From the Turkish government statement protesting the House Foreign Affairs Committee vote approving the resolution:
“It is blatantly obvious that the House Committee … does not have a task or function to rewrite history by distorting a matter which specifically concerns the common history of Turks and Armenians”.
That blows my irony meter all to hell, yet again. I have sent the Turkish Embassy a bill for a new one.
I am also boycotting Turkish pomegranate juice for the duration.
I’m a quarter Armenian, and have ancestors that were victims of the massacre. My feeling is that Turkey has to acknowledge the genocide for healing to occur. Maybe they’re worried about their reputation, or possible reparation payments, or having to return territory usurped from Armenia, but someday they’re going to have to face all that. I don’t think it’s going to be as bad as they think.
As for this bill, I see that there are issues in the timing, but that’s been true for many years. Similar resolutions have nearly passed only to be withdrawn for fear of antagonizing Turkey at an “inopportune” time. I hope this bill passes, and leads other countries to make similar resolutions, and the combined pressure finally goads Turkey into coming clean with its past. I also hate the idea that Turkey could bully the U.S. into saying a genocide wasn’t really a genocide.
My wife is Armenian and her great grandmother was killed in the Genocide. You can probably guess where we stand on this issue.
To us, this isn’t about what happened 90 years ago, it’s about what’s happening right now, today, in Turkey and within our own government. I would have hoped that, if there was one thing everyone could agree on, it’s that Genocide denial is a bad thing. As Americans, we can’t force Turkey to admit that they tried to eliminate the Armenians but we certainly shouldn’t be on their side in their efforts to deny it.
As long as the American government refuses to use the word “genocide”, we’re providing tacit cover for their denial. This is one of those times we should just damn the consequences and do what is right. There is no level of inconvenient timing or political repercussions that justifies genocide or its denial because all it does is lead to the next tragedy. Remember what Hitler said before wiping out the Poles: “Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?”.
Bush is not right on this one.
p.s. Godwin should really have an escape clause allowing Nazi’s to be brought up in discussions of genocide.
Well, he didn’t have an alliance with the Moreau Islands! 
Hey, this could be the turning point in ending that dumbass war in Iraq!
The Dems can’t get the war ended through Congress, but maybe not being able to use Turkey as a jumping off point will cut Bush’s war off at the knees.
Not the way I’d prefer to end the war, and I’m sure Bushco’s gonna let more troops get killed just so they can blame it on the Dems in time for 2008, but like just about every single thing Bush has tried to do, it will backfire miserably.
On another point, Turkey getting all huffy and withdrawing their ambassador just pretty much proves they know damn well they’re guilty as sin of genocide.
To Turkey: Genocide, Genocide, you committed Genocide, neener, neener, neener! Tough shit, buckos; don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time!
My guess is: the Turks don’t like the past. But why not come out and say: “Yes, these terrible thngs took place. We will acknowledge it and make amends.” Why bother? Just about everybody involved in this is dead-its like the USA Indian Wars-no shame for people alive today
Their parliament should pass a resolution condemning America’s genocide of Native Americans. 
I wasn’t aware that America denied its roles and responsibilities in what happened to the Native American’s. Much more so than, say, the Europeans such as the Spanish have fessed up to THEIR responsibilities. Maybe you could point out to me where the official position of the US is to deny what the country did during that period?
-XT
You’re missing the point. This bill is to make it America’s official policy that the Armenian genocide occurred and that it should be referred to as such not as ‘mass killings in 1915’ or whatever euphemism George Bush used yesterday. It was a genocide and should be referred to as such.
If America was trying to deny the historical truth of what we did to the Native Americans than I certainly hope other countries would call us on it. However, we’re not so your comment is not applicable.
Lawls. 
No, the point was “If Turkey dosn’t like it, they can go pass their own resolution”. Hence the smiley.
I do agree with xtisme that the Armenian Genocide resolution might be some kind of back door way of curtailing the war in Iraq.
A couple points of historical accuracy:
Historical opinion:
I think the comparison of the Armenian massacres under the Ottomans to the fate of American Indians is a very apt one. Both of these situations may have been somewhat chaotic and not as centrally planned and coordinated as Hitler’s Holocaust, but were genocidal in effect just the same.
The modern Turkish government traces its origins back to the Revolution of 1908 when the Ottoman Empire became a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government. The so-called Young Turks (the Committee of Union and Progress) were the major power behind this move and in 1913 they took over the government and made Turkey a one-party state. It was during this period, that the main Armenian genocide occurred (1915-1917). After Turkey’s defeat in World War I, the Allied powers occupied the Ottoman Empire. The CUP was discredited and the monarchists were briefly able to retake control. Most of the CUP leadership was arrested or exiled (among the charges brought against them was responsibility for ordering the Armenian massacre). Mustafa Kemal Ataturk had been a member, but not a leader, of the CUP and was a military officer during WWI. Ataturk was the main leader in the Turkish War of Independance (1919-1923) which forced out the occupying powers, overthrew the monarchy, and made Turkey a republic.
So it’s complicated. Ataturk and the Republican government did not have any direct responsiblity for the Armenian genocide - they were not in power when it occurred. But accusations about the genocide were used as a weapon by foreign occupiers and the monarchist government and became associated with these groups. Speaking out against the genocide was seen as opposing nationalism and republicanism.
[shrug] This purely symbolic gesture is something the House can do, at no (financial) cost. What can it do about Darfur or Myanmar?
Thanks, Johanna, and Little Nemo for enlightening my ignorance.
A bit more to think about, there.
This CNN article points out that 70% of the air cargo and 70% of the fuel bound for Iraq goes through Turkey. 95% of certain vehicles go through Turkey.
I was also wondering why in the world the US Congress would make an issue out of this at this particular time. Now it’s starting to make sense.
Seems a bit conspiratorial when simple stupidity will suffice. I havent seen a voting tally yet, only the numbers 27-21, so I’m assuming that at least some Republicans voted for it. I mean, don’t they usually say something like “In a strict party-line vote…”
I agree. I think the last thing anyone wants is to make out situation in Iraq more complicated.
I’m just guessing here, but I’m guessing they just didn’t think anybody would care this much. I mean, the Turks get a little pissy, throw them a bone, and everybody forgets about it. Hell, if voting against genocide isn’t safe, what the heck is?
We should also never forget Tip O’Neil’s observation that All politics is local
If it matters in California, it matters to the democrats.
My guess is that 'lucy is also right that te Dems thought this would fly pretty much under the radar and that even the Pubs would go along with a meaningless “Genocide is bad, m’kay,” resolution.
I still don’t think it’s going to end up mattering that much. The Turks might bitch about it a little bit, but if the President doesn’t go along with it then I think they’ll get over it. Turkey doesn’t have much to gain by stomping away in a huff.
Having said that, it’s exactly the kind of effete, pointless, symbolic, masturbatory exercise that the Democrats can always be counted on to shoot themselves in the ass with. The party could use a man like Janet Reno again.