Armenian Genocide: A monument to the victims of the Armenian genocide, in which some 1.5 million Armenians perished at Turkish hands in 1915-16, rises on the rocks above the city of Bikfaya in the Lebanese mountains. (Ashnag via Flickr)
The U.S. House of Representatives introduced a resolution today that would officially recognize the Armenian genocide. It's the same resolution that's been introduced in three previous Congresses going back to 2003, causing minor controversies along the way in U.S.-Turkish relations. Turkey, you see, refuses to admit that a genocide ever took place.
All evidence (and there's plenty of it) aside, American presidents since Bill Clinton have willingly spoken of an Armenian genocide--but only on the campaign trail, before being elected. Once elected, they've reverted to disgracefully coy ambiguities designed to appease Turkey.
On June 5, 1996, the House of Representatives went as far as adopting a measure that would have reduced aid to Turkey by $3 million (the amount Turkey was estimated to be spending in lobbying fees in the United States, much of it obviously, to deny its Armenian Holocaust) until the Turkish Government acknowledged the Armenian genocide and took steps to honor the memory of its victims. The measure never passed Congress.
The following year, Clinton (on April 24, 1998) said: "This year, as in the past, we join with Armenian-Americans throughout the nation in commemorating one of the saddest chapters in the history of this century, the deportations and massacres of a million and a half Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in the years 1915-1923." But he didn't use the word genocide.
Same with Bush on April 24, 2004, when he described the genocide as "the annihilation of as many as 1.5 million Armenians through forced exile and murder at the end of the Ottoman Empire."
It's Barack Obama's turn.
Obama was unequivocal on the campaign trail. "I also share with Armenian Americans – so many of whom are descended from genocide survivors - a principled commitment to commemorating and ending genocide," he said on Jan. 19, 2008. "That starts with acknowledging the tragic instances of genocide in world history. As a U.S. Senator, I have stood with the Armenian American community in calling for Turkey's acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide." He continued,
Two years ago, I criticized the Secretary of State for the firing of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, after he properly used the term "genocide" to describe Turkey's slaughter of thousands of Armenians starting in 1915. I shared with Secretary Rice my firmly held conviction that the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence. The facts are undeniable. An official policy that calls on diplomats to distort the historical facts is an untenable policy. As a senator, I strongly support passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106 and S.Res.106), and as President I will recognize the Armenian Genocide.Will he? Next month, Obama travels to Turkey for his first official visit there as president. The Turkish government has even invited him to address the Turkish parliament, a rare honor. (One wonders what language Obama will use, since Turkey tends to punish those who don't speak Turkish on the floor of Parliament.)
The moment the House introduced that genocide resolution today, Turkey's foreign minister, Ali Babacan, fired a warning Obama's way, claiming that Turkey and Armenia are already discussing the 1915 killings and "steps that could be taken by third countries on the issue would not bring any good but harm this process."
As if truth and historical memory should hinge on whatever discussions Turkey and Armenia are having, regardless of how fruitful some of those discussions may be. What, exactly, has one thing got to do with the other? Leave it to a denying nation to invent further denying stratagems.
Let's hope Obama doesn't play the game and not only follows through on his pledge, but urges passage of the House resolution before his trip.
See Also:
- The Armenian Genocide by Ottoman Turkey, 1915-1916: Facts and Figures
- Turkey's Genocide Problem--and the U.S. House's
- Obama on the "Importance of US-Armenian Relations"
- Full Text of House Resolution Recognizing the Armenian Genocide
- Turkey, Armenia and Soccer Diplomacy
Comments
Here’s a link to the actual source material (9 documents and 1 video) regarding Barack Obama’s long record in support of Armenian Genocide recognition:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/hill_notes/022409.pdf
Well, what we have found out about Obama is that all his statements and promises comes with an expiration date. All you have to do is check out this blog:
http://www.obamasgaffes.blogspot.com
If Clinton can go to China and not talk about human rights issues, do you think Obama will care to bring up 1915 Genocide issue. He wants to be loved by Muslims, so dont hold your breath for the recognition from spineless Obama.
its always easy to lie!!
