Obama avoids term ‘genocide’ in Armenian massacre

[European Knight]

http://publiceyemaritzburg.co.za/afp/?afp-story-id=66262

US President Barack Obama described the World War I massacre of Armenians as “terrible carnage” but avoided the term genocide, as tempers flared between Armenia and Turkey ahead of the 100th anniversary.

Friday marks a century since the start of the massacre waged by Ottoman forces, which Armenia says left 1.5 million people dead. Turkey has said up to 500,000 were killed, mostly due to war and starvation, and rejects the term “genocide.”

“The Armenian people of the Ottoman Empire were deported, massacred, and marched to their deaths. Their culture and heritage in their ancient homeland were erased,” Obama said in a carefully worded statement.

“Amid horrific violence that saw suffering on all sides, one and a half million Armenians perished.”

He Armenians had made valuable contributions in the countries where they settled, including the United States.

“Against this backdrop of terrible carnage, the American and Armenian peoples came together in a bond of common humanity,” he said.

The White House has avoided calling the incident a genocide, though last month US lawmakers introduced a resolution urging Obama to recognize the killings as such.

During his 2008 campaign for the White House, then senator Obama had pledged to “recognize the Armenian genocide.”

Obama said Thursday his view on the issue has not changed, but again avoided the term.

“I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in 1915, and my view has not changed. A full, frank, and just acknowledgement of the facts is in all our interests,” he said.

“We welcome the expression of views by Pope Francis, Turkish and Armenian historians, and the many others who have sought to shed light on this dark chapter of history.”

Pope Francis used the word genocide this month to describe the killings, infuriating Ankara.

US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew will lead a presidential delegation to Armenia on Friday, when the country will commemorate the anniversary.

http://publiceyemaritzburg.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/110/2015/04/edfa81a7c8403ce2b2548efac6b46a9565bb6545.jpg?d68ce a

[Methmatician]

Why do they tolerate Turkey if Turkey's going to get so butthurt over a crime they did 100 years ago? I say use the word 'genocide' and tell Erdogan to deal with it.

[Togarma]

Why do they tolerate Turkey if Turkey's going to get so butthurt over a crime they did 100 years ago? I say use the word 'genocide' and tell Erdogan to deal with it.

Because it's a lie. Turkey demanded opening archives both sides (Turkey, Armenian, Russian and French). But they did not accept. Why you hide something if you are totaly right? In fact, there are more Armenian lives in America, Lebanon etc. than Armenia which they say "they had genocide". Today they even talking abouth Kurdish genocide, Pontus genocide and goes on. Turks must be the most unsuccessfull genociders in the world.

[Methmatician]

Turkey demanded opening archives both sides (Turkey, Armenian, Russian and French). But they did not accept.
Actually, they've asked for the same thing. (http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/04/eu-calls-turkey-recognise-armenian-genocide-150415192714327.html)

In fact, there are more Armenian lives in America, Lebanon etc. than Armenia which they say "they had genocide".
How does that prove there was no genocide? Until very recently there were more Jews living outside of Israel than in. Would that mean the holocaust never happened?

[Togarma]

Actually, they've asked for the same thing. (http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/04/eu-calls-turkey-recognise-armenian-genocide-150415192714327.html)

How does that prove there was no genocide? Until very recently there were more Jews living outside of Israel than in. Would that mean the holocaust never happened?

I am not sure about exact number of holocaust victims either. But that is not the case. Holocaust happened without any doubt. There were boddys, skeletons and living persons. But if you search abouth Armenian genocide, you will never find any clue abouth sistematic kill. There is no mass graves, no skeletons. My village was actualy an Armenian village. While invasion, Frenchs fully supported them with weapons and armory. And Armenian gangs started to killing, raping, stealing on their former Turkish neighbours. After the invasion, they'd flee. Some of them killed by Turks as payback. They killed even women and children too. That was brutal violence for both side. But genocide is another thing. Ottoman goverment pushed Armenians to far sides of country for put a distance between them and western propaganda. While migration, many Armenians died by starvation and sickness. But you can see real photos, Ottomans actualy sent tents, blankets, medicine for them. But resources were too short. I actualy meet some migration descendants in Lebanon. Elder Armenians (which they were speaking Turkish when I saw them) told me abouth migration. They had to eat dead bodies in Syrian mountains (What a massive agony). But they weren't hate Turkey or Turkish people. An elder said exactly these words "We made a mistake to fight against our neighbours. Western world used and abondened us. We had a lot of suffer while migrations. But Turks did not kill us. Cold and hunger killed. Don't say you are a Turk around here. This neigbourhood full of Armenians. And our youngers hate Turks because of diaspora's propaganda. They made a lot of money by this way. We now the truth, but no one wants to listen." And they asked me abouth home (yes, they were still felling Turkey is home). I wish they can back some day. But this genocide propaganda is more and more seperates these ancient brotherhood.

