Armenian “genocide” in The Washington Post
Published: 3/8/2005
BY YILMAZ OZTUNA
Turkish Press
8 Mar 2005
TURKIYE – The Washington Post is one of the world’s best-known
newspapers. It became particularly famous back in 1974, when it
forced President Richard Nixon to resign. Nixon’s crime was that he
had secretly taped conversations and denied knowledge of a matter
which he actually knew full well about. Actually such things are
considered common functions of the government in most countries.
Sunday’s Washington Post published a list of ‘mass murder of
civilians in acts of genocide.’ Near the top of this list was
the Holocaust. However, the article’s assertion that 1.5 million
Armenians were killed during the Ottoman reign is a political lie.
It’s an example of hostility against Turks, and it’s purposeful.
In 1915, the total number of Armenians living under Ottoman rule was
1 million. During that time, Armenians living in Istanbul and western
Anatolia were barely touched. Those living in the east, southeast and
central parts of Anatolia were exiled to other regions of the empire
such as Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. During their departure, Kurdish
tribes, who had suffered great losses because of them, constantly
attacked the Armenians. The number of Turkish soldiers assigned to
guard the Armenians on their way was inadequate. Therefore, they could
not prevent Kurdish assaults on the Armenians. Some 10,000-15,000
Armenians died during those attacks. No more than that. However,
the death toll reached 200,000 with losses due to epidemics and
poor conditions. The rest of the Armenians settled in Arab lands.
After World War I, they emigrated to France, America and the rest
of the world. If all of them had been killed, there wouldn’t be any
Armenians in these countries now.
Turkey has never had a governmental policy of ridding itself of any
religion, sect, race or group. But our country treats people who
challenge the state, assault its security forces and kill innocent
citizens the same as any civilized country. True, 200,000 Armenians
died during the exile. But the number of Turks, Circassians and
especially Kurds that lost their lives was even greater. You don’t
come across events in our history similar to what the US did to its
Japanese citizens during World War II, how Eisenhower treated the
surrendering German Army, or what France did in Algeria.
Looking over the last 90 years, the West has a great deal more
slaughter, brutality and destruction to be ashamed of. If only we
could prevent such tragedies from happening again~E
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress