Tag: Bob Menendez

Tell Senator Menendez: It’s time to resign

Dear Friends,

38,367 persons including myself have signed the attached petition calling for the resignation of criminally indicted U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, a long-time enemy of good U.S. relations with Türkiye.

You may wish to consider signing as well by clicking on the red “ACT NOW” box. Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully,
Enis Pınar

Just yesterday, Senator Bob Menendez pleaded not guilty to charges that he is an unregistered foreign agent. These allegations come on top of an earlier 39-page indictment that detailed multiple others, including that the Senator accepted bribes – hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, a luxury car, and gold bars from the Egyptian government.

While the Senator is entitled to his day in court, no one can effectively serve their constituents when there are credible allegations that they can be bought. With global tensions so high, now more than ever, we need members of Congress who can work with integrity. That’s why Sen. Menendez should resign immediately.

Since news broke of the allegations, politicians across the country have called for Sen. Menendez’s resignation — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, nearly the entire New Jersey Democratic congressional delegation, former Attorney General Eric Holder, Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and more. But the constituency that matters most is the public, and, Enis, this is your chance to speak out.

This is a crucial moment for accountability. If you believe, as we do, that there must be repercussions for this alleged corruption of U.S. foreign policy, now is the time to act. Add your name to join the growing chorus calling for Senator Robert Menendez to resign immediately.

ACT NOW
https://act.winwithoutwar.org/go/38337?t=9&akid=9359%2E927916%2EwfR7vJ

Allegations that Sen. Menendez accepted bribes to advance the interests of the Egyptian government, known for its horrific human rights record, are deeply alarming.

The U.S. government currently provides Egypt up to $1.3 BILLION in annual “foreign military financing,” effectively giving the Egyptian government U.S.-taxpayer-funded grants to buy U.S.-made weapons and military equipment.

This funding, despite a 2020 State Department report on Egypt, which noted significant human rights issues including forced child labor, extrajudicial killings by the government, forced disappearances, and torture.

The Senator has temporarily stepped back from his influential role as the Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) “until the matter has been resolved.” But the simple reality is that the people of New Jersey and beyond deserve better and a mere pause of a chairmanship is wildly insufficient.

The very idea that Sen. Menendez, as SFRC Chair, may have played a role behind the scenes in greenlighting U.S. military assistance in a pay-for-play scheme is deeply disturbing – and that’s why it’s time to act.

Maintaining political power in Congress is key, and as we work to build a foreign policy centered in justice and human rights, we cannot abide by corrupt behavior whether it comes from folks on the left or the right. These allegations are too troubling to ignore. Sen. Menendez should resign and allow Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to determine the next best person for the seat. Add your voice now.

Building a world where U.S. foreign policy isn’t up for the highest bidder is critical and starts with accountability. That requires Senator Menendez to resign his seat immediately. Add your name now if you agree.

Thank you for working for peace,
Shayna, Sara, Eric, and the Win Without War team

October 29, 2023
Biden Wants to Sell Arms to TurkeyWhile Ankara is Undermining NATO

www.The CaliforniaCourier.com

With each passing day, the Armenian-American community is getting increasingly disappointed with Pres. Joe Biden’s anti-Armenian actions. He has done more harm than good to Armenia’s interests.

Last year, 24 hours before acknowledging the Armenian Genocide, Pres. Biden waived Section 907 of the U.S. Freedom Support Act, thus allowing the United States to provide various types of aid to Azerbaijan, including ‘security’ assistance.

The U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) reported that from 2002 to 2020 the Departments of State, Defense, and Energy, and the U.S. Agency for International Development provided to Azerbaijan $808 million in U.S. aid, of which $164 million (20%) was for ‘security’ assistance. On March 31, 2022, the American Ambassador to Baku proudly tweeted that the U.S. Department of Defense just donated $30 million of ‘equipment’ to Azerbaijan. It makes no sense whatsoever, to provide assistance to oil-rich Azerbaijan which is plush with billions of petrodollars. This is a complete waste of U.S. taxpayers’ money.

During a recent hearing, when Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, questioned Secretary of State Antony Blinken why the State Department failed to report to Congress the impact of the assistance to Baku on the military balance between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Blinken gave an evasive answer by promising to look into it.

Even though previous presidents had also waived Section 907, thus providing assistance to filthy rich Azerbaijan, Joe Biden, during his 2020 presidential campaign, boldly criticized Pres. Donald Trump for waiving Section 907. Yet, within three months of becoming President, he did the same thing as Trump.

