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TURKEY'S BLAME GAME
Jewish Exponent, PA
Oct 25 2007
Is it possible to condemn genocide without helping to lay the
foundation for another catastrophe? That's the difficulty faced
by those who are debating the wisdom of a congressional resolution
condemning the massacre of Armenians by Turkey during World War I.
Jews are sensitive to the grief that Armenians feel over the mass
murder of their people, as well as the ongoing need to condemn genocide
whenever and wherever it happens. At the same time, American Jewry
has celebrated Turkey's stance as a Muslim country that has good
relations with Israel, and which, by and large, supports America's
initiatives on Islamist terror.
Turkey should not feel threatened by an acknowledgment of what
happened to Armenians 90 years ago. But for nationalist reasons, the
Turks consider any measure that speaks of genocide to be an insult
that will destroy their alliance with the United States and their
relationship with Israel.
Unfortunately, organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League have
found themselves in the crossfire on this issue. And though most
of organized Jewry still opposes the congressional resolution, the
Turks seem to be blaming Jewish influence for its passage last week
in committee. But by trying to force those who value Turkey and its
unique role in the region to oppose the resolution, they are putting
us in a position where it can be argued that we are denying genocide
or at least downplaying it. That is clearly too much to ask. The
genocide of the Armenians is a fact.
Those who say that friendship with Turkey is unimportant also remain in
a state of denial. The country is at a delicate stage of its history
as Islamist political forces are edging ever closer to tilting the
country away from its secular traditions. Should Turkey move from
being a force for stability in the region to one that is aggressively
seeking to exploit tensions (as is the case with its battle with
Kurdish nationalists in northern Iraq), that would be a disaster.
Turkey's stance opposing the remembrance of Armenian suffering is
not reasonable, but neither is a position that heedlessly chucks a
vital alliance into the trash can. Choosing this particular moment in
history to pick a fight with Turkey makes no sense. The bad judgment of
those who have pushed this resolution forward has created a situation
where it may not be possible to avoid choosing between remembering
murder and keeping Turkey as a friend. If so, it should be clearly
understood that, no matter which side prevails in Congress, both
options are unacceptable.
Jewish Exponent, PA
Oct 25 2007
Is it possible to condemn genocide without helping to lay the
foundation for another catastrophe? That's the difficulty faced
by those who are debating the wisdom of a congressional resolution
condemning the massacre of Armenians by Turkey during World War I.
Jews are sensitive to the grief that Armenians feel over the mass
murder of their people, as well as the ongoing need to condemn genocide
whenever and wherever it happens. At the same time, American Jewry
has celebrated Turkey's stance as a Muslim country that has good
relations with Israel, and which, by and large, supports America's
initiatives on Islamist terror.
Turkey should not feel threatened by an acknowledgment of what
happened to Armenians 90 years ago. But for nationalist reasons, the
Turks consider any measure that speaks of genocide to be an insult
that will destroy their alliance with the United States and their
relationship with Israel.
Unfortunately, organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League have
found themselves in the crossfire on this issue. And though most
of organized Jewry still opposes the congressional resolution, the
Turks seem to be blaming Jewish influence for its passage last week
in committee. But by trying to force those who value Turkey and its
unique role in the region to oppose the resolution, they are putting
us in a position where it can be argued that we are denying genocide
or at least downplaying it. That is clearly too much to ask. The
genocide of the Armenians is a fact.
Those who say that friendship with Turkey is unimportant also remain in
a state of denial. The country is at a delicate stage of its history
as Islamist political forces are edging ever closer to tilting the
country away from its secular traditions. Should Turkey move from
being a force for stability in the region to one that is aggressively
seeking to exploit tensions (as is the case with its battle with
Kurdish nationalists in northern Iraq), that would be a disaster.
Turkey's stance opposing the remembrance of Armenian suffering is
not reasonable, but neither is a position that heedlessly chucks a
vital alliance into the trash can. Choosing this particular moment in
history to pick a fight with Turkey makes no sense. The bad judgment of
those who have pushed this resolution forward has created a situation
where it may not be possible to avoid choosing between remembering
murder and keeping Turkey as a friend. If so, it should be clearly
understood that, no matter which side prevails in Congress, both
options are unacceptable.