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Genocide Recognition: Continuing a Flawed Political Strategy (Part I)
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/01/13/genocide-recognition-continuing-a-flawed-political-strategy-part-i/
Thu, Jan 13 2011
By: Michael Mensoian
I want to believe that every Armenian hopes for the day when the
Turkish leadership acknowledges that the uprooting and murder of some
1.5 million Armenians was a genocide.
Good men and women, highly motivated and dedicated to Hai Tahd
(Armenian Cause) and the best interests of the Armenian nation are
working to achieve this objective. However, on Dec. 22 the latest
fiasco in this annual drama occurred when the House democrat
leadership in which our good men and women had placed their trust
decided to fool the Armenian American community once again.
Specifically, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the House Democrat Leadership
simply decided, without warning, to pull the rug out from under the
feet of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) ostensibly
because a favorable vote for passage of H.Res.252 (Armenian Genocide
Resolution) was not likely. Behind the door machinations by the
Turkish lobby aided by President Obama's refusal to act on his stated
beliefs on the genocide are the usual suspects. Maybe this is the
moment when the ARF/ANCA finally realizes that while this annual
pilgrimage to Capitol Hill may capture the emotional support of the
Armenian community, it represents an inefficient and ineffective use
of resources.
It was interesting to compare the response by the ANCA with the
obsequiousness of the Armenian Assembly. Rightfully so, the ANCA
conveyed the anger and disappointment of the Armenian American
community, whereas the Armenian Assembly issued an immediate press
release praising Pelosi and her leadership team for providing
invaluable assistance and guidance during the process. The ANCA had
every reason to believe that the vote would have been taken under the
most favorable circumstances possible. An unconfirmed report
attributed to the Assembly accepted Pelosi's judgment that the vote
would not favor passage.
If genocide recognition encompassed all that was represented by Hai
Tahd, there would be no cause for concern. Or if genocide recognition
could solve the problems facing the Armenian nation, there still would
be no cause for concern. Unfortunately neither is so. The Turkish
leaders in Ankara once again must be savoring their victory and it
must cause thinking Armenians in the homeland (Armenia, Artsakh, and
Javakhk) and the diaspora to question how priorities are being
established and resources are being allocated. Difficult as it may be
to accept, while passage of a genocide recognition resolution is
important, it is not so important as to neglect other issues that have
immediacy and are of greater importance to the future viability of the
Armenian nation (see `Genocide Recognition: A Misguided Political
Strategy,' the Armenian Weekly, Oct. 17, 2009).
For a moment consider what effect passage of the non-binding H.Res.252
could possibly have. Would it cause the Turkish leadership to recant
and finally confess to the world and its own citizens, after a 90-year
policy of denial, that a genocide did occur? Would the average Turkish
citizen willingly accept the moral, economic, and political burden for
the crimes some ancestors several generations removed may have
committed? Would Turkey relent and open its border with Armenia? Would
it result in Artsakh being recognized as an independent political
entity? Would Georgia cease its discriminatory policies against the
Armenians of Javakhk? Other questions could be asked, but the answers
would all be a resounding no.
Furthermore, passage of a resolution would not cause Turkey to implode
for the benefit of Armenians and Hai Tahd. Genocide recognition by
some two dozen foreign governments has not lessened Turkey's stature
in the world. Presently it holds one of the rotating seats on the UN
Security Council. Having said that, should a resolution recognizing
the Armenian Genocide pass, it would only serve to harden the
resistance of the Turkish leadership and the average Turkish citizen.
And why not, when President Obama fails to honor his campaign rhetoric
recognizing the Armenian Genocide? The president's need to cajole
Ankara by equating its interests and values with those of the United
States or elevating Turkey's contribution as more important than ever
should be more than sufficient reason for the ARF/ANCA to reassess its
strategy. In addition, many Armenians delude themselves by misreading
what Turkish academics and others mean when they say that the Turkish
people must face their past. Facing their past is a purely
psycho-moral exercise that is unrelated to the political and economic
ramifications that genocide recognition has for the Armenian people.
Granted, a resolution recognizing the genocide would be an appropriate
and significant moral and psychological victory for Armenians. It
would go a long way in assuaging the emotional scars that Armenians
have borne these many years, not only for the loss of ancestors they
never had the opportunity to know, but for the generations forever
lost to the Armenian nation. However, now is the time to realize that
following the same flawed strategy year after year will invariably
yield the same result. Valuable resources in political capital, money,
individual commitment, and moral support from the Armenian community
are being diverted from significantly more important objectives facing
the Armenian nation. We need to look no further than Artsakh where
some 7,000 of our people sacrificed their lives to liberate these
historic Armenian lands. They are no less our martyrs than those whose
lives were taken during the genocide.
Myopia is a dangerous political affliction. It has allowed genocide
recognition to be raised to the level of a cause celebre, an apparent
moral obligation that is given precedence over every other issue.
While genocide recognition may meet the legitimate expectations of the
diasporan Armenians, the need to respond to issues whose solution will
contribute to the viability and security interests of the Armenian
nation are wanting. There is a failure to see the forest because of
the trees. Theoretically, a genocide recognition strategy might be
effective if a critical mass of countries (somewhere in the vicinity
of 90 or 100 countries) not only supported the Armenian position, but
also agreed to apply economic sanctions to pressure the Turkish
leadership to finally accept responsibility. In the world of
realpolitik this is an unrealistic expectation.
Next week, Part II will consider the issues that are vital and
immediate to Armenia's future, but that are being ignored, as well as
an important opportunity for the ARF to expand its political base in
Armenia.
