ARMENIAN-AMERICANS, TRADE OPPONENTS PLAYED FOR FOOLS THIS WEEK

National Review Online Blogs
April 24 2009

This expiration date was visible a mile away — President Obama breaks
his campaign promise to the Armenian-American community to declare
the massacre of Armenians in 1915 an act of "genocide."

In a January 2008 letter to the Armenian Reporter, Mr. Obama said he
shared "with Armenian Americans — so many of whom are descended from
genocide survivors — a principled commitment to commemorating and
ending genocide. That starts with acknowledging the tragic instances
of genocide in world history."

In 2006, Mr. Obama noted, "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."

Asserted Mr. Obama, back then: "The facts are undeniable. An official
policy that calls on diplomats to distort the historical facts is an
untenable policy."

Mr. Obama also stated unequivocally that "as President I will recognize
the Armenian Genocide."

Today Obama’s statement on the anniversary avoided the g-word.

As with the flip-flops on Colombian trade and NAFTA, I prefer Obama’s
new position to his old. But it is rather breathtaking to watch Obama
win votes by loudly and repeatedly pledging "I will do X" and then
turn around and do the precise opposite of "X."