OBAMA BROKE PROMISE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
By Angie Drobnic Holan
Tampabay.com
rticle990230.ece
April 8 2009
Florida
Campaign promise No. 511: "As president I will recognize the Armenian
genocide."
The ruling
President Barack Obama said during the presidential campaign that he
would recognize the Armenian genocide. But on a recent overseas trip,
he avoided uttering the word itself.
Between 1915 and 1923, 1.5 million people were killed at the hands of
the Ottoman Empire, according to a proposed resolution considered by
the U.S. House of Representatives in 2007. That resolution failed in
the face of Bush administration concerns that it would alienate Turkey,
which borders Iraq. The issue has long been controversial in Turkey,
where leaders have resisted the label "genocide."
On Monday, a reporter asked Obama about his position on the matter
during a joint press conference in Ankara with President Abdullah
Gul of Turkey. Obama said his views hadn’t changed, but then wouldn’t
use the word "genocide." He said Turkish and Armenian officials are
meeting now to discuss a range of issues.
"I don’t want to, as the president of the United States, pre-empt any
possible arrangements or announcements that might be made in the near
future. …"
Later, in a speech to the Turkish Parliament, Obama brought up the
historical events and referred to his position, but again he did not
declare the events genocide.
Some might argue that Obama used wise diplomacy here, that as a guest
in Turkey he was right not to upset his host. But the argument that
it would be undiplomatic to antagonize Turkey is the same one the
Bush administration used, which Obama criticized in making his promise.
We think Obama is trying to have it both ways. He said his views
haven’t changed, but he wouldn’t use the term "genocide," which is
what his campaign promise was all about.
Obama will have other opportunities to address this issue, if he
chooses to do so. April 24, for example, is a day of memorial for
the Armenian genocide. But based on what we’ve seen so far, Obama
won’t say the word "genocide," even when discussing the events in
question. During the campaign, he said he would. We rate that a
Promise Broken.