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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

View from inside the White House press room


   Friday, March 12, 2010
I have participated in White House press briefings several times this week on behalf of the readers of this newspaper. Though I have been following the White House closely for several years, and especially for the past year, finally entering its press room was an overwhelming experience – even though the room itself was much smaller than I had expected.
I entered the White House at a time when there is very little hopeful evidence that can be shown for the success of its current administration. Looking at Washington, D.C., from the outside, one would think that the U.S. administration spends most of its time dealing with the several immense international stalemates and crises that are currently ongoing. However, the picture inside is much different.
Little of U.S. President Barack Obama’s new image-building work has borne fruit thus far. Syria was the easiest target at first to cajole and turn a new page with. The new Obama administration made it clear from the beginning that it wants Syria to draw away from Iran; recently, it even decided to send a U.S. ambassador back to the Syrian capital after five years away. The previous U.S. ambassador was recalled in 2005 following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a bombing; it was widely suspected that the Syrian government was involved in this attack.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told a House Committee a couple of weeks ago that the United States is asking Syria “to begin to move away from the relationship with Iran,” and to stop supporting the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah. Just one day later, when Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Damascus, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said sarcastically, “We must have understood Clinton wrong because of bad translation or our limited understanding, so we signed the agreement to cancel the visas.”
“I find it strange that they [Americans] talk about Middle East stability and peace and the other beautiful principles and [then] call for two countries to move away from each other,” al-Assad added.
Diplomacy with Iran and reaching out to its rogue regime has effectively come to an end as well. With the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the U.S. forces did their best, in reality, to widen Iran’s influence in the region. U.S. forces toppled Saddam Hussein, the archenemy of the Iranian regime, and have been fighting hard to weaken the Taliban, another force in the region that has worked to counter Iran’s Shiite influence for a long time.
The top priority item for the Obama administration in foreign affairs, the peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, took another heavy blow this week. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, the highest Obama administration official yet to visit Israel and one of the very few who is still on good terms with the Israeli administration, visited Israel to assure them that the relationship between the two countries is still unshakable. Biden also was there to kickstart the stalled peace negotiations, which U.S. envoy George Mitchell announced would start with indirect talks.
Instead, Biden “was slapped in the face” and met with a surprising decision by the Israeli Interior Ministry for new permits to build 1,600 more units in East Jerusalem. This announcement came two days after the United States brokered an agreement on the first negotiations between the sides in nearly a year; a separate announcement of building 112 new units also came the day after.
The United States’ entanglement in the Middle East, the military presence in both Afghanistan and Iraq and the nuclear standstill with Iran have prepared the stage for Russia to increase its influence in its old Soviet sphere. Ukraine’s government has recently become pro-Russian and Kazakhstan and Belarus have also accepted forming an alliance with Russia. Before Washington withdraws its troops from Iraq, and finds some acceptable solution for Iran, if ever, Moscow apparently wishes to make some more headway in Eurasia.
While all of these imminent and alarming developments are occurring, and many small countries snub the U.S. with no retribution, the White House is totally bogged down with the domestic agenda and political fights these weeks.
The latest fight in the U.S. capital is between Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts and President Obama. According to White House press secretary Robert Gibbs at the Thursday press briefing, these two main actors in Washington have not spoken since the president called out the Supreme Court during his State of the Union address for changing a rule to allow corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money advocating on behalf of candidates in elections.
Obama, after more than a year of trying, is seemingly coming to terms with the political reality at last. In recent days, he has been pushing the U.S. Congress to resort to an up-or-down vote on healthcare as part of the reconciliation. If the Senate resorts to this option to overhaul a sector that accounts for one-sixth of the U.S. economy by a simple majority, that means there will be more bloody fights to see here in Washington.
Knowing that failing to pass healthcare reform would handicap the rest of his presidency, Obama is taking all the risks he can for one last time.
There was talk in the White House press room about whether there was enough political room to get the healthcare reform done this time, let alone all the other reforms that are waiting in line, such as energy, immigration and financial reforms. Job-creation packages are still the priority, Gibbbs added at the same briefing Thursday.
We will see how much political oxygen is left in the tube for White House warriors to breathe and push all of these issues before the elections come.
 
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Guest - dr p
2010-03-15 16:11:21
 such is the result of americans responding to their "inner child" - to the total exclusion of their "inner adult" - and electing a arrogant boy to the job of a mature man or woman. 
Guest - naima
2010-03-13 02:21:54
 Agreed! washington has too many domestic issues/problems to deal with.. rest is left for the God.. 
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Saturday, March 13, 2010

Can Turkish and Armenian diasporas open the channels of dialogue?


   http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=can-turkish-and-armenian-diasporas-open-the-channels-of-dialogue-2010-03-08

