CNSNews.com
April 12 2009
Obama Turns His Back on Armenian Genocide Pledge
Friday, April 10, 2009
By Michael W. Chapman
It’s no surprise that President Barack Obama has backed away from his
campaign pledge to speak the truth about the Armenian genocide. Last
year, he courted Armenian-Americans and people concerned about human
rights for their votes. Once elected, he betrayed them. This is what
dishonest politicians do.
For some background: When World War I started in 1914, the Turkish
government sided with Germany against France, Britain, and Russia.
Turkish forces were trounced early on their eastern front by the
Russians. Turkish officials blamed the defeat on the Armenians who
lived in that region of the Caucuses. A propaganda campaign was
launched against the Armenians and large-scale arrests and executions
of Armenians throughout Turkey began in the spring of 1915.
Countless historians who have studied the documents, photos,
eyewitness accounts, diplomatic correspondence, and related materials
conclude that the Turkish government carried out a deliberate policy
of extermination, i.e. genocide of the Armenians.
It is estimated that 1.4 million Armenians were killed in 1915-17 by
starvation, beatings, rape and execution ` others were worked or
marched to death. Yehuda Bauer, professor of Holocaust Studies at
Hebrew University, has said that on a `continuum of murderous
behavior, the Armenian massacres would figure nearest to the
Holocaust.’
In July 1915, U.S. Counsel Leslie Davis, in a letter to
U.S. Ambassador Henry Morgenthau, wrote: `Any doubt that may have been
expressed in previous reports as to the Government’s intentions in
sending away the Armenians have been removed ¦. It has been no
secret that the plan was to destroy the Armenian race as a race.’
In July 1916, the German ambassador, Count Wolff-Metternich, wrote
that Turkey was ignoring entreaties by German and U.S. diplomats in
`its attempt to carry out its purpose to resolve the Armenian question
by the destruction of the Armenian race ¦.’
In May 1918, Theodore Roosevelt wrote that `the Armenian massacre was
the greatest crime of the war, and the failure to act against Turkey
is to condone it.’
`[T]he failure to deal radically with the Turkish horror means that
all talk of guaranteeing the future peace of the world is mischievous
nonsense,’ said Roosevelt.
Mischievous nonsense, indeed.
While running for president and trying to gather votes ` about 1.5
million Armenians live in America ` Barack Obama posted on his
campaign Web site on Jan. 19, 2008, the following: `As a U.S. Senator,
I have stood with the Armenian American community in calling for
Turkey’s acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide. ¦ [T]he 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, and as President I will recognize the
Armenian Genocide.’
Victims of the Turkish genocide against the Armenians. (Public doman.)
That was then, this is now. While in Turkey last week, President Obama
had the chance to truly lead ` or to just simply tell the truth.
He didn’t. He followed, in effect, `an untenable policy’ of simply not
mentioning `the historical facts.’
When asked at an Apr. 6 press conference with Turkish President
Abdullah Gul whether he had changed his views or whether he had asked
Gul `to recognize the genocide by name,’ Obama rambled: `[W]hat I want
to do is not focus on my views right now but focus on the views of the
Turkish and the Armenian people. If they can move forward and deal
with a difficult and tragic history, then I think the entire world
should encourage them.’
As the Armenian National Committee of America said in a statement: `In
his remarks today in Ankara, President Obama missed a valuable
opportunity to honor his public pledge to recognize the Armenian
Genocide.’ And while moving in the right direction, reads the
statement, Obama fell `far short of the clear promise he made as a
candidate that he would, as President, fully and unequivocally
recognize this crime against humanity.’
Obama is the president of the United States, the most powerful nation
on earth. He is the most powerful man in the world. He can say or do
just about anything he wants.
Yet when it comes to speaking honestly about Turkey’s genocide of more
than 1 million men, women, and children, Obama ` in the right place
and at the right time ` chose not to lead.
There is the stereotype of the `Good German’ who, watching the train
chug its way off to the death camp during World War II, turned the
other way and kept his mouth shut.
Obama — the votes counted and safely in office now — turned his back
on the Armenians and flew home. But from the fields and mass graves
scattered along Turkey’s southern borders, you can hear the dead
talking, still.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
