Harman flip-flops on Armenian genocide resolution
In the long, unhappy life of the congressional resolution to officially recognize and commemorate the Armenian genocide, there have been many moments (from the Armenian point of view, which I broadly share) of parliamentary treachery -- then-House speaker Dennis Hastert withdrawing the resolution at the last minute in 2000, both presidents George Bush vowing as candidates to officially recognize the genocide then dropping the pledge once in the White House, and so on.
Now we can add to that list ... hawkish South Bay Democrat Jane Harman! Even though Harman is one the bill's 226 co-sponsors, she nonetheless wrote a letter to House Foreign Relations Committee Chair Tom Lantos Wednesday urging him to withdraw it from consideration, and announcing that she will oppose the very resolution she affixed her name to. Excerpt:
My father was a refugee to the United States from Nazi Germany. I understand the consquences of ethnic and racial persecution, and am comitted to fighting and condemning acts of genocide wherever they occur. That is why I agreed to cosponsor H. Res. 106. I am convinced that a terrible crime was committed against the Armenian people. That crime should be recognized and condemned.
However, following a visit to Turkey earlier this year that included meetings with Prime Minister Erdogan, the Armenian Orthodox Patriarch and colleagues of murdered journalist Hrant Dink, I have great concern that this is the wrong time for the Congress to consider this measure.
Due to my security focus in the House, I have made 18 trips to the Middle East region over the past 14 years and am persuaded that Turkey plays a critically important role in moderating extremist forces there. Given the nature of the threat, I believe it is imperative to nurture that role -- however valid from the historical perspective, we should avoid taking steps that would embarrass or isolate the Turkish leadership.
In other words, the Turks are wrong, but they're just too important to piss off. Jane'll fight tomorrow's genocide, but would rather not talk about yesterday's. Still, the Foreign Affairs Committee has scheduled a vote for next Wednesday, and Democrats are predicting the bill will pass the House.
I wrote about the bizarre politics of saying "genocide" back in April.
At this day and age, one should look for more evidence than just claims regarding the genocide. Where are the mass graves of these unfortunate souls? No other genocide in the world vanished into thin air before, so why should this one? I don't believe there was a genocide. If the Turkish Sultan killed even a handful of Armenians, it was wrong. As a Turk, I would condemn this myself, but I am not convinced that there were that many Armenians living in that area at that time in history to start with. I have not seen any evidence to believe the outside claims. The people who blindly believe in this awful genocide are only promoting division and hatred in the area. I am really sorry, but since there is no proof other than just blank claims, let's learn to love one another and live in peace. If any mass graves are found, I would be first to press the Turkish government to do something about it. Let's get on with life and not allow the powerful Western governments from influencing the area in a negative way and stopping us from thriving together politically and economically.
Posted by: Kübra | September 20, 2008 at 03:43 AM
Rep. Jane Harman is being disingenuous in the explanation she provides for flip-flopping on the Armenian Genocide resolution ("The genocide vote. Now is not the time," LAT, Oct. 12, 2007).
If, as she says, she changed her mind after going to Turkey in February, why did she then wait for nine months to tell Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying that she opposed the resolution?
Furthermore, why did she sent a confidential letter to Pelosi saying that she will vote the resolution, while keeping her name on the list of co-sponsors? She probably wanted to have it both ways -- benefit from the support of the Armenian-American community by fooling them into thinking that she supports their cause, while secretly undermining the resolution's approval! She posted her letter on her website only after her ruse was exposed.
Flip-flopping is bad. Being disingenuous is much worse -- even for a politician who wants to be on both sides of an issue!
Harut Sassounian
Posted by: Harut Sassounian | November 08, 2007 at 12:46 PM
This is an extremely poetic video in response to all that is going on surrounding the Armenian Genocide Resolution:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=L3_VOukV8KQ
Hye Standards!
Posted by: Theo | October 20, 2007 at 07:50 PM
WHAT ABOUT THE AZERBAYCAN GENOCIDE AT THE HANDS OF THE ARMENIANS??????
Posted by: lucy | October 19, 2007 at 01:16 PM
I think that Turkey needs to really change its ways regarding the Armenian genocide. I'm very sympathetic to the Armenian cause and have close friends who are Armenian. I love Armenia!
However, the United States Congress is not Constitutionally authorized to deal with anything other than the United States. I did not elect my member of Congress to deal with internal Armenian and Turkish matters, just as I certainly would not put up with a Turkish politician passing resolutions concerning the United States.
