President Bush Caves into Turkish Pressure over Armenia

[Ulsterman]

President George W Bush has urged US legislators not to pass a resolution declaring the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks to be genocide.

Everyone knows this was genocide, its a pity that the US administration sacrificed truth on the altar of expediency in this case.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7038095.stm

 

[Don]

Pardon me for not caring...what are my legislators doing voting on whether something Turkey has done is genocide or not?

How about working some legislation that actually represents our interests?

 

[JFox1]

Yes, indeed it was genocide. It was the first genocide of the 20th Century. The Turks killed 1 1/2 million Armenians.

http://www.theforgotten.org/intro.html

 

[KenH]

Standing up for basic human rights has not been a strong suit of President Bush.

 

[Ulsterman]

Pardon me for not caring...what are my legislators doing voting on whether something Turkey has done is genocide or not?

How about working some legislation that actually represents our interests?

Well, Don, many many Christian people are suffering in Armenia today, in large part because their nation is surrounded by Muslim states, including Turkey, which prohibited access to their land following a devastating earthquake 20 years ago leaving many of them in desperation to this hour.

Politics is not just about domestic affairs, and it is disappointing that President Bush, who is supposed to be a Christian, and is the voice of the free world, would not acknowledge the Armenian plight and the Turkish wrong.

 

[moondg]

Well, Don, many many Christian people are suffering in Armenia today, in large part because their nation is surrounded by Muslim states, including Turkey, which prohibited access to their land following a devastating earthquake 20 years ago leaving many of them in desperation to this hour.

Politics is not just about domestic affairs, and it is disappointing that President Bush, who is supposed to be a Christian, and is the voice of the free world, would not acknowledge the Armenian plight and the Turkish wrong.

This is not about today this was during WW1. Why are they doing this now? I think there time could be better spent.

 

[NiteShift]

Standing up for basic human rights has not been a strong suit of President Bush.

The Clinton administration, in 2000, also opposed a resolution condemning the Turks for the mass killings. The European Union, as of 2006, had said that accepting responsibility for the Armenian genocide is not a condition for Turkey's entry into the EU.

 

[StefanM]

Bush is the last in a long line of cowards on this issue.

We'll throw a fit over Iran denying the Holocaust, but we won't do a thing when Turkey systematically denies the Armenian genocide. It's pure hypocrisy.

I don't even know how many of my ancestors and family members were killed in the Armenian genocide, but my great-grandfather had to stow away on a ship to America just to escape the carnage. He was only a teenager. To my knowledge, he never communicated with his family again.

 

[KenH]

Why are they doing this now?

Because some things are just the right thing to do. For the same reason that Jews still hunt for Nazis that participated in the death camps during World War II.

 

[KenH]

The Clinton administration, in 2000, also opposed a resolution condemning the Turks for the mass killings.

Standing up for basic human rights was not exactly a strong suit of President Clinton.

 

[moondg]

Because some things are just the right thing to do.

Did it just become the right thing to do ? What about all the years before was it not the correct thing to do then? What good does it do?

 

[KenH]

Did it just become the right thing to do ? What about all the years before was it not the correct thing to do then? What good does it do?

It has been the right thing to do since the genocide happened.

What good does it do to go after Nazis who have already basically lived their full lives? Justice served is justice served and standing against atrocities is standing against atrocities, even if it should have been done earlier.

Besides, I can't see why any House or Senate member would oppose this. It shouldn't take more than five minutes to approve it in either house of Congress.

 

[StefanM]

This isn't a Republican or Democrat issue. It's a moral one. Leaders from both parties have "dropped the ball" over the years.

Bush opposes the resolution. That's wrong. Clinton did the same. That was wrong.

But, as is often said...better late than never.

 

[Ulsterman]

I think there time could be better spent.

It would take about 30 seconds to right the wrong. Why is it important? Because the Turks want to be received into the West, yet both their past and their present history is marred by persecution. They should be told by the leader of the free West that their behaviour in the past was not acceptable, their infringements on human rights and civil liberties today are not acceptable, and made to stand outside the pale until they recognise and rectify that.

 

[Ulsterman]

Now iy would seem the president has egg on his face...

"Turkey has denounced a vote by a US congressional committee recognising as genocide the 1915-17 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks. President Abdullah Gul said the decision was unacceptable and had no validity for Turkey, which has always denied any genocide took place."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7038900.stm

 

[Matt Black]

If Turkey wants to be in the EU, it should acknowledge the evils of its past, just like other ex-'Bad Boy' countries like Germany have had to do. And while we're at it, it's about time Japan said sorry too.

 

[2 Timothy2:1-4]

What hasn't been said on this issue is the impending war Turkey is chomping at the bit to engage in. Turkey has been at ware off and on for years with the folks in Northern Iraq. Turkey has shown much restraint in recent years at the request of the President. Wether turkey is right or wron in this we do not need turkey creating more issues in Northern Iraq. This resolution is not helpful at the moment. It's all about timing.

 

[saturneptune]

Well, Don, many many Christian people are suffering in Armenia today, in large part because their nation is surrounded by Muslim states, including Turkey, which prohibited access to their land following a devastating earthquake 20 years ago leaving many of them in desperation to this hour.

Politics is not just about domestic affairs, and it is disappointing that President Bush, who is supposed to be a Christian, and is the voice of the free world, would not acknowledge the Armenian plight and the Turkish wrong.

President Bush and his policies are an American concern.

 

[Ulsterman]

President Bush and his policies are an American concern.

Unless, of course, you live in Iraq, Afghanistan, Armenia, Europe or anywhere else. Wise up! Yes, the American electorate determines who governs the country, but to suggest that the policies of the American government only concern Americans is so insular, and ignorant of the global impact of modern political life in a global setting, is beyond words.

 

[saturneptune]

Unless, of course, you live in Iraq, Afghanistan, Armenia, Europe or anywhere else. Wise up! Yes, the American electorate determines who governs the country, but to suggest that the policies of the American government only concern Americans is so insular, and ignorant of the global impact of modern political life in a global setting, is beyond words.

Those issues are taken care of with treaties and the UN (ha). American internal policies and politics are the decision of the American people. No doubt there are plenty of issues for you to concern yourself with the British government, such as Prince Charles' royal ring size.