Thursday, October 11, 2007

Turkey has recalled its ambassador to the US

Yesterday, a few people took me to task here on the blog for my belief that a non-binding resolution really served no purpose. That in addition to having other more present danger type situations here in the US that should be getting the attention of Congress, these non-binding resolutions were basically useless.

It appears I was wrong, they do have one use, as CNN is reporting as breaking news that Turkey has recalled it's Ambassador to the United States as a result of the Armenian genocide bill.
"Yesterday some in Congress wanted to play hardball," said Egemen Bagis, foreign policy adviser to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "I can assure you Turkey knows how to play hardball."

That would seem to be the opposite effect of those who expressed here that passing the non-binding resolution would create some sort of positive change in Turkey when it came to teaching history and improve conditions for those living there now. This decision to recall the Ambassador comes after an earlier warning from the Turks that in part stated:
Turkish President Abdullah Gul, who has warned in a letter to Bush that U.S. recognition of the mass killings as genocide would cause "serious problems" between the countries, called the resolution "unacceptable."

Meanwhile Turkey's ambassador to the U.S., Nabi Sensoy, said the resolution would be a "very injurious move to the psyche of the Turkish people," predicting that its passage would create a backlash in his country.

Egemen Bagis, a foreign policy adviser to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told an audience in Washington that U.S. lawmakers wanted to play hard ball, adding: "I can assure you Turkey knows how to play hard ball."

Bagis added that Turkey would respond if Congress passed a bill and warned: "I can promise you it won't be pleasant."

He cited Turkey's refusal to allow French airplanes to cross its air space since France passed a law declaring it a crime to deny that the mass killings of Armenians between 1915 and 1923 constituted genocide.

How anyone believes this will make life any easier for those like the Kurds who are already experiencing hell was beyond me before the events of today took place.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Someone in another blog said:

"I is truly maddening to think that they would go to this lenght for denial."

It is not denial, it is what they believe. They called historians to look into the issue not politicians but so far Armenia constantly denied any involvement from academy and pushes the "hard ball" way. So, as a 3rd person to the issue, I will say I think a dangerous political game being played here and the US and is being a part of it for no reason.

And when will Armenians have their day? Good question. When will victims of any war will ever have their day? Please put something as stupid to spend time on (since it happened nearly a century ago) and focus on something that might make world better now. This is only creating tension and nothing good for the world. So less crying, more work is all I am going to say. If Armenians truly believe in their word, they should spend their energy to prevent what happened to them to others, not go after Turkey (which is not even the same country, Ottoman Empire, that committed the killings). So let's do something more useful for the world I say. So I do wholeheartedly agree with you on this issue. This is not going to help anyone but only will damage international relations more, like they have not been damaged enough already.

Anonymous said...

Please understand its not about what you think it is....you have look deeper into the issue....to pass this will allow for several things to done..... think!!!....if passed it might show that we(the people of the United States of America)can change things and even our Government can't stop..... but think deeper what else could it allow????.....

(1) Reason for war???
(2) Reason for death???
(3) Reason for money???
(4) Reason for spending???
(5) Reason for longer stay???
(6) Reason to fight???
(7) Reason to cross a border???

The question is.... Is the United States Government tring to stop this vote or are we(the people of the United States of America)just a pawn in a chest game that can be checkmated at any time???
Please.....
Know what the whole story is about and not just a page...... everone has a say in this matter... remember we came to this land for our voice to be heard!!! Let it be!!!!!
Look at this issue again its not black and white.... Think!!! Think of everything going on.... Who could gain... What could they,you,me,us,them or anyone lose???? Think different then you have ever thought before.... not what you and everyone sees but what you can not see!!!!

Thank you for your time,
EJC

Anonymous said...

Wow, obviously what happened in the Ottomon Empire over 80-90 years ago is a horrible thing. But tell me what good does it do to accuse the current Turkish government of genocide? While your at it, lets pass a bill condeming the Ottomon Empire's siege of Vienna. Good grief. How far back do you want to go?

Turkey didn't even have DEMOCRATIC RULE at that time. It was in complete turmoil. If you want to blame somebody, blame the government of the Young Turks, as they were called, who were in control at the time. They were also known as the Three Pashas: Enver Pasha, Talat Pasha, and Cemal Pasha. The sultan at this time has no real political power. They were the ones responsible. They have already been killed for thier actions and condemned by the next sultan, Mehmed V, who also condemned hundreds of others in the killings. They have already been blamed in international trials and court marshalled in thier own country all this almost 100 years ago.

Are we going to pass something against all our allies next? The French treated the Algerians horribly. The Soviet Union threw people in the gulags. The British and Australians could be accused of their genocide against the aborigines.

Turkey could just as well condemn the United States of genocide for our mass murder of the Native American peoples from the time we landed in Jamestown until the early 20th century. Or for our enslavement of African slaves.

This is a stupid stupid move by my Democratic Party. They are waisting tax payer dollars and time on this. If this is a cheap ploy to help get us out of Iraq, there are other ways we can do that without making more enemies than we already have.

As much as I hate Bush, he is actually being the sane one here.

Unknown said...

That's pretty much my position as well anon, there are so many other issues the Democratic Party should be focusing on right now.

The last thing we need is more problems in the Middle East with relations with other nations.

Anonymous said...

