Obama's Promise Reminder: Armenian Genocide

The story is titled "Barack Obama Campaign Promise No. 511" and marked as No Action. Whether President Obama is going to keep his promise and recognize the Armenian Genocide we will know on April 24th of this year.

When we started looking for President Obama's campaign promises, we knew we might not find all of them, and we hoped our readers would alert us to promises we had missed. Today we are adding our first promise based on reader feedback: Obama's pledge to recognize the Armenian genocide.

The issue has been a hot-button issue on the world stage because the government of Turkey has objected to the use of the term "genocide" as inaccurate and inflammatory.

A 2007 resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives said the Armenian genocide was carried out by the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923, and resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million. The resolution failed in the face of Bush administration concerns that it would alienate Turkey, which borders Iraq.

So we add this promise to our database as promise No. 511.

We looked at the campaign website of Barack Obama where he wrote about the Importance of the US-Armenia relations. Obama used the word Genocide 11 times in describing the events of 1915.

Her particularly writes:

"I also share with Armenian Americans – so many of whom are descended from genocide survivors - a principled commitment to commemorating and ending genocide. That starts with acknowledging the tragic instances of genocide in world history. As a U.S. Senator, I have stood with the Armenian American community in calling for Turkey's acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide. Two years ago, I criticized the Secretary of State for the firing of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, after he properly used the term "genocide" to describe Turkey's slaughter of thousands of Armenians starting in 1915. I shared with Secretary Rice my firmly held conviction that the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence. The facts are undeniable. An official policy that calls on diplomats to distort the historical facts is an untenable policy. As a senator, I strongly support passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106 and S.Res.106), and as President I will recognize the Armenian Genocide."

Turkey, to this date, has refused to recognize the systematic killings and deportations of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide describing them as tragic or sad events. Turkey has refused even to apologize in the face of the human tragedy.

A 2007 resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives said the Armenian Genocide was carried out by the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923, and resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million. The resolution failed in the face of Bush administration concerns that it would alienate Turkey, which borders Iraq.

Genocides and crimes against humanity can be prevented in our small world if we all recognize them and condemn them.

The denial of the Armenian genocide did not hesitate other perpetrators to commit other crimes against humanity such as the Jewish Holocaust (Israel do this date has not recognized the Armenian Genocide afraid of hurting relations with Turkey), Rwandan genocide and Darfur.

We call on Turkey to take responsibility for its past and face an honorable future. Turkey is not better than Germany that has taken responsibility about the Jewish Holocaust and comes clean in today's international arena.

Obama continues to write in the same place.

"Genocide, sadly, persists to this day, and threatens our common security and common humanity. Tragically, we are witnessing in Sudan many of the same brutal tactics - displacement, starvation, and mass slaughter - that were used by the Ottoman authorities against defenseless Armenians back in 1915. I have visited Darfurian refugee camps, pushed for the deployment of a robust multinational force for Darfur, and urged divestment from companies doing business in Sudan. America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to all genocides. I intend to be that President."

Twenty countries have officially recognized the events of killings and exterminating 1.5 million Christian Armenians by the Ottoman Turkey as the Armenian Genocide.

Those countries are:

Argentina
Belgium
Canada
Chile
Cyprus
France
Germany
Greece
Italy
Lithuania
Lebanon
Netherlands
Poland
Russia
Slovakia
Sweden
Switzerland
Urugay
Vatican
Venezuela

Justice and history call on the United States, Israel and Turkey to be the next.