US Meddles in Turkish Domestic Affairs

9 comments

1. US meddling in Turkey

   This proves one more time that no US administration will acknowledge the Genocide. The intertwined relationship of MIT, CIA, members of Ergenekon are too important to US administartion to follow the route of  honor.

   The interests of USA come before any of other nation’s.

2. Ergenekon = Donmeh

    

   The Ergenkon aka deep state, is a donmeh group and that is why there is pressure on the US administration, especially the congress, to intervene. The entire secularist movement, including Ataturk was donmeh.

   Turks are slowly figuring out who has been in charge of the country since the Ottomans were overthrown. As for the Armenians, they had to be sacrificed to justify the overthrow of the Sultanate.

   Ergenekon having a problem with the pro-western stance of the current government is a myth and it’s a cover. Their issue is just the opposite. They are worried that the current rulers of Turkey are too pro-Muslim.

   When you get close to the truth, they always call it a ‘conspiracy theory’.

   1. Please connect the dots
      Dear HA,

      This theory of Doenmes has been circulating among Armenian circles for as long as I know.  It’s been already more than fifty years that I first came across to a variation of what you state. Did any reputable Armenian author really deal with the matter head on and sift facts from myth all this time? Apart from a few articles here and there I have not seen one.

      It is easy to establish associations between one phenomenon and another. It happens in science too, especially in medicine. That’s why there are so many syndromes. For as long as dots are not connected they are not categorized in the column of diagnoses. Mere theories, mostly based on conjectures and bias, cannot pass for scholarly statements, and hence I’ll treat your "comment" in that context.

      I admit, the subject will not be put to rest.

      The Armenian Weekly and its editors should be commended for taking the step in the right direction by devoting columns to this matter. I would refer the readers to Ayse Gunaysu’s The Jews of Turkey and the Armenian Genocide , a review of Rifat Bali’s work (July 20, 2009), and to chapter IX of Bali’s book A Scapegoat for All Seasons: The Doenmes or Crypto-Jews of Turkey (December 7, 2009).

      Hopefully, similar articles and publicizing the subject will generate the groundwork for in-depth studies in the media and more serious discussions in a number of on-line forums.

      Paregamoren,

      Dikran Abrahamian

      1. Why aren’t the dots connected?
         Perhaps for the same reason you felt compelled to edit parts of my post. I fully understand why you did it, and I don’t mind it at all. But would you have felt the need if the topic was on, say China? 

3. If Doenmes (converted Jews)

   If Doenmes (converted Jews) were behind the Genocide of Armenians, what about the 200,000 Armenians killed in the mid-1890s by Sultan Abdul Hamid? And what about the oppression and persecution which was, for centuries, part of life for Armenians living under the Ottoman yoke?
   Were Doenmes part of the fabled "Jewish Conspiracy"? For what purpose?

   Jews living in the Ottoman Empire or in its successor republic were few in number. Their lot didn’t improve after the First World War. To imagine that a tiny minority of crypto Jews have been running Turkey since, say, 1910 is malicious fantasy. Yes, there are prominent Jews in Turkey; but there are prominent Jews in most countries where there is a Jewish community.

4. Ergenekon and Israel

   Israel would love to empower the Ergenekon, and eventually get rid of the pro-islamic Turkish government; hence the pressure on Obama.

   USA

5. Are Jews behind the Armenian Genocide?

    

   It is disheartening to constantly come across with vicious antisemitism in the Armenian circles. It is almost unbelievable that members of a nation who had fallen victim to genocide can blame members of another nation who shared the same fate some 25 years later, without much research and thought. Famous antisemites, Christopher Jon Bjerknes and Jack Manuelan are behind in formulating and disseminating this theory. But just like any other conspiracy theory, the idea that Jews were behind the Armenian Genocide, is self-defeating. 

   One of the most prominent figures who confronted Ottoman authorities countless times to stop atrocities against Armenians was then US Ambassador to Istanbul, Henry Morgenthau. He was a jew. Nobel laureate Franz Werfel, author of the 1933 book, Die Vierzig Tage des Musa Dagh (The Forty Days of Musa Dagh) has been instrumental in making the world comprehend the magnitude and extent of Armenian genocide. He was likewise a Jew.

   The father of the term “Genocide,” Raphael Lemkin was also a Jew. He coined the term for the sole purpose of defining the 1915 Armenian massacres… Israel Charny, world renowned Israeli genocide expert and the editor of two-volume Encyclopedia of Genocide, is best known for his active stance against denial of the Armenian Genocide.  He is most noted for his comparison of Armenian Genocide denial to Holocaust denial, citing that they both have similar techniques and psychological motivation. As his name implies, he is also a Jew.

   Levi Yitzack Schneerson, member of the NILI Intelligence Network, wrote on 12 August 1916 that he had been to the US Consultate, and had seen a list of people who provided financial support to the Armenians [who] survived the Genocide. Jews were the most prominent donors.

