WHO TO BLAME FOR THE ‘GENOCIDE’ RESOLUTION? ARMENIANS OR AMERICANS?
Vural CengÝz

Turkish Daily News
Oct 12 2007

Armenian-Americans succeeded at last: House Resolution 106 claiming two
million Armenians were the victims of a genocide in 1915 by Ottoman
Turks was accepted at Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. House
of Representatives and it will be voted on the floor. How could two
million people be collected while only one million Anatolian Armenians
existed? Where did hundreds of thousands of Armenian immigrants come
from to the U.S. after all being exterminated? Many questions like
those, which make this so-called genocide unreal, do not need to be
answered. Because, in reality, some members of Congress are pleasing
their constituents to guarantee votes in the 2008 elections. Everything
looks perfect in California.

But not in the Middle East! Not for the U.S. The actions of the
U.S. administration are working against the Turkish Republic again.

First, father Bush cost Turkey tens of billions of petrodollars by
starting the first Gulf war; then, Bush Junior set not only Iraq but
the entire Middle East on fire. All at Turkey’s cost. Turks have been
very patient with their American allies. First, the Pentagon teamed
up with Kurds instead of Turks for their big journey into Iraq and
pushed Turks away claiming they did not want the partnership.

Then they laid all the blame of the disastrous war on Turks. Later,
some Turkish troops were captured and treated like enemies in northern
Iraq. Ambassador Wilson claims American troopers did not recognize
them. The Turkish Armed Forces say this is impossible; U.S. troops
acted to punish Turks for not letting U.S. troops in Turkey. I think
the latter makes more sense. Last, American guns reached terrorist
hands attacking Turkey from northern Iraq. These were not enough. Now,
Turks are not only called national enemies but the enemies of humanity.

Let’s remember some history lessons:

Ottoman Turks were in power in the Middle East for 800 years. All
nations kept in peace with the "millet" system, which is very familiar
to Sephardic Jews. Arabs and Jews as well as Armenians and Kurds
lived next to each other. All nations including Armenians in the
Empire kept their religious beliefs and cultural values… Who were
the Armenians? For Turks, they were the traitors of Antioch defense
in 1080, who sold Turks to crusaders. Ottomans still let Armenians
live in the Empire in peace knowing they had betrayed their ancestors
many times in history. Then Armenians teamed up with Russians from
1870 to 1915 and were punished for their killings and betrayal. Now,
Turks are accused by their number one ally with an unfair political
prosecution. As a Turkish-American, I have things to say: First, I am
proud of my first homeland and her history. Second, this resolution
has nothing to do with American people. People of the U.S. do not
have any idea what is going on in the U.S. Congress. They just know
that their president is playing a war game, which has already cost
4,000 American lives as well as that of hundreds of thousands of
Iraqi civilians. Neither the U.S. Administration nor Congress are
doing their job like providing healthcare to all people and good
education to youth. Americans do not know more than this.

They just know Turkey is the name of a bird and a good ally. Third, if
each one of the Congressman and Congresswoman asked their constituents
about the bill all they would hear is: "It is not our business." Last,
Americans love the country of Turkey and would like to visit it at
least once. Therefore, Turks should not get more frustrated with
Americans and see the real animosity here. It is Armenian-Americans
who are pressuring their representatives for their claims against
their historic neighbors, the Turks. What they only care about is
their revenge without considering Turkish war losses.

Do they care for American national interests? No. Do they care for the
well being of other Americans? Certainly not. Since Armenian-Americans
and Armenians are the ones who want to hurt Turks, they, not Americans,
should be seen as real troublemakers. Actually, House Resolution 106
does not make much sense for Armenians themselves. What if Turks
say "Okay, we understand Armenian animosity here; we accept the
challenge. We are ending all diplomatic relations with Armenia and
canceling all flights for Armenians in and out of Turkey and over
Turkey. No more use of Turkish ports until Armenia demolishes all
genocide statues in Armenia?" What will Armenian-Americans do to stop
Turkey? Ask Congress to stop giving billions of dollars as foreign aid,
which does not exist? What else could Turks do? How about deporting
all 70,000 illegal Armenian workers from Turkey? Who are they going
to blame for loosing their jobs? How about the other 10 percent of
Armenia’s population depending on this income from Turkey? Are they
going to love Armenian-Americans who enjoy the high living standards
of Western civilization with their Mercedes Benz and Gucci while
Armenians in Armenia live in poverty and chew endlessly on genocide
gum on an empty stomach? Armenian-Americans had one shot only and they
fired it. Who is going to be hit is unknown now. If Turks make sure it
is Armenians to be hit, that shot will be the one Armenian-Americans
fired in their own foot.

* Vural Cengiz is the president of the Azerbaijani American
Institute, and former president of the Assembly of Turkish American
Associations. He can be contacted at vurcen@yahoo.com

–Boundary_(ID_mwj65B2j5karCLOFm sWJJQ)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress