Commentary
Thomas de Waal
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Source: Getty
In The Media
Armenians in U.S. Double-take as Obama Balks on Using ‘Genocide’ in Commemoration
Friday marks the 100th anniversary of the mass killing of 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Turks, but President Obama won’t be using the term ‘genocide’ to describe them.
Published on Apr 22, 2015
Source: KPCC AirTalk
Friday marks the 100th anniversary of the mass killing of 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Turks, but President Obama won’t be using the term ‘genocide’ to describe them.
The White House broke the news Tuesday in meetings with Armenian American groups, contradicting a promise then-Senator Obama made while campaigning for president in 2008 to “recognize the Armenian Genocide.”
Maybe nowhere in the U.S. does this news hit harder than in Los Angeles, which is home to the largest Armenian population outside of Armenia or Russia. The White House says the decision was made in order to keep relations with Turkey, a NATO ally, stable in the hopes of cooperation on Middle Eastern conflicts.
Did the White House make the right decision, politically, in not using the word ‘genocide?’ What would the impact be on U.S.-Turkish relations if he did? What does this decision mean for U.S. foreign policy?
About the Author
Thomas de Waal
Senior Fellow, Carnegie Europe
De Waal is a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, specializing in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus.
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Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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