iNEWP- Freedom of Speech
March 6 2010
Obama Administration: Not Armenian `Genocide’
By iNewp Citizen Journalist
Published: March 5, 2010
Following the surprising House Panel vote yesterday that tested the
durability of Turkey’s relationship with the United States, the Obama
administration’s Secretary of State Hilary Clinton announced the
intent of the administration to go against the decision of labelling
the Great Calamity as a genocide. President Obama broke one of his
campaign promises to have the U.S officially recognize the Great
Calamity as a `genocide’ yet due to political circumstances has
changed his stance on the issue publicly.
Relief should be widespread everywhere for the time being and weary
applause should (in opinion) be given for the Obama administration’s
quick actions on the House Panel’s vote and Turkey’s reaction towards
it. The Armenian genocide (pushing aside Turkey’s stance on the topic
for now) was disgusting as any other such atrocities are, yet it
would’ve been simply foolish to strain diplomatic relationships with
the most pro-U.S/Western country among the Arab countries. Turkey’s
contributions range from stabilization efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan
while holding much influence on some of the world’s affairs along with
holding a typical Middle Eastern, albeit important location for oil
and other resources for the benefit of the Western world in terms of
economics.
Some do not realize the serious implications that would’ve occured if
actions weren’t taken against the official recognition of the Armenian
genocide. Just immediately after, the Turkish government and people
protested the U.S House Panel’s vote, beyond such protests from one of
the world’s more developed countries the passing of this vote into the
actual Congress and above would have harmed Armenia’s recent and
historical attempts to reconcile with Turkey alongside with the
harming of the American-Turkish relationship. There also would’ve been
much more less sanctions, now a lesser possibility of Turkish
sanctions against Iran if Turkey had been given the wrong impression
of U.S actions. It should be kept in mind that there are current human
rights being whittled down by the government in Iran and that is
certainly more important than jeopardizing a vital alliance for the
sake of a past genocide that will end up giving more challenges to the
international community.
A few humanitarian activists online in Twitter and other social media
screamed out for the U.S recognition of the Armenian genocide
insisting that ignoring it would be immoral and would hurt, in the
eyes of the world, the image of the U.S as it will show that the
country prefers political matters over a genocide of fellow human
beings and general human rights. Others have responded that there is a
similar relationship between China and America on the issues of
censorship and certain human rights in the Asian country, and that
this is not the first time human rights and politics have not clashed
with each other thus politics should be considered first before any
moves are taken that might `tick off’ the other side.
While opinions may obviously differ on whether or not it was a
genocide or it should be recognized in spite of the current political
situation, it is a `relief’ to say that the U.S narrowly avoided a
diplomatic disaster.