‘Caveat Emptor’ When Shopping for Normalization in the Turkish Marketplace

It is fair to say that the Armenian Diasporan community, especially in the United States, has reason to be mildly euphoric. Presently the political “stars” seem to be properly aligned, encouraging the belief that recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the United States is a doable political event. Every player that counts—from President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Majority Senate Leader Harvey Reid—are all on board. Not to be forgotten is the Armenian Congressional Caucus that has been steadfast in its support of genocide recognition. And added to this formidable list is Samantha Power, an ardent pro-genocide supporter, who serves as a key advisor to Obama on foreign policy and national security matters. However, even with this favorable political line-up, there is no guarantee that recognition will occur this year.

We must wait to gauge the Obama Administration’s enthusiasm to recognize the Armenian Genocide by the words used in acknowledging April 24. With the internal economic pressures facing the administration, as well as an international agenda that is rife with problems, genocide recognition may be put on hold during the next several years of the administration.