Armenian-Americans: ‘President Biden Recognized a Genocide, Only to Allow Another One to Continue’

Biden’s administration needs to uphold Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. Thousands of lives depend on it.

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — 2021/04/25: People rally on Times Square to commemorate 106th anniversary of Armenian genocide by Ottoman Empire. People also celebrated the acknowledgement of the Armenian genocide by President Joe Biden for the first time in American history by any President. (Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

In April President Biden did something that no U.S. president has ever done. He officially recognized the Armenian Genocide and fulfilled a campaign promise to end Turkey’s century-long campaign to deny justice for the 1.5 million Armenians who were systematically murdered in the final days of the Ottoman Empire.

He eschewed the politics of his predecessors who used euphemistic language and verbal gymnastics in a feeble attempt to placate Turkey to describe what an overwhelmingly number of historians acknowledge as the first genocide of the 20th century.

For Armenian-Americans, this intrepid decision by President Biden felt like a turning point in their long and difficult history in seeking justice and validation for this crime against humanity. However, that sense of vindication was short-lived as President Biden made a low-key decision that may cost more Armenian lives. He waived Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act that bans foreign aid to Azerbaijan days after recognizing the Armenian Genocide.