Hachikian: “Mr. President, we need not lie for Turkey; nor are we obliged to passively accept its transparently false denials.”
WASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) joined growing calls for U.S. leadership in challenging Turkey’s manipulation of the Syria crisis, through direct and indirect support for ISIS, as part of its century-long genocidal drive to weaken or destroy Kurds, Armenians, Arabs, Assyrians, Alawites, and other ethnic minorities within or near its borders.
In a letter sent to the White House earlier today, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian urged President Obama to continue fighting ISIS militants, but noted that the international community cannot stop there, saying that the U.S. must, “in equal measure, forcefully confront Turkey, a treaty ally, that is using these terrorists as surrogate soldiers in a neo-Ottoman drive to destroy minorities, grow its regional influence and expand its borders – all at the expense of U.S. interests and counter to the core values of the American people.”
Expressing regret over Vice-President Biden’s recent “forced” apology to Turkey for speaking truthfully about the Erdogan regime’s destabilization of the region, Hachikian stated, “Mr. President, we need not lie for Turkey; nor are we obliged to passively accept its transparently false denials. Rather than turning a blind eye to Ankara’s ongoing aggression – in Kobane, Der Zor, Aleppo, Kessab and across northern Syria – we should press for a halt to Turkish support for ISIS, an end to its interference in Syria, and the unconditional opening of its border.”
The ANCA has launched a nationwide action alert urging advocates to write to the White House and call for an end U.S. silence in the face of Turkey’s destructive interference in Syria. To take action, visit: http://www.anca.org/savekobane.
Over the past two days, ANCA representatives have joined with Kurdish Americans at White House protests calling for U.S. leadership in ending ISIS aggression.
The text of ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian’s letter to President Obama is available in full below.
***
October 8, 2014
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
In the wake of the devastating ISIS assault on Kobani, I am writing to urge you to challenge Turkey’s aggressive exploitation of the Syria crisis, through its active support of extremist fighters, in order to complete its century-long genocidal drive to weaken or destroy Kurds, Armenians, Arabs, Assyrians, Alawites, and other ethnic minorities within or near its borders.
Sadly, Ankara’s success in bullying successive U.S. Administrations into silence on the Armenian Genocide and inaction in the face of Turkish brutal repression of Kurds has spoiled Turkey’s leaders into believing, with considerable justification, that they can openly strong-arm the United States on other key regional issues. The most recent example of this troubling trend is, of course, the sad spectacle of Turkish President Erdogan forcing Vice President Biden into a public apology for telling an obvious truth about Ankara’s well-documented support for ISIS.
Mr. President, we need not lie for Turkey; nor are we obliged to passively accept its transparently false denials. Rather than turning a blind eye to Ankara’s ongoing aggression – in Kobani, Der Zor, Aleppo, Kessab and across northern Syria – we should press for a halt to Turkish support for ISIS, an end to its interference in Syria, and the unconditional opening of its border. Parallel to this, our government must issue strong warnings to ISIS to cease its attacks on civilian areas in Kobani, Aleppo and elsewhere, and to allow humanitarian corridors, including from Aleppo to Latakia.
We must roll back ISIS, an avowedly anti-American military force committing horrific atrocities, and, in equal measure, forcefully confront Turkey, a treaty ally, that is using these terrorists as surrogate soldiers in a neo-Ottoman drive to destroy minorities, grow its regional influence and expand its borders – all at the expense of U.S. interests and counter to the core values of the American people.
We thank you for your consideration of our concerns, and ask, once again, for a meeting with you to discuss the crisis in the Middle East, your unmet pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide, the security of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, and our community’s other policy priorities.
Sincerely,
[signed]
Kenneth V. Hachikian
Chairman
Armenian National Committee of America
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My comment is: I don’t expect Obama to do the right thing. The US’s relationship with the Turkish government is byzantine, to say the least. Just as it is with the Saudis. Let us not forget that Saudi Arabia and Qatar supported the Rebel factions in Syria early on…but things quickly got out of control when ISIS emerged as a threat to civilized mankind and began cutting off heads of Westerners and persecuting Christian minorities and other minorities–notably the Yazdis and Kurds. It’s the old story: sectarian violence Sunni vs Shiia/Alawi. That’s the real root of the problem. The Saudi, Turks, Qatari provide support to the Sunni rebel factions in Syria. Their goal is to topple Bashar al-Assad and bring Syria under control of the Sunni. The media has reported about the actions of Hafez al Assad against the Muslim Brotherhood, but few know the real story re: 1981, 1982 Hama Massacres, 2004 Qamishli, and recently, 2010 and 2012 Hama massacres.. The US seeks support from the Turks if we look the other way re: their support of ISIS. Wink, Wink. It makes me sick to my stomach when Turkey joins the coalition of nations against ISIS when they continue to profit from black market ISIS oil, provide safe haven to ISIS, and want an excuse to establish a so-called buffer zone in Syria. This is crazy! I give up as most the civilized world does….
A great letter Ken may it be fruitful and effective. Keep up your wonderful work. Regards, Movses& Anna Movsesian; Plymouth,Mi
In spite of Turkey’s ongoing aggression in Kobane, Der Zor, Aleppo, Kessab, and across northern Syria, as well as the ongoing Turkish support of ISIS, the United States still continues its disgusting policy of overlooking every single criminal act committed by Turkey. It claims to be the most powerful country in the world, but yet, it just can’t get itself to stand up against the persistent crimes being committed by the Islamic terrorist state of Turkey. What does this make the United States look like? It makes it look like a coward. And even when Turkey demands an apology from the vice-president of the United States for speaking truthfully about the Erdogan regime’s criminal activities in that particular region of the world, he ends up apologizing. That’s rather sickening!