President Trump carefully reviewed all of the candidates for the U.S. Senate. Everyone, especially David McCormick – a pro-China, Wall Street Insider – wanted this endorsement. But President Trump wisely endorsed me because I’m a conservative who will stand up to Joe Biden and the woke Left.
Dr. Mehmet oz
As Pennsylvania’s next Senator, I will defend America First policies. I will fight to unleash American energy, protect our Second Amendment, and drain the swamp of Washington insiders. l will be a powerful Pro-Life voice in the Senate, and I will protect our children from harmful woke indoctrination. And no one will fight harder against the radical policies of Joe Biden that are causing inflation, creating a crisis at our border, and weakening our position around the world.
The Los Angeles Times published on January 11, 2022, an opinion column by Jonah Goldberg, titled: “Just meeting with Putin is a concession — the U.S. should be wary of giving more.”
Goldberg expressed his unhappiness that Russia and other members of its military coalition, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which includes Armenia, sent troops to Kazakhstan on a ‘peacekeeping’ mission earlier this month. In his article, Goldberg made a critical reference to Armenia: “None of CSTO’s members — Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan — are democracies. Armenia comes closest; Freedom House designates it a ‘semi-consolidated authoritarian regime’ with a ‘Democracy Score’ of 33 out of 100. The rest are ‘consolidated authoritarian regimes.’”
Goldberg’s derogatory description of Armenia, which has been praised as a bastion of democracy since Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan came to power in 2018, must have made Armenians feel uncomfortable.
Freedom House, a Washington-based research institute funded mostly by the U.S. government, regrettably proves that Goldberg was not wrong in his criticism of Armenia. Freedom House publishes an annual “Freedom in the World” report which assesses each country’s degree of democracy, including political freedom and civil liberties. Countries are classified as “free,” “partly free,” or “not free.”
When Pashinyan became Prime Minister, he was applauded by the international community and Armenians worldwide for establishing democratic rule through his “Velvet Revolution.” However, Freedom House continued to classify Armenia as “partly free” throughout 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Armenia is also designated as “not an electoral democracy,” based on its low ratings on “political rights” and “civil liberties.” Just in case Azeris and Turks wish to celebrate Armenia’s low ratings, both Azerbaijan and Turkey are ranked far worse as “not free.”
Here are highlights from Freedom House’s detailed 30-page report on Armenia for the year 2020:
In the category of “National Democratic Governance,” with 1 as best and 7 as worst, Armenia was rated 2.25. This category “considers the democratic character of the governmental system; and the independence, effectiveness, and accountability of the legislative and executive branches.”
In the category of “Electoral Process,” Armenia was rated 3.25. It “examines national executive and legislative elections, the electoral framework, the functioning of multiparty systems, and popular participation in the political process.”
In the category of “Civil Society,” Armenia was rated 4.5. It “assesses the organizational capacity and financial sustainability of the civic sector; the legal and political environment in which it operates; the functioning of trade unions; interest group participation in the policy process; and the threat posed by antidemocratic extremist groups.”
In the category of “Independent Media,” Armenia was rated 3. It “examines the current state of press freedom, including libel laws, harassment of journalists, and editorial independence; the operation of a financially viable and independent private press; and the functioning of the public media.”
In the category of “Local Democratic Governance,” Armenia was rated 2.25. It “considers the decentralization of power; the responsibilities, election, and capacity of local governmental bodies; and the transparency and accountability of local authorities.”
In the category of “Judicial Framework and Independence,” Armenia was rated 2.5. It “assesses constitutional and human rights protections, judicial independence, the status of ethnic minority rights, guarantees of equality before the law, treatment of suspects and prisoners, and compliance with judicial decisions.”
In the category of “Corruption,” Armenia was rated 3. It “looks at public perceptions of corruption, the business interests of top policymakers, laws on financial disclosure and conflict of interest, and the efficacy of anticorruption initiatives.”
A second report on Armenia was published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on January 14, 2022. HRW is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered in New York City that conducts research and advocacy on human rights.
HRW reported that even though “the political crisis” after the Artsakh war “was largely defused in the June 2021 snap elections … domestic violence, discrimination against people with disabilities, barriers to effective pain treatment and palliative care, and violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity persisted. Striving to fight rising incidents of hate speech, authorities introduced regulations which may undermine freedom of speech.”
Regarding “accountability for law enforcement abuse and torture in custody,” HRW reported that “torture and ill-treatment in custody remains a problem and it is often perpetrated with impunity. Even when criminal investigations are launched in response to allegations of torture, they are rarely effective.”
