President Obama has an endless number of problems these days. Late last year, when Senators blocked several of his ambassadorial nominees, including the one to Turkey, the president resorted to the rarely used tactic of appointing ambassadors without Senate approval, while Congress was in recess.
Unfortunately for Obama, his unconventional fix could be short-lived. If by the year’s end the Senate does not confirm his “recess appointments,” these ambassadors must abandon their posts and return home in ignominy.
Obama’s nominee to Turkey, Ambassador Francis Ricciardone, was in Washington on Aug. 2 to see if the Senate Foreign Relations Committee would confirm his appointment. During his appearance before the committee, he antagonized several Senators by making statements that were replete with Turkish propaganda. When confronted with Turkey’s deplorable policies on human rights, its occupation of Cyprus, and denial of the Armenian Genocide, the ambassador gave a series of evasive and dubious answers.
In response to a question from Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) as to whether the United States had ever denied the Armenian Genocide, Ricciardone regurgitated his poorly memorized talking point: “I stand behind President Obama’s characterization of the ‘Yedz Meghern’ [sic], as the Armenians themselves call it…” Unfortunately, he mispronounced “Medz Yeghern” by reversing the first letters of the two words, making it clear that he had no idea what he was talking about. If he really wanted to use an Armenian word, he could have simply said “tseghaspanoutyoun,” which means genocide!
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will reconvene in September to consider Ricciardone’s nomination after reviewing his written responses to questions submitted by the Senators following the Aug. 2 hearing. We have obtained copies of the six responses Ricciardone sent to Sen. Menendez last week. The questions covered such issues as Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s “authoritarian tendencies,” the return of Christian churches to their rightful owners, Turkey’s refusal to remove its troops from Cyprus, Turkish banks circumventing U.S. sanctions on Iran, Turkey’s blockade of Armenia, and the U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide.
Ricciardone avoided responding to just about every question he was asked. The one time that he did give an answer, he got himself in big trouble by making the following patently false statement:
Sen. Menendez: “To the best of your knowledge, approximately how many of the more than 2,000 Christian churches functioning prior to 1915 on the territory of present-day Turkey are still operating today as churches?”
Amb. Ricciardone: “Most of the Christian churches functioning prior to 1915 are still operating as churches. Some churches of significance operate as museums. The remaining have fallen into disrepair or were converted to mosques for lack of use.”
This is simply an incredible answer from a seasoned ambassador who is supposed to be extremely knowledgeable about Turkey, since he has had several postings in that country and speaks fluent Turkish. Ricciardone’s problem is that he identifies himself too closely with Turkey. A year ago, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) placed a “hold” on Ricciardone’s nomination, accusing him of “quickly adopting the positions and arguments of his Egyptian diplomatic counterparts,” during his posting in Cairo. “Given these questions, I am not convinced Amb. Ricciardone is the right Ambassador for Turkey at this time,” Brownback advised Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in his Aug. 16, 2010 letter.
Ricciardone is now making the same mistake in his new posting in Turkey. He has actually become the mouthpiece of the Turkish government rather than the official representative of the United States in Ankara! Unfortunately, Brownback is no longer in the Senate to place a new “hold” on Ricciardone, but there must be other Senators who will do so, to make sure that an American ambassador upholds U.S. interests overseas rather than doing the bidding of the host country.
How could anyone explain, let alone justify, Ricciardone’s nonsensical and false assertion that most of the Christian churches in existence prior to 1915 in Turkey are still functioning as churches? In fact, the exact opposite is true: Only a handful of Christian churches are still functioning as churches in Turkey today, not counting the few dozen Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian churches of Istanbul. Ricciardone’s vulgar attempt to justify the conversion of churches into museums or mosques is a supreme insult to all Christians.
Ricciardone has clearly disqualified himself from serving as U.S. ambassador to Turkey. One or more Senators should place a new “hold” on his nomination to keep him away from doing any more harm to U.S. national interests.
Harut Sassounian
This is a rather bizzare article! It appears that nothing short of an ambassador who hates the Turks and Turkey would be acceptible to the Armenian community. Besides, Amb. Francis Ricciardone was sent to Turkey as an an\mbassador, not Armenia! What Armenians think on the appointment DOES NOT matter! Why would US send an ambassador to a country that is hated by the appointed ambassador? That DOES NOT make sense!
Did you not read the article? Opposition is based not on whether he likes or dislikes Turkey, but because he is ignorant about a major foreign policy priority of the United States – religious freedom around the world, including in Turkey. Our country was founded upon a quest for religious freedom and a major priority for us as a nation is to promote it around the world. Amb. Ricciardone is completely oblivious to the plight of Christians in Turkey.
Whether you’re Armenian or non-Armenian should not matter. As an American, we should not want to appoint ignorant Ambassadors.
Any American whether or not they are of Armenian origin who advocates going against our National self-interest by indulging with this obsession with an event that happened in 1917 is a traitor to this country. If you embrace a fragile ethnic based identity over the interests of the country that they call their own they should be on the next plain to Armenia and see how long you last in the worst economy in the region rife with corruption.
I agree with Robert. Amb. Ricciardone is not the right person to be nominated as United States ambassador to Turkey, as he is ignorant about a major foreign policy priority of the United States – religious freedom around the world, including Turkey. There were more than 2000 churches functioning in the Ottoman Empire, before 1915 Genocide of Armenians, Syriacs, greeks, Assyrians, Pontians and other christians. Most of those churches were abandoned, or have fallen into disrepair, or converted to mosques, or confiscated by Ottoman or Turkish governments, not because of lack of use, but because, those christian communities were massacred during Genocide of 1895-1915, or driven away by force by Ottoman perpetrators (Talaat, Enver, Behayeddin Shakir, Jemal pashas etc.), leaving behind, in tears, their lovely homelands and churches of their forefathers, and seeking refuge in Arab hospitable countries, who humanely accepted them, and I’m a descendant of such survivors of the Armenian Genocide.
