Comments on: An Apology for Guenter Lewy

By: john1915

john1915 — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 22:57:00 +0000

Vildan, “threaten Historians”? Article #301 ring a bell? How many historians are hiding or in jail or being prosecuted in Turkey today? It is you Turks that threaten historians and hide behind laws under “insulting Turkishness” for anyone going against the official Turkish denial of it’s own Archives. The Armenian archives are open but it is insulting to Armenians to “create a historical commission” which is only there to waste more time as the Turks want. Also the ICTJ was asked a few years ago by both Turks and the Armenians to conclude upon genocide and they did conclude that the events of 1915 do constitute genocide. The Turks just ignored their conclusion. The Armenian genocide is the second most studied genocide with the grand majority of historians and scholars all agreeing to the fact that it was the first genocide of the 20th century. Also the LPLC settled with that phony Lewy before going to trial. The LPLC would have won as Lewy would have to prove damages which he couldn’t. Settling with Lewy was a mistake for the LPLC.

By: Random Armenian

Random Armenian — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 04:55:44 +0000

vildan,

Does Lewy know Ottoman Turkish? Did he visit the archives? My understanding is no and no. As for Lewis, and others who argue against genocide are missing the point about how the Armenian population as a whole was targeted. The deportation of a population still makes no sense and unjustifiable. You can point to dashnaks and other groups, but we are talking about targeting the overall unarmed Armenian population.

The comparison with the Japanese internments makes no sense. What happened to them is acknowledged as wrong and an apology has been made by the US.

It is my understanding that Taner Akcam and Dadrian have visited the Turkish archives but not all the archives are open, particularly the most revealing ones. And this is assuming that there have not been purges in the archives.

As for the Armenian archives, the first Armenian republic was founded after the genocide in 1918 and would not contain anywhere near relevant documents as the Turkish archive, if any.

Besides, you should also look at the American and German archives and how they consistently describe unfolding events as systematic.

Last but not least, this is not about how everyone lost people on their side, it’s about how.

By: vildan

vildan — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 01:53:44 +0000

Random Armenians, so called American scholars, none of them can speak or read Ottoman language, so how can they prove something as a genocide without even reading the accused governments’s documents? and those documents are open to researchers, Turkish government saying, come and research, why people afraid of this? Historian Bernard Lewis can read and write ottoman, he researched the archives and says it was NOT a genocide, also Gunther Lewy, says it was not genocide, why are you ignoring them?? Is it some french historian who cannot read or write ottoman, who decides this? or some politicians?
If and when they prove it was a genocide, then I will be the first one the admit, Yes it was. I am waiting till this time.
Don’t get me wrong, lot of people on both sides got killed, and Armenians who were deported suffered a lot. I am sorry for all the people during WW1. lot of massacres on all sides happened. Do you think Russians were such human rights respecting army that they did not massacred Turks? Or French in Cicilia Adana.
I will not accept some politician from US or France to tell me it was a genocide, they should look at their own governments genocides first then talk about others. especially France being part of the Rwandan genocide just recently 15 years ago!

By: Random Armenian

Random Armenian — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 17:11:28 +0000

vildan,

American, Jewish as well as Turkish, and genocide scholars have asserted that what happened to the Armenians was genocide. You are deliberately ignoring this. You’re ignoring the research put forth and making it sounds like it’s only something Armenians are saying. I have been to seminars where Turkish scholars have openly talked about it as genocide.

This is not so much about grudges as correcting a piece of history that has been deliberately covered up by the Turkish government. Even you don’t buy into the genocide idea, what has been openly talked about over the past 10 years in Turkey contrasts greatly with the official history that the Turkish government as pushed on its people.

