Mr. Jeffrey Mankoff points out extremely important developments in Caucasus and Central Asia under different perspectives for followers of Strategic Outlook. (more…)
Category: Authors
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Georgia Will Be A Model For The Region
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TURKISH DECEIT: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Allah’s Boys
In a classic provocation reminiscent of the Gulf of Tonkin fairy tale that “legitimized” the Vietnam War, and Hitler’s bogus rationale for invading Poland, the Turkish war criminal gang “led from behind” by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are trying to do the impossible. Impossible, if one has half a brain. They are trying to convince the world that Syria, besieged for over a year by its once friendly neighbor, Turkey, its cities ravaged by terrorists based and financed in Turkey, wants to provoke an even wider, bloodier conflict.
A miniscule border village, Akcakale, was hit by a solitary shell of undisclosed origin. It defies logic that it came from the Syrian army. The Syrian army has no control over Syrian borders thanks to the relentless subversive efforts of the Turkish government. Its army is certainly not so incompetent as to try to defend an indefensible border when the real battle is in its interior cities. So dispense with the idea that there are such things as borders between Syria and Turkey. They have been effaced by Turkish subversion. The gates are wide open. Syria has no control. And the non-Syrian “Free Syrian Army” is a rabble under arms, undisciplined and unscrupulous.
It is widely known that Erdoğan’s motley gang, with headquarters in Adana, Ankara, and Istanbul, has been raining havoc via over-the border raids from the Hatay province in southeastern Turkey. (See my writing of 29 June entitled America’s War-Horse Harlots for the grim, deceitful details.) Surprised by the horrific violence inflicted by the Orwellian “Free Syrian Army” in Aleppo and Damascus? Don’t be. Convoys of Turkish trucks have been supplying the explosive ingredients for car bombs over the Turkish border for months. Syria has been long under a medieval siege, courtesy of its treacherous neighbor.
Is it logical that Syria would lob a single shell into a Turkish village to prompt a massive response from NATO, the bloody-handed “savior” of Libya? Hardly. Besides, the Turkish prime minister has been lusting for NATO support. And the Turkish army is itching to prove its manhood after being purged of its command and general staff by the Turkish prime minister, Turkey’s new sultan. It’s a perfect storm for a catastrophe by incompetents. The Turkish media is the functional equivalent of Pravda during the Stalin era. And the Turkish people are either under deep anesthesia or, sadly, suffering from a fatal indifference. In short, Turkey is the perfect puppet for doing America’s bidding, that is, to be “led from behind.” And America is the perfect coward to do its deceitful bloody work while hiding under the capacious skirts of Turkey’s Allah’s Boys.
The “Free Syrian Army” gangsters have been lusting for heavier weapons, a no-fly zone, and stinger missiles. So why would Syria provoke a wider war? Answer… it wouldn’t. Only if you believe in the tooth fairy, Santa Claus, and Colin Powell’s infamous UN presentation would you echo the craven chorus now being orchestrated by the likes of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Hillary Clinton, and the American stooges in the apparent form of the UN and NATO. Listen to Erdoğan shout that Syria has “breached Turkey’s borders” and one wants to laugh out loud (or vomit) at the hypocrisy. Only if you are congenitally stupid would you believe the hypocritical bilge being spewed by these ever-outraged killers from the west and their henchmen. What is infinitely more logical is that the shell was fired by the criminal elements in the employ of Turkey and America. They are the ones with the clearest of motives. And by doing so, they got what they wanted all along, NATO and UN legitimacy for their rape of Syria. But regardless of who fired the shell that hit the house in Akcakale, Turkey and its patron, America, by their actions, have fomented all the violence in Syria. Turkey has funded, plotted and armed a phony civil war in direct contravention of international law. (See my Letter to The Honorable Abdullah Gül, president of Turkey dated 9 Sept. 2012.) The onus for the death, chaos and destruction is theirs. So why should Turkey and the Turkish people be exempt from suffering the consequences of their misdeeds?
