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Category: Armenian Question

“The great Turk is governing in peace twenty nations from different religions. Turks have taught to Christians how to be moderate in peace and gentle in victory.”Voltaire’s Philosophical Dictionary

WE THE PEOPLE……..

WE THE PEOPLE…

CHAPTER 15

IT CAN NOT HAPPEN TO ME. GUESS WHAT? IT WILL!!!

The following message is for every citizen of every country that has the right to choose their own elected officials.

Come July 1, 2012 the world is in financial agony. A tsunami of easy credit has flooded our shores. The blame game has erupted with all its fury as nations pockmark each other with vicious language to placate their voters.

The real culprit is us – the voter. We voted them into office. We are to blame. There have been and will be many important elections this year and WE THE PEOPLE must take control of our destinies. Elected officials fear us and have been buying us off with various entitlements for decades. If it did not work, then they just, made it larger. So today, as our bankers joyfully watch and estimate their future net worth, we are slowly falling into an abyss with a stench of sulfur.

Considering these elections, one’s party affiliations do not matter, because it is the candidate’s beliefs that are of the utmost importance now.

Which candidate favors reinstating the USURY LAW where the maximum interest rate should be limited to 8%. The Rule of 72 is what bankers live by. All one has to do is to take 72 and divide it by 8 the answer is how many years it will take the bank to double its investment in you. The Usury law was dropped in the mid 1970’s because interest rates were 14% and everyone was maxing out their credit cards (that is borrowing the most they could) and buying a US Government bond at 14%. Then they would pay of the credit card and net 6%. This is called disintermediation and not very healthy long term. So congress was forced to drop the law. But they also failed to reinstate it when the danger expired. It is my suspicion that some members on key committees received special favors.

If you have a 30 year mortgage on your home and you are paying 8% to the bank; the bank will make 3.33 times on helping you on your mortgage by providing the necessary funds. This is where they provide an important function in your community. The higher rate you pay the quicker they double their money. This is why past legislators legalized as max rate – to protect you from unscrupulous bankers. Remember bankers have the moral obligation to protect our deposits for our advantage not theirs. Dividends should come from earnings before bonuses are distributed. Public trust comes before employees looting.

Credit cards are a bastard. They are figured in months not years. This is legalized extortion. Pure and simple.

Enacting or reinstating the USURY LAW will benefit the individual and corporations while reducing the bankers’ bonuses.

A candidate must be willing to petition the Federal Reserve to raise margin rates across the board to 100% for 3 to 6 months worldwide. This will stop all the abuses going on in the market place and make it safe for honest investors. This will halt high frequency trades that are computer driven and benefit a few while harming millions. Hedge funds that use easy credit to skirt regulations will be halted. Best of all derivatives and collateralized debt instruments will go the way of the dinosaur.

Stop Quantitative Easing (QE) dead in its tracks. Go for Quantitative Giving (QG). QE goes to the largest corporation and unions where the money trickles down through the officers and union leaders before long term good is completed.

With QG the Fed must raise fed funds to the 1-2% range so banks restart increasing their savings account rates. This will encourage investors to increase their debt from short term to longer term because they have more confidence in the future.

QG is giving a large stipend to everyUScitizen over the age of 21($50,000 -$100,000) to use as he or she sees fit. Pay down debts etc. with the proviso that at least 10% should be used to purchase a new product. This will getAmericagoing again create jobs and new businesses. The public knows best- not bureaucrats inWashingtonD.C.

July 3, 2012
Why does Iran support Armenia about Karabakh issue?

The balance in Caucasia that shifted with the collapse of the Soviet Union caused a big change in the foreign policy vision of the states in the region. While examining the problems that emerged between republics, which gained their sovereignty, it is possible to see the changes in foreign policy of neighboring countries. (more…)

June 25, 2012
Turkey makes peace with France in wait-and-see game

PanARMENIAN.Net – Turkey has agreed to restore all ties with France, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said following a breakdown in relations last year prompted by a dispute over a bill criminalizing Armenian Genocide denial in France.

As he noted, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan had ordered the sanctions imposed after France’s lower house of parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of a draft law be lifted after a positive meeting with France’s new President Francois Hollande at a world summit in Brazil.

“The prime minister gave the necessary instructions after meeting with Hollande. Because of this new attitude from France, these sanctions will be dropped,” Davutoglu said.

Davutoglu said he would travel to Paris on July 5 for bilateral meetings where they would discuss taking additional “positive steps” in the future.

Here’s a little glimpse of past events: on January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide.

The bill envisaged imposing a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France who denies this crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey reacted furiously when the Senate approved the law. Ankara halted political and military cooperation with France and was threatening to cut off economic and cultural ties if the law took effect.

Later, the French Constitutional Council ruled that a bill adopted by the French Senate making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide was unconstitutional.

In a statement the Council said the bill adopted by parliament on January 23 represented an “unconstitutional breach of the practice of freedom of expression and communication.”

Immediately after French Constitutional Council ruling, then President Nicolas Sarkozy pledged, if re-elected, to submit a new text of Genocide bill in June.

