"What happened in 1915 happened in 1915," Hagel said during a 2005 trip to Armenia when he was serving in the Senate. "As one United States senator, I think the better way to deal with this is to leave it open to historians and others to decide what happened and why." In other words, let's not let the systematic genocide of over one million people get in the way.

The Washington Free Beacon brings this outrageous statement to our attention. Secretary of State-designeee Hagel's Senate confirmation hearings must ask him to explain and defend it. Because whitewashing genocide paves the way for more genocide -- as the perpetrators know.

Hitler knew it.

"Our strength is our quickness and our brutality. Genghis Khan had millions of women and children hunted down and killed, deliberately and with a gay heart. History sees in him only the great founder of States. What the weak Western European civilization alleges about me, does not matter. I have given the order-and will have everyone shot who utters but one word of criticism-that the aim of this war does not consist in reaching certain geographical lines, but in the enemies' physical elimination. Thus, for the time being only in the east, I put ready my Death's Head units, with the order to kill without pity or mercy all men, women, and children of the Polish race or language. Only thus will we gain the living space that we need. Who still talks nowadays of the extermination of the Armenians?"

Adolf Hitler issued this statement one week before the invasion of Poland. It is inscribed on the walls of the U.S. Holocaust Museum because memory, not political expediency, makes us more human. Hagel is not right: We must remember.

Ed Lasky adds:

Imagine if Hagel had said something similar about, say, African-Americans. Perhaps that the slavery era should be forgotten -- get over it. We all get along now. The Civil Rights struggles are over -- let's move on. No need for affirmative action -- after all, didn't we elect a black president (twice)?

He can be very cavalier and dismissive about genocide, after all, so why not slavery, too? The only difference is that there is no fear of another wave of slavery overtaking the world.