was very attentive and said to send everything to her via e-mail and she would work the issue in the morning. I am hoping the fact that she is local in St. Charles will help. The office sounded less frantic. This passport issue should concern everyone. the slowest part of the passport process is getting the background check done. Now think about this next part and think about it real hard.....the government can't complete a background check within 10 weeks for a military family like Karen and I who are being forced to move overseas as nonvolunteers - yet the Amnesty Bill was supposed to supply a one-day background check for 13,000,000 additional illegal immigrants. Get it? They never had any intent of complying with the background checks - it wasn't even a possibility. But we are American originals and we will persevere.