   If Armenian genocide was a part of the greater Jewish Conspiracy, then these very prominent Jewish diplomats, writers and scientists –also fervent Zionists– were doing their best to sabotage their brethren’s work.  So much for World domination…

   Interestingly, this conspiracy theory has a faithful group of followers among Islamic and nationalist Turkish journalists and academia. Abdurrahman Dilipak, an Islamic journalist, repeatedly used this theory in his column. Nationalist Yalçin Küçük included the theory in his books like Tekelistan, and repeated it through media interviews. Küçük even claimed that Özür Diliyorum Campaign ("My conscience does not accept the insensitivity showed to and the denial of the Great Catastrophe that the Ottoman Armenians were subjected to in 1915. I reject this injustice and for my share, I empathize with the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers and sisters. I apologize to them.") was on target, since major organizers of the campaign (Ahmet İnsel, Baskın Oran and Murat Belge) were indeed crypto Jews. Küçük claimed their forefathers, not Turks, comitted the genocide. Abdullah Dilipak also insisted that "Turks cannot be blamed for these atrocities." Indeed, if it was all a Jewish conspiracy, why blame Turks for the genocide at all? Or, if you disseminate this conspiracy, aren’t you serving the nationalistic Turkish line?

   Armenians might be upset with the Jewish lobby’s successful lobbying in blocking consecutive Armenian Genocide Bills in the US Congress. They can rightfully criticise Jewish lobbyists’ stance. However, that should not lead to antisemitism in the form of Jewish domination of the world. As all conspiracy theories, that one also aims to demonize a group of people. That demonization once led to the establishment of Armenian SS squads which collaborated with Germany’s Nazi regime in persecution and annihilation of Armenian Jews during the Second World War.

   History is about facts and figures, not about conspiracy theories you choose to believe based on your own ethnicity, religion or any other affiliation. That will justify others to create and disseminate their equally legitimate conspiracy theories. It might be also interesting to note that many Turks do believe a similarly racist conspiracy theory: That Armenian genocide never happened, but strong Armenian diaspora which is influential on world politics and press is disseminating these lies, in order to claim reparations and Turkish territory. While you believe and propagate one conspiracy theory against a nation, it would be extremely difficult to oppose one against another nation.

   For all those interested in the subject, I recommend Khatchig Mouradian’s article "The Stubborn Myth of Jewish Involvement in the Armenian Genocide" http://www.jewcy.com/posts/2008-02-04/licking_jewish_boots

6. Alleged antisemitism

   "It is disheartening to constantly come across vicious antisemitism among Armenian circles," claims Yunus Emre Kocabasoglu but provides no shred of evidence for his false assertion.

   There are some eight million Armenians, and an insignificant minority of them might have been driven to "anti-Semitism" by official Israel’s and that of the Israeli lobby’s malicious campaign against US recognition of the Genocide of Armenians by Turkey.

   On the other hand, despite decades-old alliance between Turkey and Israel, most citizens of Turkey, according to Turkish polls, have deep antipathy towards Jews, and not just Israel.

   The rigtheous Jews (Morgenthau, Werfel, Lemkin and others) are recognized and honoured by Armenians world over. Thank you, but we certainly don’t need Mr. Kocabasoglu’s history lesson regarding the selfless efforts of these great Jews.

   I have a distinct suspicion that Mr. Kocabasoglu is not addressing Armenians: In an underhanded effort, he wants to mislead Jewish readers that Armenians are anti-Semites. "C" for effort, Mr. Kocabasoglu and not cigar.

   As an Armenian born in Palestine, I–like other Armenians–have the mental ability to observe Israeli government’s deplorable policies without stooping to vile anti-Semitism.

   Jirair Tutunjian
    

   P.S. Mr. Kocabasoglu, it’s spelled "anti-Semitism", not "antisemitism", as you wrote. It’s highly recommended that you know how to spell a word before you use it.

7. Objective versus Prejudiced Reading

    

   I read Mr Jirair Tutunjian’s comments with some disappointment. His “distinct suspicion” seems to be a “witch hunt” driven by hard core prejudice (Kocabasoglu is a Turkish last name after all) and, I regret to say, that he greatly misses the general context of the ongoing discussion.  

    

   As Mr. Tutunjian might be an Armenian who was born in Palestine, I might well be a Jew with a Turkish last name.  I might have lost many relatives to Sho’ah (my Jewish ancestry is not necessarily Turkish), as he might have lost to Armenian genocide. I might have my own misgivings and resentments when I look back into history, as he might have. But all that would not give me the right to start accusing everyone with a German sounding name which I perceive as the "other."  I will not go much into “distinct suspicion” part of his message, where he tries his hand to be judge and jury at the same time, on a witch hunt case, based on his own convictions and assumptions. Such claims are not only impolite and unjust, but they also reflect on his mind set, not mine.  

