Turkey Caught in Bind Over Novelist Trial

"ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) - The trial of a top novelist has left Turkey's government in a bind, caught between outraging Europe by prosecuting a renowned author for his views and angering the administration's nationalist grass roots by dropping the case.

The lose-lose scenario became clear this week when a judge kicked the case against Orhan Pamuk back to the country's Justice Ministry, demanding that the government first approve it.

Outside the courthouse, European Union legislators criticized the government, questioning its commitment to freedom of expression.

Meanwhile, nationalists pelted Pamuk's car with eggs, shouting "Traitor!" and "Love it or leave it!" in reference to Turkey.

Pamuk, the country's most prominent author, is being tried for insulting the Turkish Republic and "Turkishness" after telling a Swiss newspaper in February that "30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed in these lands, and nobody but me dares to talk about it."

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his Cabinet will discuss the case Monday - analysts say the government likely will recommend that the case be dropped - but it is clearly an issue the government was trying to avoid."
MyWay

I wonder the Bush administrations, and republican law makers position is on this case? I bet their standing up on the podium holding a thumbs down.