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Before we launch into this, a couple of things:
1) I haven't read the Fisk article, so it isn't pertinent to my comments.
2) This isn't a 'Bush' thing. I'd write the same about any administration tacitly supporting Turkey's policy of denial.
On the topic at hand, I apply Bigfella's handy all-purpose racism/bigotry detector (also useable for holocaust deniers, etc.).
I simply substitue 'Jew' or the relevant example from the apalling history of anti-Jewish discrimination for whatever the questionable opinion de jour happens to be. If a statement would sound racist to me if directed at Jews, I am happy to classify it as racist.
This case is a no-brainer. Lets try to imagine what America's leaders would do if a major ally led a campaign to deny the holocaust, including persecution (and prosecution) of those who claimed it happened. Would they support the deniers because they were trusted allies? Like hell. And neither should they.
Lets take another example. A Japanese government decids to launch a campaign to 'prove' that there were no atrocities against Allied POWs. Authors publishing books claiming the contrary are persecuted (and prosecuted). American & Allied veterans are labelled liars. The US Congress moves to pass a motion stating that atrocities did indeed take place. Can anyone seriously tell me that it would be fine for an administration to oppose that for reasons of 'realpolitik'?
Israel's behaviour in this is no better. The excuse that Israel can act in a totally amoral way because its security is threatened has never cut much ice with me. Even less so here. One can only wonder what the remaining survivors of the Shoah think of a government that sides with people who deny genocide.
I understand the importance of Turkey as a secular, modern Muslim nation. I accept the need for a degree of sensitivity with some issues (the Kurds spring to mind). I do not, however, accept the right of anyone to hold historical truth to ransom for short term political ends.
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