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Senate recognizes Armenian genocide in latest black eye for Turkey

The Senate unanimously recognized the Armenian genocide today, the latest in a string of major blows against Turkey within a week.
Armenian-Americans march in protest through the Little Armenia neighborhood of Hollywood, California on April 24, 2018 demanding recognition by Turkey on the 103rd anniversary of the 1915 Armenian genocide, which Turkey insists did not happen. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP)        (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

The Senate today recognized the Ottoman Empire’s massacre of more than 1 million mostly Christian Armenians as a genocide — the culmination of a week of punitive congressional measures against Turkey.

Sens. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, got their Armenian genocide resolution unanimously passed today despite opposition from the White House. Menendez’s resolution is the fourth significant blow Ankara has faced on Capitol Hill this week alone, coming shortly after Congress advanced a Turkey sanctions bill and legislation that would lift the Cyprus arms embargo and more permanently ban the transfer of US F-35 fighter jets to the NATO ally.

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