This is a game of fools whose Armenians are always victims.
Turkey will always find a pretext to gain time. I’ts a story without end where morals not exists.
J. E / Paris
there is always 3 sides to a story,in this case, the armenian, turkish, and somewhere in the midst of it all, buried is the truth. it’s so convoluted by politics, & lies that only when you meet God, will you know the truth and then who’ll care.
So, show me the proof that you speak of!! Stop vilifying Turkey and give us the facts.
This Armenian Genocide is bull shit,Armnenians should have thought that when they have agreement with Russians and even Americans. Turkish people just defensed themeselves.
If Obama accept the armenian genocide it means he is gambling in this area. 70 million Turkish population is not little and Turkey is the best ally in this area, we have to accept that. I hope he will not support its nominal claims.
To find the truth..I think Turkish president is right and his proposition to be taken very seriously as he says;
-This is a historical issue not political. The case should be inspected by historians. We even opened old Ottoman archives so should Armanians but they never have accepted to open their archives.
Was it an exile or a planned exile as the result was set to end up as genocide?
To blame a nation with genocide is a very serious matter and brings very serious consequences along. It should be inspected properly and be proven by strong evidence.
Jean Eckian wrote above that “Armenians are always victims,” which is true (Armenians thrive on victimhood), and then goes on to preach about “morals.” A truly moral person would insist on hard evidence that a genocide took place. Whereas the author of the above article promises “plenty,” if one looks at his “Facts and Figures” article (link below), there is none to be found. There is only propaganda, such as “1.5 million” killed, a figure that represented the entire Armenian population according to most Western accounts of the period. Most of the 500,000 who died lost their lives from famine and disease, the same for the nearly three million Muslims who died, even the soldiers.
What false moralists also need to do is look at the tremendous crimes of the Armenians, who conducted a systematic extermination campaign of the most dreadful nature, mass murdering hundreds of thousands of Muslims and Jews. The difference is, the validation of the latter comes from the friends of the Armenians, but the Western world is unaware and does not care.
You cannot call this a “genocide” because hundreds of thousands of Ottoman Turks died as well. This is inaccurate. I do not support it and am disgusted by the propeganda set forth by the Armenian government.
If Armenians are unhappy with Turks, why do millions of them take refuge in Turkey today?
Sevda, very strange reasoning you’ve got going there. About 7 million Germans died during World War II. Does that mean Germans didn’t perpetrate a genocide? And about those millions fo Armenians taking refuge in Turkey today, I’d love to know more. Can you send me just one (one would do) example? One individual? A e-mail address, maybe?
To Hasan Akyurek I say, all the historic facts that exists in international archives are labeled as lies by Turkey, what makes you so sure Turkey will accept future findings if they the outcome is not what they expect? But, if such a committee is ever formed, I think it will be only done when Turkey is sure it has full control of the outcome.
I find it so amusing when uninformed or brainwashed Turks dispute the Genocide, with no real knowledge of their own history. Some parts of history taught in Turkey is not written by historians, it’s influenced by politicians with the sole purpose of hiding some of the most embarrassing acts of the Ottomans and young Turks. A vast number of Armenians today base their accusations not on history books, or what governments teach them, they base them on what their grandparents, fathers. uncles, aunts experienced, and lived to tell about them. I mean what’s so hard to believe, how is today’s Turkish government treating the Kurds?
As to the proof Pierre requested. There are Armenians living in Turkey, and by that I don’t mean Turkish Armenians. I met one a young guy from Yerevan in a Turkish market, he was working in a jewelry store owned by some Turkish Christian.
Jack, I never doubted that Armenians are living Turkey. From the little I know, there’s tens of thousands of Armenians in Turkey, mostly in Istanbul. What I was curious about was the reference to Armenians taking refuge in Turkey today, an assertion I find difficult to believe.
Pierre, AKA Mr. Something- IAN, you cannot compare what happened in Germany with the Armenian allegations. You must compare apples with apples.