By: vildan

vildan — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 07:19:20 +0000

for the truth, Historians (american, jewish etc, note not turkish) are saying it was not Genocide, so i should just ignore them and believe you? for truth, read objective history, read How Armenians joined Russians and attacked Ottomans during ww1, then we can talk. we are not denying bad things, killings happened on both sides. or there were deportations, there were. But to say it was genocide, you accuse us, then you need to prove, not me! in the court of law, you need to prove, not the innocent(or accused) has to prove his innocence. For real historians, there is no proof for genocide even as you wish there was (even that sounds as sick in mentally) I think as a people you need to move on, forgive, ask for forgiveness, and forget, life is too short to hate people or hold grudges.
Love and peace.

By: vildan

vildan — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 07:10:29 +0000

John1915, you are the one who is hiding, Turkey asked Armenia to open their archives and also russia, Armenia refuses to open old archives! so they must have something to hide! Also why do you threaten Historians? Let them research, you did this with Mr. Lewy, it did not work I am so happy the courts in USA is just! unlike in France, where Parliament passed a law for genocide and Bernard Lewis was punished and fined for not calling it a genocide and saying there was NO GENOCIDE! so let me think these historians who can read and write old ottoman language think that there was NO GENOCIDE but some politician in France or USA with no Turkish or old ottoman knowledge, can decide it was a genocide!?? give me a break, which planet are they living? Instead of Turkey, they should concentrate on Algerian Genocide, Vietnam, Rwanda, Indian genocides, Turks got nothing to hide, we are asking for historians to decide, not politicians.

By: M.Yakut

M.Yakut — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 23:15:14 +0000

@john1915

“The US congress just adopted a resolution condemning the illegal occupation, cultural destruction and human rights violations of Cypress by the Turks.”

john1915, This is not because Turks did illegal occupation, cultural destruction and human rights violations of Cypress.

This is simply because current regressive Mohammedan AKP and Mr.Erdoagan’s government got in to confrontation with Israeli government to gain the sympathy of other Muhammedan , hence the Israeli lobby in the USA and elsewhere in the world.

But, you are right in your prediction of “It is only a matter of time that the US congress joins the rest of the modern world and all credible historians in condemning the first genocide of the twentieth century:”

It is said that this is already accepted by Mr.Erdogan and AKP government and agreed to make it happen.

It is said and reported that Mr.Erdogan and AKP government had an agreement with the previous Bush administration to set the groung for USA accept the events as Genocide to continue building their totalitarian, regressive Mohammedan monarchy.

So, as you see how “Genocide” used in politics and everywhere else not only by the Armenians but the Turks themselves to reach their political goals.

On that note, all the Armenians and Greeks, Pontic Rums and Syriacs as well as Kirmanchis, Zazas, Loki and Sorans should be thankful to Mr.Erdogan and AKP for making their dreams true.

By: john1915

john1915 — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 13:24:04 +0000

The US congress just adopted a resolution condemning the illegal occupation, cultural destruction and human rights violations of Cypress by the Turks. It is only a matter of time that the US congress joins the rest of the modern world and all credible historians in condemning the first genocide of the twentieth century: The Armenian , Greek, and Assyrian Genocides by the Turks.

By: Hagop Hagopian

Hagop Hagopian — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 03:32:25 +0000

I am hopeful that one day everyone will recognize the ASALA murders of Turkish Diplomats who were killed during their duties as Genocide. We did not forget it and we will never forget it.

By: john1915

john1915 — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 22:24:45 +0000

Vildan you have a million and one excuses anything but the truth. The truth is Turkey wanted the lands and the wealth of their victims including over one million Assyrians murdered. Who did they side with?Turkey also occupied other races for hundreds of years. By ww1 most all broke free of the horrible Turkish occupation however the GREEKS, Assyrians and the Armenians were not so lucky. Their lands were right in ANATOLIA SO IN 1915 THE TURKS DECIDED UPON GENOCIDE AND CARRIED IT OUT. It was a planned liquidation. ALL CALL IT GENOCIDE.

Also ALL those lands were either Greek or Armenian that you call Turkey today. All was stolen through murder. PS Why is it against the law to to confirm the Armenian genocide in Turkey today? You have much to hide?