April 24, 1915 A.D. is the date fixed for the beginning of the Armenian Genocide where over 1.5 million Armenian Christians were slaughtered by the Turkish Muslims through deportation, starvation, slave labor, and concentration camps.
Today President Obama referred to the Armenian Genocide as “one of the great atrocities of the 20th century.” Thus breaking his campaign promise of calling it a genocide in deference to Turkey’s delicate sensibilities to their Armenian question.
This display of masterful verbal calisthenics has not been seen since Bill Clinton’s impeachment hearings of ’99. President Obama skillfully used over a 100 words to explain these ‘atrocities’ instead of utilizing the more efficient use of ‘genocide’, which is one (1) word exactly (comments mine).
“(O)ne of the great atrocities of the 20th century. I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in 1915, and my view of that history has not changed (a falsehood). My interest remains the achievement of a full, frank and just acknowledgment of the facts. The best way to advance that goal right now is for the Armenian and Turkish people to address the facts of the past as a part of their efforts to move forward. (The Armenians who were massacred in the final days of the Ottoman Empire) must live on in our memories. Reckoning with the past holds out the powerful promise of reconciliation. I strongly support efforts by the Turkish and Armenian people to work through this painful history in a way that is honest, open, and constructive.”
For the article click here.
To learn more about the Armenian Genocide click here.
Update I: The following are excellent articles relating to today about the Armenian Genocide.