TURKEY JERKY

Today, President Bush urged the Democratic-controlled Congress not to worsen tensions with Turkey by approving a resolution labeling as genocide the World War I-era killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Turks during the final years of the crumbling Ottoman Empire (1915). Noting the number of domestic bills pending before Congress, he said, "One thing Congress should not be doing is sorting out the historical record of the Ottoman Empire."
Turkey, which argues the deaths came during civil unrest and not from a planned campaign to eradicate Armenians, is furious over the measure and has threatened repercussions if it is adopted. Turkey is a key route for moving supplies to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

COINCIDENCE?

Turkish Parliament today authorized the government to carry out a cross-border attack on Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, approving an offensive that would put Turkey at odds with the U.S. There was no sign of an imminent invasion.

JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T THINK WE HAVE COMPLETELY PISSED OFF ENOUGH COUNTRIES.....

President Bush and the leaders of Congress put aside their differences Wednesday to bestow the nation's highest civilian honor upon the Dalai Lama, calling the exiled Tibetan religious leader a "warrior for peace."Bush also said he had personally spoken with Chinese President Hu Jintao to say he would be attending the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony for the Dalai Lama, and Bush said the Chinese would be better off having diplomatic relations with the Tibetan leader.
"I have consistently told the Chinese that religious freedom is in their nation's interest. I've also told them that I think it's in their interest to meet with the Dalai Lama and will say so at the ceremony today in Congress," Bush said.

China has issued strong words against the United States for giving the Tibetan Buddhist monk such a high honor. The Dalai Lama, exiled from China after his homeland was annexed by China, has fought for political and religious autonomy from the Chinese government.

CHINA AND TURKEY NOT ENOUGH? HOW ABOUT A RUSSIA / IRAN ALLIANCE?

The diplomatic fireworks were few. But the sheer presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Iran Tuesday has hardened both Moscow's and Tehran's strategies of confronting the West, as he reinforced support for the Islamic Republic and its nuclear program (Putin reassured Iran that the Bushehr nuclear reactor, a $1 billion energy project being built by Russia and dogged by delays, would be completed). But he refused to say when Russia might supply the needed nuclear fuel. Mr. Putin told a summit of five Caspian Sea nations, "We should not even think of using force in this region" – a veiled warning to the US not to strike Iran.

OK, lets look on the bright side, we angered China today, we have already angered Russia and Iran, and Speaker Pelosi is now deciding if she has the votes to completely piss off Turkey.......BUT we picked up a strong ally in the Dalai Lama.