Transcript [PDF] - House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats
Transcript [PDF] - House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats
Transcript [PDF] - House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats
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28<br />
ing there was widespread killing of civilians, both Turks and Armenians.<br />
The Ottoman troops suppressed the uprising, and had it<br />
ended there this resolution would not be before us today.<br />
The Ottoman Government, after putting down the uprising, decided<br />
to put an end to what they saw as the Armenian problem.<br />
The slaughter that followed, the slaughter of defeated and unarmed<br />
people, mostly noncombatants, was a crime not just against<br />
Armenians, but against humanity.<br />
So because I am now confronted with voting for a resolution<br />
about this many decades old issue, but I am confronted with a resolution<br />
that is basically truthful, I cannot vote against truth. I<br />
would add this, though, that this resolution is being supported<br />
based on the belief that it will at long last close the book on an<br />
issue that should have been resolved long ago. My vote and the<br />
vote of my colleagues is not intended to create more conflict, but<br />
instead to resolve it.<br />
Specifically, this is a vote to set the record straight and to get<br />
the issue resolved and behind us. This is not an endorsement of<br />
reparations and a demand for which will not bring about healing,<br />
but will open the door to new and unending conflict. This is about<br />
the truth. It is not about reparations, which will not right a wrong<br />
of 100 years ago, but instead will create more conflict today. Let<br />
us resolve this issue, not open up new conflict.<br />
With that said, I will vote for this resolution because it is truthful,<br />
and the truth is also that Turkey is a friend and has been a<br />
good and reliable ally, a nation of Muslims who represent a democratic<br />
and moderate force in the Islamic world, but because they<br />
are a positive and important force in the world and a friend and<br />
have proven their friendship does not mean that we should refrain<br />
from acknowledging the truth when we are confronted with it, especially<br />
if it is a truth about a crime long ago.<br />
But to basically refrain from acknowledging the truth when it is<br />
there, you have to make that decision because it will upset a friend<br />
is not a reasonable supposition. If Germany, which was so important<br />
to us during the Cold War, would have been upset that we acknowledged<br />
the Holocaust and it was suggested that I should vote<br />
against a resolution acknowledging the Holocaust to spare Germany’s<br />
feelings I would have rejected that notion and I would have<br />
voted to acknowledge the Holocaust.<br />
Today we reconfirm our commitment to truth, the truth of history,<br />
and we offer a sincere hope as well that our friendship with<br />
Turkey is strong enough to withstand the acknowledgement of a<br />
darker moment in that country’s history. We have darker moments<br />
in our history as well, as do every country. You get past those<br />
darker moments and you shut the book by acknowledging the truth<br />
of what wrongs were committed in the past.<br />
America has committed wrongs in the past. That doesn’t mean<br />
we need to dwell on it, but they need to be acknowledged in order<br />
to correct it. So with that said I will be voting for this resolution,<br />
and now that I have gotten both sides of this issue mad at me I<br />
yield back the balance of my time.<br />
Chairman BERMAN. The gentleman yields back the balance of his<br />
time. The gentleman from Tennessee, Mr. Tanner, for what purpose<br />
do you seek recognition<br />
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