HIGH-RANKING OBAMA OFFICIAL REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE GENOCIDE
Harut Sassounian

/08/high-ranking-obama-official-refuses-to-acknowl edge-the-genocide/
June 8, 2009

President Barack Obama continues to disappoint the Armenian American
community. After breaking two promises in a row on key Armenian
issues-not acknowledging the Armenian Genocide and proposing reduced
U.S. aid levels to Armenia-he appoints Philip Gordon as assistant
secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs.

Gordon, a former director of the Brookings Institution-a think-tank
partially funded by Turkish sources-has written several pro-Turkish
books and articles. He has been an opponent of Congressional
acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide and a critic of Greek Cypriot
leaders rather than the occupying Turkish forces. Gordon served in the
Clinton Administration as director for European affairs at the National
Security Council. During the last presidential campaign, he served
as head of the Europe team in Obama’s group of foreign policy advisers.

During his confirmation hearing by the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee at the end of March, Gordon was grilled by Sen. Robert
Menendez (D-N.J.) on his views on Armenian and Cypriot issues. Several
Senators pointed out that Gordon’s answers contradicted Obama’s
campaign promises. Little did the Senators know that a few weeks
later the president himself would fail to keep his word on these
issues. Menendez submitted over two dozen questions that were to be
answered by the nominee in writing after the hearing.

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) wrote a scathing letter to Gordon on April
7, expressing his dismay that the nominee, during his confirmation
hearing, had used the word "tragedy" to refer to the Armenian
Genocide. Ensign demanded to know if Gordon’s position on the Armenian
Genocide was consistent with those of Obama, Vice President Biden, and
Secretary of State Clinton, all of whom, as Senators and presidential
candidates, had strongly acknowledged the genocide. Furthermore,
referring to the early termination of the career of U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia John Evans for saying the phrase "Armenian Genocide,"
Ensign asked if Gordon would "discourage ambassadors or other foreign
service personnel from using the term ‘Armenian Genocide.’"

Ensign, not satisfied with Gordon’s answers, surprised everyone by
placing a hold on his nomination, temporarily blocking his approval
by the full Senate. However, just as surprisingly, Ensign lifted his
hold, paving the way for Gordon’s Senate confirmation.

In the meantime, Gordon answered in writing all 28 questions
sent to him by Menendez, even though his responses were evasive
and non-responsive. Regardless of the nature of the questions, he
mindlessly repeated the same answer over and over again, using just
about every word in the dictionary except genocide to describe the
mass killings of Armenians.

Only one of Gordon’s answers was particularly revealing, as he put
the blame for the Armenian Genocide on the "officials and soldiers
of the Ottoman Empire," thus inadvertently acknowledging that it
was a state-sponsored genocide. Here is the verbatim text of that
particular exchange:

Sen. Menendez: Who was responsible for the death of over 1.5 million
Armenians during WWI?

Gordon: This administration, like those before it, does not deny the
facts-1.5 million Armenians were murdered, starved, or deported by
civilian officials and soldiers of the Ottoman Empire, some of whom
were sentenced to death for committing these crimes. The United States
mourns this terrible chapter of history and recognizes that it remains
a source of pain for the people of Armenia and of Armenian descent,
and all those who believe in the dignity and value of every human life.

*** Gordon also disclosed to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
that the Brookings Institute had received a total of $700,000 from
the following Turkish sources from 2006-08:

$200,000 from the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association;

$190,000 from Sabanci University;

$150,000 from the Eksiogullari Group (a construction company);

$100,000 from the Dogan Yayin Holding Company (a media-entertainment
conglomerate);

$30,000 from Nurol Construction and Trading Company;

$30,000 from Hedef-Alliance Holding (Pharmaceutical Company).

A large number of pro-Turkish officials such as Gordon can be found
throughout the American government. Some of these Turkophiles are
leftovers from the Cold War era. Others, motivated by personal gain,
serve in the government for a while, and then go to work at Washington
think-tanks, some partially funded from Turkish sources, or end up
as lobbyists for Turkey.

Armenian Americans will continue to face great resistance in their
lobbying efforts from pro-Turkish elements in Washington-regardless of
which party is in power and who is president-unless they can expand
their political influence beyond Congress into the executive branch,
think-tanks, and the media.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress