President Trump is upset that Congress is moving to pass a bill to condemn Turkey for Genocide.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) blocked a Senate resolution that would have officially recognized the Armenian genocide following a request from White House officials, he told Axios on Sunday.
Graham said he blocked a resolution previously passed by the House because Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was in town to meet with President Trump at the time. Turkey vehemently opposes recognition of the genocide, which was committed by the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1917.
“After the meeting, we kind of huddled up and talked about what happened,” Graham told Axios on Saturday, referring to senior White House officials, who he said asked him to “please object” to the Senate resolution.
“I said sure,” Graham told Axios, adding, “The only reason I did it is because he [Erdoğan] was still in town.”
I am no fan of Erdogan or Turkey but what will condemning Turkey for something that happened 100 years ago do? None of the people that was involved in the Armenian genocide is alive today to condemn. Best just retake Constantinople that would be the real condemnation, and while there at kick them off of the illegal occupation of Cyprus.
I get that. But then a few days later after he had left Trump got another senator to object when this was brought up again.
I also get that Trump is trying to get Turkey to give up their Russian S-400 air defense system…trying to decide if this is a worthy enough goal for Trump to go realpolitik (I shouldn’t say “go realpolitik”. As much as Trump is anything, he is realpolitk which is why I actually don’t often criticize his fp unless I think it’s counter to the interests of the US. There’s realpolitk and then there’s just plain retreat).
Trump is doing the same thing with respect to Hong Kong…holding off criticizing China because he wants that trade deal. That I think is a huge mistake…one he may no longer be able to keep doing though.
Except as pointed out, after Erdogan had left, a few days later the resolution came up again…and Trump got Senator Perdue to object.
Again- there is the matter of negotiations with Turkey for them to drop the Russian S-400 system. I’m reading up on that to see what I can find.
So I’m willing to give Trump the benefit of the doubt on this one…just wanted to make it clear this wasn’t being blocked just because Erdogan was in town.
What is to be gained in this condemnation of an act that took place over 100 years ago and if…it’s so important to do so, why hasn’t it already been done under previous administrations? Why now?
Yep…which is what motivated my question? You’re attempting to answer why Trump wants to shut it down. I’m asking, why is it coming up anyway and why now? There has been over 100 years for Congress and the Senate to condemn this so…why now?
I’m not attempting to answer why he’s shutting it down. I KNOW why he is…and I’m kind of in agreement pending further review over what’s being negotiated.
All I was doing was calling out that he didn’t have Lindsay block it solely because Erdogan was in town.
I personal find it dishearten that people can’t publicly say “Turkey you committed genocide” because it might upset someone.
Genocide is bad, Turkey should be condemned for it till the end of time, does that mean we can’t move on on and still have future relations, no I don’t see Germany complaining when people talk about the horrors of WWII.
I don’t see the German government suggesting the holocaust didn’t happen, which is what Turkey is doing.
the fact we allow our governments to refuse to hold our allies accountable for genocide because its good for “Business” makes me wish global warming would happen sooner so we could all die off.
the fact we can allow Turkey to openly deny this genocide took place that they killed 1.5 million people because of their ethnicity is ■■■■■■■ disgusting.
like I said Germany doesn’t whine every time someone talk about the holocaust.