What is the point of acknowledging the Armenian Genocide and then providing weapons to Azerbaijan to continue killing Armenians, as was the case in the 2020 war? What is needed is action, not empty words.

Another blunder of the Biden administration is not enforcing the ban on the transfer of U.S. weapons to third countries. The prime example of this violation is the use of U.S. F-16 military jets by Turkey in Azerbaijan during the 2020 Artsakh war. In addition, the U.S. did not ban the sale of U.S. parts in the Bayraktar Turkish drones which played a key role in the 2020 war.

The Biden administration reduced aid to Armenia to $24 Million and allocated a pitiful amount of humanitarian assistance to thousands of displaced Armenians from Artsakh, while acknowledging that they are in an “acute humanitarian crisis.”

Other shortcomings of the Biden administration are: 1) Did not pressure Azerbaijan to release immediately the Armenian prisoners from Baku jails, after the end of the 2020 war.2) Did not condemn Turkey’s recruitment and transfer of Islamist terrorists to participate in the 2020 Artsakh war on behalf of Azerbaijan.3) Did not criticize the incursion of Azeri troops into Armenia’s territory since May 12, 2021.4) Failed to take action regarding the massive human rights violations by Azerbaijan and Turkey, while Pres. Biden hypocritically talks about human rights being a core tenet of U.S. foreign policy.

Instead, we hear repeated U.S. calls in support of “Armenia-Turkey reconciliation” and “peace agreement with Azerbaijan,” which are contrary to Armenia’s national interests.

Amazingly, the Biden administration just informed Congress that it supports the sale to Turkey of missiles, radar, and electronics for its existing fleet of F-16 fighter jets. In addition, Turkey has asked for the purchase of 40 new F-16 jets.

The Biden administration is wrong that the proposed arms sale to Turkey “serves NATO’s interests.” In fact, this sale faces an uphill battle in Congress as 60 Members of Congress have expressed their vehement opposition.

Contrary to the Biden administration’s assertion, the proposed arms sale to Turkey will undermine U.S. and NATO interests for the following reasons: 1) The F-16 jets will be used by Turkey in Syria and Iraq to bomb Kurdish fighters who are U.S. allies in the fight against ISIS terrorists, whom Turkey supports.2) Turkey will use the F-16’s to continue its illegal intrusions into the territorial waters of Greece, a NATO member.3) Turkey will use the F-16 jets to threaten the territorial integrity of Armenia.4) Turkey continues to occupy Northern Cyprus ever since 1974 and refuses to leave despite scores of U.N. Security Council resolutions.5) The United States sanctioned Turkey and blocked the sale of F-35 U.S. advanced fighter jets for purchasing S-400 Russian missiles, contrary to NATO’s interests.

Finally, at a time when NATO countries, including the United States, are confronting Russia in Ukraine, the governments of Finland and Sweden have asked to join NATO. Except for Turkey, all other NATO members are in favor of the expedited memberships of Finland and Sweden. Pres. Erdogan announced that his country will veto the membership applications of these two countries, using the ridiculous argument that Finland and Sweden are “home to many terrorist organizations,” meaning Kurdish refugees. This is highly ironic coming from a country like Turkey which for years supported ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

By opposing Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO memberships, Turkey hopes to achieve the following aims: 1) To cater to Russia with which it has important military and commercial ties. Turkey is the only NATO member that has refused to sanction Russia and close its airspace to Russian planes. Turkey is Russia’s mole inside NATO.2) To extract concessions from the United States to purchase arms and gain political support in return for allowing the applications of Finland and Sweden to join NATO.

It is clear that Turkey, Russia’s ally, does not belong in NATO. Before Pres. Biden decides to sell F-16 jets to Turkey, I suggest that he read The Washington Post editorial published on April 29, 2022, titled: “Turkey reaches a new low of despotism.”

May 17, 2022
Sen. Menendez Delays Senate Confirmation Of US Ambassador to Azerbaijan

By Harut Sassounian

Publisher, The California Courier

www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com

Pres. Donald Trump nominated on Sept. 4, 2018 career Foreign Service Officer Earle Litzenberger to serve as US Ambassador to Azerbaijan replacing Amb. Robert Cekuta who left Baku nine months ago.

A month before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s October 4, 2018 hearing on Litzenberger’s confirmation, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) issued a press release urging the Armenian American community, friends of Armenia, and human rights activists to call on their Senators to scrutinize Litzenberger’s nomination.

Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of ANCA, explained that “there’s never been a more urgent need for clarity regarding the nature and scope of American relations with the Aliyev regime. This confirmation process provides a much-needed opportunity for substantive Congressional oversight of an increasingly troubled U.S.-Azerbaijan bilateral relationship, characterized by escalating aggression against Armenians, a worsening crackdown on dissent, and a well-funded campaign to manipulate the American political process.”

Litzenberger has served as Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund; Deputy Chief of Mission to the United States Mission to NATO; NATO Deputy Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan; Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia; and Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Litzenberger earned a B.A. from Middlebury College and M.S. from the United States Army War College. He speaks French, Russian, Serbian, and Bulgarian.

During the October 4, 2018 Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Litzenberger came under intense scrutiny. The ANCA reported that Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) referred to Azeri President Ilham Aliyev’s “bellicose rhetoric and sporadic outbursts of violence,” when pressing Litzenberger about Azerbaijan’s violent strategies. Litzenberger responded that he would urge the Azerbaijani government to step back from behaviors that would disrupt the line of contact in the Artsakh conflict. He also stated that the U.S. is working along three lines — the non-use of force, respect for territorial integrity, and the right to self-determination.

In addition, Litzenberger referred to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, which condemns “any violence and any threat of the use of violence along the line of contact” without specifically citing Azerbaijan’s attacks.

During the hearing, Sen. Menendez inquired whether providing weapons to Azerbaijan should be curtailed based on its human rights violations. Litzenberger responded that the State Department will be careful to ensure its decisions do not undermine efforts to reach a peaceful settlement of the Artsakh conflict. He also mentioned an increased focus on Azerbaijani training in human rights.

Following the hearing, both Sen. Menendez and Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) submitted written questions to Litzenberger. At the request of Sen. Menendez, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee postponed consideration of Litzenberger’s nomination to an unspecified date. Both Senators may have additional written questions to the nominee as a result of their concerns at National Security Advisor John Bolton’s offer to sell weapons to Armenia and Azerbaijan during his late October trip to the Caucasus.

Litzenberger was the only one of 19 ambassadorial nominations to be postponed, very likely until next year, when the Committee will hold its next business meeting.

ANCA’s Hamparian welcomed Litzenberger’s delay giving the Senators the “opportunity for more careful Congressional oversight of our country’s increasingly challenging bilateral ties with Azerbaijan’s aggressive and abusive Aliyev regime, particularly in light of National Security Advisor John Bolton’s controversial suggestion that the U.S. start selling arms to Baku.”

Hamparian went on to assert: “We join with our Senate friends in seeking greater clarity on this point, and, more generally, regarding the Administration’s policy on Aliyev’s worsening pattern of aggression against Artsakh and Armenia, incitement of hatred against all Armenians, unapologetic blacklisting of U.S. legislators, obstruction of the Royce-Engel peace proposals, threats to shoot down civilian aircraft, the destruction of the Djulfa cemetery and other Christian heritage sites, and – of course – his severe crackdown against domestic dissidents and ethnic-religious minorities.”

Azerbaijan’s Turan news Agency reported the news about the delay of the confirmation of the US Ambassador to Baku. Surprisingly, Turan speculated that Pres. Trump may make a recess appointment taking advantage of the absence of Senate sessions in December, which would mean that the President could appoint Litzenberger as Ambassador to Azerbaijan without Senate confirmation.

Readers may recall that Pres. Obama made such a recess appointment in the case of Matt Bryza dispatching him as Ambassador to Azerbaijan, after Sen. Menendez twice blocked his confirmation. Bryza could only serve in Baku for 12 months before being forced to return to Washington, after the Senate Foreign Relations Committee refused to confirm his nomination.

In the case of Matt Bryza, the Armenian-American community had a good reason to object to his nominations as he had a serious bias against Armenia and favored Azerbaijan and Turkey. However, Litzenberger does not seem to have such biases and there is nothing personal against him. Delaying his nomination is simply a means to ensure that he would defend human rights in Azerbaijan and would urge the Aliyev regime to be less bellicose in the Artsakh conflict. Litzenberger’s delay would also send a message to John Bolton that the Senate does not welcome his offer to sell weapons to Azerbaijan.

The delay of the Ambassador’s Senate confirmation would serve the additional aim of upsetting the Aliyev regime by prolonging the lengthy absence of a US Ambassador to Baku, causing an irritation in Azerbaijan-United States relations.

December 4, 2018