    Monday, March 8, 2010
The first round of the annual "genocide" resolution fight is over. Though there are different interpretations for the close call and controversially managed House Foreign Relations Committee voting, both sides can claim victory following the result.
The Armenians announced that the victory was attained in spite of the powerful lobbying forces of the Turkish government in Washington, and the Turks argue that the close result was a testament to the maturity of the Turkish diaspora in America which proved that it had now learned the rules of the game.
I think even though the resolution passed at the committee last Thursday and that this result declares the Armenians' victory for now, the same result also sent a chill to the powerful Armenian-American diaspora, who always came to see this committee voting as a piece of cake, until this year.
I have contacted many leaders in the Turkish-American community after the committee vote to get a sense how they view the result. I also tried to have the same conversations with leaders among the Armenian-Americans, but I have failed to reach them so far.
One of the questions I asked to those Turkish leaders was whether the Turkish and Armenian communities can ever reconcile, at least some of their differences. Would it be possible to hold panels and discussions, like the one just organized last week in Yerevan between Turkish and Armenian thinkers?
Many of the executives and leaders of the different Turkish associations said they have hopes for closer relationships with the Armenian diaspora, nevertheless they stated that the pressure that the Armenian diaspora utilizes at many levels, including the stiff lobbying in states across America to append the events of the 1915 as a “genocide” in school textbooks, adds daily tension to the relationships between the two communities.
"Being under constant attack was just one of the factors that pumped up Turkish communities to fight harder this year," according to Ali Çınar, one of the vice presidents of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations, or ATAA. Çınar said, as the attacks on the Turkish community increased, the grassroots of the Turkish community also started to better organize.
Mr. Günay Evinch, the president of ATAA, said to me in an interview: "The ATAA led many different Turkish associations intellectually and practically. They targeted those Foreign Affairs Committee members across America that potentially can take stances against the resolution."
Evinch said: “We worked systematically this year, did more aggressive fundraising in many states and organize other events. We had meetings at the State Department, with the staff of the National Security Council and various Intelligent Communities to explain Turkey's position at the executive level."
And Evinch argued they were able to send clear messages to the Congress arguing how this bill would damage the normalization process between Turkey and Armenia, and how the Turks see this bill as humiliating.
The president of the Turkish forum, Mr. Kayaalp Büyükataman said in a phone interview while he was in Turkey, "It took sometime to energize the Turkish diaspora in the States, however it seems that the long years of work have now born fruit."
According to Büyükataman, "Turkish-Americans are the most educated and wealthy ethnic segment when one compares them with other people that belong to the different backgrounds."
However, he said, "Until now, we have waited for the Turkish state like a father to do everything for us, but Ankara also asked the Turkish-American community to stay sedated when it comes to these matters in the past. However the views have changed on both sides, and the Turkish officials have come to appreciate our work."
Kaya Boztepe, president of the Federation of Turkish American Associations, echoed the same sentiment in his email and announced that Turkish-American organizations had stopped being on the defensive with the latest 22-23 Thursday tally.
"Turkey's increasing importance makes it more difficult for U.S. administrations to let these resolutions be put on a vote in the House floor," says Kemal Oksuz, president of the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians, one of the (Fethullah) Gülen organizations that have been growing rapidly in recent years.
Oksuz was able to give the most detailed report on what happened behind the scenes before and during the resolution debate at the House Committee. Oksuz said, "The lobbying firms that have been paid loads of money in Washington by Turkey actually worsen the image of Turkey at the Congress, rather than helping. Instead, civil grassroots' visits to the Congressional members, especially in their districts, made the biggest differences run up to the Thursday voting."
All of the Turkish leaders in America I talked to past week, complained about Howard Berman's tendentious managing of the vote as head of the committee. According to many firsthand accounts I have heard, Berman, even chased a couple of the committee members to their offices to bring them to vote and especially the junior ones faced the most pressure, some who resisted to come to the voting room until the last minute.
Mahmut Yeter, the executive director of the Midatlantic Turkic American Association, another Turkish-American association that has proximity to the Gülen Movement, said: "Turkish constituencies maintain their close relationships with their Congressional members and host them when it is possible for dinners and award ceremonies, even if some of those representatives were going to vote against to the Turkish position."
Yeter concluded: "With persistence, but while respectfully elaborating their cause, those Turkish grassroots become more convincing and less irrupting than the Armenians.”
He also said, “[They is] more visible Turkish diplomacy in the international arena, [their] work and arguing for Turkey's position to those Congressional members has also become easier."
These Turkish grassroots leaders expect to see more similar resolutions appear, at least until 2015, when the hundredth years of the events of 1915 will be remembered. However, if the resolution does not pass this year amid heavily Democratic Party-dominated Congress and ahead of an election year, with the supporters like Obama and other key cabinet members who voted for similar resolutions in the past, one wonders how will the similar resolutions will pass in the future.
One would think with the effectiveness that the Turkish grassroots organizations have proved this year, the Armenians will have harder times being successful in coming years.
None of the Turkish representatives that I talked to opposed to the idea of having dialogue with the Armenian diaspora, accepting that the both sides cannot settle all the problems. And I think nobody expects from either side to give up on their causes, or change perceptions about the past. However, maybe the time is for closer dialogue and interactions should be near, at least for the newer generations of both communities. This is maybe an early dream – but a dream that will be realized sooner or later.
I will try more to get in touch with those leaders in the Armenian community to reflect their views as well. I hope we can at least open the channels of simple dialogue and the exchange of ideas for now.
 
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Guest - from trabzon (2010-03-11 09:42:25) :
@ guest harry. you never even bothered to read the article did you. 

Guest - metin (2010-03-10 19:01:05) :
@arkadas: I salute your warm email. I think that there are many notions in your email that the both sides can agree with. I see that almost only one problem is there, that the both sides cannot agree on, it is what the events of 1915 should be called. Everybody, if not blindfolded, accepts that there were tragedies and hundreds of thousands of Armenian waned. However, the turks claim it was not systematic and it was result of a deportation, not intentionally haunting and killing spree.. Why cant you understand this? Untill 1974, the resolutions came to the US House of Reps. did not include the word of 'genocide', then suddenly you discovered the word and tried to inject into the resolutions.. Until last time around, 2007, it was 1915 thru 1918, now you suddenly made it between 1915-1923, every year you guys add and change the history.. dont you think it is little weird? However, i share with many sentiments you wrote... i hope we can sit and talk and have coffee and talk... instead of hotheaded people who claim to be representing the the both sides

