ABC News
April 24 2010
Once Again, President Obama Breaks Promise to Call Armenian Genocide ‘Genocide’
April 24, 2010 8:07 PM
President Obama today again broke his promise to use the word
`genocide’ when describing the systematic slaughter of 1.5 million
Armenians at the beginning of the last century.
`I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in 1915, and
my view of that history has not changed,’ the president said in a
statement today commemorating the genocide but not using the g-word.
`It is in all of our interest to see the achievement a full, frank and
just acknowledgment of the facts.’
In actuality, the only consistencies are that as a candidate Mr. Obama
incessantly labeled the genocide as such and heralded himself for
doing so, and since becoming president — and suddenly having to deal
with the a key ally, Turkey, which disputes that term — he has
refused to do so.
This was the case in April 2009 when he visited Turkey, and one year
ago today for the same commemoration.
Last month the Obama administration even asked the chairman of the
House Foreign Affairs Committee to cancel a vote scheduled on a bill
recognizing the Armenian genocide. After speaking to Turkish President
Abdullah Gül, the president had Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
reach out to committee chairman Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif.
`Secretary Clinton called Chairman Berman yesterday and in that
conversation the secretary indicated that further Congressional action
could impede progress on normalization of relations,’ National
Security Staff spokesman Mike Hammer said.
The conversation took place after the president spoke with President
Gül and `expressed appreciation’ for his and Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an’s `efforts on normalization of relations between
Turkey and Armenia.’ The president also `pressed for rapid
ratification of the protocols,’ Hammer said, referring to efforts at
normalization between Armenia and Turkey.
As a senator, and then as a presidential candidate, Barack Obama often
talked about how bold he was to call the slaughter of an estimated 1.5
million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire just what it was:
a genocide.
`America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian
Genocide and responds forcefully to all genocides,’ he said. `I intend
to be that President.’
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
[Condoleezza Rice] 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.’
His position on the matter was so strong, the Armenian National
Committee of America had its own Obama File on Armenian Genocide
Recognition, which included a Youtube clip of the President on the
campaign trial saying, `There was a genocide that did take place
against the Armenian people. It is one of these situations where we
have seen a constant denial on the part of the Turkish government.’
-jpt
icalpunch/2010/04/once-again-president-obama-break s-promise-to-call-armenian-genocide-genocide.html