Robert Fisk: Obama falls short on Armenian pledge
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It was clever, crafty – artful, even – but it was not the truth. For in the end, Barack Obama dishonoured his promise to his American-Armenian voters to call the deliberate mass murder of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Turks in 1915 a genocide. How grateful today's Turkish generals must be.
Genocide is what it was, of course. Mr Obama agreed in January 2008 that "the Armenian genocide is not an allegation... but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence. America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian genocide... I intend to be that President." But he was not that President on the anniversary of the start of the genocide at the weekend. Like Presidents Clinton and George Bush, he called the mass killings "great atrocities" and even tried to hedge his bets by using the Armenian phrase "Meds Yeghern" which means the same thing – it's a phrase that elderly Armenians once used about the Nazi-like slaughter – but the Armenian for genocide is "chart". And even that was missing.
Thus once more – after Hilary Clinton's pitiful response to the destruction of Palestinian homes by the Israelis (she called it "unhelpful") – Mr Obama has let down those who believed he would tell the truth about the truth. He didn't even say that Turkey was responsible for the mass slaughter and for sending hundreds of thousands of Armenian women and children on death marches into the desert. "Each year," he said, "we pause to remember the 1.5 million Armenians who were massacred or marched to their death in the final days of the Ottoman Empire." Yes, "massacred" and "marched to their death". But by whom? The genocide – the deliberate extermination of a people – had disappeared, as had the identity of the perpetrators. Mr Obama referred only to "those who tried to destroy" the Armenians.
Instead, he waffled on about "the efforts by Turkey and Armenia to normalise their bilateral relations" – a reference to the appeal of landlocked Armenia appeal to reopen its border with Turkey thanks to Swiss mediation (via another of America's favourite "road maps") – and the hope that Turkish and Armenian relations would grow stronger "as they acknowledge their common history and recognise their common humanity". But the only real improvement in relations has been an Armenian-Turkish football match.
Turkey is still demanding a commission to "investigate" the 1915 killings, a proposal the poverty-broken Armenian state opposes on the grounds (as Obama, of course, agreed before he became President) that the genocide was a fact, not a matter in dispute. It doesn't have to be "re-proved" with Turkey's permission any more that the Jewish survivors of their own genocide have to "re-prove" the crimes of the Nazis in the face of a reluctant Germany.
Armenian historian and academic Peter Balakian – speaking as he stood by a 1915 mass grave of Armenians in the Syrian desert – was quite frank. "What is creating moral outrage," he said, "is that Turkey is claimed to be trying to have a commission into what happened – when the academic world has already unanimously agreed on the historical record." So much, then, for one-and-a-half-million murdered men, women and children.
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http://theunpeople.blogspot.com/
Have you ever seen a leader of any kind stands to his/her words and delivers them?
Try to put yourself in their position and explain the reason for irony.
Thus, don't blame them for it; blame it on the mentality, culture and expectations of thoes electorates for a change.
Apparently when there is not much substance, even perfect writing won't necessary make much sense either.
Here we have an important and much needed piece on the international community's dismissal of the Armenian genoice, and...
whoops, what do you know- Israel slips into the article.
Where is your heart at, Fisk? Is it on humanism? or on hate of Israel?
Would you mention Isreal on EVERY SINGLE article?
Where is your integrity?
The fact remains that Enver, Jemal and Talaat ordered the annihilation of an entire civilization -- their own citizens. They betrayed the Armenians and they betrayed the Anatolian peoples. You are just another coward looking for denialist arguments to whitewash a genocide -- which ia the last stage of a genocide... Coward.
The circumstances of the Palestinians and the Armenians is rather different and I would remind you that 'whataboutery' was denounced by Johann Hari in a recent article and he is a fierce critic of Israel.
Israeli 'racism' was NOT crowned by the refusal to send a delegate to Geneva. This tired claim that Israel is racist hardly stands up when you consider that there is more racial difference among Jews than there between Jews and Arabs!
If you want to co-opt racism to characterise the Israeli behaviour towards the Palestinians you may do so but you are simply framing the terms of reference to achieve the result that you wish. And that is a lazy and dishonest way of discussing issues.
