ANCA chairman: Obama completed his surrender to Turkey

PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. President Barack Obama, once again, used euphemistic language and verbal gymnastics to characterize the murder of 1.5 million Armenians in his annual April 24 remembrance day statement, breaking his pledge as Senator and Presidential candidate to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide as President, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) comments.

"President Obama today completed his surrender to Turkey, shamefully outsourcing U.S. human rights policy to a foreign state, and tightening Ankara's gag on American recognition of the Armenian Genocide," said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "The President's capitulation to Turkey - on this, the last April 24th of his term - represents the very opposite of the principled and honest change he promised to Armenian Americans and to all the citizens of our nation. President Obama's pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide stands today as a stark lie, a painful promise etched on the hearts of all who had hoped and worked for change, but who, today, have been betrayed by a politician who failed to live up to his own words."

In his April 24, 2012 statement, Obama said in part, “Today, we commemorate the Meds Yeghern, one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century. In doing so, we honor the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians who were brutally massacred or marched to their deaths in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire. As we reflect on the unspeakable suffering that took place 97 years ago, we join millions who do the same across the globe and here in America, where it is solemnly commemorated by our states, institutions, communities, and families.”