Inflation is soaring, a war is raging, our troops are coming home in body bags, and all this sad pathetic Congress can do is pass a proclamation on a genocide that happened 100 years ago that has already been given a proclamation by our President and passed in the House twice before? If it's been passed in the House in the '70s and '80s, why are the lobbyists working for this again?
I'm tired of politicians appealing to special interests. Most of the people who signed on to this resolution want monetary donations from Armenians, plain and simple. They don't condemn what's going on in Darfur or Burma right now or give a thought to that (because refugees from Darfur and Burma aren't going to be able to line their pockets with moolah for the next election). They sit in their comfy offices on Capitol Hill with their lavish salaries and are now waiting for the Armenian dollars to roll in. I'm sick of it, and every new bill that comes out of this, the worst Congress ever, just sinks them into a bigger quagmire of idiocy and corruption.
Armenians-- do not donate to them and fall into this trap. They don't really care about the Armenian genocide, and I guarantee 99% of them couldn't even show you Armenia on a map, tell you one fact about Armenia, or have the slightest appreciation for the great country Armenia. They only see dollar signs when they pass this bill for you. I love Armenia, but I truly think that it would have been better for Armenia's safety and security if this bill had not been passed.
Posted by: Gloria | October 12, 2007 at 01:46 AM
It is a shame that Turkey refuses to aknowledge undeniable crimes. I am convinced that some Turkish intellectuals would like to speak out ... but they
risk their lifes.
I agree that the resolution can have bad consequenses..but do we have other options with such stubborness from Turkey?
I am really uncomfortable with having turkey in the EU. I hope it will never happen. it makes no sense to extend the EU endlessly...it will collapse and the Bush administration will use its military ally to split the EU.
Posted by: Dubliner | October 11, 2007 at 12:38 PM
Jenny, you are one of the most uneducated people I've ever read in a blog. If you don't know anything about the topic then at least refrain from posting. The Ottoman Empire was huge and contained various groups of people, including a large community of Turks and Armenians. So Turks were in the Ottoman Empire and you don't know what the hell you are talking about.
Furthermore, it is very reasonable and expected for Armenians to demand some type of reparation for the events that occurred. Didn't the Jews demand it and receive it after WWII? Haven't we implemented steps to repair the damage of hundreds of years of African slavery? So reparations are accepted and reasonable and you still don’t know what the hell you are talking about.
Lastly, do some legitimate research and cut the crap about the genocide "not happening". The only propaganda or "politics" here is that of the Turkish government and its pawns it has spoon fed since birth to believe in the denial. Those that have the information available and continue to deny are just blinded by their Turkish nationalist beliefs, which is fine but I care little to hear from them.
I love the abundant hypocrisy of it all. Denounce Iran's Ahmadinejad for questioning the Holocaust but deny the Armenian Genocide to not upset our ally. If we are carrying the theme, I think we might as well put that delusional nut on the ballot in 2008.
I’ve heard a mention of open dialogue regarding the historical facts. Open dialogue of facts? Why don’t we grant the same to Iran and the issue of the holocaust? The answer is simple, it’s because it’s absurd. You want to bring in scholars from Turkey? A country whose censorship has crippled the opportunity for much of their scholars to get proper resources and you want to hear what they have to say? A censorship that has hampered any opportunity for them to join the European Union. It’s troubling for the small amount of scholars who referred to the genocide with its proper title have been thrown in jail and forced to pay fines.
Here are some names for you…. Orhan Pamuk and Hrant Dink. There are many more but you guys can get some information about these two virtually anywhere so check it out. Until next time, peace and love. =)
Posted by: Mike | October 10, 2007 at 08:33 PM
......Armenians are a bunch of cry babies. Whatever happened, happened under the Ottomans, not the Turks.
All they're after is money, money, money.....that's what's going to happen, right after they get their "genocide" resolution passed...they're going to want "compensation".
What slimeballs.
Posted by: Jenny | October 10, 2007 at 01:06 PM
Mr. Schwartz.
Please read the resolution. The link is found at the beginning of this blog.
If you choose not to read it, then allow me to summarize: nowhere in the resolution does it reference Armenian sources or your alleged "Armenian propaganda". Instead, it refers to "national archives of Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Russia, the United States, the Vatican and many other countries".
Armenians don't need to propagandize, but they need to do something to counterbalance a well-coordinated and well financed Turkish campaign that tries to confuse, misdirect and threaten everyone into accepting their version of history.
With your line of reasoning, Raphael Lemkin (who coined the word "genocide"), the Anti-Defamation League, Elie Weisel, and many Israeli historians are all "Armenian propagandists". Please direct your hostility towards them.