So when you hear the orchestrated script of outrage over the errant or not-so-errant shell, when you hear the barrage of adjectives like “atrocious” (Erdoğan), “depraved” (the Pentagon), “flagrant” (NATO), and the ever popular “outraged” (Clinton) remember the following. This hype is an old, dirty trick. The truth lies in using our brains to examine what is logical and what is not. The truth lies in clear reasoning, devoid of influence from the spewers of propaganda and outright falsehoods. And remember this. The likes of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has yet to explain the killing of scores of his own people by his own military because of false intelligence rendered by his friends in the Pentagon and the CIA. Moreover, he has yet to explain the downing of the Turkish reconnaissance jet that so obviously violated Syrian airspace. This latter event has given Turkey the rationale for the recent blather from the Turkish foreign minister about “rules of engagement” as if Turkey has followed any rules in its extended attempt to overthrow the duly constituted government of Syria. This arrogant, criminal activity by America and Turkey is what is truly ATROCIOUS, DEPRAVED, FLAGRANT, and OUTRAGEOUS.
James (Cem) Ryan, Ph.D.
Founder, West Point Graduates Against The WarIstanbul
4 October 2012 -
Two L.A.-Area Congressmen In Heated Debate over Armenian Issues
Cong. Howard Berman and Cong. Brad Sherman, both serving on the powerful Foreign Affairs Committee, are forced to run against each other in the November 6 elections, because of redistricting. The two congressmen are both Democrats, Jewish Americans, and both consistently supportive of Armenian issues. Voters of the 30th congressional district have a difficult choice in this hotly contested congressional race!The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region hosted a public debate at the Ferrahian School’s Avedissian Hall in Encino on Sept. 29, giving the congressmen an opportunity to present their views on Armenian issues to Armenian-Americans voters. ANCA co-chair Nora Hovsepian delivered the welcoming remarks, followed by moderator Zanku Armenian who introduced the two candidates.
The debate got heated right from the start when Cong. Sherman pointed out that while he has been exclusively a member of the Armenian Caucus, Cong. Berman has been a member of both the Turkish and Armenian Caucuses in Congress.
Cong. Berman countered stating: “for nearly three decades of service in the Congress, I have been an ardent, consistent, and outspoken advocate for the Armenian Cause. I worked persistently to achieve US recognition of the Armenian Genocide. As Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I led the successful effort to win that recognition at the Committee level.” He went on to affirm that it would be his priority to have the House recognize the Armenian Genocide before its 100th anniversary, and he would personally urge Pres. Obama to keep his pledge on the Genocide. The failure to recognize the Genocide is “a huge moral stain on this great nation’s record,” Cong. Berman stated. He then proudly announced: “I halted the transfer of sensitive arms to Azerbaijan because I grew sick and tired of Azerbaijan’s arms build up and bellicose rhetoric. Just this week, I wrote a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about one of the most disgusting actions any world leader has taken within memory — I am talking about Pres. Aliyev’s decision to pardon an Azerbaijani axe-murderer who was serving a life sentence for killing an innocent Armenian soldier in his sleep…. I asked Secretary Clinton that first, all of NATO condemns Aliyev’s action, and secondly, that Azerbaijan is suspended from all future NATO-sponsored activities.”
In response to questions from panelists Harut Sassounian, publisher of The California Courier, and Ara Khachatourian, English editor of Asbarez, the congressmen addressed US recognition of the Armenian Genocide, reparations from Turkey, Israel’s refusal to recognize the Armenian Genocide, protection of Armenian communities in Syria and Georgia, payment of rent for US air base in Incirlik, Turkey to Armenian owners of that land, return of churches in Turkey to Christian communities, Israeli arms sales to Azerbaijan, US aid to Karabagh (Artsakh), Azerbaijan’s and Hungary’s culpability in releasing the Azeri axe-murderer, independence of Artsakh, US trade agreements with Armenia, and Turkish Gulen charter schools in the United States. Below are excerpts from their remarks:
Cong. Berman: “Turkey has to understand that they have to come to terms with their own history. I am Jewish. The notion that in order to avoid hurting sensibilities, we do not acknowledge the historical truth of the Genocide, to me, is a horrible stain on our country.”