Armenians living in Turkey:
http://www.armtown.com/news/en/pan/20090401/29993/
It is a refuge because 1. The water is unsafe to drink. 2. It’s got a high rate of poverty 3. There is no future for children except to be future angry Armenians that yell about “justice”, so they all move to Turkey to make a good living in, oh, basically EVERY sector you can think of!
I feel so bad for the children of Armenia. They have nothing to look forward to, nor anything to be proud of except to complain about recognition for a civil war where BOTH sides lost people. It’s really unfortunate.
Armenia is just a country that breeds hate. What a waste.
I live in Ankara, Turkey and the Armenians that I know here do not have any negative feelings towards Turkey. They are so happy to work and reside here and say it is much safer than their country. They are constantly bringing more and more family members to live in Turkey.
Here are some good links that accurately account the issue:
http://www.ermenisorunu.gen.tr/english/relocation/definition.html
http://www.turkishweekly.net/comments.php?id=2376
PROF. NORMAN STONE (British historian of modern Europe, especially Central and Eastern Europe, served at the University of Oxford)
Diaspora Armenians claim that ‘historians’ accept the genocide case. There is some preposterous organization called ‘association of genocide scholars’ which does indeed endorse the Diaspora line, but who are they and what qualifications do they have? Knowing about Rwanda or Bosnia or even Auschwitz does not qualify them to discuss Anatolia in 1915, and the Ottoman specialists are by no means convinced of the ‘genocide’. There is in fact an ‘A’ team of distinguished historians who do not accept the Diaspora line at all. In France, Gilles Veinstein, historian of Salonica and a formidable scholar, reviewed the evidence in a famous article of 1993 in L’Histoire. Back then the Armenian Diaspora were also jumping up and down about something or other, and Veinstein summed up the arguments for and against, in an admirably fair-minded way. The fact is that there is no proof of ‘genocide’, in the sense that no document ever appeared, indicating that the Armenians were to be exterminated. There is forged evidence.
(To read the continuation: http://www.turkishweekly.net/comments.php?id=2326)
HRANT DINK (Turkish ARMENIAN journalist)
Hrant Dink, was strictly against the Armenian bill in the French parliament. Dink had protested the bill and said “I will go to France and say that there is no genocide to protest the bill”.
I cant believe that obama didn’t keep his promise. I mean you cant be surprised because he’s a young unexperienced man, who could blame him, obama yes with lover case, is like a little kid the only reason he promised that he’ll recognize Armenian genocide is to win the election, to gain armenian votes. We all have been fooled obama is a LIER!!!
Armenian people look what happened during Nagorno Karabah war. Have you accepted Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan? Or most of them left Armenia. Look what happened last year on March 1, after president was elected. Was it safe on March 1st? Why don’t you fix recent problems? You have evidence and facts. Or maybe after years Armenians that are born overseas will blame another countries (perhaps Russia or America)that their parents and grandparents escaped to different countries . Build your Armenia right now so Armenian children can have future. Especially there is Armenians living in Turkey but it’s difficult for an Armenian to live in it’s own country. Look at yourself first…Yes, in 1915 thousand were killed… perhaps it was one of the reasons….
you are with Turkey because it’s convenient, then you are with Russia because they give money, maybe next America…I think none of us would let to be stubbed on the back. That’s what Armenians did in 1915 to Turkey after finding a better spot with Russians.
Now Armenia is independent. Show it. Prove it and don’t blame anyone.
iam sick of the denial of the armenian genocide. turkey is not existing for me. there are no turks. it´s a dream of a dumm idiot called ataturk. he tried to merge all kinds of ethnik groups and called them turks. even ataturk himself is albanian. so what now?
there´s is nothing you can be proud of. poor so called turks.
What about Turkey… you chenged everything starting from their alphabet up to your haircut to become closer to Europe, you don’t have country and you are not civilization…you want to know more, please watch this…
http://www.guba.com/watch/2000953523/-Armenian-Genocide-Andrew-Goldberg-armeniangenocidepbs2006pdtvxvidindr22
As for archives, we are sick of your poinless arguments, our archives were always open, what are you talking about. It’s just an official line your country wants you believe, you are poor victims of your official propaganda machine…
nieruchomosci
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