Guest - Arkadas (2010-03-10 01:03:23) :
Murat, We all find what we look for. I have been to Turkey and found it to be the closest thing to “home”. In fact, I felt everyone was Armenian up until they spoke in a different language. I saw the same soul and a special Anatolian spark in their eyes. Everyone was so nice. Now, you and I know that this is a generalization. My late grandfather use to resort to Turkish proverbs in situation like this one “there are dogs in every town”. As caring people of art and culture, people such as you and I should take the “higher road” to light up the path that leads to solutions for both our nations: one candle at a time, one person at a time. The alternative is the sorry situation we have at hand. Surly it is not an easy task and often a very dangerous and deadly one…we all remember what happened to Hrant Dink, the messenger of “love and hope”…Murat, you mention the “Genocide Industry”, “historic tragedy as national myth” , “in general very hostile” Diaspora…The word “general” is to be highlighted here…Unfortunately, often hot headed people on both sides of the subject matter generalize, compete and celebrate hate out of their own ignorance, fears and self doubts…For most Armenians the issue of genocide and its proper acceptance and its condemnation is about self respect and justice. Justice so we can believe in humanity. The emotional entrapment we feel is of a “violated person” that awaits justice so he or she can move on. In fact the issue is more of a violation of our common humanity. In a broader sense, this is not about Armenians and Turks at all but about human rights in general. You and I know that big fish eats small fish in nature and the phenomenon of genocide is not a Turkish one. It is rather a human weakness, a flow in human nature… The Armenians basically strive to correct the injustice done and not to hate or punish a particular nation. As such we do not understand why our Turkish brothers and sisters are having such a hard time accepting and condemning a horrible crime: a crime that targeted humanity in each and every one of us. This is not about lost property, land, ego, etc., but about self respect, first and foremost. Mr. Ilhan’s article and the question it poses explores a possibility to a solution, yet most respondents in it appear to be “blindfolded” , limited in their scope and vision to find solutions to a problem based on all that we all value; our humanity. Instead, they are racing to perfect methods of denial of genocide that has affected both our nations in different ways. Murat, the Armenian nation has a long, vibrant, rich history and cultural traditions. There is no shortage of “national myth” to identify with. In fact the Armenian national myth is called “David of Sassoon”, Sassoon being a town / province in modern day Turkey (historic western Armenia). You can look it up if you want. So Please, lets not all dwell and loose direction in a “Myth” created by politicians and political exploitation of the subject matter. Murat, The Armenian and Turkish nations made lots of love, art and culture in their long common history. The potential in their cooperation and constructive engagement is immense and immanent, once the fundamental issue of genocide is properly resolved. I have no reason to question your or anyone else’s sincerity. The cliché arguments that have been mass produced and long circulated to argue or to even justify what led to and resulted in genocide, or to cover it up and deny it, do not honor any one person or nation. It is time to move on by helping each other. We all have everything to win and nothing to loose. 

Guest - Arkadas (2010-03-09 21:31:31) :
Murat, We all find what we look for. I have been to Turkey and found it to be the closest thing to “home”. In fact, I felt everyone was "Armenian" up until they spoke in a different language. I saw the same soul and a special Anatolian spark in their eyes. Everyone was so nice. Now, you and I know that this is a generalization. My late grandfather use to resort to Turkish proverbs in situation like this one “there are dogs in every town”. As caring people of art and culture, people such as you and I should take the “higher road” to light up the path that leads to solutions for both our nations: one candle at a time, one person at a time. The alternative is the sorry situation we have at hand. Surly it is not an easy task and often a very dangerous and deadly one…we all remember what happened to Hrant Dink, the messenger of “love and hope”…Murat, you mention the “Genocide Industry”, “historic tragedy as national myth” , “in general very hostile” Diaspora…The word “general” is to be highlighted here…Unfortunately, often hot headed people on both sides of the subject matter generalize, compete and celebrate hate out of their own ignorance, fears and self doubts…For most Armenians the issue of genocide and its proper acceptance and its condemnation is about self respect and justice. Justice so we can believe in humanity. The emotional entrapment we feel is of a “violated person” that awaits justice so he or she can move on. In fact the issue is more of a violation of our common humanity. In a broader sense, this is not about Armenians and Turks at all but about human rights in general. You and I know that big fish eats small fish in nature and the phenomenon of genocide is not a Turkish one. It is rather a human weakness, a flow in human nature… The Armenians basically strive to correct the injustice done and not to hate or punish a particular nation. As such we do not understand why our Turkish brothers and sisters are having such a hard time accepting and condemning a horrible crime: a crime that targeted humanity in each and every one of us. This is not about lost property, land, ego, etc., but about self respect, first and foremost. Mr. Ilhan’s article and the question it poses explores a possibility to a solution, yet most respondents in it appear to be “blindfolded” , limited in their scope and vision to find solutions to a problem based on all that we all value; our humanity. Instead, they are racing to perfect methods of denial of genocide that has affected both our nations in different ways. Murat, the Armenian nation has a long, vibrant, rich history and cultural traditions. There is no shortage of “national myth” to identify with. In fact the Armenian national myth is called “David of Sassoon”, Sassoon being a town / province in modern day Turkey (historic western Armenia). You can look it up if you want. So Please, lets not all dwell and loose direction in a “Myth” created by politicians and political exploitation of the subject matter. Murat, The Armenian and Turkish nations made lots of love, art and culture in their long common history. The potential in their cooperation and constructive engagement is immense and immanent, once the fundamental issue of genocide is properly resolved. I have no reason to question your or anyone else’s sincerity. The cliché arguments that have been mass produced and long circulated to argue or to even justify what led to and resulted in genocide, or to cover it up and deny it, do not honor any one person or nation. It is time to move on by helping each other. We all have everything to win and nothing to loose. 

Guest - Fatih (2010-03-09 20:48:06) :
@Harry but you still fail to explain why the 'grown' up armenians, knocking on every countrys door always forgets to knock on International Court of Human Rights....where I believe Jewish holocaust survivors earned their war reperations. Hand on heart I will not have the slightest problem with apologising to as many Armenians there are in the world today, as soon as they present the world their evidence. 