In the first six months of 2021, there were “documented 15 cases, with 17 victims, of physical violence against journalists perpetrated by both public officials and private individuals.” There were also “heated public debates, which often included inflammatory speech by members of parliament and other public officials that was at times directed against human rights defenders and activists.”
The HRW also reported that “many children with disabilities remain segregated in orphanages, special schools, or at home with little or no education.” In May 2021, “parliament adopted the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which includes guarantees of accessibility, independent living, and access to justice, and bans disability-based discrimination.”
According to HRW, “violence against women and children … remains a persistent problem.” In addition, “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Armenia continue to face harassment, discrimination, and violence.”
An indication that Armenia is losing its image of a democratic country is the fact that last March, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a call with Prime Minister Pashinyan, counseled him about “the importance of the rule of law and democratic institutions.”
Prime Minister Pashinyan came to power in 2018 promoting democracy, thereby gaining much support and praise from international circles. Regrettably, Pashinyan’s monopoly on power and increasing tendency to make all governmental decisions single-handedly are turning Armenia into a one-man rule which will result in the country losing its democratic credentials and international support.
TV Celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz announced on Nov. 30 his Republican candidacy for one of the two U.S. Senate seats from Pennsylvania.
Just like his idol Donald Trump, Dr. Oz has no background in politics. He has not even served as a City Councilman. The American public and the world-at-large suffered enough in the hands of the incompetent celebrity Trump who appointed Dr. Oz to the White House council on sport, fitness and nutrition, after appearing on “The Dr. Oz Show” as a presidential candidate.
Besides his lack of political experience, there are several other issues that should discourage or disqualify Dr. Oz from running for a Senate seat. Even though he is a medical doctor, he has offered plenty of baseless medical advice and promoted questionable treatments, such as diet pills and hydroxychloroquine, Trump’s fake cure for coronavirus, in order to enrich himself, jeopardizing the health of the American public. He shockingly suggested on FOX-TV that “a 2-3% increase in COVID-19 mortality from reopening schools nationwide might be a worthwhile trade-off.”
According to Wikipedia, Dr. Oz “has promoted pseudoscience and alternative medicine, and has been criticized by physicians, government officials, and publications, including the British Medical Journal, Popular Science, and The New Yorker, for endorsing unproven products and non-scientific advice. The British Medical Journal published a study in 2014 that found more than half of the recommendations on medical talk series, including “The Dr. Oz Show,” either had no evidence or contradicted medical research.”
Another problem is that Dr. Oz is running for the Senate from Pennsylvania, even though he is not a resident of that State. He lives in a mansion in New Jersey which violates the residency requirement to run for political office in that State. In late 2020, he changed his voter registration to a home owned by his mother-in-law in Pennsylvania. The only link he has with that State is that he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania over three decades ago in 1986.
Finally, without wanting to say anything disparaging about his Turkish background, it remains to be seen, if elected, Dr. Oz will act as the mouthpiece of the Turkish government or serves the interests of the United States. In the few days since announcing his candidacy, several articles have been written questioning his exclusive allegiance to the United States as a dual Turkish and American citizen. Even though Dr. Mehmet Oz was born in Ohio, he spent his childhood summers in Turkey and served for two years in the Turkish army.
Regarding his position on Armenian issues, there are two indications:
1) In 2014, the Assembly of Turkish American Associations headquartered in Washington, DC, announced Dr. Oz’s participation in its “master plan” to deny the Armenian Genocide in advance of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide in 2015. However, a spokesman for Dr. Oz said in an email to the Armenian Asbarez newspaper that “Dr. Oz is not involved in this in any way.”
2) In 2008, when I was being awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in New York, Dr. Oz was also one of the recipients of that medal. During the official ceremony, in my acceptance speech, the minute I said that I was a descendant of survivors of the Armenian Genocide, Dr. Oz got up from his chair and left the hall. To be fair to him, this could have been a mere coincidence.
Nevertheless, it is up to Dr. Oz to clarify his position on the Armenian Genocide which is already recognized by both Houses of Congress and the President of the United States. Dr. Mehmet Oz’s true allegiances will be revealed if he shows any reluctance to criticize the grave human rights violations committed by his good friend, the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Despite his celebrity status, Dr. Oz will face an uphill battle in his political campaign. He will be competing with a dozen other Republican candidates in the race for the Senate. If he overcomes that major hurdle, he would then go up against his Democratic rival. The current Republican Senator Pat Toomey has announced his retirement.