Cong. Sherman: “Genocide denial is the last step in genocide; and the first step in the next genocide. That’s why, it is critical that America recognize the first genocide of the 20th century. I will work … as many years as it takes, but hopefully as quickly as possible, to get Congress to recognize the Genocide. … It is time to put pressure on the administration, especially in the next 38 days, to turn to both candidates for president and get a clear statement from them. … We should know what they are going to do next April.”
Cong. Berman criticized Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for having referred to the Armenian Genocide as an “historical debate.” He stated: “No one in the Congress makes the case that the Genocide didn’t happen. They may argue ‘oh, we can’t hurt our relationship with Turkey’ or may be they’re close to some people who are representing Turkey … but nowhere do I hear now, like I used to hear, ‘this is an historical debate.’ … It is very disappointing when the leadership of our country goes back to raising that issue…. This happened. It has to be acknowledged. The Germans acknowledged it, and particularly for somebody who is Jewish, the notion that you can get away with denying this or try to fuzz it up as a historically debatable point, is in a very fundamental sense wrong.”
(to be continued) -
Azeri and Turkish-American Groups Denigrate US-Armenian Executive
Four Azeri and Turkish-American organizations launched a coordinated anti-Armenian campaign last week, attacking the integrity of Mark Hoplamazian, Chief Executive Officer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, in order to intimidate him and other Armenian-American executives.
In a letter to Thomas Pritzker, Executive Chairman of Hyatt Board of Directors, leaders of the Assembly of Turkish-American Associations (ATAA), Azerbaijani-American Council (AAC), Federation of Turkish-American Associations (FTAA), and Azerbaijan Society of America (ASA) accused Hoplamazian of involvement in “ethnic propaganda campaigns.”
The Azeri and Turkish groups attacked Hoplamazian for speaking at the Sept. 22 banquet of “the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), an Armenian-American lobbying group, as a Hyatt executive.” They also expressed their unhappiness that he “serves on the Advisory Board of ‘Facing History and Ourselves,’ a non-profit group that ‘teaches about the Armenian genocide.’”
The four Turkic organizations claimed that “Mr. Hoplamazian’s engagement with ethnic special interest groups that spread antagonisms against Turkey and Azerbaijan may be in violation of the Conflicts of Interest clause of Hyatt’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.” However, a review of the hotel chain’s Code, posted on its website, does not provide the slightest hint that the Hyatt executive violated any of its provisions.
In their letter, the Azeri and Turkish groups made a series of malicious statements by referring to the Armenian Genocide as an “allegation” and “World War I-era inter-communal atrocities.” They falsely alleged that these “atrocities” were “never tried in any tribunal and no intent to exterminate Armenians was ever established. No sentences or court verdicts were issued in terms of the 1948 United Nations Convention on Prevention and Punishment of Genocide.”
By making such ridiculous claims, the leaders of these Turkic organizations simply exposed their ignorance of the basic facts of the Armenian Genocide. They conveniently forgot about the Turkish Military Tribunals of 1919 that sentenced the Turkish ringleaders of the Armenian Genocide to death. US, Swiss, and Argentinean Federal Courts have also reaffirmed the veracity of the Armenian Genocide. Furthermore, the UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities adopted in 1985 a report classifying the Armenian Genocide as an example of genocide.
The Azeri and Turkish groups also claimed that they represent “over half million Americans of Turkic descent.” This cannot be true simply because there aren’t that many Turkic people living in the United States, according to the latest US census. Even if there were half a million Turkic Americans, it is highly doubtful if all of them would have given their consent to be represented by these organizations for such absurd misadventures. Most probably, these four groups altogether have a tiny fraction of the constituencies they claim!
