Cooking the Turkish Goose

Bipartisanship in the House Foreign Affairs Committee has cooked Turkey. The committee, acting on House Resolution H. Res. 252: Affirmation of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution, has passed the resolution with bipartisan support (17 dems, 6 repubs). Nearly two dozen other countries – including France, Canada, Russia, Switzerland and Chile – have formally recognized the Armenian Genocide. So has the European Parliament.

As stated by committee chair Rep. Berman: “This will most likely be a difficult and painful process for the Turkish people, but at the end of the day, it will strengthen Turkish democracy and put the U.S.-Turkey relationship on a better footing.”

The resolution, which is non-binding with no force of law, nor sense of the policy of the US, states:

“(1) calls upon the President to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide and the consequences of the failure to realize a just resolution; and

(2) calls upon the President in the President’s annual message commemorating the Armenian Genocide issued on or about April 24, to accurately characterize the systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1,500,000 Armenians as genocide and to recall the proud history of United States intervention in opposition to the Armenian Genocide.

(link to resolution)

The point of the resolution is to continue to recognize genocide when ever and where ever it has occurred. Unfortunately, this recognition will upset the Turkish nation, who have recalled their ambassador from the US. While once supported by Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama, it is now opposed by both.

It must also be noted that there exists a similar resolution on the Cambodian genocide, though not for the Nanking atrocity.

The question now becomes this: Can Turkey enter into the group of nations whose behavior is rational and reasonable by international standards. Yes, they may be upset, but can they take the criticism.

Now, Turkey has not denied the killings, and in the 1920s tried and convicted many of those responsible. However, the official position is that the deaths occurred as part of political unrest and were not genocide.

Will the US Turkey relationship be harmed? Or will Turkish national pride prevail?