From: A. Papazian
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/01/13/genocide-recognition-continuing-a-flawed-political-strategy-part-i/
Thu, Jan 13 2011
By: Michael Mensoian
I want to believe that every Armenian hopes for the day when the
Turkish leadership acknowledges that the uprooting and murder of some
1.5 million Armenians was a genocide.
Good men and women, highly motivated and dedicated to Hai Tahd
(Armenian Cause) and the best interests of the Armenian nation are
working to achieve this objective. However, on Dec. 22 the latest
fiasco in this annual drama occurred when the House democrat
leadership in which our good men and women had placed their trust
decided to fool the Armenian American community once again.
Specifically, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the House Democrat Leadership
simply decided, without warning, to pull the rug out from under the
feet of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) ostensibly
because a favorable vote for passage of H.Res.252 (Armenian Genocide
Resolution) was not likely. Behind the door machinations by the
Turkish lobby aided by President Obama's refusal to act on his stated
beliefs on the genocide are the usual suspects. Maybe this is the
moment when the ARF/ANCA finally realizes that while this annual
pilgrimage to Capitol Hill may capture the emotional support of the
Armenian community, it represents an inefficient and ineffective use
of resources.
It was interesting to compare the response by the ANCA with the
obsequiousness of the Armenian Assembly. Rightfully so, the ANCA
conveyed the anger and disappointment of the Armenian American
community, whereas the Armenian Assembly issued an immediate press
release praising Pelosi and her leadership team for providing
invaluable assistance and guidance during the process. The ANCA had
every reason to believe that the vote would have been taken under the
most favorable circumstances possible. An unconfirmed report
attributed to the Assembly accepted Pelosi's judgment that the vote
would not favor passage.
If genocide recognition encompassed all that was represented by Hai
Tahd, there would be no cause for concern. Or if genocide recognition
could solve the problems facing the Armenian nation, there still would
be no cause for concern. Unfortunately neither is so. The Turkish
leaders in Ankara once again must be savoring their victory and it
must cause thinking Armenians in the homeland (Armenia, Artsakh, and
Javakhk) and the diaspora to question how priorities are being
established and resources are being allocated. Difficult as it may be
to accept, while passage of a genocide recognition resolution is
important, it is not so important as to neglect other issues that have
immediacy and are of greater importance to the future viability of the
Armenian nation (see `Genocide Recognition: A Misguided Political
Strategy,' the Armenian Weekly, Oct. 17, 2009).
For a moment consider what effect passage of the non-binding H.Res.252
could possibly have. Would it cause the Turkish leadership to recant
and finally confess to the world and its own citizens, after a 90-year
policy of denial, that a genocide did occur? Would the average Turkish
citizen willingly accept the moral, economic, and political burden for
the crimes some ancestors several generations removed may have
committed? Would Turkey relent and open its border with Armenia? Would
it result in Artsakh being recognized as an independent political
entity? Would Georgia cease its discriminatory policies against the
Armenians of Javakhk? Other questions could be asked, but the answers
would all be a resounding no.
Furthermore, passage of a resolution would not cause Turkey to implode
for the benefit of Armenians and Hai Tahd. Genocide recognition by
some two dozen foreign governments has not lessened Turkey's stature
in the world. Presently it holds one of the rotating seats on the UN
Security Council. Having said that, should a resolution recognizing
the Armenian Genocide pass, it would only serve to harden the
resistance of the Turkish leadership and the average Turkish citizen.
And why not, when President Obama fails to honor his campaign rhetoric
recognizing the Armenian Genocide? The president's need to cajole
Ankara by equating its interests and values with those of the United
States or elevating Turkey's contribution as more important than ever
should be more than sufficient reason for the ARF/ANCA to reassess its
strategy. In addition, many Armenians delude themselves by misreading
what Turkish academics and others mean when they say that the Turkish
people must face their past. Facing their past is a purely
psycho-moral exercise that is unrelated to the political and economic
ramifications that genocide recognition has for the Armenian people.
Granted, a resolution recognizing the genocide would be an appropriate
and significant moral and psychological victory for Armenians. It
would go a long way in assuaging the emotional scars that Armenians
have borne these many years, not only for the loss of ancestors they
never had the opportunity to know, but for the generations forever
lost to the Armenian nation. However, now is the time to realize that
following the same flawed strategy year after year will invariably
yield the same result. Valuable resources in political capital, money,
individual commitment, and moral support from the Armenian community
are being diverted from significantly more important objectives facing
the Armenian nation. We need to look no further than Artsakh where
some 7,000 of our people sacrificed their lives to liberate these
historic Armenian lands. They are no less our martyrs than those whose
lives were taken during the genocide.
Myopia is a dangerous political affliction. It has allowed genocide
recognition to be raised to the level of a cause celebre, an apparent
moral obligation that is given precedence over every other issue.
While genocide recognition may meet the legitimate expectations of the
diasporan Armenians, the need to respond to issues whose solution will
contribute to the viability and security interests of the Armenian
nation are wanting. There is a failure to see the forest because of
the trees. Theoretically, a genocide recognition strategy might be
effective if a critical mass of countries (somewhere in the vicinity
of 90 or 100 countries) not only supported the Armenian position, but
also agreed to apply economic sanctions to pressure the Turkish
leadership to finally accept responsibility. In the world of
realpolitik this is an unrealistic expectation.
Next week, Part II will consider the issues that are vital and
immediate to Armenia's future, but that are being ignored, as well as
an important opportunity for the ARF to expand its political base in
Armenia.
From: A. Papazian