Dr. Oz has come under relentless attacks from the American media for his questionable past statements. Dr. Dale Summers wrote an article in The Daily Beast titled: “Please Don’t Elect Dr. Oz — He’s a Disgrace to Our Profession.” Summers stated: “I greet this prospect with the same enthusiasm I’d have for contracting dysentery…. He’s been promoting pseudoscience on his show for years.”
In another article, The Daily Beast’s Matt Wilstein reported the sarcastic comments made on TV by comedian Stephen Colbert about Dr. Oz’s political prospects. The article was titled: “Stephen Colbert Exposes Known ‘Liar’ Dr. Oz Ahead of Pennsylvania Senate Run.” Colbert ridiculed Dr. Oz’s statement that his candidacy will “help re-light the ‘divine spark’ inside every American.” He noted that Dr. Oz, before tossing his hat in the political ring, had a “lucrative career as a liar, peddling questionable health advice on TV.” Colbert then added: “But Dr. Oz may not just have fake medical claims; he may have fake Pennsylvania claims, because he’s running there despite living in New Jersey for years.”
Karen Tumulty, Deputy Editorial Page Editor and Columnist for the Washington Post, wrote an article headlined: “What Dr. Oz’s Senate campaign is missing.” Tumulty stated: “Oz has now offered himself as a prescription for what ails politics. Count me as skeptical that Pennsylvania voters will buy the idea that he is the cure they are looking for.”
It remains to seen whether Dr. Oz’s celebrity status will overcome his political inexperience and fake medical cures.
When planning to write this column, there were two key points I wanted to highlight. The first was that Trump had a couple of weeks left in his presidency which millions of people were anxiously looking forward to. My second point was that Trump was proven to be the biggest liar in history. Little did I know that events in Washington would take a disastrous turn that would shake the United States and the world.
During the last four years of his presidency, Trump has made hundreds of irrational statements and decisions rarely based on facts or reason. This ignorant man arrogantly claimed that he knew more than the generals about war, more than the doctors about coronavirus, more than the financial experts about the economy, etc. He became the laughing stock of people around the world.
What is amazing to me is that 74 million Americans blindly followed Trump and voted for him on November 3, 2020. If it weren’t for the other 81 million Americans who voted for Joe Biden, Trump may have remained in office another four years, further destabilizing the United States. I blame Trump’s blind supporters more than Trump himself, because without them Trump would not have been elected four years ago and would not have caused such damage.
Trump was clever enough to sow the seeds of doubt long ago about the outcome of the presidential elections. According to the Washington Post, Trump made bogus election claims 1,795 times from January to November 2020, thus preparing the ground for refusing to accept the results of the election. During one of his campaign rallies Trump said that if he loses the election, he will leave the country, which is the best thing he has said, but like all his other statements this too was a lie!
To make matters much worse, Trump called on his loyal and blind followers to gather in Washington on January 6, 2020 and prevent Congress from certifying the votes of the Electoral College, confirming that Biden had won the election. Trump even told his followers that he will personally join them in the street and march with them. Fortunately, this too was a lie. He stayed in the White House and let his followers do his dirty bidding.
Thousands of mindless Trumpsters descended on Washington, DC from all over the country, most of them not wearing a mask. Some came armed with guns and Molotov cocktails. They fought with the police and pushed their way in the halls of Congress, the cradle of American democracy. They killed a policeman guarding the Capitol, one protester was shot and killed and three others died of health-related problems. They disrupted the joint session of Congress, threatened the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Vice President of the United States who were immediately whisked away fearing for their lives. The mob smashed the doors, windows, furniture and paintings, and stole the property that belonged to the Congress. Not since the British Army attacked the Capitol building in 1814, such a despicable invasion of the seat of power in Washington, D.C., has occurred.
It is surprising that the Capitol police, having prior notice of the impending attack, failed to take special measures to defend the building and members of Congress. The chief of the Capitol police has since resigned. Calls for the National Guard went unheeded and were obstructed by the White House until later that evening, after the damage was done.
