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US CONGRESS - NOT THE PLACE TO DEBATE HISTORY
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.03.2010 20:29 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ US Congress's annual determination to debate
the history of the Ottoman Empire is a sign of spring. The Turkish
government's approach to the American Jewish community to help sink
the proposed Congressional resolution officially recognizing the
horrific killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in the early 20th
Century as Genocide is a similar ritual. Unlike the swallows, however,
both Congress and the Turks are out of their habitat.
During the flowering of Turkish-Israeli political and security
relations, it was easy for representatives of the "organized" Jewish
community to speak on behalf of its Turkish friends and against the
resolution. As the Turkish government began to slide-and then rush-away
from its relationship with Israel and slide- and then rush-toward new
accommodations with Syria and Iran, the Jewish community has become
less inclined to use its organizational skill on behalf of the agenda
of a country that is less inclined toward the Western side of the
great divide. It doesn't help that the Turkish "request" for "help"
has begun to sound more like a threat of damage yet to come.
It is tempting under the circumstances for the Jewish community to
"lie low," not support the resolution but not actively oppose it
either. It is probably equally tempting for the Turkish government to
start looking for someone to blame if the resolution passes-guess who?
To the extent that either side believed opposition to the resolution
was a test of loyalty, or tied it to extraneous issues, they made
a mistake. The Armenian resolution - driven largely by the Armenian
American community-should be opposed and defeated. But the reasons
stand without regard to the (increasingly difficult) behavior of the
Turkish government and without regard to (increasingly difficult)
Turkish-Israeli or Turkish-American relations.
"The Congress of the United States is not the place to debate the
history of other people in other times. The failings of our history
and the resolution of our wars are our responsibility-and those of
the Ottoman Turks have to find redress by their heirs.
"The Ottoman and Soviet Empires are gone; Turkey and Armenia are
independent countries. Their governments have to find whatever
understanding and accommodation are possible. Meddling by
Congress-particularly when Turkey has fallen out of political
favor-won't help.
Turkey and Armenia have, in fact, made tentative-and reversible-steps
toward bilateral relations, but the protocols they signed last
autumn show signs of fraying and neither parliament has completed the
ratification process. Switzerland was the mediator for the protocols,
and perhaps could be of assistance. The U.S. government might also have
a role to play, but passage of the Armenian resolution by Congress
would make it impossible for the State Department to offer help. We
recall that after Turkey invited Hamas to Ankara, its offer to mediate
between Israel and its neighbors was no longer welcome in Jerusalem.
It's another good reason to oppose the Armenian resolution when it
comes before Congress later this week, JINSA Reported.
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.03.2010 20:29 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ US Congress's annual determination to debate
the history of the Ottoman Empire is a sign of spring. The Turkish
government's approach to the American Jewish community to help sink
the proposed Congressional resolution officially recognizing the
horrific killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in the early 20th
Century as Genocide is a similar ritual. Unlike the swallows, however,
both Congress and the Turks are out of their habitat.
During the flowering of Turkish-Israeli political and security
relations, it was easy for representatives of the "organized" Jewish
community to speak on behalf of its Turkish friends and against the
resolution. As the Turkish government began to slide-and then rush-away
from its relationship with Israel and slide- and then rush-toward new
accommodations with Syria and Iran, the Jewish community has become
less inclined to use its organizational skill on behalf of the agenda
of a country that is less inclined toward the Western side of the
great divide. It doesn't help that the Turkish "request" for "help"
has begun to sound more like a threat of damage yet to come.
It is tempting under the circumstances for the Jewish community to
"lie low," not support the resolution but not actively oppose it
either. It is probably equally tempting for the Turkish government to
start looking for someone to blame if the resolution passes-guess who?
To the extent that either side believed opposition to the resolution
was a test of loyalty, or tied it to extraneous issues, they made
a mistake. The Armenian resolution - driven largely by the Armenian
American community-should be opposed and defeated. But the reasons
stand without regard to the (increasingly difficult) behavior of the
Turkish government and without regard to (increasingly difficult)
Turkish-Israeli or Turkish-American relations.
"The Congress of the United States is not the place to debate the
history of other people in other times. The failings of our history
and the resolution of our wars are our responsibility-and those of
the Ottoman Turks have to find redress by their heirs.
"The Ottoman and Soviet Empires are gone; Turkey and Armenia are
independent countries. Their governments have to find whatever
understanding and accommodation are possible. Meddling by
Congress-particularly when Turkey has fallen out of political
favor-won't help.
Turkey and Armenia have, in fact, made tentative-and reversible-steps
toward bilateral relations, but the protocols they signed last
autumn show signs of fraying and neither parliament has completed the
ratification process. Switzerland was the mediator for the protocols,
and perhaps could be of assistance. The U.S. government might also have
a role to play, but passage of the Armenian resolution by Congress
would make it impossible for the State Department to offer help. We
recall that after Turkey invited Hamas to Ankara, its offer to mediate
between Israel and its neighbors was no longer welcome in Jerusalem.
It's another good reason to oppose the Armenian resolution when it
comes before Congress later this week, JINSA Reported.