Guest - Murat (2010-03-09 19:30:54) :
J2, it turns out that I do not need your permission to engage this topic and here we are, though often not face to face. I have happened to have obtained much of my knowledge from non-Turkish and English-writing authors and scholars by the way. There is much quality work done within last two decades as more scholars delve into wide open archives. What comes out rarely supports Armenian mythology. In fact, I have never read any work of Elekdag (not even a historian!) or Halacoglu (though none of his statements have ever been refuted, too controversial and subjective). More importantly, some of this is family history and I do not really need books and archives to find out that my grandfather's family was buthchered in Bitlis in 1916 by Armenians. I do not need archives to know that as an Ottoman officer and a scholar, grandpa never received any orders from anyone to kill civillians. No one would have dared. You have this notion that we are force fed all our facts by a state machine. You will find many Turks with differing opinions on the matter, but rarely any such spectrum among Armenians. How come there is not even one single Akcam among millions of Armenians? Brain-washed crowds act and think in such unison. What an irony that you level this criticism to Turks and Turkey, while it is illegal to even challenge the Armenian view of events in many European countries. In any case, as I said, for many Turks this is just a chapter in their long history, which is full of glorious and also dark chapters. For a mjority of Armenians, this is a matter of idenitity. If anything I have learned over the years, it is not to argue about someone's identity, it is the most powerful notion humans have. 

Guest - Guest Harry (2010-03-09 17:24:03) :
There comes a time when individuals and nations must grow up by facing up to the Truth even when it hurts. Yes the hurt is spread to all: Some suffer subconciously other suffer consciously however the pain is still there. Scoring point might be nice on the soccer field but doesn't get you over the stumbling block which requires a stop to bullying and a first step to even-ing out the playing field. Reconciliation is not only for the historians and politicians. First step require face to face dialogue by non politicians. First step require not only talking but good listening skills. First steps require deeper understanding than the materials at stake, it is to be able to fulfill both our destinies on the human being level. 

Guest - J2 (2010-03-09 16:43:50) :
Well, Murat jan, I guess you won't be partaking in any discussions with Armenians. The "white elephant" in the room is an industrialized and well oiled Turkish denial machine. You seem to be a very smart fellow, and well versed in the English language...who unfortunately reads from the same pages of the likes of Elekdags and Halacoglus. There is a vast wealth of information that does not come from Armenian sources which is ignored by educated Turks today. But thankfully, there are some Turks who have the knowledge and the honesty to see what cannot be ignored. I believe those are the Turks that will end up talking with the Armenians (diaspora or in Armenia...to put a difference between the two is a futile dream of nationalist Turks). Murat, and your like will be dismissed. 

Guest - Murat (2010-03-09 15:18:25) :
Arkadas, I share you sentiments and I am touched by it. Let us remember though that as people and individuals we have much in common and in fact may be members of the same "family", nations are not people and nationalism is a different matter. Being a smart person you must realize that there is an Armenian genocide industry out there, people and institutions who would not be around if not for this topic. Every nation has a myth, and unfortuantely Armenians have chosen a historic tragedy as their national myth and what defines their national identity. How can anyone argue or challenge that? In my limited encounters with Armenian diaspora, I have found them to be in general very hostile and far from being able to sit and discuss anything related rationally. When I was abroad for the firtst time so many decades ago I was shocked at the wall of hate I ran into, having been somewhat insulated from it due to lack of the kind of media we have now. Is it possible to have an interaction by ignoring the white elephant in the room? Maybe but not very natural, and I really do not think many in the diaspora are capable of it. 

Guest - Lag (2010-03-09 08:05:27) :
How about the lobbying activity of the huge defense firms Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, Raytheon, and United Technologies on this issue? These firms all lobbied on last year's House genocide resolution, and they are likely to be doing the same for this year's. Do you consider these firms to be part of the Turkish diaspora? Would they like to join the dialogue that US Turks supposedly seek with US Armenians? The US Armenians may be influential in their own congressional districts, as would be expected, but they don't have four conglomerate defense firms that employ hundreds of thousands of Americans and bring in tens of billions of dollars in revenue every year. Which is David, and which is Goliath? 

Guest - Orhan Kucukoglu (2010-03-09 04:31:37) :
I suggest to Turkish diaspora and Armenian disapora to avoid each other,they have conflicting ideas about the historical fact.only with Turkey acceptance of Armenian genocide,then there is possiblity. 

Guest - daniel (2010-03-09 04:04:41) :
as long as there are 1915 events that are not agreed upon, there will be no consensus.. it is indeed a dream.. 

