When is the Right Time? House Delays Vote on Armenian Genocide

Barlow Der Mugrdechian
Advisor

On October  10, 2007, the House Foreign Affairs Committee narrowly passed a resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Passage of the resolution by the full House would mean officially recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Opposition to the resolution had primarily come from the White House and the State Department, along with lobbying by the Turkish government. The Turkish government had hired former U.S. Congressman Richard Gephart, and others, to lobby against passage of the Resolution.

Congressional supporters of the Resolution called for a vote on the House floor for full consideration and passage. Although more than 225 Congressmen had earlier signed on as supporters (more than the 218 majority needed to pass), pressure intensified on some representatives to withdraw their support.

The most commonly heard reason for opposing the resolution was, "It is the wrong time to consider the resolution."  The argument was that passage would damage relations between Turkey and the United States or that the United States military interests in Iraq would be subject to increased danger. The war in Iraq is a "bad time" to consider a Genocide resolution.

It has been ninety-two years since the Armenian Genocide. When will it be the right time? According to the arguments made by the Turkish lobby and certain diplomatic circles, there never would be a right time.

The same type of argument was made in 1990 in a Senate debate and later in 2000 by President Clinton. There would never be a right time if it were up to the perpetrators, the Turkish government.

 It is clear that the resolution will not be brought up soon and may be delayed until 2008. Under pressure from lobbyists, House sponsors of the resolution, that would label as genocide the 1915 killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks, have asked Speaker Nancy Pelosi to delay a vote on the measure.

A letter signed by four primary sponsors of the resolution, California Democrats Adam Schiff, Anna Eshoo and Brad Sherman, and Frank Pallone, D-N.J. requested that the vote be delayed. "We believe that a large majority of our colleagues want to support a resolution recognizing the genocide on the House floor and they will do so, provided the timing is more favorable," the lawmakers told Pelosi in a letter.

The group said they would continue to work with leadership "to plan for consideration sometime later this year, or in 2008."

Is it expected that Armenians and supporters of the resolution will be satisfied with the delay? When is the right time? The campaign against passage was marked by persuasion and coercion, with our own State Department leading that effort.

Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), who opposes the resolution, called the debate a "debacle" by Democratic leadership. "This entire situation calls their judgment into question," said Boehner. I think that it is Boehner and like-minded Congressmen whose judgment should be called into question. Since when is it right to avoid having the courage to speak the truth on such an important question? Political expediency is no excuse for standing up for the truth.

Efforts to pass such a resolution are important in the struggle for admission of the Armenian Genocide.

The right time is now.