The hoodlums or Trump’s terrorists will not be able to get away with their crimes. Dozens have been already arrested and many more are expected to be captured in the next few days. Trump, the chief instigator of these crimes, however, remains at large. He is the one that incited the mob to commit this violence. The day after the mayhem in Washington, in a video speech, Trump proudly told the attackers “We love you.” Facebook, Twitter and Instagram immediately blocked his messages so he does not instigate any more violence. His followers have wrongly called these measures censorship. Trump has been repeatedly warned for years that he is violating the terms of service of the social media. He arrogantly persisted. The social media companies have the right to block him. They should have done so long ago. Furthermore, instigation of violence and insurrection are crimes. The perpetrator, in this case Trump, who is the leader of the rioters, must be held legally responsible for his crimes in a court of law. Several members of Trump’s Cabinet have since resigned to disassociate themselves from the violence in Congress. A dozen other high-ranking Trump officials have also resigned.
The House of Representatives is now considering a new impeachment trial for Pres. Trump and forward the decision to the U.S. Senate. In recent days, several Republican Members of Congress have called on Pres. Trump to resign or face impeachment. This is the first time in U.S. history that a President will be impeached twice. To make sure that the Republican majority in the Senate does not block Trump’s conviction like they did last year, the Senate will consider his impeachment after January 20, 2021 when the new Senate takes over with a Democratic majority. Even though Trump will no longer be President by then, his successful impeachment will prevent him from holding federal office ever again, including running for President! Trump’s departure will be a stain on his presidential legacy, in addition to all his other indiscretions during the past four years.
Such a vicious attack is something that usually happens in third world countries and the U.S. government traditionally condemns the violence. No one expected that such an undemocratic act would take place in the heart of Washington which made the United States the laughing stock of the world. Several world leaders, including those of Iraq and Iran, lectured the United States about democracy. Even Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, one of the vilest dictators in the world, who has repeatedly violated the most basic rights of his people, mocked the United States by daring to give Americans a lesson in democracy.
Returning to Trump’s record of lies, the Washington Post has documented that Pres. Trump, as of Nov. 5, 2020, has made 29,508 false or misleading claims in almost four years. By the time he leaves office, the number of his lies will reach or exceed 30,000 — probably the most lies told by anyone in the world. Unfortunately, millions of Trump’s followers blindly swallowed these lies.
Regrettably, Trump’s supporters are now calling for a “million MAGA [Make America Great Again] march,” in Washington on January 20, 2020 to disrupt Pres. Biden’s inauguration. I hope this time the police and the National Guard will be better prepared to keep the protesters under control and immediately arrest those who behave violently.
After months of acrimonious debate and nasty disputes, the election is finally over. Trump supporters were 100% sure that he will be reelected. I advised everyone not to be so cocky about their predictions so that they would not be embarrassed if they turn out to be wrong.
Now comes the second chapter of the false prediction. Trump supporters, following the lead of the President, are refusing to acknowledge the results of the election. In the last few days, we have come across all kinds of crazy conspiracy theories questioning the outcome of the election. How can anyone be so gullible to believe such fraudulent claims? As expected, Trump is refusing to concede and leave his office gracefully. Trump is a sore loser. While it is true that the courts will determine the validity of these false claims, not a shred of credible evidence has been presented to question the results of the election. Just about every sensible person has acknowledged the victory of Joe Biden and the defeat of Pres. Donald Trump. Even former President George W. Bush, a Republican, congratulated President-elect Biden. Many leaders around the world have also congratulated Joe Biden.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was among the first to congratulate Biden. Here is Pashinyan’s important message:
“I am convinced that the wealth of experience and wisdom that you gained through your distinguished career in politics and legislature will guide you well, as you lead the United States and its people on the path toward continued progress and prosperity. Throughout your service, you have made great contributions to the strengthening of the U.S.-Armenia friendship and mutually beneficial relationship. The Armenian people appreciate your principled stance on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and your support for the pursuit of their fundamental rights. Bilateral relations between Armenia and the United States are built on shared democratic values. I am convinced that our cooperation will continue to flourish during your presidency, consistent with the level of the strategic dialogue that underlies the relationship between our two nations. That process, of course, benefits from the invaluable role that the Armenian American community plays, acting as a bridge between our countries. Armenia deeply values the role the United States plays in the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group. As you are aware, for over a month now, Azerbaijan and Turkey with the use of foreign terrorists have been fighting a war of aggression against Armenia and Artsakh in defiance of all efforts of the Co-Chairs to establish ceasefire. As a candidate you have laid out a vision for the resolution of the conflict exclusively through peaceful means. I salute that vision. I am hopeful that your Administration will take active steps to stop the war and bring about a comprehensive settlement of the conflict based on safeguards providing for the security of the people of Artsakh through the exercise of its right to self-determination….”