Clearly, the faulty statements and silly accusations of these Turkic groups are intended to intimidate Hoplamazian and force him to disengage from any involvement in Armenian or genocide-related issues. More ominously, by targeting and making an example of the Hyatt CEO, Azeri and Turkish groups hope to discourage other Armenian-American executives from pursuing similar activities.
In their joint letter, the Azeri and Turkish groups have indirectly threatened Hyatt’s corporate interests by indicating that the company “currently runs a total of four successful hotels in Istanbul, Turkey, and Baku, Azerbaijan.” One wonders if the governments of Azerbaijan and Turkey have authorized these two-bit groups to speak on their behalf. Moreover, do these organizations realize that they are undermining the business interests of their native countries by foolishly threatening a global corporation like Hyatt?
It would be highly regrettable if the unwise Azeri and Turkish campaign against prominent Armenian-American executives would start an undesirable chain of events that could lead the Armenian community to take counter-actions against successful Turkish-American businessmen, such as Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO of Coca Cola Company.
The Azeri-Turkish letter is highly unlikely to bring any tangible benefits to these groups, as Hyatt’s Board of Directors would most probably dismiss their baseless allegations. More importantly, such a racist assault on the integrity of an exemplary Armenian-American executive would energize Armenians on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Genocide to pursue more vigorously their just demands from both Turkey and Azerbaijan!
Lastly, it is outrageous that these Azeri and Turkish groupings kept totally silent when an Azeri officer axed to death a sleeping Armenian in Budapest, but are now alarmed when an Armenian-American CEO exercises his right to free speech in Beverly Hills!
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Azerbaijan and Greece will become important partners
Gulnara Inandzh, Director of Information and Analytical Center Etnoglobus (ethnoglobus.az), editor of Russian section of Turkishnews American-Turkish Resource website www.turkishnews.com , mete62@inbox.ru
İnterview of ambassador of Greece in Azerbaijan İoannis Metaxas exsclusive for “New Baku post`
-What is the current situation in Greece with overcoming the crisis?
-As you know, after the recent general elections, which took place inthe 17th of June 2012, a new Greek coalition government was established and took power. Three parties are participating to this government, assuring it a comfortable parliamentary majority. The new government set as a priority to undertake all necessary measures, in order to face the crisis, implement all commitments assumed by previous governments and bring the national economy back to growth. This task is difficult, in view both of the recession in Greece and the unfavorable economic conditions in the Euroarea and the rest of the world. However, efforts have already started, fight of tax evasion is on the top of the government agenda, some new reforms of the public sector are already under implementation and the Agricultural Bank of Greecewas already privatized. These are positive steps, which allow any goodwill observer to understand that the new Greek government is firmly committed to implement a mix of policies that would maintain Greece within the Euroarea and bring the economy back to growth. Consequently, I cannot but be optimistic for the future.
-What are the political relations between two countries? Are there any visits expected?
-Political relations are very good. In 2009 President Aliyev visited officiallyGreeceand in 2011 Greek President Papoulias paid also an official visit toBaku. A lot of Ministers visited both capitals during the last years. A lot of agreements are already signed and implemented. Four Greek – Azerbaijani business fora took already place in both capitals. Earlier this year, we both celebrated the twentieth anniversary from the conclusion of bilateral diplomatic relations. However, at this moment, having as I said a new Greek government in power, I am unable to foresee any visit in the near future.
-What are the current relations in the field of trade?
-In 2011, exports fromGreecetoAzerbaijanamounted to 11,02 mln USD whereas exports ofAzerbaijantoGreeceamounted to 161,92 mln USD. I hope that this year we will register even better results. We also attribute attention in attracting high quality Azerbaijani tourists and I want to underline thatGreececontinues to be a top and safe world tourist destination.