    

   It is regrettable that Mr. Tutunjian chooses to jump to hasty conclusions. The ongoing discussion was clearly on Dönme’s (or, “crypto Jews’ ”) and their role in the Armenian Genocide.  In a previous message, Mr. Abrahamian wrote “This theory of Doenmes has been circulating among Armenian circles for as long as I know.” So my reply was specifically referring to that particular conspiracy theory that Ittihat ve Terakki Cemiyeti was controlled by Dönme’s, hence they were responsible for the Armenian Genocide.  In my article there was no implication that all Armenians are anti-Semites as Mr Tutunjian chooses to assume.  This is an absurd allegation, by any measure. There are quite a number of books from distinguished historians how both Christian and Muslim societies had given into anti-Semitism throughout the history, and that does not exclude Armenians nor Ottomans. I kindly request Mr. Tutunjian to read the whole discussion thread.

    

   His comment that “we certainly don’t need Mr. Kocabasoglu’s history lesson” does not merit a commendation either.  Examples were an integral part of the discussion, to show that if Jews did control the Ottoman Empire during Armenian genocide, then some confused Zionists of distinction must have been working in contrary to the overall aim of Jewish World Domination. Plus, such allegations were in line with those of Turkish nationalists and Islamists.

   Risking being subjected to another anger spell by Mr Tutunjian, I could have alternatively give example of 7,000 Yishuv members deported by Ittihat ve Terakki’s Cemal Pasha (^. “Jews in Flight From Palestine” The New York Times, January 19, 1915; “Turks and Germans Expelling Zionists”, The New York Times, January 2, 1915; “Zionists in Peril of Turkish Attack”, The New York Times, February 2, 1915; “Threatens Massacre of Jews in Palestine” The New York Times, May 4, 1917; “Cruel to Palestine Jews”, The New York Times, May 8, 1917; “Turks Killing Jews Who Resist Pillage”, The New York Times, May 19, 1917; “Twice Avert Eviction of Jerusalem Jews”, The New York Times, May 30, 1917; “Cruelties to Jews Deported in Jaffa”, The New York Times, June 3, 1917).

    

   Or I could have  given the example of 8,000 Tel Aviv Jews deported by Ittihat ve Terakki’s Cemal Pasha in 1917 (Sir Mark Sykes “On April 1 an order was given to deport all the Jews from Tel-Aviv, including citizens of the Central Powers, within 48 hours. A week before, 300 Jews were expelled from Jerusalem; Jamal Pasha declared that their fate would be that of the Armenians; the 8,000 deportees from Tel Aviv were not allowed to take any provisions with them; and after the expulsion their houses were looted by Bedouin mobs; two Yemenite Jews who tried to oppose the looting were hung at the entrance to Tel Aviv so that all might see, and other Jews were found dead in the dunes around Tel Aviv.”) I could have stated that many historians agreed that if Allenby’s forces had not entered that autumn, these Jews would have also been subjected to genocide. Again, the objective would be to show that if Jews were in control of Ittihat ve Terakki, Cemal Pasha would not be deporting Jews from Palestine.

    

   I also do not understand the motive that compelled Mr. Tutunjian to state that Turkish anti-Semitism is much worse. First, I do not remember claiming anything to the contrary. Anti-Semitism is indeed strong in Turkey, which clearly threatens the tiny Jewish population in the country, as a series of articles I wrote for bianet.org would indicate. When these 11 articles will be printed starting next Saturday, I am sure I will get a lot of angry Turkish nationalist reactions who, just like Mr. Tutunjian, mightr state that I have ulterior motives and that they also do not need a history lesson. Unfortunately, I shall not be silenced by such aggressiveness. You are not proven right by being meaner and louder.

    

   Second, comparison of evils is never a remedy. One nation’s “milder” anti-Semitism is not acceptable in the face of another nation’s stronger anti-Semitism. This is not a game of .relatives, but absolutes. Rest amounts only to subtle revisionism. This is the exact reason why many of us oppose the Israeli position that Sho’ah was the only “true genocide” of the 20th century. That is why, in an article titled “Genocide or Big Catastrophe?” I have criticized translating Medz Yeghern into Turkish as “Big Catastrophe” instead of “Genocide,” in Özür Diliyorum campaign (http://bianet.org/bianet/bianet/115820-soykirim-mi-buyuk-felaket-mi)

    

   I also thank Mr. Tutunjian’s correction on how to spell anti-Semitism. The word is antisemitisme in Dutch, antisemitizm in Turkish, so I tend sometimes to unconsiously “Anglicanize” its spelling when typing. I apologize and stand corrected. I hope he did not, “in an underhanded effort” try his hand in ridicule and demeanor. As an interesting note, in the “Genocide or Big Catastrophe?” article, one of the comments I criticized was by Baskin Oran, who claimed that many American Armenians he met have never heard of the term Medz Yeghern:  “Although there is research on the contrary, even if we assume Prof. Baskin Oran met Armenian Americans who could not speak Armenian and therefore are not familiar with the term Medz Yeghern, that clearly does not imply that they do not know what happened in 1915 and comprehend it as Genocide.”

    

   Most alarming aspect of Mr. Tutunjian’s argument style is its aggressive tone.  It is both unfounded and unnecessary. It only reflects his strong urge to shut other people up –which I regret.  Mr. Tutunjian will not dictate me how to put my arguments forward. That would have been possible in another regime, in another time; but not today.

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