Without raising any hopes of what Pres. Biden might or might not do for Armenians after taking office in January, one thing is clear: Trump had to go. He has been a nightmare for most Americans and the rest of the world. He has violated scores of laws promising his advisors to pardon them should they get charged. He has lied close to 25,000 times in four years — a record for anyone, let alone a President. He has said the most ignorant and childish things undermining the dignity of the Presidency and the reputation of the United States in the world. The reason he is fighting so hard to stay in office is because he knows he will be charged when he is no longer President.
In the 2016 elections, Trump got three million less votes than Hillary Clinton. The Electoral College saved him from defeat. In 2020, Trump received 4.5 million less votes than Biden. This time around Trump also lost the Electoral College.
In January, Pres. Biden’s first order of business on day one will be to reverse the dozens of Trump’s Executive Orders. Some were ruled illegal by the courts others will be reversed by Pres. Biden who will reinstate the Paris Climate Accords, rejoin the World Health Organization, and restore the international treaties that Pres. Trump undermined and violated.
On Armenian issues, Pres. Biden has pledged to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide in several campaign statements. That remains to be seen. One thing is clear, Biden has been highly outspoken against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who has been a close friend of Pres. Trump. All one has to do is follow the Turkish press where there are multiple alarming articles about the Presidency of Biden which would end the love affair between Trump and Erdogan. Trump has acknowledged that he has a conflict of interest with Turkey because there are two buildings in Istanbul that bear his name and for which he receives millions of dollars of royalties every year.
In recent months a video a surfaced of Biden’s interview with The New York Times in which he used very strong language against Erdogan, angering the Turkish leadership. Here is what Biden said:
“I’ve spent a lot of time with him [Pres. Erdogan of Turkey]. He is an autocrat. He’s the president of Turkey and a lot more. What I think we should be doing is taking a very different approach to him now, making it clear that we support opposition leadership. Making it clear that we are in a position where we have a way which was working for a while to integrate the Kurdish population who wanted to participate in the process in their parliament, etc. Because we have to speak out about what we in fact think is wrong. He has to pay a price for whether or not we’re going to continue to sell certain weapons to him. In fact, if he has the [Russian] air defense system that they’re flying F-15s through to see how they can try to figure out how to do it.”
Biden went on: “So I’m very concerned about it. But I’m still of the view that if we were to engage more directly like I was doing with them, that we can support those elements of the Turkish leadership that still exist and get more from them and embolden them to be able to take on and defeat Erdogan. Not by a coup, not by a coup, but by the electoral process. He got blown out. He got blown out in Istanbul [during the mayoral elections]. He got blown out in his party. So what do we do now? We just sit there, and yielded. And the last thing I would’ve done is yielded to him with regard to the Kurds. The absolute last thing!”
Biden concluded: “I had a couple of those meetings with him about the Kurds, and they did not clamp down at the time. We have to make it clear that if they’re looking to, because, at the end of the day, Turkey doesn’t want to have to rely on Russia. They’ve had a bite out of that apple a long time ago. But they got to understand that we’re not going to continue to play with them the way we have. So I am very concerned. I’m very concerned about our airfields [in Turkey] and access to them as well. And I think it takes an awful lot of work for us to be able to get together with our allies in the region and deal with how we isolate his actions in the region, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean in relating to oil and a whole range of other things which take too long to go into. But the answer is yes, I’m worried.”
Biden has made several similar statements against Erdogan and Turkey. We now need to ensure that he keeps his words.
It is important now to unify the people of the United States. Biden has pledged to be the President of all Americans including those who did not vote for him.
After this divisive election, the Armenian American community has to come together and help defend Armenia and Artsakh against Azerbaijan, Turkey and their mercenary terrorists in Artsakh!
Along with the rest of the world and tens of millions of Americans I am hoping that the nightmare called Trump will be over on November 3.
Fortunately, Trump just announced that if he loses the election, he will leave the United States. That is the best thing he has said in four years! He probably is worried that he will go to jail after he loses the election for the multiple crimes he has committed both during and after holding office. The only problem is which country would be willing to give him refuge; maybe Turkey or Azerbaijan. Or maybe Israel.
I know that some Armenians will not be happy with my position. But I have always strongly expressed my point of view as honestly as I could. I sincerely believe that Trump has been a menace to the United States and the world! Hopefully, with Trump’s defeat on Nov. 3, we will all breathe a big sigh of relief. We will once again live in a free democratic country without the fear of a dictator ruining our health and our lives.
