WASHINGTON (A.W.)—Below is the full text of the letter sent by five Congressmen to their colleagues on Dec. 20, urging them to join their ranks and oppose the Armenian Genocide Resolution.
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Dear Colleague,
Reports indicate that the House may consider House Resolution 252, a bill that would cause great harm to our strategic relationship with Turkey, a NATO ally currently deployed with US troops. We invite you to join us in signing the letter below.
Current signatories: Connolly, Granger, Cohen, Whitfield, Delahunt, (Alcee) Hastings, Burton, McMahon, Shuster, Poe, Alexander, (David) Scott, Blunt
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House
H-232, The Capitol
Dear Speaker Pelosi,
We write to express our grave concerns regarding possible Floor consideration of House Resolution 252—the Armenian Genocide Resolution. The United States cannot afford to damage the strategic relationship with Turkey—a key NATO ally currently deployed with U.S. forces overseas. Any further action on H. Res. 252 would be profoundly injurious to United States foreign policy and national security interests.
Turkey provides indispensible support to the U.S. led missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. For example, 70% of the air cargo for the U.S. mission in Iraq transits Incirlik Air Base. The air base is also a primary refueling stop for flights to Afghanistan. Moreover, Turkey has 1,700 troops serving in the International Security Assistance Force, and pledged to train 1,500 Afghan Police. Turkey has also pledged $300 million for development projects in Afghanistan, ranging from building schools and clinics to supporting the agriculture and textile sectors. Turkey is geographically important to U.S. interests as well, given its border with Iran. A less quantifiable, but still important value that Turkey provides is a cultural understanding of countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. Turkey is unique in its modern, secular model of a state that is predominantly Muslim.
While we can, and should, debate the best ways to defeat extremism and help strengthen our struggling economy, we certainly should not be considering proposals that will only further damage our country both militarily and economically. Moreover, any movement of this legislation could harm the ongoing negotiations to repair the relationship between Israel and Turkey.
In recent years, United States exports to Turkey have exceeded $10 billion annually and this number continues to grow. In addition to exports, the growth in Turkey’s economy has offered new opportunities for U.S. investors to take advantage of profitable investment opportunities. Continuing to collaborate with Turkey economically will not only help to pull our nation out of recession, but ensure a partnership with a country that will play an increasingly vital role in the global economy in the years to come.
In what may be the last day of the 111th session of Congress, bringing up H. Res. 252 would run counter to U.S. interests. The resolution also has the potential to undermine our national security interests throughout the Caucasus, Balkans, Middle East and Central Asia.
The Resolution only passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee by one vote, only after the vote was left open for several hours—a nearly unprecedented action. Moreover, it is not the practice of the United States to condemn modern-day nations for what their antecedents did. If this were the case, we would be debating resolutions blaming modern-day Russia for Stalin’s purges, modern-day Cambodia for the Khmer Rouge, and modern day England for the Star Chamber.
This is not a partisan issue, but a national security issue. We strongly urge you to not bring this measure to a vote on the Floor of the House during the last days of the 111th Congress.
Sincerely,
GERALD E. CONNOLLY
Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Turkey
STEVE COHEN
Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Turkey
KAY GRANGER
Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Turkey
ED WHITFIELD
Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Turkey
REP. BILL DELAHUNT
Chair, Subcommittee on Europe
I always thought from way, way back when he was a local official that Delahunt was simply a typical, run-of-the-mill, cheap Massachusetts politician, to put it mildly, and nothing he has done or not done since has changed my mind.
He was a D.A. before, and his blindness on the mass murders commited by Turkey is reflected in this murder case he messed up (see Wikipedia entry below). The woman he refused to charge went on to murder SIX people. Nice job, Bill. Please go away and stay away.
From WIKIPEDIA:
In February 2010, questions were raised about how Delahunt and the Norfolk County
D.A.’s office had handled the case of Amy Bishop. Bishop was arrested in Huntsville, Alabama, after shooting six co-workers at the University of Alabama at Huntsville. Reports linked Bishop to the shooting death of her brother in Braintree in 1986. At the time the state police and the medical examiner charged with investigating the shooting determined that no criminal charges were brought against Ms. Bishop.[3]
Five congressman wrote this letter. How about the 140 supporters of the resolution; where is their letter?!
According to the above congressmen, the moral compass, leadership and economy of the US are all up for grabs by the highest bidder. In exchange the bidder will enjoy all sorts of kudos including getting away with mudering 1.5 million people, taking their country, their lands and leasing them to a US base.
This is unAmerican, unethical, discriminotary, criminal and most of all COWARDLY!
