Why is Congress blaming Turkey for something the Ottoman Empire did?

Question

92 years ago, back in WWI, Ottoman Empire and Armenia were at war with each other (who in Europe wasn't at the time), and the Ottomans won by killing off hundreds of thousands Armenians.
A few days ago, a Congressional Committee, is declaring that the Turks are a genocideic people, and soon all of congress are going to vote on this.
WHY?
The Ottomans and the Armenians were at war with each other. WWI happen almost one hundred years ago. It's dumb to lable things (excpt for canned food). Ontop of that, it's a slap at Turkey!
Turkey is one of the US' greatest allies. What if they take this harshly? If they disolve their alliance to the US, then it's gonna be harder to ship supplies and equipment to the Middle East.

I don't get this at all.

Answer 1

You obviously need to learn some history. It would be like Germany passing a law refusing to admit the Holocaust happened, and reacting the same way.

It was all over the American News and others at the time and most people born after WW1 referred to any hungry people as "like Starving Armenians". I grew up hearing the reference thinking it one word, long before understanding it.

If ANY great crime like that can be flushed down the memory hole, then ANY great crime can be committed with the expectation that it can be denied, even against you personally.

All such crimes should be seared into history be they Stalin, Hitler, Turkey, Pol Pot, China, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Indonesia or even horrors committed by the US. Any government that is in denial is complicit, even if a hundred years have passed.

If Turkey can make the Armenian problem disappear from History, then can our friends the Kurds be far behind.

As it is we could end up fighting Turks before we fight Iran, or perhaps both together over our making a DeFacto Kurdistan that extends into both other countries, and out arming Kurds to attack Iran. Of course they use the arms to attack Turkey as well and thus the problem.

Letting arrogant, ignorant, gang bangers play with fireworks in an explosives dump is probably a bad idea, but it is already done and we can't get them to leave, much less clean up their mess.

Answer 2

Your history is a little off. The Ottomans ruled over Armenia but as the Russians (Tsarist, not Communist) advanced into the area the Armenians greeted them as liberators. In order to provide the Russians with a less pleasant reception the Ottomans decided to slaughter the Armenians, because, unlike the Russians, the Armenians were unarmed. It was genocide of the first order.

Having said that, two things bother me in a significant way.

1. The arrogance of feeling that our government needs to comment on this NOW after letting it go for 92 years is beyond me. Are we saying that something isn't terrible until our government says so. What drivel!!!!

2. The current government of Turkey is a secular nation governing Muslims; something we all believe to be a positive thing. Why the heck do we want to rub their noses in their history. At least they had the courage to dump their genocidal government. We still have our own (ask a Native American if you don't know what genocide we pursued). Could we be more hypocritical.

I have left out of this response my sneaking suspicion that this has been launched by the Democrats in order to embarass the current administraiton. If that is indeed the case, which I fear, the politics are now getting in the way of appropriate foreign relations. It is one thing to fight amongst ourselves over the pros and cons of Iraq but to smear another nation, especially one that is very friendly and loyal to the US, in order to gain domestic political points is beyond the pale.

Answer 3

Yes you do get it. For numerous reasons this congress will do anything to undermine the Pres.
You see it's all about power. The Constitution delegates the power to conduct foreign policy on the President alone.
This is simply an end run by congress to conduct Foreign Policy.
Once they really PO Turkey whom has been one of our best allies since at least when I was a child. So that's nearly 50 years at least.
Turkey has a major Muslim population and a secular govt.
and they are one of our major allies, we send a major portion of our goods through or over their country.
Many times in the recent past our bombers have flown over Turkey to get to other enemies.
There were other options all more costly or we could have simply done it without there permission and perhaps been shot down or had the target warned.
This Congress is the biggest bunch of power mongers I have ever seen. It may even be treasonous.

Answer 4

The Ottoman Empire was a Turkish Empire that was reduced to just Turkey itself and the Empire ended in 1922 when a Military Coup occured and the Republic of Turkey was established, the wish is for the Turkish Government to admit the genocide happened and apologize for it (as the Turkish Government repeatedly denies it happened).

Answer 5

To distract from the Kim Kardashian (who is Armenian) and Ray-J sex tape.

Seriously, the wealthy Armenian lobby influence more than 1/3 (plus Pelosi) of the CA Representatives to pass this resolution against Turkey.

If Turkey attacks Kurdistan, the military (with US direction) will depose Gul faster than one can say 1929 stock market crash.

Answer 6

I thought they were blaming the Ottoman Empire?

does it say "Turks are genocidal people" in the resolution? I highly doubt that?

one may ask "why are the Truks taking such offense.... if we aren't even blaming the current nation?

Answer 7

YES, YES, YES! With all the major problems facing us, THIS is what the House Committee spends its time on? They should be sent home for good. I hope someone can tell us WHY it was so important now to alienate this valuable ally that we had to dig back 90 yrs to resurrect something that involves NO ONE living today.

Answer 8

Americans are protectors of human rights but not in the right direction with regards to Turkey in its role vis-a-vis the genocide in Armenia.

Answer 9

It seems the alliance treaty is wearing down due to all of our allies backing us with these inept wars.Russias' president had the secretary of state waiting and there were talks of breaking free.I think it is for political gain due to the election season.Our representative need to get these talks in order

Answer 10

because they don't want to bring attention to the fact they never apologized for the native american genocide. slavery and the bombing of japan (mind you STILL the ONLY nuke attack in world history)