Us Presidents And Their Unfulfilled Promises To The Armenian People
US Presidents and the Armenian Genocide
Promises Never Delivered
Theodore Roosevelt
May 11, 1918, letter to Cleveland Hoadley Dodge
. . . the Armenian massacre was the greatest crime of the war, and the failure to act against Turkey is to condone it . . . the failure to deal radically with the Turkish horror means that all talk of guaranteeing the future peace of the world is mischievous nonsense.
Herbert Hoover
The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover, 1952
The association of Mount Ararat and Noah, the staunch Christians who were massacred periodically by the Mohammedan Turks, and the Sunday School collections over fifty years for alleviating their miseries-all cumulate to impress the name Armenia on the front of the American mind.
Gerald Ford
Addressing the US House of Representatives
Mr. Speaker, with mixed emotions we mark the 50th anniversary of the Turkish genocide of the Armenian people. In taking notice of the shocking events in 1915, we observe this anniversary with sorrow in recalling the massacres of Armenians and with pride in saluting those brave patriots who survived to fight on the side of freedom during World War I. - Congressional Record, pg. 8890
Jimmy Carter
May 16, 1978, White House ceremony
It is generally not known in the world that, in the years preceding 1916, there was a concerted effort made to eliminate all the Armenian people, probably one of the greatest tragedies that ever befell any group. And there weren't any Nuremberg trials.
Ronald Reagan
April 22, 1981, proclamation
Like the genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it, . . . the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten.
George Bush, Sr
April 20, 1990, speech in Orlando, Florida
[We join] Armenians around the world [as we remember] the terrible massacres suffered in 1915-1923 at the hands of the rulers of the Ottoman Empire. The United States responded to this crime against humanity by leading diplomatic and private relief efforts.
Bill Clinton
April 24, 1996, White House statement
Eighty-one years ago today, in the city of Constantinople, more than two hundred Armenian civic, political, and intellectual leaders were arrested, deported, and subsequently executed. That day marked the beginning of one of this century's darkest moments.
I join with Armenians around the world, on this solemn day, in commemorating the senseless deportations and massacres of one and a half million Armenians that took place from 1915 - 1923 in the Ottoman Empire. Tragically, our century has repeatedly borne witness to man's senseless inhumanity to man. Together we mourn the terrible loss of so many innocent lives.
Despite this tragedy, your faith and courage helped you survive and prosper. You never lost sight of your heritage; you preserved it and passed in on through the generations. As a result, Armenian Americans have made immense contributions to America's prosperity, science, and culture. Your great spirit also kept alive the dream of an independent Armenia and helped overcome Soviet rule. Today, that same spirit is helping to build a free and prosperous state in your homeland. Your contributions around the world, and now especially in Armenia, honor the memory of those who died unjustly in the massacres.
As we rededicate ourselves to the future of Armenia as a free and prosperous state secured by lasting peace with its neighbors, I extend to Armenians across the globe my heartfelt wishes for a meaningful observance.
George W. Bush
February 19, 2000, Candidate for President
Mr. Edgar Hagopian
Mr. Vasken Setrakian
Dear Edgar and Vasken,
Thank you for your inquiry to my campaign regarding issues of concern to Armenian Americans.
The twentieth century was marred by wars of unimaginable brutality, mass murder and genocide. History records that the Armenians were the first people of the last century to have endured these cruelties. The Armenians were subjected to a genocidal campaign that defies comprehension and commands all decent people to remember and acknowledge the facts and lessons of an awful crime in a century of bloody crimes against humanity. If elected President, I would ensure that our nation properly recognizes the tragic suffering of the Armenian people.
The Armenian diaspora and the emergence of an independent Republic of Armenia stand as a testament to the resiliency of the Armenian people. In this new century, the United States must actively support the independence of all the nations of the Caucasus by promising the peaceful settlement of regional disputes and the economic development of the region. American assistance to Armenia to encourage the development of democracy, the rule of law and a tolerant open society is vital. It has my full support.
I am encouraged by recent discussions between the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The United States should work actively to promote peace in the region and should be willing to serve as a mediator. But ultimately peace must be negotiated and sustained by the parties involved. Lasting peace can come only from agreements they judge to be in their best interests.
I appreciate the tremendous contribution of the Armenian community to the United States. The Armenian community has been and will continue to be a model of dedication to values of faith and family.
Sincerely,
[signed] George W. Bush
Barack Omaba
In a Jan. 19, 2008, campaign statement, candidate Obama said, "As a senator, I strongly support passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106 and S.Res.106), and as President I will recognize the Armenian Genocide."
Mar 5, 2010, WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Friday sought to limit fallout from a U.S. resolution branding the World War One-era massacre of Armenians by Turkish forces as "genocide," and vowed to stop it from going further in Congress.