Posted by: Artin | October 10, 2007 at 11:02 AM
The genocide claims of Armenian Diaspora should be titled "Armenian Propaganda". How this fits into a genocidal claim is the work of money hungry politicians. Armenian lobby, one of the strongest in Washington is simply trying to buy a genocide to savor war-mongering Armenian state.
Imagine our country being invaded by multi national forces during wartime with plans to split this country up, a minority group whose lived in this country takes sides with the enemy hoping to create their own state and begin killing Americans. This is exactly what Armenians did. Turks resented Armenians who lived in their country for hundreds of years and reacted strongly. Majority of deaths occurred during deportation due to hunger and illness. Even today, almost 100 years after WWI, the same fate could occur in most countries, under similar conditions. The number of Armenian deaths are inflated while number of Turks dying are deflated. Russians did provide Armenians their own country after the war but it was under their communistic regime. 50 years later, genocide became an issue to claim their independence from the communists and get world attention.
If Armenian claims are so true, why won't the Armenia and Russia open their archives to the world for examination? What do they have to hide? Maybe the crimes they're responsible for against the Turks? Why is it the business of the politicians to decide historical issues and not the historians?
Turkey has been our most dependable ally for years. In fact, Turkey fought side by side with US in Korea, saving many US soldiers from slaughter. Ask any Korean veteran about Turkish soldiers brave acts. Turkey has been our friend through cold war, Korean war, Gulf war and all major conflicts. What has Armenia done for our country?? I can't think of one major contribution. In fact, they've been close friends of Communist Russia and continue to harbor Russian bases and military. Why would our politicians even support this country if they were not receiving large sums of contributions? This alone makes it the wrong reason to support this propaganda. Nancy Pelosi should open up her books and come clean about how much she's received from the Armenian diaspora.
This propaganda only jeopardizes our friendship with Turkey and confirm to the people of Turkey that our politics are self centered without respect to the truth, facts and respect to the people of a country we consider an ally. This issue should be left to the historians and is not worth risking our friendship with a major ally. Let historians decide historical issues, not money hungry politicians whose only goal is to get re-elected.
Posted by: Richard Schwarz | October 10, 2007 at 07:52 AM
Mr. New York - and - New York Istanbul
When you run out of ideas you repeat yourself. Your latest posting is the same as your previous posting verbatim. Your behavior illustrates the point I made in an earlier post, that modern-day Turkey is not much more than a re-hashed and re-packaged Ottoman Empire - minus the Empire bit, plus Internet access... not impressed.
Open dialogue between the Turkish and Armenian societies will be possible when the reasonable ones among you (there are many of them, trust me) get the upper hand in the future. It will be a tough battle for them to completely repeal that absurd Article 301 of the Turkish penal code, and then to revise the history books in the country to reflect the truth about the Armenian Genocide. Turkish children deserve at least that level of respect from their elders.
We're not very optimistic of that happening anytime soon, but we're around when that day comes.
Posted by: Artin | October 10, 2007 at 01:22 AM
Stop using the Holocaust to legitimize your made up genocide claims !
I dont think there is any other ethnic group or a Nation on this planet that would use the suffering of another nation and try to take advantage of it.
J.E.W.S suffered the biggest tragedy of the 20 th century and you guys sink so low that you try to use all that pain all that suffering to your benefit.
you associate your genocide claims with the Holocaust to gain recognition.
one can only sink so low.
If in fact your claims were real and supported by real documents not fabricated ones ISRAEL would've been the first country to recognize your allegations as a country who suffered a real genocide her self.
since Israel hasn't done that for the last 60 years and never will that alone should tell you people or someone who can look at this thing objectively that there is something wrong with this picture.
you revolt against your own country
you side with the enemy in a war that your country" Ottoman" is a party based on the promise" given by Russia and France" of having your own country
you pick up arms and start killing your neighbors and innocent people
than you get your ass kicked by the Turks
and than you go around the world and tell people that you were subjected to a genocide.
I am not sure who in their right mind would define that as a genocide.
that is not genocide that is war and that' s what people do in a war.. kill each other i know this may come to most of you as a surprise.
i am not sure what you guys expected Turks to do.... just sit there and wait for you guys to slaughter them..... you guys are so pathetic
here in this country we killed over 250.000 Japanese people " mostly civilians" during the WW ll with two bombs that is not to say that , that is something we're proud of that is to say that that's what war is about. i dont think you Armenians understand this concept or dont wanna understand it.
than after the bombs just like an honorable nation would do like Germany they accepted the defeat and got on with their lives and become some of the most prosperous countries in the world.
again i guess, expecting something Honorable from Armenians is " from looking at your comments here " asking too much.