If you look at many Jewish blog sites they crow about how Obama was a "Shabbos Goy" when he was young. He still is one!
Such sad people, do they have nothing else to think, or write, about?
Having dealt with Armenia I will prepare a list for you Fisky which should keep you busy until 2035...and Israel will not even get a mention.
Try Sudan tomorrow or perhaps..Oh! I dunno. Somalia on Thursday all your Muslim pals are in charge in these places so you should be off to a running start.
Yes but you do notice that he manages to get in one reference to Israel. Nothing of course about Darfur, Sri Lanka.
Probably not, since he doesn't even demand a real "academic research". Neither does the Armenians...
1-What about the historians who insists that the deaths were mostly armed Armenian rebels and Turkish villagers?
2-What can be said about the mass graves, in which the bodies turned out to be Turks after the DNA tests?
3-Why do the "modern worlds journalists" not bother to reach the truth by gathering objective information? Is it too hard to find non-Armenian historians with real academic careers?
4-What about the Armenians who still live in Turkey as normal citizens? Anyone ask their opinions?
5-Can this be a tool of the super-power countries political plans on the area?
Truth exists on facts not rumours.
Of course people will not like it if they are forced to move from their homes.
But genocide... We need to think twice and reach the truth to be fair.
Do we sincerely want to be fair ???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Acsn-De8
What genocide in Gaza? Caza's population is expanding at a much faster rate than that of Israel. I would be interested to have your definition of genocide.
If it is the killing of one group by another then aren't the Palestinians committing genocide against the Israelis. Aren't all wars a form of genocide?
And as for terror dornes in Pakistan. Do you seriously think that the Taliban themselves are not terrorists? What about their executions of alleged criminals in Kabul football stadium?
The UN is now in Americas full control and has now become worse than useless.
What really matters is the fact that an Armenian genocide did take place and so did a Palestinian one.
The entire world knows and it has been well recoded.
Re writting history books to suit will not alter the facts.
At the 13TH Anniversary of the Scholar's Conference on the Holocaust Philadelphia Pennsylvania, March 3-7, 2000, one hundred twenty-six Holocaust Scholars (MOSTLY JEWISH), holders of Academic Chairs and Directors of Holocaust Research and Studies Centers, participants of the Conference, signed a statement affirming that the WWI Armenian Genocide is an incontestable historical fact.The petitioners, among whom is Nobel Laureate for Peace Elie Wiesel
The arguments used by Turkey for a Historical assessment is absurd and another tactic to muddy the waters.
The Armenian genocide is a Historical Fact & Incontestable as supported by some of the leading Genocide Scholars.
Guenter Lewy, professor emeritus at Massachusetts University, "Commentary", February 2006.
The Circassian genocide ended at about same time with the launching of the Jewish deportations in 1880s, when more than three million Circassians had been expelled from the territories occupied by Russia. The numbers of those who were killed, are not known. Anyway, it meant 90 per cent of the whole Circassian population. Anssi Kullberg, ''The Eurasian Politician'' - October 2003 - I can also suggest Stephen Shenfield's essay 'Circassians, A Forgotten Genocide?' Just google.
I am wondering? Who knows Circassians? Who remember Circassian Genocide? What can be different between two tragedy?
This promise to recognize what happened to the Armenians as Genocide is not just for the Armenian people, but to all people affected by the most atrocious of all crimes in Genocide. Obama failed to deliver. No one can argue with this. This is not a debate. He failed. He lied. He proved to me and I hope to all his legions that he is just another politician that won on a populist platform for change.
Thank you Obama for sullying Genocide. For sullying history. For turning a blind eye for the sake of your Turkish counterparts. If I was an Armenian, Jew, Rwandan, Kosovar or anyone effected by Genocide, now or in the past, I would think, is this not the biggest insult to prevent future crimes against humanity?
Let us hope for change...
