It looks like some Democratic members of Congress are backing off their support for the Armenian Genocide resolution (see: Support Wanes in House for Genocide Vote from the NY Times).

It seems odd in light of the President and Congress honoring the Dali Lama (see: Bush and Congress Honor Dalai Lama in Plain View also from the NY Times).

Bush and the Congress are willing to go toe-to-toe with the Chinese who, as of this point in history, can literally squeeze the United States until we cry (i.e., they own all our debt and can ravage our economy). See particularly: China may lead US economy to collapse dumping US dollar from Pravda.

This past August, two Chinese government officials highlighted China’s massive U.S. dollar holdings (which include treasuries) and how it supports the value of the U.S. currency. They also noted that Beijing could use those holdings as a political weapon to counter congressional calls to revalue the yuan and impose trade sanctions on Chinese goods. Chinese state media referred to the country’s stockpile of U.S. dollars as its economic —nuclear option,— capable of destroying the dollar at will.

It would seem that we have more to fear from China than from an almost third world Islamic state like Turkey who depends largely on U.S. support (upwards of $26.5 billion in economic and military aid, not counting other “special” aid programs that specifically target Turkey and IsraelU.S. Department of State: Turkey 09/07 and CRS Report for Congress, Foreign Aid: An Introductory Overview of U.S. Programs and Policy, Updated April 15, 2004).

I think a hint to the sudden change-of-heart among the few can be found in the various articles that circulated in recent days. They noted that Turkey would cut off logistical support for the U.S. war effort in Iraq. It appears something like 30% of the fuel and 70% support materials going to our troops in Iraq go through Turkey. For instance, from CNN:

“More than half of the cargo flown into Iraq and Afghanistan comes through Incirlik Air Base, and this base would be a key component of any plans for redeployment of our troops in the future,” they wrote.

Lt. Gen. Carter Ham, the director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Pentagon planners are looking at “a broad range of options” to keep food, fuel and ammunition flowing to U.S. troops in Iraq if Turkey blocks Incirlik.

“We’re confident that we’ll find ways to do that,” Ham told reporters at the Pentagon. “There’s likely to be some increased cost and some other implications for that, and obviously we’d prefer to maintain the access that we have.”

Defense Secretary Robert Gates echoed lawmakers’ concerns last week.

“About 70 percent of all air cargo going into Iraq goes through Turkey. … About a third of the fuel that they consume goes through Turkey or comes from Turkey,” Gates said.

Now if the Democrats were smart they would do all they could to anger the Turks. Let them cut off our supply chain. This might just be the thing that needs doing in order to capsize Mr. Bush’s war. We would end up like the Germans, stuck in Africa or Russia at the far end of the supply chain – only saved because we should be smart enough to get out while we can.

Time to bring ’em home.

But then again, no Democrat wants to end the war either. If they did, they would cut Mr. Bush’s supply of money and material, whatever it takes.