Guest - arkadas (2010-03-09 03:51:04) :
Dear Ilhan, I read your article with outmost interest, as the subject matter is of contemporary importance and close to my hearth and soul. The absence of a meaningful and healthy dialogue in between Turkish and Armenian peoples, in this instance their diasporas is unfortunate in many ways then one. Unfortunately, It is often comfortably forgotten fact that we lived under “one roof” for centuries, shared good times and bad, gave and took, enriched each others lives, cultures in so many ways and so profoundly. Our relations perhaps can be described as the ones in between step siblings… To be more precise, I’m an artist, a humanist, and I do care for all of humanity without being selective and partisan. My family originates from territory of the modern day Turkey. I learned Turkish language from my grandparents. They, I was told did not speak Armenian growing up, their mother tongue was Turkish. They came from educated families who had very close relations with their Turkish neighbors, and the only thing they know about their difference was the religion. My grandfather even had a Turkish name… I grew up with the stories of extreme suffering, loss and brutal treatment as the result of what we know is / was a classic genocide and in Turkey it appears with quotes “genocide”. They also told us about the GOOD people, the Turkish neighbors who saved some of them from death. The bad ones never had nationality; they were bad people, period. It is also a fact that two nations also share the same blood, yes blood, we all like it or not. Many have been converted by force, before during and after the Genocide, as a result now we have Muslim Armenians in Turkey. The cultural inter enrichment is too vast to list here, starting from architect Miamar Sinan to Tateos Efendy, and so on so fort… When we meet by chance at a public space our eyes meet, blood calls, we know who is who, yet we talk with eyes, never saying all that that has accumulated in between “step siblings”. The feeling is as if two members of a family that are not talking because of a old family feud, long cemented, long turned into a taboo. Yet there is the filling of closeness and warmth… strange warmth of a familiar faces, looks and even gestures…. We need to sit down “ bas- basa” “ kalb-kalbe” acknowledge each other , share each others pain and continue a abruptly and brutally broken story line… take the quotes off… As I read the accounts of your telephone interviews, it became apparent that most of the people interviewed were caught in a race to out do an adversary, to win wit every effort and method possible, to better attack, and assassinate character of an adversary… I did not feel that most of them realized what were your questions and the essence of your position… Most of them I felt did not think of their own humanity and humanity in all of us… Everyone is perfecting their skills as to how to win a childish game… and is ready to loose what is important … the human consideration, for everyone’s sake… Everything is possible. A honest, constructive dialogue is long overdue indeed, but as long lost members of same family and not adversaries… 
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Monday, March 08, 2010

A game of chicken for Turkey and America


   http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=a-game-chicken-for-turkey-and-america-2010-03-05

   Friday, March 5, 2010
İLHAN TANIR
Make no mistake: The successful passage of the Armenian “genocide” resolution in the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee has started a very difficult and painful period for all of us who want peaceful solutions for regional problems.
In my last column, I stated that “a miracle is needed to stop the resolution at this point.” Even though the 23-against-22 tally in the committee looks like it was not an easy win, it was nevertheless a win. The resolution sailed through from the committee to the hands of Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House and another staunch supporter of the bill.
Turkey did not waste time recalling its newly appointed ambassador to Washington, Namık Tan, back to Ankara for consultations, in an apparent diplomatic protest. What comes next is the focus of this column.
Canceling Trade Minister Zafer Çağlayan’s upcoming visit to the U.S. in two weeks would be another opportunity to display the anger of the Turkish administration, as would Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s scheduled visit to Washington, D.C., in the second week of April for the nuclear summit – unless Erdoğan decides to use that visit to cajole Obama into working harder to stop the bill for the last time.
Mr. Suat Kınıklıoğlu, the head of the Turkish-American Caucuses in the Turkish Parliament, said to me after the voting that “even though the U.S. administration and the Jewish lobby did not back the Turkish position this time around, it was still a victory to make the result a close call. Armenians were relaxed and thought before the vote that they could have gotten an easy victory; instead, they got a good beating.” He added that “this bill will not come to the General Assembly after what happened Thursday.”
Bryan Ardouny, the executive director of the Armenian Assembly of America, stated, however, “the committee passed the motion despite a well-funded lobbying effort by the Turkish government supported by major defense corporations doing business with Turkey.”
The delegation from the Turkish Parliament that has been worked hard to lobby against the bill this past week in Washington did not hide its anger with the Obama administration at the press conference after the voting. The administration was absent in Washington in showing the political muscle needed to get the committee members in line.
The Obama administration has told the Turkish administration in many different venues in recent weeks that it actually views the Armenian constitutional court’s recent decision, which found the protocols in line with its constitution, as a positive step for the normalization process. As Şükrü Elekdağ, one of the members of the Turkish delegation and a member of the main Turkish opposition party, told me in an interview, it was U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Gordon who elaborated this stance to Feridun Sinirlioğlu, a high official from Ankara who visited Washington a couple of weeks ago.
I not only confirmed this with other sources in Washington, but also heard from other reputable sources that Elizabeth Sherwood, senior director for Europe at the White House, also took a similar stance when she had a meeting with Sinirlioğlu and basically said that America expects Turkey to move ahead with this process as quickly as possible.
Spokespeople for both the White House and the State Department have been quiet for weeks, and it was Michael Hammer, spokesman for the White House’s National Security Council, who made a statement three days before the voting, giving the White House’s position on the resolution for the first time. “As the President’s 2009 Remembrance Day message states clearly, the President’s ... view of that history has not changed,” he said. “Our interest remains the achievement of a full, frank and just acknowledgement of the facts.”
There were also personal issues for Obama to deal with while taking a position on the issue this year. As a senator, he vigorously supported the previous Armenian resolutions and accused former President Bush very harshly in the past for working to stop the resolution. As president, he now finds himself in such a position from which there is no easy exit strategy. In addition, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also supported similar bills in the past and Congress is dominated by a Democratic majority. Obama hid behind this quietness and “did not move his little finger,” as one Turkish deputy stated.
Where to go from here is the question. There are several factors to watch now. Turkey lists three obstacles for not stepping forward to ratify the protocols, the third one just added a day ago: 1) Armenia’s unwillingness to take any positive action in regard to Nagorno-Karabakh. 2) The Armenian constitutional court’s preambles to its decision, which Turkey sees as changing the spirit of the protocols. 3) With Thursday’s vote, the head of the Turkish delegation, Murat Mercan, also added another obstacle, and it is for Obama to stop the “genocide” bill from coming to the House floor.
Armenia now, amid a victory after the Thursday voting, sees no reason to make any concessions on any of these issues. Armenia’s responses to Turkey’s claims are as follows: 1) The Nagorno-Karabakh issue is not a pre-condition for the protocols, therefore it is not linked to the ratification process. 2) Armenia, amid the U.S. and other countries’ backing, vows that its constitutional court’s decision is in conformity with the protocols, therefore the decision is a positive step for the normalization. In addition, according the constitution of Armenia, the court’s decisions are final and irreversible, so Armenia simply claims that there is nothing it can do about this decision now.
3) On top of all these discrepancies, the Armenian officials, starting with the Armenian ambassador to Washington, who was present at the committee vote in Congress, and others from the Armenian administration, welcome the passage’s move to the full House, thinking they already possess unbending supporters of the Armenian diaspora cause, such as Nancy Pelosi and Majority leader Steny Hoyer, to name just two.
Amid an already irate Turkish public and administration, expecting any kind of positive step from the Turkish administration at this stage is similar to daydreaming. And likewise the Armenians, who see now recognition of the “genocide” by the U.S. House of Representatives within their reach, will not play nicely either.
So what is left for us while moving forward? What we will see in the coming days is probably a game of chicken. Turkey will harden its rhetoric and take more retaliatory steps, while the American side will calculate that it can use the resolution in the House to put more pressure on Turkey and hope that Turkey give in to move forward with the normalization process, while being full aware how important it is for Turkey to stop the resolution.
We might need to fasten our seatbelts while getting into this turbulence. How and when this turbulence might end, nobody can predict now, not even the administrations in Washington, Ankara and Yerevan, but we hope it will not spin out of control.
 