Artoor
As US president he has other responsibilities. The US is viewed favourably by 9% of Turks, down from 56% in 2000. A clumsy pronouncement by the US president might make the Turks more resistant and set back truth and reconciliation. If US-Turkish relations take another knock how is that going to help Obama to influence the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
On the other had we have comments like that of djemalts above to remind us why the rest of us should not stop until this genocide ahs been recognised for what it is--the precusor for the Nazi holocaust. The more I read this kind of thing the more I feel quite revolted. People should stop writing this kind of thing; this rather than events that happened a long time ago by people long dead is the true source of shame for us today.
Dr. H. Kouyoumjian
London
Finnish academician Annsi Kullberg writes: ''It was really the first intentional large-scale genocide of the modern times, as well as the model case of the consequent tradition of ethnic cleansing. It was also the largest single genocide of the 19th century.
The Circassian genocide ended at about same time with the launching of the Jewish deportations in 1880s, when more than three million Circassians had been expelled from the territories occupied by Russia. The numbers of those who were killed, are not known. Anyway, it meant 90 per cent of the whole Circassian population. Anssi Kullberg, ''The Eurasian Politician'' - October 2003''
I am wondering when we will see a statement from US President(s) on the Circassian Genocide? When we will read articles about Circassian Genocide and Russia's situation?
Or perhaps they can *even* deny that?
Ovanes Kacaznuni's report ( Hovhannes Katchaznouni in foreign sources, the first Prime Minister of Armenia) named
"The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Has Nothing to Do Anymore", declared in party congress in Bucharest in 1923
The Manifesto says: (source: Armenian Information Service, Suite 7D, 471 Park Ave.New York 22, 1955)
"... At the beginning of the Fall of 1914 when Turkey had not yet entered the war but had already been making preparations, Armenian revolutionary bands began to be formed in Transcaucasia with great enthusiasm and, with especially, much uproar. Contrary to the decision taken during their general meeting at Erzurum only a few weeks before, the A.R.F. had [actively participated] in the formation of the bands and their future military action against Turkey (p. 5)...
"... the formation of bands was wrong... contrary to the decision and the will of the General Meeting of the Party... Armenians had embraced Russia whole heartedly without any compunction... (p. 6) ....
"... We had created a dense atmosphere of illusion in our minds. We had implanted our own desires into the minds of others... Armenians had overestimated the ability of the Armenian people... And by overestimating our very modest worth and merit we were naturally exaggerating our hopes and expectations (p. 7)...
"... (The Armenian revolutionaries) had drawn such conclusions as though the Armenian issue was 'the center of gravity of the Great War, its cause and purpose'... 'Armenian national psychology'... [is] to seek external causes for [Armenian ] misfortune. .. One might think we found a spiritual consolation in the conviction that the Russians behaved villainously towards Armenians... later it would be the turn of the French, the Americans, the British, the Georgians, the Bolsheviks -and the whole world- to be so blamed (p. 8)
Note: A.R.F. (Armenian Revolutionary Federation)
Armenian Genocide Lie
What is genocide? genocide is aim of the killing the each member of a nation if ottoman wanted to kill them they would not expulsion them they kill them! but they expulsioned them because of armenians was killing muslim anatolian people the russian history has a lot of evidence and our's too if you dont believe our evidences also even we have a lot of real documentary some idiots believing unreal films books or speaking...
If you want more truth to learn visit http://www.ermenisorunu.gen.tr/engl
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Charlotte, N.C.-based Bank of America is looking at a shortfall in the billions of dollars, the paper said, citing people familiar with the situation. Both banks plan to rebut the preliminary findings, according to the paper, with Bank of America expected to respond Tuesday ahead of its shareholder meeting Wednesday.
Citigroup and Bank of America both declined to comment
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Mortgage servicers that own a small stake in costly loans will receive a cash payment to either erase the debt or agree to accept a reduced return on their investment.
"It will be a shared effort with lenders, investors, borrowers and the government to ease or extinguish second-lien mortgage payments," a senior administration official told Reuters.
Pakistan deployed troops and bombed Taliban positions in a district near the capital Tuesday, the military said, in an expansion of an offensive against militants seemingly emboldened by a much-criticized peace deal.
I thank you
Firozali A. Mulla
To think that they have the audacity to condemn countries like Israel for human rights violations when they themselves refuse to acknowledge a genocide which their ancestors committed almost a century ago.