(Guardian-UK) Stephen Kinzer - A committee of the U.S. Congress voted last week to brand as genocide the 1915 slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turks. Turkey suffers from a creeping image deterioration in Washington. Some feel that Turkey has become too close to Iran, and resent the vigor of Turkey's opposition to sanctions on the Iranian regime - especially important since Turkey holds a rotating seat on the UN Security Council. These doubts might not have become as powerful if Israel, Turkey's old friend, had come to its rescue with lobbying help on Capitol Hill, as it has in the past. But Turkish leaders have sharpened their criticism of Israel lately, and the Israelis, seeking to show that they too have cards to play in this game, did not rush to help Turkey this time.
2010-03-09 08:29:41Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive