Obama faces dilemma on Armenian killings

[WriteDown]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama faces a dilemma as he prepares to issue an annual presidential statement on the World War I-era killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks.

Referring to the killings as genocide could upend recent pledges of a closer partnership with Turkey, a vital ally in a critical region. Steering around the word would break his unequivocal campaign pledges to recognize the killings as genocide.

The decision follows an announcement by Turkey and Armenia on Wednesday that they were nearing a historic reconciliation after years of tension. The Obama administration is wary of upsetting that development and closely coordinated a statement Wednesday about the apparent breakthrough with the Turkish government and Swiss mediators.

The dispute involves the killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians. Genocide scholars widely view the event as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey denies that the deaths constituted genocide, contending the toll has been inflated and that the casualties were victims of civil war and unrest....

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hsubSj-rRIxTLiQyrw_VlJ5fYZ6QD97OQEVG0

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And the dance continues...

[Malikshah]

1. One solution would be for folks to look at the history leading up to World War I

The million or more Muslims killed in the Caucasus region as well as the Balkans--none of which is covered in discussion might address some of the issues raised. In addition--reading the history of Eastern Anatolia might also help.

The Armenian Genocide did occur leading to the deaths of 1.5 million; to equate it with the Holocaust in Europe however (not being done in this article) is not being entirely accurate.

In the end, Obama's in a tight spot.

[russian33]

3. is one genocide worse than another?

genocide is genocide...whether its 1.5 million people or 6 million...its the reasons behind it
and its sad that US can't finally recognize it as such...

[Malikshah]

5. I would agree but the characterization goes beyond that

and when will the US recognize the million+ killed in the Balkans/Caucasus region in the years leading up the WWI. Or do these civilians not matter?

[Captain Hilts]

2. This one's tough. nt

[ArmeniansForObama]

4. Worse than Genocide

Unprecedented in human history, this expropriation constitutes to this day a murder, not only of a people, but of a civilization and an
attempt to erase a legacy of culture, a time-earned way of life. This is where the debate about calling it genocide or not becomes absurd,
trivial, and tertiary. A homeland was exterminated by the Turkish republic's predecessor and under the world's watchful eye, and we're negotiating a word. Even that term is not enough to encompass the magnitude of the crime.

To those who doubt the countless Genocides that could have been prevented following the Armenian Genocide, on the eve of the invasion of Poland; as powerful an admonition as there is to complacency:

According to the London Times, Hitler said,

"Go, kill without mercy. After all, who remembers the Armenians?"

[BuddhaGirl]

7. great post!

:thumbsup:

[dipsydoodle]

6. He's got a straight choice

Either tell the truth or lie. So - he can please himself and be judged accordingly.

I knew all about this in the 1950's - one of my school friends was Armenian.