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Why President Trump Should Recognize The Armenian Genocide
The Federalist ^ | APRIL 23, 2018 | Stella Morabito

Posted on 04/23/2018 6:00:39 AM PDT by george76

If President Trump recognizes the Armenian genocide by specifically using the word “genocide” in his April 24 proclamation, he would send a strong signal to the world that America is unequivocally on the side of historical truth and the protection of innocent life. He would be only the second president, after Ronald Reagan, to do so boldly and officially.

Every year on April 24 there are memorial services, marches, and media reminders of the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. The beginning of the massacres is marked on that date in 1915, when hundreds of Armenian community leaders, merchants, and intellectuals were rounded up and killed in Constantinople.

That horrific incident was followed by the sorts of activities you’d expect of a government intent on mass slaughter of an ethnic group:

...

Several American presidents in recent history issued commemorative proclamations that mourn the massacres and the tragedy of the killings, but—with the notable exception of Reagan—do not call it a genocide.

...

In his 2008 presidential campaign, Obama openly pledged that if elected he would call the killings a genocide.

He never kept that promise, even during the 2015 centennial marked by major events and memorial events around the nation as well as in Washington DC. Today two of his top aides—foreign policy advisor Ben Rhodes and United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power—have said the Obama administration’s judgment call on this was a mistake.

...

In addition to the loss of life, much wealth and property was seized, including Armenian churches, monasteries, businesses, farms, and homes.

(Excerpt) Read more at thefederalist.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: armenia; armenianchristians; armeniangenocide; armenians; assyrianchristians; assyrians; christians; genocide; greekchristians; turkey

1 posted on 04/23/2018 6:00:39 AM PDT by george76
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To: george76

What’s the worst that could happen? Turkey won’t like us anymore? That ship has already sailed.


2 posted on 04/23/2018 6:02:00 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy
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To: george76

History lesson -

In April 1915 the Ottoman government embarked upon the systematic decimation of its civilian Armenian population. The persecutions continued with varying intensity until 1923 when the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist and was replaced by the Republic of Turkey. The Armenian population of the Ottoman state was reported at about two million in 1915. An estimated one million had perished by 1918, while hundreds of thousands had become homeless and stateless refugees. By 1923 virtually the entire Armenian population of Anatolian Turkey had disappeared.

The Ottoman Empire was ruled by the Turks who had conquered lands extending across West Asia, North Africa and Southeast Europe. The Ottoman government was centered in Istanbul (Constantinople) and was headed by a sultan who was vested with absolute power. The Turks practiced Islam and were a martial people. The Armenians, a Christian minority, lived as second class citizens subject to legal restrictions which denied them normal safeguards. Neither their lives nor their properties were guaranteed security. As non-Muslims they were also obligated to pay discriminatory taxes and denied participation in government. Scattered across the empire, the status of the Armenians was further complicated by the fact that the territory of historic Armenia was divided between the Ottomans and the Russians.....

http://www.armenian-genocide.org/genocide.html


3 posted on 04/23/2018 6:13:57 AM PDT by Beautiful_Gracious_Skies
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To: george76

“Who remembers the Armenians?”, it was only 1.5 million. Who remembers the 26M Russians or the 12M German victims, or the 100M Chinese? Man’s inhumanity to man continues regardless of who remembers. There will be more to follow, you can bet on it.


4 posted on 04/23/2018 6:24:23 AM PDT by Bringbackthedraft (Damn Tag line, fouled up again, thanks cursor.)
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To: Bringbackthedraft

They weren’t just Armenian. They were Christians.


5 posted on 04/23/2018 6:31:01 AM PDT by MGG
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To: ClearCase_guy

It might be fun to watch Erdogan melt down more completely.... but we have to be ready (logistically) for the possible end of Turkey’s role in NATO.

I think that’s where this is headed with Erdogan the Islamist, but we need to get our nukes out of there, etc.


6 posted on 04/23/2018 6:31:53 AM PDT by Enchante (FusionGPS "dirty dossier" scandal links Hillary, FBI, CIA, Dept of Justice... "Deep State" is real)
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To: ClearCase_guy

“What’s the worst that could happen? Turkey won’t like us anymore?”

Turkey is the excuse, the party USA is terrified of offending is further south of Turkey.


7 posted on 04/23/2018 6:32:48 AM PDT by CharleysPride (Peace, Freedom and Prosperity. Thank you, President Trump.)
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To: CharleysPride

Didn’t happen the last time. Realpolitik. The truth will set you free. Time to do it.


8 posted on 04/23/2018 6:35:27 AM PDT by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
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To: george76

Truth
Courage to speak it
Remember Trump moved the embassy to Jerusalem
That’s all you need to know about this guy


9 posted on 04/23/2018 6:55:58 AM PDT by Truthoverpower (The guvmint you get is the Trump winning express !)
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To: george76

“Recognizing” the Armenian genocide pre Erdogan were a bad move. It was committed by a previous entity, the Ottoman Empire. Türkiye was a different nation after Mustafa Kemal’s revolution. That said, it is time to recognize the genocide. Erdogan is attempting, now indirectly but explicitly, to revive the Ottoman Empire. As such he is taking on himself and on Türkiye the legacy of that Empire. It is time.br> It also removes the rationale for the attachment to NATO. Severing the country from NATO would be felt as a drastic and disastrous act by the Turkish middle class which is still quite large by Moslem standards and could galvanize those people to rise against the neo-Ottomans.


10 posted on 04/23/2018 8:17:20 AM PDT by arthurus (b)
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To: MGG

First peoples to establish Christianity as their national religion, 302 AD


11 posted on 04/23/2018 8:24:24 AM PDT by going hot (happiness is a momma deuce)
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To: george76

PBS is always running a show about this. I have not seen any shows on the communists killing 100 million+ people. Maybe next season....


12 posted on 04/23/2018 9:32:20 AM PDT by minnesota_bound
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To: MGG

Yes, the victims of the genocide carried out by the Turks in the 1910s were not just Armenian Christians, but also Greek and Assyrian Christians. https://pjmedia.com/blog/the-armenian-genocide/ However, the lion’s share (probably over 75%) of the victims were Armenian. President Trump should say that a genocide took place against Armenians and other Christians in the region.


13 posted on 04/24/2018 8:12:36 AM PDT by AuH2ORepublican (If a politician won't protect innocent babies, what makes you think that he'll defend your rights?)
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To: minnesota_bound

Mao’s “Great Leap Forward” killed 45 million in four years alone: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/maos-great-leap-forward-killed-45-million-in-four-years-2081630.html
Throw in all of the other tens of millions murdered by the ChiComs and the tens of millions killed by Stalin, other Soviets, Pol Pot, Ho Chi Minh, Castro, etc., and the number of civilian victims of the Communist genocide probably approaches 200 million.


14 posted on 04/24/2018 8:17:51 AM PDT by AuH2ORepublican (If a politician won't protect innocent babies, what makes you think that he'll defend your rights?)
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To: CharleysPride
Turkey is the excuse, the party USA is terrified of offending is further south of Turkey.

Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, or Israel?


15 posted on 04/24/2018 7:03:39 PM PDT by rdb3 (Hi! I'm worthless to one, but priceless to two. What's my name?)
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To: rdb3

Israel - for the benefit of their relationship with Turkey.

Sticky issue, it seemed like they were going to reverse and stick it to Turkey a couple of times, but I guess it is always good to have something useful in your pocket.


16 posted on 04/24/2018 7:24:11 PM PDT by CharleysPride (Peace, Freedom and Prosperity. Thank you, President Trump.)
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