Katia,
Your post is most heinous! Please look in a mirror of nations, geopolitics and culture. You’ll then see that all which you described in your post is actually a description of Armenia and dashnak Armenians. You dashnaks seem to love focusing on Turkey for “stealing your land”. What land did we steal? To accuse us of something this ridiculous, you need to also accuse Iran, Italy, Russia, Greece of the same “crime”! yet, no one seems to read anything like this from any dashnak post. Why do you suppose that is Katia? Perhaps the answer can be found in the term which describes many of you…HYPOCRITE! Katia, the problem here isn’t “stolen lands”, but a bad case of SOUR GRAPES! This is due to the extreme envy and jealousy which you all seem to harbor deep down. This then leads to frustration (because you know the truth and simply can’t deal with it, since it’s contrary to all that you’ve been taught as a child), which then leads to anger, finally leading to acts of sheer desperation! My advice to you all, stop your whining already, get over it and move on.
Did you guys really think this time the bill was going to pass? If so, you probably thought obama was going to be different than the others who came before him too. I am not going to go as far as saying that the u.s. is anti-Armenian, but it certainly is not pro-Armenia. The political capital could be better used in getting more funding for Armenia and Artsakh, and the financial capital on projects in Armenia/Artsakh.
Steve,
Why don’t you tell the Palestinians to accept their fate and get on with it too?! Why don’t you tell the Jews to stop making movies about the Holocaust and move on!
Which lands? The six Armenian Villayets. So were the Armenian lands within the Ottoman Empire called by YOUR ancestors. We wanted to break away from the empire just like Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Romania etc etc did. These were the historical Armenian lands that the empire was controlling, and Turkey took them away from us with Genocide.
No we are not envious and jealous that Turkey was able to orchestrate a perfect Genocide, confescate our grandparents assets and use our lands for farming and economic growth, AND has succeeded in buying the silence of the US, England and Israel. We are not jealous! We are outraged at the inhumane injustice of it!
Steve, this stuation has been caused and continues because of Turkey’s unequivocal policy of denial. Had Turkey come clean about the murder of 1.5 million innocent civilians, the illegal confiscation of their “personal” assets and property, the destruction of 3,000+ Armenian churches and monuments in the example of Germany,we would have all, Turks and Armenians been long ago on our way to put this behind us. It is wrong Steve, for a people to completely destroy another people and not only not pay an inch for it, but lie about it, and not offer any explanations to the world! Deporting, killing and stealing are crimes. They do not fall within any social and military norm. An apology and only an apology can be the basis for an honest relationship between the Turks and the Armenians. No one is perfect, but the enormity of the crime of the Genocide is undeniable. You cannot insist on getting away with murder when the victims are demanding acknowledgement and justice, and expect to have people truly, honestly respect you.
Katia jan,
Do not pay attention to scumbags like steve, if that is even his name.
He likes to speak about geopolitics but he fails to mention the only reason anyone takes the backwards country of turkey seriously is due to geopolitics. If it didn’t lie next to the Caucasus, Black and Caspian Seas, Balkans, Russia and in the Middle East no country in the west would pay any attention to them let alone side with them.
To the person calling himself Steve.
You are a turk and do not even have the guts to post using your real name. How typical of you, always brave when hiding always attacking women and children.
So basically asking for the crimes to be acknowledged and the injustice inflicted upon millions makes someone a hypocrite and it is a “bad case of sour grapes”? All that run-on rant with insults implied or explicit only shows that you are scared and afraid of the truth being acknowledge.
You can take your head from where ever it is in and rely on history and facts instead of lies, denials and innuendo. Who would I believe the lies and denials of you and your likes or the tears and cries and prayers of my grandmother and my father, first hand witnesses of the mass killings and Genocide committed by your ancestors?
Yes, western turkey is the occupied and stolen Eastern Armenia, whether you like it or not, and it does not matter if you deny it or acknowledge it, unless if you are too stupid to believe that “Ararat” is a turkish name.
If Armenians are lying as you claim, how do you explain the Greek, Assyrians, Bulgarians, and others that were killed by the turks?
If you call asking for justice a “whining” then you have serious mental problems not to mention your obvious attitude problems. If you tell someone who had his ancestors almost annihilated to “get over it and move on” then you are more stupid than what you already shown to be and no wonder you have no guts to post using your real name.
Like Katia said, go tell the Palestinians “stop your whining already, get over it and move on”, go tell the descendants of the Holocaust victims and survivors “stop your whining already, get over it and move on”, same thing to the Darfur victims and others.
I would like to see YOU get over such a thing.
If we were to let murder and Genocides happen and the perpetrators, and their supporters walk, then why are we even called humans? Why bother issuing laws, and international treaties? It doesn’t matter right? After all, these are just bunch of unimportant Armenians, the people that had scientists, music composers, fine arts, doctors, inventors, poets, …etc, but you turks, the people who produced mostly generals, sultans, and mass murderers are more important, you have the money and for now, the American foreign policy and the NATO needs you.
Count on this, once that interest fades, you’ll be forced to acknowledge all these crimes and pay for them, it is only a matter of time before it happens and the other shoe drops. Take it to the bank.
Therefore, take your so-called advice and you know what to do with it.
After all, for you and your likes it is about the money, not about standing up for the truth and for justice, because if you acknowledge the crimes of the ottoman empire and others, that means according to the Geneva convention, you have to compensate the survivors and their descendants, and return the stolen money, property and land to their owners, something that your types are not willing to do.