However, this time, he failed to persuade the Armenian community, as a similar scenario was played out during his first election race, yet failed to yield results.

Further, the presidential hopeful and current French leader Francois Hollande reiterated his pledge to adopt a bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial in case he comes to power. Well, things are still where they started.

One could only make a guess about additional “positive steps” between France and Turkey. Perhaps France persuaded Turkey that the issue of the draft bill will be frozen till next elections. Or, may be, Turkey hopes to have intimidated France with sanctions, and France decided against messing with it.

The only thing left is to wait and see if Hollande will follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Sarkozy, making hollow promises, or will actually fulfill his pledge, just recalling the fact that it does not behove to a superpower like France to keep fooling its citizens.

Marina Ananikyan / PanARMENIAN News

via Genocide: Turkey makes peace with France in wait-and-see game – PanARMENIAN.Net.

June 22, 2012
US put pressure on Azerbaijan by «Armenian genocide»

Gulnara Inanch,

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

According to BBC, a group of former and present high ranking officials of the US Administration has called the presidential administration to put pressure over the sides for implementation of protocols signed betweenTurkeyandArmeniain 2009. FormerUSSecretary of State Madeleine Albright in her statement before the US Council on Foreign relations said that implementation of the mentioned protocols would serve for improvement of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

However, while speaking of the very issue in her visit toArmenia, US present Secretary of State Hillary Clinton insisted that initial unconditional dialog betweenTurkeyandArmeniawould not have any impact upon Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

Contradiction between the statements of the present Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright, who, despite, is not in power but preserved her reputation, is the reflection of US view with regards to the issue.

As you see, White House tries to pull out “Armenian genocide” issue from connection with Azerbaijanby strengthening their attempts to make Turkeyrestore negotiations withArmenia. Because, in order to force Turkey to come to the negotiations without any precondition agreement of officialBakuis required. Statement of Hillary Clinton that Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict has no connection with Turkish-Armenian relations proves it.

Therefore,Washingtontries to persuade Turkey that opening of borders between Turkey and Armenia will cause Armenia to compromise in Nagorno-Karabakh issue. On the other hand, as recognition of “Armenian genocide” is a principal issue for Azerbaijan along with Turkey, it is used as pressure object to Baku and Ankara.

The fact that “Armenian genocide” was the focus of attention again in Israel Knesset on June 12, it should be considered as pressure tool over Turkey and Azerbaijan. It is again proved by the report recently made by Madeline Albright together with former US president George Bush’s national security advisor Steven Hadley where this subject was the focus of attention as well. According to that report, establishment of good relations withIsrael by Turkey will lead to earning support of US Jewish society which will support Turkey to avoid discussion of “Armenian genocide” as in previous years. Israel Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, who seeks for strategic cooperation policy with official Baku, said that this issue wouldn’t be discussed for the sake of strategic cooperation with Azerbaijanwhen “Armenian genocide” was focus of attention in Israel Knesset. Israel media that are close to state and power bodies has been asked to be attentive in the sensible issues related to Azerbaijan. Being attentive we can see that Israel media pretext not to see that “Armenian genocide” is brought to focus of attention in Israel Knesset.

Israel is Our Home (IOH) party head secretary Faina Kirschenbaum, Members of Knesset said that IOH – Kadima block would try to avoid discussions of “Armenian genocide” which is brought to focus of attention by the pressure of Israel Armenian church.

But the point is that some Israel politicians and public figures think that the “Armenian genocide” is the issue between Armenia and Turkey and it has nothing with Azerbaijan, especially with Nagorno-Karabakh. Therefore, in order to satisfy society and Jewish lobby, “Armenian genocide” is brought to focus of attention in the Israel Knesset.

Since “Armenian genocide” is the tool of political speculation, attempts by Israel officials to close the subject for the sake of cooperation with Azerbaijan will be temporary and it is expected to be used for the purpose of mollifying Turkey and Azerbaijan.

As we remember, along with speculations around adoption of the law prohibiting denial of “Armenian genocide” in French Senate, “genocide” issue was also brought to the focus of attention in Israel Knesset.

The fact that discussion of “genocide” issue in Knesset is due on June 18, on the eve of meeting between Azerbaijan and Armenian Foreign Ministers in France, is the another proof that this is the pressure method on Azerbaijan during negotiations.

Source New Baku Post (bakupost.az)

June 16, 2012
With eye on Turkey, Israel debates Armenia deaths

By ARON HELLER, Associated Press – 11 hours ago

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli parliament debated Tuesday whether to recognize the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks 100 years ago as genocide, a move that would enrage Turkey and further strain already tense ties between the two countries.

For years, Israel has refrained from taking up the issue for fear of angering Turkey, which until recently was its closest ally in the Muslim world. But as ties have frayed under the Islamic-oriented rule of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that has changed.

No vote was taken Tuesday. Parliamentary speaker Reuven Rivlin denied the debate was related to the deteriorating ties with Turkey.