-What are the possibilities of mutual investments for businessmen of two countries?
-A lot of sectors can be considered attractive for Azerbaijani investors inGreece. The real estate and the tourist sectors are the most interesting at this moment. I also believe that the energy sector can offer some possibilities for people looking to long term investment. Good prices, skillful personnel and favorable life standards allow us to say that, despite the crisis,Greeceis an attractive place for investors.
-What is the position of Greece on the TAP project?
-The TAP project includes Greece in its design. Consequently, if the TAP project is selected by the Shah Deniz consortium, Azerbaijan and Greece will become important partners, as far as export of Azerbaijani gas to Europeis concerned. It will certainly be a great step forward for both countries’ relationship. It will bring us closer and will boost bilateral economic cooperation.
sourse – http://bakupost.az/iqtisadiyyat/20120922050944801.html
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A Joint letter sent to the management of Hyatt Hotels Corporation by the Turkic-American Organizations
On September 20, 2012, Assembly of Turkish-American Associations (ATAA), Azerbaijani-American Council (AAC), the Federation of Turkish-American Associations (FTAA) and the Azerbaijan Society of America (ASA) issued a joint letter regarding the involvement of Hyatt CEO, Mark S. Hoplamazian, in ethnic propaganda campaigns.
September 20, 2012
Attention: Thomas J. PritzkerExecutive Chairman of the Board of Directors
Hyatt Hotels Corporation
71 South Wacker Dr, 12th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606Re: A joint letter of concern by the Turkic-American community organizations
Dear Mr. Pritzker,
On behalf of the Assembly of Turkish-American Associations (ATAA), Azerbaijani-American Council (AAC), the Federation of Turkish-American Associations (FTAA) and the Azerbaijan Society of America (ASA), together representing over half million Americans of Turkic descent, we express our concern over the involvement of Hyatt CEO, Mark S. Hoplamazian, in ethnic propaganda campaigns. On September 22, 2012, Mr. Hoplamazian will address the 40th anniversary gala of the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), an Armenian-American lobbying group, as a Hyatt executive. According to the AAA website, Mr. Hoplamazian also serves on the Advisory Board of “Facing History and Ourselves”, a non-profit group that “teaches about the Armenian genocide”.
As you may know, the allegations of “Armenian genocide” are a subject of political and historical controversy. The World War I-era inter-communal atrocities in the Ottoman Empire were never tried in any tribunal and no intent to exterminate Armenians was ever established. No sentences or court verdicts were issued to interpret these events in terms of the 1948 United Nations Convention on Prevention and Punishment of Genocide. The International Court of Justice – the sole authority to determine applicability of the ‘genocide’ term to any crime – has never opened any case or drawn any conclusion on these allegations. The U.S. Government does not recognize the “Armenian genocide”. While many expert historians dispute the figure of 1.5 million Armenians allegedly perished between 1914 and 1920, during the same period armed Armenian groups massacred an estimated 518,000 ethnic Turks and other Muslims. Consequently, the attempts to flatly accuse Turkey of a grave crime are disrespectful towards the memory of those victims.Hyatt Hotels Corporation currently runs a total of four successful hotels in Istanbul, Turkey and Baku, Azerbaijan. Thus, Mr. Hoplamazian’s engagement with ethnic special interest groups that spread antagonisms against Turkey and Azerbaijan may be in violation of the Conflict of Interest clause of Hyatt’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. We appeal for a clarification from the Board of Directors regarding Mr. Hoplamazian’s involvement with AAA and the “Facing History and Ourselves”.
Sincerely,
Ergun Kirlikovali
President, ATAA
1526 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036Ali CinarPresident, FTAA821 UN PlazaNew York, NY 10017Javid Huseynov, Ph.D.
General Director, AAC
PO Box 50370
Irvine, CA 92619Tomris AzeriPresident, ASA103 Elwood AveNewark, NJ 07014