After the begining of the World War I, Armenians started to attack Turkish town and kill Turkish people. Also they massacred Turkish ambassadors in Paris. Aren't they genocide?
After the World War I, England made some investigations abour so-called Armenian genocide. Why don't they support Armenian? Because they have evidence that both sides attacked each other and there was no genocide.

Anonymous said...

First commenter. WE in Turkey refused entry to the Archives of to the Armenian academics. I tis a fact. See Mehmet Ali Birand "why did we invite them" in the Turkish Daily news. He documents how this story of the Armenian side refusing is false and how we blocked them

third anonymous. You have not read the US resolution. I can tell you only read what is in the Turkish press which is all lies. The resoluton does not blame the current Turkish governerment. It simply recognizes the fact of the Genocide.

fifth Anonymous. 95% of the Armenains male military age population was in the OTTOMAN ARMY during World War One!

They fought more bravely defending Turkey than did ethnic Turks (they had the highest portion of battle deaths at Galibolu!)

this is long overdue THERAPY for Turkey where our own history is TABOO. The Armenains were living on their own land for Thousands of years. We killed nearly an entire nation!

Murat

Unknown said...

Murat,

Do you believe with the increase in rhetoric and the reaction from the government in Turkey that this would lead to the outcome you desire?

I have a hard time seeing how that can happen. I also fear this will make things worse in the Middle East and for the Kurds who are still in a very vulnerable situation.

I'd really be interested in your opinion on that.

Anonymous said...

Hey lisa,

I really like your blog so far. good place for exchange of ideas.

I wanted to share a post I read in another blog today. It kind of explains why Armenians and any country that is still working on this "genocide" claims should stop about this non-sense push that hurts middle-east politics as well as ties of the US to its allies.

[quote]"Honestly what good is this resolution? Can somebody name one turk that is alive that killed armenians in WWI?

I have a coworker who is turkish and his grand grand father was asasinated by armenians during the conflict.

Armenians were part of the otoman empire, wanted independence… they were crushed. This is always standard procedure in theese situations.
What would happen if all the chinese in New Jersy would want to have independence?

Lessons in history:
what happened when the south wanted to have independence? the civil war, how many people have died?

Why should we not pass a genocide resolution against the american people for the genocide against native americans, they were systematically killed and pushed out of their lands. This was similar with the nazist behaviour, …, lebensraum, untermenschen … Should we call that holocaust?

There was so much injustice done in this world’s history, what good does it bring us creating resolutions with the only reason to perpetuate conflict, perpetuate hatred.

I hate this nonsense … Stop spreading hatred "[quote]

So, the Ottoman Empire & Armenians history in a nutshell really. And I will have to share your feelings on how stupid of a way is this to spend invaluable tax payer dollars on a time like this where we need any cent to support our troops and rejuvenate our economy.

Anonymous said...

ARMENIAN TERROR GROUP SUPPORTS RADICAL MOSLEMS

Source- BEIRUT, Lebanon—A leftist Armenian group earlier in the week, declared full support for Jihad Islami, an extremist organization that has claimed several anti-Armenian (sic) bombing attacks and gun-point abductions in Lebanon oven past few months. The Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA), expressed its support for the radical Lebanese group for its revolutionary activities in a statement which was distributed to Western wine services here. The statement said Jihad Islamic organization, which translates as “Islamic Holy War,” with its revolutionary activities “has brought new momentum to the righteous struggle of oppressed people of the Middle East and the struggle for the liberation of Western Armenia from the fascist Turkish regime.” The statement said the struggle for the liberation of Armenian lands was an inseparable part of the righteous struggle of the Armenian people.

“Jihad Islami” is believed to have been composed of radical Shiite Moslems, who are loyal to Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini. The group has also maintained close links with other such radical organizations, including the “party of God” which has claimed the bombings of the U.S. Embassy first in West Beirut, and then in East Beirut.

Anonymous said...

None of your would have the guts to say what you were saying if you were referring to the Holocaust. The Turks are afraid of what recognition will do to the psyche of their people - what about the psyche of the all the people who have lived with their lies for the last 90 years. Also, no one is accusing the CURRENT gov of the genocide - they are accusing the OTTOMAN EMPIRE instead. Please read the following BBC article. It also addresses the Turkish diplomats that died at the hands of the Armenians - no Armenian would ever deny this. The Turks should learn from that:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6386625.stm

Anonymous said...

person above me, you are saying you lived more than 90 years? or have you and your older generations have been fed up with hatred and had been passing it down to your youngsters for years? the hatred we try to clean from this country. shake yourself up and wake up...

Anonymous said...

Armenian Americans have been living with the genocide and its impact in our families for generations. How can we fight genocide in the rest of the world when we don't accept and understand how it impacts our own communities?
Turkish threats are empty and disgraceful to anyone that believes in truth.
For five years we have been loosing our moral vision in this nation (via the Iraq War) and we need to assert the truth for people who work to cloud it and cannot accept the reality. Smokescreen issues like Turkey's help during the Iraq War (which is right now working to destabilize by invading Kurdish Iraq) should not impact the true issue--truth is universal and we need to be a beacon of truth in the world.
Armenian Americans simply ask that our government declare loud and clear that the industry of hate funded by Turkey will not be tolerated and Turkey cannot point at Americans of Armenian descent as liars--which they regularly do.