“The Turks will definitely be angry, but there is no intent to provoke, only to remember,” he told Israel’s Army Radio. “The free world must remember, to learn the lessons so it won’t happen again.”

Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey denies that the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll has been inflated, and those killed were victims of civil war and unrest as the Ottoman Empire disintegrated, leading to losses on both sides.

The issue is highly sensitive in Turkey, and the country has lashed out angrily at any country that has promoted recognition of the genocide.

The Israeli parliamentary resolution was co-sponsored by opposing lawmakers.

Zahava Galon, chair of the dovish Meretz party, said Israel had a moral obligation to recognize genocides elsewhere, given the history of the Nazi Holocaust, in which 6 million Jews were systematically murdered during World War II.

“The need to recognize the Armenian genocide and oppose its denial derives first and foremost from what we went through in the Jewish genocide,” she told Army Radio. “I am not comparing, and you can’t compare the two, but this requires us to be sensitive to the suffering of others.”

Her co-sponsor, Arieh Eldad of the ultranationalist National Union faction, dismissed accusations that raising the issue now was ill-timed.

“A few years ago people said we couldn’t talk about it because of our good relations with Turkey. Now people say we can’t talk about it because of our bad relations with Turkey,” he said. “When you don’t want to deal with something moral and ethical, there are always those who will say it is not the right time.”

Israeli-Turkish relations began to unravel as Erdogan embarked on a campaign to make Turkey a regional power. His shift away from the Western camp has put Turkey at odds with Israel.

Once-flourishing tourism from Israel to Turkey fell off, and Turkey canceled joint military exercises with Israel.

The low point came in 2010 after Israeli naval commandos killed nine Turks in a raid on a flotilla that tried to breach Israel’s Gaza blockade. Israel’s refusal to apologize for the flotilla killings sent relations deteriorating even further.

via The Associated Press: With eye on Turkey, Israel debates Armenia deaths.

June 13, 2012
Obama Urged to Encourage Turkey to Acknowledge Armenian Genocide

WASHINGTON and ZURICH, June 12, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Taner Akcam Speaks at Christian Solidarity International (CSI) Event on the Future of Religious Minorities in the Middle East

Taner Akcam, Professor of History at Clark University, has urged President Obama and his European allies to encourage “Turkey to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, and to follow the post-Holocaust example of Germany by making appropriate compensation for lives and property.”

Dr. Akcam made this plea last week while contributing to CSI’s spring 2012 conference series on The Future of Religious Minorities in the Middle East. (See www.formime.ch for videos of Akcam’s lectures in English and Turkish.)

Akcam said Turkey’s willingness to recognize the Genocide, in which approximately 1.5 million Christians – mainly Armenians and Assyrians – perished, and to provide compensation, is a litmus test of its fitness to fulfill its aspiration for Great Power status and leadership in shaping the destiny of the Middle East. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu calls for the “reintegration” of territories in Syria, Greece, Bulgaria, and Georgia with Turkey – a policy often referred to by political commentators as New Ottomanism. (Davutoglu, “Vision 2023: Turkey’s Foreign Policy Objectives,” London, November 22, 2011.)

Launching his new book, The Young Turks’ Crime against Humanity: The Armenian Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing in the Ottoman Empire, (Princeton, 2012), Akcam noted that “under the Islamic law of the Ottoman Empire, Christians were not allowed to become fully equal,” and that “it was, in fact, impossible for equality to be realized under the Islamic law of the Empire.” The Turkish Republic, Akcam maintains, has to break decisively from the tradition of Turkish and Islamic supremacism if it is going to gain the confidence of non-Muslim minorities and non-Turkish communities and become a source of regional democratic stability, rather than repression.

Turkey’s Islamist Prime Minister, Recep Tayyib Erdogan, persists in denying the Genocide process, which has reduced the country’s Christian population from approximately 30% in 1914 to less than 1% today. He has furthermore sought to use religion as a last line of defense with the claim that “it is not possible for a Muslim to commit genocide.”

Taner Akcam is the first scholar of Turkish origin to publicly acknowledge the massacres, forced deportations and assimilation of Turkey’s Christians during World War I as Genocide. His latest book, based on the Ottoman Archives in Istanbul, demonstrates that the Genocide was premeditated, planned and executed on orders from the Turkish Government, and aimed at creating “ethno-religious homogenization.”

Dr. John Eibner, the CEO of CSI-USA, observed that Prof. Akcam’s research was “a chilling reminder of the consequences of ethnic and religious supremacism.” Eibner called on Christians to “join others of good will to stand in solidarity with all endangered religious minorities of the Middle East that face violence from Islamic supremacist governments and movements today.”

CSI has issued a Genocide Warning for endangered religious minorities in the Islamic Middle East, and has called on President Barack Obama to make their survival a priority as the United States responds to the Middle East’s ongoing political turmoil.

Contact:Joel Veldkamp515-421-7258joel@csi-usa.org

SOURCE Christian Solidarity International (CSI)

via Obama Urged to Encourage Turkey to Acknowledge Armenian Genocide – MarketWatch.

June 13, 2012