There are not enough negative words in the dictionary to describe all the wrong things Trump has said and done in the past four years. This must come to a stop. It will take a long time for the next U.S. President to undo the damage that Trump has done to America and the world.
The Washington Post meticulously kept track of Trump’s lies and exaggerations. As of May 2020, Trump has lied over 20,000 times since becoming President. He is a serial liar. You cannot trust a word he says. He says one thing in the morning and the opposite in the evening. When confronted, he says he did not say it, even when it is proven by a tape recording of his own voice. He said in a speech in 2018: don’t believe what you are reading or what you are seeing! In other words, ignore the facts and trust his lies.
The only thing you can trust is that Trump will do what is in his self-interest. As President he has directed business to his hotels and golf courses around the world. He owes $400 million to unknown individuals and entities, but will not reveal their names. Could it be that some of the dictators he embraces are the ones that lent him these funds. And that could be the reason, among others, why Trump adamantly refuses to make his tax returns public.
Turning to the coronavirus pandemic, Trump’s incompetence and ignorance has caused the deaths of over 220,000 Americans as of now, with the count going up every day. He never took the deadly virus seriously, describing it as a Democrat hoax and said on Feb. 27, 2020 at the White House that “It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.” Regrettably, many more will die before this pandemic is over. Trump has held large political rallies around the country and several events at the White House with most attendees not wearing masks and no social distancing. Many of them, Trump’s own voters, were infected and some died. Trump and his family were also infected, but he seems to have learned no lessons from his reckless behavior.
Trump has confessed that he is in love with dictators and against traditional U.S. allies. Trump told journalist Bob Woodward in a taped interview: “I get along very well with Erdogan, even though you’re not supposed to because everyone says, ‘what a horrible guy.’ But you know, for me it works out good. It’s funny, the relationships I have, the tougher and the meaner they are, the better I get along with them. You’ll explain that to me someday, okay? But maybe it’s not a bad thing. … The easy ones are the ones I maybe don’t like as much or don’t get along with so much.”
It is therefore not surprising that Pres. Trump has not lifted a finger to pressure his good friend Erdogan to stop arming and encouraging Azerbaijan in the attack on Artsakh. He is not even interested in telling Erdogan to stop flying terrorists from Northern Syria to Azerbaijan, because Trump does not have anything personal to gain from the Artsakh conflict. Meanwhile, young Armenian soldiers are dying every day. If Trump wanted to, he could have stopped the war with one phone call to Erdogan. But, as Trump confessed to Breitbart News Daily in 2015: “I have a little conflict of interest ’cause I have a major, major building in Istanbul. It’s a tremendously successful job. It’s called Trump Towers — two towers, instead of one, not the usual one, it’s two.”
On Oct. 18, after noticing a group of Armenian protesters in Orange County, California, at a rally in Reno, Nevada, later that day, Trump praised Armenians and said he liked their flag. Even though he made no reference to the Artsakh War, he said, “we are working on something.” Trump may be alluding to the Oct. 23 planned meeting in Washington, DC, of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. As Trump often says, “let’s see what happens.”
Many books have been written in recent months by either Trump’s relatives or his White House staff, revealing his multiple flaws. Recently, former White House Chief of Staff retired General John Kelly said about Trump: “The depths of his dishonesty are just astounding to me. The dishonesty, the transactional nature of every relationship, though it’s more pathetic than anything else. He is the most flawed person I have ever met in my life.”
One of the amazing things about Trump supporters is their blind following of Trump as their cult leader, no matter how despicable his actions or statements are. How can evangelicals and other decent people ignore his immoral practices and his lies? He has had many illicit sexual affairs with prostitutes and paid them hush money. He has probably not entered a church in his life, yet he is worshipped like a God! This is very sad and regrettable.
Trump has also ruined the United States’ reputation around the world. According to a Pew poll, Russia’s Putin is more respected than Trump and he is just one point ahead of China’s Xi Jinping (29% to 28%) among world leaders. The Trump administration has also violated several international agreements signed by the United States.
To conclude, a vote for Biden is a vote to get rid of Trump. I am not naïve to believe campaign promises, but one thing is sure, Trump must go. So regardless of what Biden promises to do, he cannot be any worse than Trump for Armenian Americans, for Armenia, for the United States and the world. We have seen four years of Trump’s inept governance and that is long enough for me and many others. No wonder many analysts have said, “Trump is unfit to be President.” It is time for sanity to return to the White House! Imagine the damage Trump could do in a second term if uninhibited by concerns for reelection!