You dont hear Japanese going around the world saying that they were subjected to genocide.. because that is not a genocide nor your claims.
Jews never revolted against Germany
Jews never sided with German's enemies
Jews never picked arms and started killing their neighbors Germans
those are the very reasons you guys will never ever get the support of Israel or the Jews for your made up claims.
you should be ashamed of your self to try take advantage of someone elses pain.
I think, it is high time for you people to face the realty because American public has started asking questions about your tall tale story. Since you guys came in to this country before Turks did. you guys have been deceiving Americans for decades and now there are enough Turks in this country to go around and tell people what really happened
Posted by: Mr.Newyork | October 09, 2007 at 02:57 AM
Mr. New York - and - New York Istanbul
Posted by: mt | October 09, 2007 at 10:24 PM
armenians pouring money like crazy to many congressman like Adam Shift,Rodanavich,Kollenberg and many others,
now few Congressman wants to defend Turks they are up and arms about it,
hyprocrats. just 15 years ago they have massacered 1000's of Azeri people in Khocali,burned them live just like they did 90 years ago to Turkish women and children while ther fathers in the war and far away.
and the result they have lost the fight now they cry about it.it was a war .NOT A GENOCIDE
armenians should look at themslves before pointin finger.to others.remeber when you live in glass house do not throw a stone,
thank you
Posted by: mt | October 09, 2007 at 10:20 PM
Mr. New York - and - New York Istanbul
When you lose the argument you modify your name and keep going.
Revolts are legitimate means of resistance against immoral regimes like the now defunct Ottoman Empire. Knowing the Ottomans' history of brutality against their minorities, one would think that modern Turks would try to distance themselves from that embarrassing past. Apparently not.
This is the crux of the problem. Modern Turkey is continuing with the same means as the Ottoman Empire in its dealings with its minorities. One entire century has been completely wasted.
They lost the empire then they changed their name/alphabet/clothing, bought new weapons and now they keep going. Sad.
Posted by: Artin | October 09, 2007 at 10:13 AM
Stop using the Holocaust to legitimize your made up genocide claims !
I dont think there is any other ethnic group or a Nation on this planet that would use the suffering of another nation and try to take advantage of it.
J.E.W.S suffered the biggest tragedy of the 20 th century and you guys sink so low that you try to use all that pain all that suffering to your benefit.
you associate your genocide claims with the Holocaust to gain recognition.
one can only sink so low.
If in fact your claims were real and supported by real documents not fabricated ones ISRAEL would've been the first country to recognize your allegations as a country who suffered a real genocide her self.
since Israel hasn't done that for the last 60 years and never will that alone should tell you people or someone who can look at this thing objectively that there is something wrong with this picture.
you revolt against your own country
you side with the enemy in a war that your country" Ottoman" is a party based on the promise" given by Russia and France" of having your own country
you pick up arms and start killing your neighbors and innocent people
than you get your ass kicked by the Turks
and than you go around the world and tell people that you were subjected to a genocide.
I am not sure who in their right mind would define that as a genocide.
that is not genocide that is war and that' s what people do in a war.. kill each other i know this may come to most of you as a surprise.
i am not sure what you guys expected Turks to do.... just sit there and wait for you guys to slaughter them..... you guys are so pathetic
here in this country we killed over 250.000 Japanese people " mostly civilians" during the WW ll with two bombs that is not to say that , that is something we're proud of that is to say that that's what war is about. i dont think you Armenians understand this concept or dont wanna understand it.
than after the bombs just like an honorable nation would do like Germany they accepted the defeat and got on with their lives and become some of the most prosperous countries in the world.
again i guess, expecting something Honorable from Armenians is " from looking at your comments here " asking too much.
You dont hear Japanese going around the world saying that they were subjected to genocide.. because that is not a genocide nor your claims.
Jews never revolted against Germany
Jews never sided with German's enemies
Jews never picked arms and started killing their neighbors Germans
those are the very reasons you guys will never ever get the support of Israel or the Jews for your made up claims.
you should be ashamed of your self to try take advantage of someone elses pain.