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Guest - Nshan (2010-03-08 05:47:43) :
@umit. First of all I’d like to tell you that I really appreciate the polite tone of your comments. We might have different views on many subjects but still we need to have communication in a civilized manner. When I say that Turkey’s threats against the US are only a balloon I mean that there is a big difference between what one says and what he does. Only time will show if Turkey will have enough courage to go beyond her words. Please don’t forget that whatever Turkey achieved was mostly done by American help whether it is financial, political or economical. As to military bases, mineral resources, etc. please remember that bases usually are not on month to month leases and one party can’t unilaterally close them. And I don’t think that Turkey donates any mineral resource to the US for free. Regarding F16s please be more serious. They might be ASSEMBLED in Turkey because of cheap labor but the US is not naïve to pass high-tech secrets to countries like Turkey who refused passage of American forces via her soil into Iraq in 2003. My friend, I don’t have any intention to hurt your national feelings, but you need to understand that your country will not be allowed to become more than a power in a REGIONAL level. Every time when you try to jump higher than your height you will be reminded about Armenian Genocide, Assyrian Genocide, Pontiac Greek Genocide, Kurdish issue, Alevi issue. The list goes on and on. Crying every time that you did not do it is not an answer. By the way, I personally don’t hate Turks. I just want them to acknowledge that big injustice was done by them towards my people in 1915. The current generation can not be responsible for actions of its predecessors if he recognizes and courageously condemns the wrongs that have been done by them like Germans did. Only then you will get that credit that you ask. Status quo can’t go forever. Something must be done. 

Guest - Umit (2010-03-07 22:05:01) :
I forgot this also, What about the genocides of Chechnya, Dagestan? What about the genocide the bosnian genocide, please people tell me what was happening at the time of the genocide in washington? Bill Clinton was having whisky with Karadic! doesn't that answer it all? How different is it from today? in various parts of the world people are being slaughtered and politicians continue their pleasantries! i.e Israel! The US said we did a genocide against the armenians, i ask you all did anyone read the exodus law enver pasha brought out? there was a war where Russia, England, France, Australia, Greece, New Zealand all attacked us at same time not to mention the Arabs in Yemen and Africans and indians that were manipulated by UK all attacked us at same time, Armenian and pontiac greeks of North east Turkey were plotting to join the ranks of the coming russians, so the empire thought it best to move these potential armies to the south were they could be a neutral threat, on the way many died of starvation, but please reffer to our turkish troops on the front line they were hungry and malnutritioned too, as all they ate if they could were onions, and bread if that! so how do you expect some people not to die from hunger? even turks did and we are sorry for that but again blame the west that attacked us at same time! What we did was no different than what the USA did in WW2 with the Japanese people living there by moving them into detention camps - to neutralise the threat! Also whether directly or indirectly shouldn't the attacking nations also be responsible, as had they have not attacked nothing would have happened! Also another point to mention, what about Churchill and Rothschild? they plotted together Rothschild the funder to the UK of this war to guarantee the right to palestine, isn't this also a genocide? Wikipedia says genocide is: Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group. well in 1914 the Ottoman empire was attacked by the west to bring about the end of a nation of empire - Ottomans, with it they demanded from Ataturk that the caliphate be abolished or more war would follow, but don't this go against the genocide rules again? as since then a islamic leader as never been established again! So you see again the west is to blame! also the situation in Iraq and afghanistan, isn't they too genocide by the above criteria? as they not only killed many people but have and are bringing the deliberate destruction of a nation and its establishment as can be seen witht he defacto northern Iraq organisation and forceful exodus of Turkmens from area! they have set up a government with a forced system of democracy, in a Islamic nation with 89% muslims they dictate that the new republic will not have islamic values! again isnt this genocide? the fact that they attacked Afghanistan and Iraq with the view of enforcing democracy a type of oppression? I leave the thoughts to you the readers, but think please, the actions of the US - doesn't it resemble the holy roman empires actions??? I came, i saw, i conquered! they take what they want and no one says anything - and they criticise us now?? 

