Posted on 03/04/2010 2:15:10 PM PST by Gabrial
A congressional panel approved a resolution Thursday declaring the Ottoman-era killing of Armenians genocide over protests by Turkey, a NATO ally that is crucial to U.S. interests in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
Minutes after the vote, Turkey said it was recalling its ambassador from Washington.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2460351/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2460249/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2457798/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2460887/posts
We all know the real purpose was to appeal to the 1.5 million Armenain-American vote, especially in CA. There are very few Turks in America.
Try passing a resolution condemning Soviet genocide in the Ukraine. I bet the Russians wouldn't be thrilled with that.
Armenian culture interests me and I can sympathize with their dislike of Turkey insofar as it resembles the regime that killed Armenians back then, but if we haven’t passed this resolution by now, there’s got to be a very good reason why. And I suspect that it’s because the ripple effect of alienating turkey would be very bad for the country as a whole, even though the Armenian community might not care.
As for Obama being unable to control his own party, look at what he’s accomplished with healthcare so far and his apparent about-face on Turkey after the election. This isn’t too surprising. Resembles the Carter era.
Yes, thanks, I'm obviously behind on this.
Can you imagine if the Turkish parliament passed a resolution condemning American genocide against the native Americans? Or lynchings of blacks?
Just like so many issues, the case of Turkish genocide against the Armenians is not shut and closed. There are two sides to this story. And the 27 attacks perpetrated against Turkish diplomats and their facilities in the 1980s by Armenian terrorists must be part of the context. A US Congrsssional resolution could reignite such attacks.
The pulling of the Turkish ambassador is just the beginning if the Administration doesn't stop this at the committee level.
His about-face on Turkey is due to the changed political reality. It is one thing to say something about Turkish genocide as a senator or candidate, but now he has the responsibility for dealing with the consequences as President. The Turks can make life a little more difficult for our CIC in the region.
Are you suggesting that the genocide was sort of like the conflicts in the Balkans?
It does indeed resemble the "Balkan Ghosts." The US should stay out of it. IMO it is like trying to get involved in a domestic quarrel. You just can't win.
Interesting way to put it. I lived in Diyarbakir for a year. Kurds shooting Turkish school teachers is one of those "un-reported" facts, the Turks hunted them down without mercy. But everyone on FR love the Kurds now.....
There is always two sides to a story.
There were mass killings of Armenians, at least partly planned by the Turkish government. There were also several hundreds of thousands of deaths from disease, civil unrest, and starvation, not limited to Armenians.
"Genocide" is a technical term; independent scholars sometimes use "mass killings" or other terms to refer to the tragedy.
Me too! 1980-83. I was also with the Turks when they deployed for joint F-16 operations with the Greeks. It was......a LOT of fun. Ouzo and Raki......and lots of food. As one Turk said on the way home......"We're all brothers". Apparently politicians are too damn stupid to put the past behind them.
.. and some think that Kaiser Wilhelm II's troops participated
"'German Responsibility in the Armenian Genocide: A Review of the Historical Evidence of German Complicity" by Vahakn N. Dadrian.
Shouldn't there be demands for Germany to explain?
In my reply above #7 there is a link to a 1915 NY Times article: the Turks and Kurds were both doing the crime. Shouldn't there be demands for the Kurds to confess?
IMO Turkey avoids the word genocide while admitting that horrific acts occurred but also wonders about the lack of concern for the Turk civilian victims of the Russians and Armenians who were fighting the Turks (allies of Germany). I believe that there is no disputing that the Ottomans forcibly deported thousands of Armenians during the W.W.I era.
Why the word genocide when even the Armenians say the word is secondary? That too is explained by a link in reply #7.
Yes. The request for US help says 1915. Well in 1915 Smedly Butler, USMC, then a Major, earned a medal of honor in Haiti. Wilson had pledged not to involve the US into the War called WWI. In fact, we did not declare war until 1917.
We have people unemployed, all kinds of serious issues that require these clowns to work, and; these same clowns worry about 1915? Damn, do we really want a congressional panel wasting the money we pay their sad asses to meet about mass murders in 1915 and earlier? We have bigger things to solve.
That too. Also, it angers me that foreign governments are competing for influence over our Congress -- I have one representative and two senators. Foreign governments (and there are many) get 435 representatives and 100 senators! Taint fair, McGee.
No, I couldn't - because there are no descendants (to speak of) of native American or black (American) heritage living in Turkey.
Point being, is that (obviously) there are interests groups in Washington that have the Money and Influence to pressure Congress to deal with this "situation." Otherwise, Congress would not be dealing with this issue - they just don't behave altruistically.
What? I thought the Turks were evil bastards, now you tell us there might be some kind of political influence involved......?
Common Joe. Pontificate on what you know about......Turkey.
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