I think, it is high time for you people to face the realty because American public has started asking questions about your tall tale story. Since you guys came in to this country before Turks did. you guys have been deceiving Americans for decades and now there are enough Turks in this country to go around and tell people what really happened
Posted by: Mr.Newyork | October 09, 2007 at 02:57 AM
Shame on Turkey, what a mess they made. USA is blackmailed? Saddam could not mess with USA, how is Turkey able to do so? Armenian Genocide is a fact and should be properly recognized!
RIP all the victims of genocides. Armenian Genocide, Jewish Holocaust, Rwanda, Darfur whats the difference, they are all human beings.
Posted by: Mr. Beemer | October 08, 2007 at 09:47 PM
I think New York Istanbul forgot about the Kurds when he stated that there are no more enemies within Turkey's borders.
Posted by: Ralph | October 08, 2007 at 09:03 PM
My question is to Mr Paul Friedman. Can you tell me sir, with what enmity is Jewish lobby tarred with, that has consistently, for the past 20 years, put pressure on American government to block passing of any resolution on Armenian genocide? Is that the Turkish dollars or the need to be the only ones on history's receiving end of apologies?
Armenians have lost over 300000 fighting Hitler and Nazi regime. One would think that the political lobby of a nation that has suffered over 6 million innocent massacred, would sympathize with another, which suffered the same kind. Or at least step aside. But no. Jewish lobby is in a shameful position of playing political games with another nations Holocaust, throwing dirt on their own.
How dare you mock Armenian's efforts of achieving justice for their history.
Armenian genocide, as well as Jewish Holocaust do not belong only to historians. They are living lessons for today's world, for as long as anti Semitism exists for Jews and Turkey's article 301 and denial for Armenians.
Posted by: Jacob | October 08, 2007 at 08:54 PM
BUSH IS VITO OF SCHIP
Posted by: Armine Akopyan | October 08, 2007 at 04:15 PM
Dear Rep Harman,
I see recently you have caved into Turkish pressure and have unabashedly done a 180 concerning HR106 (the Armenian Genocide Resolution).
I could continue with this letter and accuse you of being a hippocrate (in light of you background), but this would fall on deaf ears as you have shown your lack of scruples in a most stunning way.
Basically congresswoman, your denialist actions are unforgivable.
With that said, I hope the Turks have paid you well for your treachery because given the large amount of Armenian-American voters in CA, you will be out of a job next term.
I personnaly will work hard to make this happen.
Posted by: Daron | October 08, 2007 at 03:15 PM
I wonder if any of the above posters who feel it is inappropriate to recognize the Armenian Holocaust have ever complained about US official recognition of the Jewish Holocaust and the tax dollars that built and support the Holocaust museum?
Have any of you been outraged that the president of Iran questions the Jewish Holocaust?
If the US stopped supporting Israel and sided with Iran on the issue of the validity of the Jewish Holocaust would we have been attacked on 9/11 or be fighting Islamists all over the world?
If we are going to pick the Turkish version of history why not the Taliban's?
Posted by: Charles | October 08, 2007 at 02:53 PM
New York Istanbul,
Tâlât was right. Genocide was, in his mind, the final solution to cleanse his empire of its perceived enemies. Your reference to getting rid of "internal enemies" is your way of implicitly agreeing with Tâlât. For those readers who are unfamiliar with Mehmet Tâlât Paşa, he was the minister of interior affairs in the Ottoman Empire who oversaw and directed the annihilation of the Armenians, and who, after WWI was convicted to death in absentia by the Ottoman military tribunal for those crimes. The Ottomans certainly earned their enemies.
What you're not realizing is that right now Turkey is missing an historic opportunity to come clean, and preemptively accept responsibility of its past crimes. It would certainly be more dignified than to have other countries tell them to do so. Even if the Genocide bill does not pass this week, two things will still be true: There is no statute of limitations on Genocide, and reasonable Turks will eventually guide Turkey out of its intransigence.
Posted by: Artin | October 08, 2007 at 02:07 PM
Artin ,
You are right, we lost Ottoman Empire. But it is not a bad thing for us, because we don't have as many enemies withinin our borders now as we did back then.
Posted by: New York Istanbul | October 08, 2007 at 10:55 AM
Salting the wound will not help anybody. There is a vicious circle we need to break. There's already a huge Anti-Turkish sentiment in Armenia and the passage of this resolution will boost the animosity against Armenia in Turkey. And they will feed each other until another tragedy.
Posted by: Turk 29 | October 08, 2007 at 10:49 AM
Harman commits political suicide for a fistful of blood-stained turko-dollars.
Her chances for re-election are now zilch. Good riddance.
Posted by: Duuude | October 08, 2007 at 02:50 AM