Sassounian: 96 Years Later, Turkey Still Pays Price for Genocide Denial

” no bite in their bark” ,  is that how you see turkish people`s representative “as dogs” .  

   Whether we care to admit or not, the Turks are crafty politicians. They have become quite adept at spinning events and messages to their advantage. Given this it is incredible that
they continue to operate with pure emotion when it comes to the Genocide. The Iranian diplomat’s comments at the end of Harut’s column are significant. I am certain that there are many politicians in Turkey that understands that continued denial of the inevitable is not a wise approach. The hole they are digging only gets deeper.
     All the more reason for us to understand that somewhere in the back rooms of Ankara, there is a clear understanding that this debate is over. Erdogan is popular in Turkey and imaginative , but is out of touch on this one. He leads with emotion and that is not in the best interests of Turkey. It is in our best interests to move on to reparation discussions and let the Turks catch up when their timing and leadership accepts what will happen at some point.
       Our job is to facilitate this process with our lobbying, keep the diaspora and ROA on the same page and to be prepared for the step beyond recognition. The outrageous responses of the Turkish leadership will accelerate resolution as it creates further responses.

Hasan Yildiz’s comment above demonstrates why it is so difficult to conduct a level headed and productive dialogue with many Turks.  A simple figurative expression is taken literally and over-reacted to.   This over-sensitivity to perceived insult will only hurt Turkey in the long run.  

“As an Iranian diplomat recently noted: “The Armenian Genocide is a Damoclean Sword hanging over Turkey’s head.” Sooner or later, a wise Turkish leader will come to realize that acknowledging the genocide is more beneficial to Turkey than its continued denial.”

Former Ambassador Omer Engin Lutem cautions that the banning of genocide denial “on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide would constitute a significant victory for Armenians.”    Note:  No denial of genocide in this statement, only the fear that Armenians might “win.”  Since when is the death of over 1 million people and the loss of a nation’s historic homeland a victory?

I still wonder where the fai-minded Turks are who understand that this is not about winning or losing, but about right and wrong and a just resolution?

Stepan —   It seems to me Turks are sly, nimble, and violent, but not ‘smart’ politicians. One need not be ‘smart’ to advance state policy objectives by mass murdering indigenous people and then portraying their cultural achievements as Turkish. It’s cheap, not smart. Turks were also fortunate in modern history: first, rescued from destruction by the French and the British during the Crimean War; then by the withdrawal of the Russians from the Caucasus fronts in 1915-197 that gave Turks carte blanche to commit the genocide of the Armenians; and then as a NATO member-state during the Cold War and after. This is not smartness. Often times geography plays more determinant role than the brains—or the lack thereof—of the politicians. Armenians are considered a smart nation given their known contributions to the human civilization, but our geography is no friend of ours.

I commedn all posts(excluding  the yuilmaz).A lessto him and other such  who have expressed  France  committed Genocide  in Algiers. Not  quite so ,at least not with a scopecomparable to what the Ottoman turks did to Armenian(Ermeni) Rayas.
Moreover  all or near all other Euroepan nations/states, suchas the Belgian(Belgian congo), the Dutch, the Portuguess, the spaniars   have also committed attrocities plus   this side   of the ocean to native Americans  by incoming Euors.But the have  admitted doing so and compensated as much as possible. Not so with great Turkey.They continue their  erronesou stance towars a people  that  BEST  SERVED  THEIR ANCESTORS!!!!
UNGRATEFULLNESS, as well ,is  one  of their  TRAITS…which cannot be overlooked.
I suggest,we wait.Patience  is a  vertue  Armenians  have which will sooner,rather  than later  render good results.
What  with  the other  PRESENT  THICK PROBLEM   great Turkey faces(that  of  the K U R D S)  and other  nationalities ..and neighbours alike.

Mike —  Assuming you’re a Turk, your irony obviously speaks of silliness not smartness. The US hasn’t so far recognized the Armenian genocide by a legislative act not because Turkish politicians are such smarta***s, but because a host of its own political, military, geostrategic, and economic considerations in the broader region.
 
As a reminder, my post was about the ‘smartness’ of Turkish politicians which I contested, not about Armenian ego and that Armenians are smarter than other nations. But, it comes to no surprise to me that you, as an egomaniac Turk, overreact to anything that’s said about a minor issue involving the Turks, especially if the poster is an Armenian.
 
For the record:  no, we don’t think that we’re smarter or more glorious than any other nation on this planet, but we pride ourselves by the fact that we’ve enriched human civilization with our contributions in sciences, engineering, art and literature, architecture, religion, music, business and trade.
 
And no, six billion (actually, seven already) people wouldn’t live in wild forests and deserts trying to hunt each other to survive if it were not Armenians, but Armenians wouldn’t expect those wild peoples, such as your nomadic forefathers, to invade indigenous people of Asia Minor form the steppes of Central Asia and bring destruction, colonization, and genocidal extermination upon us.
 
God has blessed all Armenians even without your fake prayers, as He allowed us to survive the Ottoman Turkish barbarism.

Hasan– stop acting like you don’t know what it means “no bite in their bark”…… ESPECIALLY when your ancestors called my ancestors infidel dogs… i would just suggest for you not to say anything because as we said… “smartness” is not Turkish govt’ and the denialists forte..

John the Turk-apparently it is a big problem John oglu.. otherwise you denalists including your govt’s most horrible representatives would not jump on Sarkozy’s throat for what he said..  

YES!!!!!!!