[Musso]

Obama has recognized the Genocide in the past, so it doesn't really matter. The reason he doesn't use the term is not because anyone has a doubt about the term, but because the Pentagon and Defense Firms don't want to lose Turkish contracts. It's all about the $$$. Human rights is not at all important here.

[Dandelion]

Obama has recognized the Genocide in the past, so it doesn't really matter. The reason he doesn't use the term is not because anyone has a doubt about the term, but because the Pentagon and Defense Firms don't want to lose Turkish contracts. It's all about the $$$. Human rights is not at all important here.

It's a weak position in my opinion. Turkish nationalism is the only factor denying the genocide behind it in the world anyway yet some governments behave as if Turkey is the all-mighty superpower that just has to push a button to cripple any given economy in the world without suffering damage themselves.

[coolstorybro]

The US has not a single moral bone in any president since JFK and maybe Nixon.

Obama just wants to keep on good terms with Turkey because they are an ally of Israel and important in containing the ISIS spread, while not actually doing anything to destroy them (just as Israel wants).

[Apis]

It's disappointing to witness the murder of a million Armenians degraded to a politician avoiding the word 'genocide' in order to avoid upsetting those responsible.

[Brianna]

Politicians never call things what they really are.

[Musso]

The US has not a single moral bone in any president since JFK and maybe Nixon.

Obama just wants to keep on good terms with Turkey because they are an ally of Israel and important in containing the ISIS spread, while not actually doing anything to destroy them (just as Israel wants).

The thing is Turkey has recently been much more Islamist, anti-Israel, and it's really questionable if they are doing anything to contain ISIS, let alone helping ISIS.


It's a weak position in my opinion. Turkish nationalism is the only factor denying the genocide behind it in the world anyway yet some governments behave as if Turkey is the all-mighty superpower that just has to push a button to cripple any given economy in the world without suffering damage themselves.

A Turkish vice-consul once said to a person I know, that Turkey in theory accepts the Armenian Genocide, but the issue is that if the Government accepted it, the Turkish State would collapse. It is the denial that keeps Turkey together, or else, Turkey will have to face the fact that their country was founded not on some glorious battles by Ataturk, but by a systematic Genocide that allowed for a Turkish state to exist.

[meisje]

The thing is Turkey has recently been much more Islamist

I love ignorant experts like you, Turkey is getting more liberal and open country,

There has been 4 coup d'etat in Turkey in 1960, 1971, 1980, 1997

and There was martial laws in southeastern Turkey until 2002, Islamists terror

groups like Hızbollah were active in Turkey until 1999, Islamists groups

disseapeared in Turkey in the last 15 years, And Turkey is in the sixth place in the

world in tourist numbers, Turkey is well-adopted country to the world

http://image.slidesharecdn.com/worldtourismday2014-141008233110-conversion-gate01/95/world-tourism-day-2014-6-638.jpg?cb=1412829356


and it's really questionable if they are doing anything to contain ISIS, let alone helping ISIS.

Pfff, Expert Talking

Turkey is helping to Free Syrian Army and Turkmen Groups in Syria not ISIS,

Turkey deported 8.000 people last year before participating to ISIS and

15.000 people prohibited to enter to Turkey , Most ISIS participants coming from

Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Tunisia, Nothing to do with Turkey

http://one-europe.info/user/files/Tanya/20140830_MAC990_2.png


that Turkey in theory accepts the Armenian Genocide, but the issue is that if the Government accepted it, the Turkish State would collapse. It is the denial that keeps Turkey together, or else, Turkey will have to face the fact that their country was founded not on some glorious battles by Ataturk, but by a systematic Genocide that allowed for a Turkish state to exist.

Turkey founded with international agreements like Treaty of Moscow, Ankara and

Lausanne