House Foreign Affairs Chairman Says Turkish Genocide Bill Key To "American Morality"

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - House Foreign Affairs Chairman Tom Lantos (D-CA) says Friday passage of the genocide would bring back a "moral dimension" to U.S. foreign policy.

The Californian Democrat said America's lost much of its moral authority and credibility around the world. Lantos is the sole member of the House who survived the Holocaust during World War II, which Armenians claim was pattered after the ethnic genocide their people faced from Turks during World War I.

"People around the globe who are familiar with these events will appreciate the fact that the United States is speaking out against a historic injustice. This would be like sweeping slavery under the rug and saying slavery never occurred," Lantos said.

Earlier this week, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a bill officially labeling the killings of Armenians by Turkish forces a "genocide." The move, strongly lobbied for by Armenian-American interest groups, pushed through despite strong opposition from outside officials, including President George Bush.

The Turkish government has taken great offense to the bill, which has yet to even come to a full vote on the House floor. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday his country is ready to sacrifice good ties with Washington if the bill is passed.

The U.S. military is also concerned with a possible Turkish backlash. The Pentagon uses Turkey as a staging area and transport route for much of the supplies that are sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. Furthermore, Turkey is a major client of American weapons. Ankara currently spends almost $200 billion on American-made aircraft, torpedoes and other military equipment.

However, Lantos contradicted the administration's claim that Turkey would cut ties with the U.S. "The Turkish government will not act against the United States because that would be against their own interests," Lantos explained. "I'm convinced of this."