My latest in PJ Media:
Old Joe’s Biden’s handlers appear hell-bent on appeasing Iran. The Associated Press reported Wednesday that “the Biden administration is considering a near wholesale rollback of some of the most stringent Trump-era sanctions imposed on Iran in a bid to get the Islamic Republic to return to compliance with a landmark 2015 nuclear accord.” That was to be expected, but unnoticed in the mad rush to get billions flowing to the mullahs as they continue to chant “Death to America” is that one of the sole good things the Dotty Old Puppet has done as “president,” the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, constitutes yet another attempt to reach out to Iran and appease the Islamic regime.
The recognition of the Armenian Genocide was right, welcome, and long overdue. However, Biden’s handlers do the right thing so infrequently (in fact, I can’t think of a single other example of their doing so) that it would be naïve to think that the recognition of the genocide was simply a matter of Old Joe’s radical socialist, internationalist, race-baiting string-pullers suddenly deciding to do something good and decent.
Turkey and Iran pay lip service to wanting to maintain excellent relations, but there are numerous tensions straining their relationship. Just a few months ago, Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a brief but fierce conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh (or Artsakh, as the Armenians call it). Turkey aided Azerbaijan in numerous ways, even to the extent of sending jihadis from Syria to Azerbaijan to fight against the Armenians. Iran remained officially neutral, but Bulent Aras, professor of international relations at Istanbul Policy Center-Sabanci University, observed last September that “generally speaking, Iran appears to be closer to Armenia in its relations with both countries.” Aras explained: “Increasing Turkish nationalism [among the Azeri Turks] in Iran has been seen as a serious political problem by Iran. Connections and relations between the country’s north [where a sizable Azeri Turkish population lives] and Azerbaijan have been an important factor in Tehran’s political problems with Azerbaijan.”
Aras added that “reasons like land disputes between the two countries [Iran and Azerbaijan], increasing nationalism among Azeri Turks, issues regarding how to share natural sources of the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan’s close relations with Israel, and a political desire to balance Turkey-Azerbaijan relations occasionally lead to some tensions and crisis between Baku and Tehran.”
Political analyst Esref Yalinkilicli agreed, noting that the Iranian mullahs have good reason to be concerned about a strong Azerbaijan: “In Iran, due to the enormous Turkish population, there has historically been a political fear that two Azerbaijans, Baku [the capital of independent Azerbaijan] and Tabriz [an Iranian city that is populated by Azeris] might join at some point.” Some Azeris stoke these fears, according to Yalinkilicli: “On the other hand, in Azerbaijani political memory and foreign policy, the idea of Greater Azerbaijan has always been an important factor. Iran’s traditional Armenia policy has long been a balancing act against both Azerbaijan and Turkey across southern Caucasia. As a result, behind-the-scenes, Iran backs Armenia.”
There is more. Read the rest here.
Terry Gain says
A stretch worthy of an Olympic gymnast. The Armenian Holocaust should be condemned every day and twice on Sundays.
gravenimage says
Terry, I agree that this atrocity should be condemned. Condemning savagery by one group of Mohammedans does not somehow make any ot the other Muslim barbarians any better.
Infidel says
Like I mentioned in the other thread, Iran has nothing to fear from its own Azeris. They are historically the driving factor in Iran’s second conversion from sunni to shi’a islam, and Safavid Iran is a dear part of their history. Azeris know that the Turks won’t leave them alone for being shi’a but would try to either convert or persecute them
Iran and Armenia – yeah, racially, both are Aryan, but in reality, the only reason Armenia is on Iran’s side is that it’s been forced there by Israel’s policy of supporting Azerbaijan. At any rate, in the most recent war in which Azerbaijan overran Armenia, Iran actually supported Azerbaijan just like Turkey did, and it was the Arabs who supported Armenia b’cos they are alarmed at Turkey’s increasing clout among muslims. As it is, Turkey has the muslim populations of both Pakistan and Bangladesh in its grasp, as well as Malaysia; if it wins over Indonesia, it has all the important countries that matter (since India’s muslims don’t get to dictate India’s foreign policy)
So no, Biden and his handlers did the right thing here, no questions asked. Their dealings w/ Iran are another story altogether
Mauricio says
+1
Joeyn says
Biden and his handlers did the right thing with regard to their stand on the Armenian genocide (and I am glad they did) but as the article above suggests probably with ulterior motives. You can never trust the Left.
gravenimage says
Even Biden’s Handlers’ Recognition of Armenian Genocide Plays Into Iran’s Hands
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It is always best to champion the truth.
Muslim Turkey’s having an ugly past does not make Muslim Iran any better.
David Davidian says
This article wreaks of non-sequitur. Just because Biden recognized the Turkish genocide of the Armenians, a welcomed declaration, Robert Spencer, won’t let this go because Biden also wants to revive the 2015 P5+1 accords.
One can simultaneously praise Biden for recognizing history and oppose his Iran policies. They are mutually exclusive. Spencer might as well have foolishly said since Netanyahu hasn’t recognized the genocide of Armenians, this doesn’t play into Iran’s hands.
Anyone can always find a couple of experts supporting a position they like, as has Mr. Spencer. Let’s hear it straight from the horse’s mouth, “Baku thanks Iran for supporting Azerbaijan’s fair position during Karabakh war” [14 January 2021, AzerNews]. Using Spencer’s non-sequitur, since Tehran welcomed Azerbaijan’s victory over Armenians, being in Iran’s interest, Israel should now re-evaluate its relationship with Azerbaijan.
Mr. Spencer allow Armenians the dignity of having the near extermination of their kind recognized.
Yerevan, Armenia
Farly says
Recognizing the Armenian genocide is the right and principled thing to do.
Saying that it somehow benefitted Iran is like saying that acknowledgment of the Holocaust is anti-German.
If Israel recognizes the Armenian genocide, that does not mean it is helping Iran.
SAFI says
“The bottom line behind the release of the report was most likely that the Saudis oppose Iran, which Biden’s handlers are so very anxious to appease.
And so it is with the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Biden’s handlers have now publicly embarrassed two of the leading Sunni states, one that is openly antagonistic to Iran, and the other that just fought a proxy war with Iran aiding the other side. The mullahs must be so pleased. The people running Old Joe never fail to come through for them.”
Gee I wonder why I can’t remember Robert Spencer publishing such a piece on the aftermath of Donald J Trump’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide back in 2017… Oh wait that’s probably because no sush presidential recognition took place in 2017, 2018, 2019 or 2020 (or by any previous adminstration afaik except for a half-assed one by Reagan, which from what I’ve heard he then retracted following angry turkish protestations…) But hey, since unlike Biden’s handlers, Donald Trump only ever has the best of motives for what he does, we can all rest assured that the only reason for that is because he did not want it to “play into Iran’s hands”…. and certainly not because he felt any desire to ”appease” a certain “allied” country run by a certain islamist dictator who once famously threatened to give the US the “Ottoman Slap” but whom Tump more than once described as his “dear good friend” (as did Obama btw, though on that occasion Robert Spencer did have something to say) Nope it’s only because Donald Trump is too smart to let himself do anything that would have played into Iran’s hands …yeah riiiight ….