To Derek:
It IS in our natiional self interest to keep morons, the blatantly biased and ignorant people from representing our government around the world. America USED to stand for honesty and integrity wherever we went —“Truth, Justice and the American way” if you will. I still believe in that America and will not allow us to become anything less! How about you? This has to do with lying and promoting a foreign government’s propaganda. It has nothing to do with indulging with this obsession over and event that happened in 1917″[sic]. Do you propose ever Jew in the US who supports Israel at every opportunity also move to Israel?
Having lived and taught English in Turkey many years ago, I’m amazed that this issue is still being debated by those who wish to deny the mass killings and forced deportations of Armenians that occurred in and around what is now modern day Turkey. To me this denial is as ridiculous as it would be for present day Americans to deny that slavery occured in the US prior to the Civil War. Governments committed evil acts in the past and no doubt will do so in the future. I’m sure there are many, many Turks who would have no problem in acknowledging the truth of history, but the US government seems to be afraid to push the issue. To me, this ongoing timidity of my government is the problem.
Sam Palmer,
Are you saying that anyone that likes Jews should hate Germans??????????????????
IF NO, then why “It appears that nothing short of an ambassador who hates the Turks and Turkey would be acceptible to the Armenian community.” ?????????????????????????????????????
Are you a racist or Turkish agent??
Sam Palmer:
According to you if one speaks the truth about the state of Christian churches in Turkey then he/she hates the Turks? Alternatively, if you like a country or a person then you should lie about facts just to please them and you think that you would be doing them a favor? We shouldn’t scold our children for bad behavior because that would mean that we hate them. What kind of logic is that?
I guess, you also think that Orhan Pamuk, for example, hates his country and his countrymen because he is not afraid to speak the truth. To me he does it out of deep love for his country, not out of love for Armenians or Kurds, because he is wise enough to realize that no real progress is possible without facing the ugly facts about ourselves.
Sam Palmer thinks it is ok for a US diplomat to be completely ignorant about the country he is going to or be a two-faced cowardly liar. How is a person with such characteristics going to do a good job representing our national interests?
Derek:
In this particular case, the question is about Christian churches and Armenian churches are among them. I wouldn’t call this an issue that is strictly about Armenian interests. And how is it exactly againts our national interests? Aren’t we very much a Christian nation? You don’t think Christian monuments, as well as other religious monuments, should be respected and preserved everywhere in the world?
In general, I bet you wouldn’t dare even open your mouth, let alone criticise Foxman or any other Jewish person for acting in Israel’s interests.
Why get upset by Derek’s and Sam’s comments, they are neither racists nor agents, most probably work for one of the agencies who get paid by the government of Turkey, otherwise why would they be reading an Armenian newspaper.
Cheryl- I want to thank you for voicing your opinion and sharing your views.. I wish we had more people like who would speak up… who understands and gets it….appreciate you taking the time to get the records straght for some ignorant individuals…
Gina jan– apres.. loved your posts…
AR– great question….:)
Sam (or should I say Arnold) Palmer… so you think your logic is accurate and makes sense?? you believe that anyone who is appointed to a post should love or hate what he or she i representing??? have you even stopped and thought about the fact that any govt official SHOULD and is REQUIRED to represent what is just and right???? … I am sure you had some time to think about what you wrote and realized that “ooppss… damb…i sound dumb writing that.. I should have kept my mouth shut”… now they think I am such an idiot writing that… “”””…….
Derek– just for your information.. it is 1915 and not 1917.. when you post on a discussion thread, beso kind as to provide ACCURATE data…. obviously you have no clue what you are talking about; hence your logic of anyone going against our national self-interest is absolutely ridiculeous…. are you even a US Citizen??? if you are, shame on you.. i am embarassed for you to make such an unintelligent comment…If not, i would say study your lesson before ou jump in a very organized, intelligent discussions…
Good Day
It wonders me… Why did Obama need to appoint such as a Ricciardone as American Ambassador to Turkey… Is a Turkey such a great ally to the leadership of the United States of America?? Actually, it is as “in your face” to Armenians… What has Armenia done to deserve such opposition/treatment? What has a Turkey done to deserve such ______ – so many words come to mind… but the question still remains.. WHY?
I wish to expand further on what Nigol T- above-has correctly posted.
These are ,almost surely paid agents-lobbyists- by great Turkey and/or direct agents of that govt. We never came to organzie our counter intelligence agency or establishment in the Diaspora*s.And when I wrote an article in Hairenik weekly in Armenian, only a few months ago that it was high time we did that, no one responded.Fact of the matter is only a couple yrs ago great Turkey placed 120-that is the number mentioned in Haratch weekly of Paris gave-at the Ankara chair for Armenian language learning,and these from their military. I further asked , for assigning them to go to the moon…
You see, we ARE AN UNORGANZIED lot in the Diaspora.Shame on us!!!!!
We should get re-organized through what I always insist our PCA’s,Professional Colleagues Associations -+in 15 fields-+ and through these huge collectivities create our National Investment Trust Fund/.The nucleus of which by our Magnates.A one billion dollar working capital,as initiation then the millionaires all the way down to one thousand dollars investors to one hundred dollar so ,as investors, not donations…FOR MONEY TALKS.Organize first of all REPATRIATION AND THEN SOME>>ASK ME , challenge me for more details, I shall be aty your entire disposition to explain further how we can go about it ASAP.
Best to to those who will comprehend the importance of above few lines