So go ahead, twist facts, re-write history, make up excuses, post classless and irresponsible remarks, you’re not the first one to do so and won’t be the last, and after all, since you murdered people, this much easier.
I’ll leave you with my favorite quote from William Saroyan (I doubt that you know who he is or even understand what you are about to read) :
“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” — William Saroyan, Inhale and Exhale 1936.
Delahunt and the rest of the gang have to be voted out at the next congressional elections.
Garo
Steve
LOL which history books have you been reading? False and changed history books of Turkey? you call that knowledge? NO wonder Turkry has such a low IQ with all that population. do yourself a favor and stop embarassing yourself, stop making comments
if you don’t know anything about history. go and read the real history books. no worries you still have time to find out the truth,you might not like the truth, but it would do wonders for your soul.(if you have a soul)
Aram
The guy thinks that only Dashnak Armenians from the vast majority of all the other political groups and independents, want justice. How stupid can a person be?
Thank you Aram, Garo, AR and Jacquelin…
I know it’s a waste of time to respond to scum bags who call “asking for justice” “whining”! Let’s take out justice from the world and start killing and steeling from each other and lie about it why don’t we! I guess that type of behavior is something the likes of Steve consider not only normal, but something to be proud of if “you get away with it”. Apparently all you have to do is silence everyone with threats and money, and tell the victims to deal with it. I thought we were living in the 21st Century. I guess it suits some of us to still live with barbarian rules.
“steve”
No amount of FALSE spin or outright LIES, or false assertions and COMPARISONS and your attempt attempt to shift your turks crimes against Armenians and many others as well as the humanity at large to “dashnaks” or any other entity will bear fruit for your kind. you backward attitude only points to the fact that you have a long ways to go to emerge from your dark middle ages.
I agree with Aram, this Steve must be a Turk and as said by Aram, he is afraid to bring out his true name or otherwise the Turks have brainwashed him. My father & mother whom lived in different provences in Historic Armenia all had their families butchered by the Turks. My mother was the only survivor from her village after losing her two children, husband, father & mother and all her relatives. Thanks to the missionaires that saved her. My father inducted into the Turkish Army escaped, only to find out after the war that they killed his brother whom was in the military along with my fathers wife & three children, father & mother along with many relatives and many were forced to become Moslems or married to Turks. Whoever this Steve is, he better wake up to the truth of the First Genocide of the Armenian People by the Ottoman Turks of 1915-1923.
I agree, he dis some search and came across the name Dashnak and thought that all Armenians must be Dashnaks.
The turks and their supporters do not understand that they are fooling no one, and does not matter the excuses, the twisting of facts and history, the bullying of other countries, the bribery and corrupt tactics they use, and the denials.
The crimes have been committed, and it is only a matter of time before the whole world acknowledges them.
You know, reading this disgraceful letter again, this specific part upsets me most.
“Moreover, it is not the practice of the United States to condemn modern-day nations for what their antecedents did. If this were the case, we would be debating resolutions blaming modern-day Russia for Stalin’s purges, modern-day Cambodia for the Khmer Rouge, and modern day England for the Star Chamber.”
Excuse me?
If this is the case, and if this is some undocumented policy, then why is Iraq STILL paying debts of war that past regime started and caused? Why are the Iraqi people and the CURRENT Iraqi government obliged to pay that debt and abide by the sanctions that a US lead and influenced UN resolution applied against Iraq?
Why today’s Iran is being sanctioned for what Khomeni’s regime was doing?
And why did the US engage in the cold war, punishing Russian governments that had nothing to do with their antecedents’ actions?
Why did Germans post Nazi government apologize and were forced to pay reparations to the allied forces and governments including the USA?
Same thing for Japan?
Are the victims of the Armenian Genocide not humans?Or only the people who died in WWII were humans?
I was expecting some twisting and lies, or the usual smear campaign and excuses to be there, but for a US congressman and his cohorts not know basic history and facts and using their own ignorance as an argument is pathetic.
Aram jan.. WELL SAID.. BRAVO… You presented Excellent counter arguments …
Katia jan… i am with you my dear.. you hit the nail on the head with your comment..
Steve or whatever you call yourself… are you related to Robert???.. He is another Turk who uses Westernized Name.. or you could be Robert who uses the name Steve.. who knows???? You and Dashnak Obsession… is that all they teach you at Turkish school of stupid?.. i don’t know why you embarass yourselves like that with your comments…I just don’t know .. you are doing more damage to your people’s IQ status…History shows that you and your likes don’t have a brain of your own and do what they dictate to you.. why not break away from it? the way you speak and how you speak it is a great example of such ignorance and closed minded upbringing… I pray to Lord Jesus Christ to give you some intelligence… knowledge is power friend.. i suggest for you to get large dozes of them..starting from learning What your ancestors hve done and still do to my people/nation from 1915 to 2010…
I am absolutely frustrated with politicians such as above.. but don’t fret.. God is watching.. these scumbags will pay at the end.. no one lives with such inhumane actions for long.. their day will come…