Guest - Umit (2010-03-07 21:36:33) :
People tell me please, Who here thinks that this so called genocide claim is no one's business but historians and politicians of relevant countries? All we see France says this, US says this, etc etc well what about us reversing the roles a little? Why dont we question France's role in rwanda genocide? or US against the genocide they did against native indians? or perhaps get recognition for Hiroshima as a genocide as people today in that region still suffer! What about the English role in Australia and New zealand? or how about spains exodus of Jews? or lets go back further, what about the genocide done against Muslims in Jerusalem by the german knights in the crusades? Why not talk about the Greece's role in the Cyprus attempted genocide? My point is why is it that when none of these are spoken of, nor a whisper of these - the world occupies themselves with Turkey done this etc and the funny thing is these people (politicians) they dont even know a thing regarding history! While in the world now, there are genocides in progress like i.e Gaza, Afghanistan, Iraq etc none of these are being stopped and brought to justice instead we talk of what gains corrupt nations politicians! This is why i have always said and will always say THERE WAS NO GENOCIDE - put me in jail! oh wait isn't that against my basic human rights? but it happens all over these corrupt nations stating genocide took place! In the US a poll showed that all muslims should wear a seperate muslim ID badge on clothes, can we not see that this too is a gateway to genocide later in future? GET A GRIP!!! 

Guest - sam (2010-03-07 20:26:45) :
Almost equal number of Germans died in ww2. I wonder why Germans got the Nuremberg trial for the Jews?

Guest - wolf (2010-03-07 19:50:54) :
@ (2010-03-07 18:04:15). You wrote: "What this decision creates is more hatred to the USA and more hatred towards against Armenians." I would say that we should act like a mature and balanced country and it is up to US to determine how WE react and respond. Hatred is a very unhealthy feeling and something we should avoid. It does not make anything better to hate.................and the only ones who can decide on that is, as I said, we. 

Guest - IRFAN (2010-03-07 18:27:47) :
When things are done behind close doors then people will talk and thats the problem. We do not know our own history and how a we have been manipulated by a small but large player, in middle east affairs. YES, we were let down by the Arabs during WW1 but it was as result of the lies propagated by those that wanted a state, at all costs. Even if it meant true genocide of the indigenous people that sold us out , and how the YOUNG Turks manipulated the ottoman empire by having key personal in the most strategic positions of the ottoman government. The funny thing is just as the Jews manipulated the ottoman empire ,today they also manipulate American foreign policy irrespective of who is in office. I thing the best thing we can do is have a true investigation of all of the events that led to this so called incident and what orders were given when and to who and who and why they were executed in a certain fashion. If we have a true investigation then these so called discrepancies will start to emerge and again we will see the same hand at play that is at play to day who even has the audacity to bug our own government and manipulate out domestic and foreign policy.. THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE………….. 

Guest - Roger (2010-03-07 18:10:59) :
Why are we wasting our time on this issue? Nearly 100 years ago. Every eye witness is dead. Will the great-great-great grandchilden still fight the war over and over again? Move on American Armenians. 

Guest - Kemal (2010-03-07 18:04:15) :
What this decision creates is more hatred to the USA and more hatred towards against Armenians . US and EU are playing a very dangerous game with country of Turkey , as usual USA and EU under estimates Turkish people what they are capable of achieving. just look at past thirty years US policy in middle east , They spend how many billions of dollars in this region and still they are chasing their own tails , They made a mass of every country in the region with their dirty politics than they try to mop up there mistakes helping to create a new governments. The sad part is the USA plays both ways in this part of the world over and over again so many families lost many members in past decades because of the US government's wrong choices of supporting governments in this region but no one is somehow accountable for all these deaths past thirty years , apparently these deaths not important to American politicians and the president of the USA . 

Guest - umit (2010-03-07 15:45:03) :
@nshan My friend Turkey's threat at USA is a balloon you said, may i please remind you of the several military bases that the US use in Turkey to move troops, and if Turkey were to tell them to withdraw all their bases the US war against Iraq, Afghanistan will cost more, which amidst a recession is not good. Secondly, Nasa use Bor and it is mainly found in Turkey, what would happen to Nasa's progress in space if Turkey cuts all of its Bor resources to them? Also let us not forget shall we that the majority of f16 fighter jets that US use are built in Turkey, amidst their many wars this might hurt them as other countries produce these more expensive! Also you forget that in the US, Iraq withdrawel the plans are for Turkey to oversee the regions peace, what would happen if Turkey says i will not assist you, they will need to then stay and in doing so spend more money! Another thing for you to consider my dear friend, USA is among the most hated nations on earth, amidst all of the muslim world that hate the US, can the US really afford to gain a new powerful Turkey as an enemy that will work with the other nations like korea etc??? You dont give enough credit to Turkey's stance in this world, a recent CIA agent reported that Turkey is gaining such power and influence that in 20 years it will have the same levels of influence and power as it once had in Ottoman empire over its old regions it controlled, please do the maths? I leave you with one last thought for you to consider, can the US (a declining power) really afford for the strategic gateway to west and east, to work and become greater allies with either Russia or China and do everything in Turkeys power to make life hard for the USA like i.e cut US ships and planes using turkish space, and with the backing of Russia, china etc it would be harder for the US to further intimidate Turkey. And also answer please what will happen in the US bid to attack Iran later in future if Turkey back Iran like Russia do? no offense but the US can't fight the afghani's successfully let alone taking on a united strength like mentioned above! The USA has much more to lose than Turkey my friend, its time you gave Turkey the credit we deserve! 

Guest - sam (2010-03-07 12:38:07) :
Christoph ... you couldnt be more wrong ! you are discussing issues in Turkey true or false, Turkish - Kurdish - Arab - Israeli - Greek - Armenian etc etc FREELY yes FREELY !!! if Armenia has nothing to hide why would they not accept a UN sponsored Historian committee to find the truth as Turkey has always insisted ? WHAT HAVE TO LOSE ? MAYBE FINDING THE TRUTH ? face it ARMENIAN DIASPORA WOULD RATHER PLAY POLITICS TO HIDE THE TRUTH !!! 

Guest - bud white (2010-03-07 11:28:31) :
@ katie can you please tell me whre are you from? so that ı can understand you are not from one of a few country thats lookıng forward to see turkey on her knees we are human and make mıstakes that correct but nobody can ask us to accept of crıme we dıd not commıt you say world is watchıng well world is watchıng you are correct they watched pals lıke ın ruanda they dıd ın algerıa and in bosnia and now ask them if they remember the real crımes let alone a made up genocide 

Guest - Christoph (2010-03-06 23:11:44) :
If Turkey did nothing wrong against Armenians in 1915 than why is it against the law to even DISCUSS this event in history within Turkey? Turkey acts like it has a lot to be afraid of by openly discussing this item. Confident nations don't make historical discussion against the law. Turks act like they have something to hide, and when that happens nations usually do. 

Guest - Nshan (2010-03-06 22:21:47) :
It might sound paradoxical but the Erdogan's government has to choose between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Either Turkish parliament ratifies the protocols and stands with the US or faces consequences. If Mr. Erdogan believes that he is able to keep his promise to Aliev why he thinks that Mr. Obama will break his promise to American citizens? Turkish threats against the US are nothing but a balloon filled with air. 

Guest - Emir Soler (2010-03-06 21:43:45) :
Katie@ Vote in US senate to decide history which took place 100 years ago? Would you accept guild, if you are not guilty party? How would you like to be treated like Nazi’s? Mass killings did take place; it was a war after all 3 million Turks lost their lives. Let me tell you another thing. ONE extra vote in US senate, can change the history? I am not surprise Americans like soap opera, that’s what the vote was in senate. About time history should be left to the historians not crook politicians. 

Guest - guest (2010-03-06 18:17:45) :
This resolution passing may be the best thing possible for Turkey. It will see that the sun comes up the next day, the world's perception of it has not changed, and the nation can free itself to deal with larger issues. ... Or it can descend into recriminations about which side to blame for the vote. 

Guest - greywolf (2010-03-06 12:23:53) :
do you know i read all this stuff written by people that are turkish bashers and perthetic nonsense. you are either kurds, or westerners that have answered. the americans voted this way because of the power of the armenian dispora and the money they contribute to the american administration? we continue to ask WHERE IS THE PROOF this ever happened nobody is denying thousands of armenians died but thousands of turks were killed as well, but the armenians were traitors, back stabbers and thought by helping the russians they would get a big slice of turkey , how wrong they were how did you expect the turks to behalve, they were fighting for their survival. If genocide was commited and 1.5 million armenians were systematically and premeditatedly killed then what was this removal of them from their alleged lands and what are all the armenians doing in america and all over the world, either the alleged genocide was crap or the turks were very inufficient in finishing the job, what do you think? this is a total lie from the armenians to try and bad mouth turkey because of old enemies it is also the same with the greeks they are the same anything that bad mouths turkey. Shame on you lot that decide with no proof and because turkey is a muslim country, shame on you all . SHOW THE PROOF AND I AM SURE TURKEY WILL APPOLOGISE FOR THE OTTOMAN GOVERNMENT> 

Guest - katie (2010-03-06 10:29:54) :
If only Turkey would stop being so tetchy, admit,accept,regret. End of ! Making all this fuss only goes to show the flaws in their psyche. Turks are human ... aren't they ? This means they make mistakes... don't they ? So ? They should also remember the world is watching, other countries have apologised for their misdemeanors why can't Turkey do the same ? 

Guest - sam (2010-03-06 09:41:32) :
Nice + balanced article ... what can Turkey do ? lets start by doing what the US does,,, start beating drums uniformly around the nation. then correctly and within Turkish and International law find how many illegal Armenians are living in Turkey, then round them up and send them to Guatemala type institution after all they are Christian and possible ASALA members. detain them by putting a sack over their heads and cable ties to their wrist, waterbard them (since this is not illegal) then maybe deport them by dumping them over the border. IS THIS OK WITH USA ? then maybe support splinter groups by training and arming them and creating another 'bay of pigs' type incident... is this democracy ??? 

Guest - Orhan Kucukoglu (2010-03-06 08:51:15) :
So what is left for us while moving forward? the problem is that Armenia is moving forward and Turkey or (chicken) walking backward,they shall never meet this way. 

Guest - Murat (2010-03-06 07:22:15) :
Obama now has one more leverage left, and I think that was the calculation. Passage through the committee puts pressure on Turkey and signals the disappointment over Turkey's making a 180 degrees on the protocols. Turkey will need to give Obama administration some reason to vigorously work to prevent passege through the congress, reversing all their positions on the campaign trail a second time. Turkey needs to take a deep breath and sign the protocls and be the adult in this theater. This annual circus needs to be stopped. So-called direct lobbying by Turkish politicians in DC is seen nothing more than bullying and ugly threats. It is very crude and unseemly. It costs a lot more than all resolutions combined. It is time to let this fade without the usual emotionl reactions. Nothing will change, truth will remain true. It just feeds the frenzy and loses friends. 

Guest - George (2010-03-06 07:19:23) :
The Author is right the reason it get through was because the jewish lobby did not back it. Erdogan's constant criticism of Isarel has changed things around for most Jews. At the end of the day the Armenian Genocide resolution is non binding. Canada,Russia,France,Germany,Italy have recognised it and Turkey still trades with these countries. 

Guest - James (2010-03-06 01:08:09) :
Turkey must right the wrongs of ITS past. 

Guest - Sanjay (2010-03-06 00:29:17) :
The sole reason the vote was close was due to those in the US Congress who actually believe the reconciliation process will achieve a result. They will soon see the futility in this and their votes will change. That ship sailed the day after the documents were signed and Turkey mischievously tried to add the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict to the protocols.They recognize that Turkey has been trying to bully its smaller neighbor. The US loses nothing, in fact can breathe a sigh of relief if delegations from Ankara are not sent; its not much of a threat at all. And by "spinning out of control" do you mean Turkey will commit another genocide because they are angered by the recognition of the former one? 
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