In case you missed, the news that Kurdish rebells have killed 17 or so Turkish soldiers has made world headlines. 

But the fact that, according to the same sources, “Turkey’s military general staff said 32 rebels were killed in continuing clashes in the southeast” doesn’t make headlines such as “32 Kurdish rebells killed.”

It’s the Turkish soldiers who we care about, because “Turkey’s tougher stance has helped propel global oil prices to record highs over the past week.”

And for that reason, perhaps, America’s president Bush “strongly condemns the violent attacks in Hakkari Province and extends his condolences to the families who lost loved ones and to all the people of Turkey.”  

But when it comes to extending his condolences to all the Armenian people for the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians, Mr. Bush… “HEY, the gas prices are rising I have to run.”

So yes, 17 Turkish soldiers are worth more than 32 Kurdish rebells and 1.5 million Armenian civilians. 

Thanks to our reader Ani for bringing the news item to our attention.

An article in the Congressional Quarterly on the Armenian Genocide legislation and the issue of former Congress members becoming foreign agents gives interesting insights into the heavy lobbying effort by Turkey to stop the passage of House Resolution 106.

CQ TODAY
Oct. 5, 2007 – 7:55 p.m.

Turkey Hires Familiar Faces for Genocide Debate

By Alan K. Ota, CQ Staff

In 2003, Richard A. Gephardt cosponsored a resolution that put the “Armenian genocide” in company with the Holocaust and mass deaths in Cambodia and Rwanda.

In 2000, the Missouri lawmaker backed a similar measure, and in a letter to then-Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., Gephardt said he was “committed to obtaining official U.S. government recognition of the Armenian genocide.”

Now Gephardt is a foreign agent lobbying on behalf of Turkey, and he’s got a different view of the world. He’s working to stymie the latest version of an Armenian genocide resolution.

If the resolution (H Res 106) gets through committee this week, it will bring a billing bonanza for lobbyists working against it — including Gephardt, who represents one of the newest additions to a small group of former lawmakers who serve as the American face of foreign countries on Capitol Hill.

The Armenian resolution is popular — with 226 co-sponsors — but problematic, given that Turkey is an important Muslim ally in a strategically vital part of the world.

The events at issue occurred nearly a century ago in what was then the Ottoman Empire, but Turkey is still sensitive to characterizations of the killings.

Gephardt, responding via e-mail to written questions, confirmed that he had escorted Turkish Ambassador Nabi Sensoy to meetings with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders.

Gephardt (1977-2005) acknowledged that he had in the past actively supported efforts to label activities of the Ottoman Empire as genocide. But “alienating Turkey through the passage of the resolution could undermine our efforts to promote stability in the theater of operations, if not exacerbate the situation further,” he said.

Pelosi, D-Calif., declined to comment on any private talks about Turkey, saying only that she would welcome talks on the measure and other issues with Gephardt, who preceded her as House Democratic leader. “I have the highest regard for Dick Gephardt. Any advice he has on any subject is indeed welcome by me,” she said.

Pelosi’s open door for Gephardt demonstrates the muscle former lawmakers can provide for clients by snagging meetings and conversations with the most powerful members of Congress. As with all other kinds of lobbying, they can’t assure success but they can give client countries access they might not otherwise have to the legislative branch.

When Republicans controlled Congress, they often blocked measures, such as the Armenian resolution, that could embarrass allies and the Bush administration.

In the 110th Congress, foreign countries have had mixed success trying to slow or water down such measures.

Despite the help of prominent lobbyists, such as former House Minority Leader Bob Michel, R-Ill. (1957-1995), Japan lost a battle in July when the House passed a resolution (H Res 121) urging it to apologize for using sex slaves, or comfort women, in World War II.

Working with lobbyists associated with DLA Piper, the firm where Gephardt is a senior counsel, Ethiopia got plenty of support from the White House. But the country failed to delay House action on a plan (HR 2003) by Donald M. Payne, D-N.J., to limit security assistance unless it moves to release political prisoners and protect human rights.

Gephardt said he had met with Ethiopian representatives but elected not to work for Ethiopia.

However, Gephardt has been active on behalf of Turkey, which has long insisted that Armenians died not from genocide, but in conflicts tied to World War I — including an uprising against Turkey’s Ottoman rulers.

Also representing Turkey is former Rep. Robert L. Livingston, R-La. (1977-1999).

Another former congressman, Stephen J. Solarz, D-N.Y. (1975-1993), worked for Turkey until August.

The Foreign Affairs Committee plans to take up the Armenian genocide resolution on Wednesday, and Payne and other members predict it will have broad bipartisan support on the panel.

Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., said a House vote on the Armenian genocide resolution has not been scheduled, but he believes it will happen this year. “It’s my expectation we will have a floor vote before we leave here in November,” Hoyer said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., backs a companion measure (S Res 106), but it has less momentum: just 32 co-sponsors.

Tougher Limits Sought

Critics argue that former lawmakers give foreign countries too much power inside the Capitol and are calling for tougher restrictions and revolving-door limits.

For example, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, has called for a lifetime ban (HR 168) to prevent lawmakers and senior government officials from becoming foreign agents.

“Public confidence in government is shaken when they see high-level officials and lawmakers going to work for foreign countries,” she said.

In response to such critiques, Gephardt and other foreign agents contend they seek to merely ensure a vigorous debate, not special favors for foreign countries.

“The better informed members are about all aspects of a particular issue, the more likely Congress comes to the proper course of action,” Gephardt said.

He said he serves dual roles in “private conversations with former colleagues and meetings where I accompany the client.”

Livingston describes the role of foreign agents as calming what can be emotional fights. “It’s more intense than lobbying,” he said.

Working in tandem with the Bush administration, Gephardt, Livingston and, for a time, Solarz tapped their personal contacts to try to block the Armenian genocide resolution.

Last Dec. 19, Solarz sent a letter to Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., inviting him to lead a congressional delegation to Turkey and to visit Solarz’ home on its Mediterranean coast.

“You and other members of the delegation would be more than welcome to spend the evening and the next day with us,” Solarz wrote. “If not, I’ll still love you, but I’ll need to find someone else to do it.”

Wexler, who never made the trip to visit Solarz in Turkey, is not expected to support the resolution.

Turkey hired DLA Piper on May 10. Gephardt registered the next day to represent the country.

The firm has since circulated a package of materials to lawmakers that lays out Turkey’s case for foreign aid and its argument against the Armenian genocide resolution.

Lawmakers in both parties have long catered to the interests of Americans of Armenian descent, a small but vocal group. The Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues has about 120 members, while the Congressional Turkey Caucus is roughly half as large.

In 2000, Livingston and other advocates for Turkey won a victory when President Clinton urged Hastert to back away from a planned floor vote on an Armenian genocide resolution. “It wasn’t just Clinton. It was us working it hard,” Livingston said. “The Speaker changed his mind.”

Hoping for a similar reversal by Pelosi, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates have sent letters laying out the reasons they think the resolution would “significantly endanger U.S. national security interests.”

In the coming week, the lobbying focus will be on the Foreign Affairs Committee, where 22 of the 50 members are cosponsors, but some may be amenable to making word changes in the name of U.S-Turkish relations.

After that, the lobbying goes behind the scenes, and it will be up to Pelosi whether and when to allow a House floor fight.

U.S. Congress’ House Resolution 106 is “so-called,” the title of an article in Turkey’s nationalist Sabah newspaper suggests.

The article, “Six reprisals for the so-called bill,” states the possible “sanctions” that Turkey’s prime minister will advise about to U.S. officials next month in response to the growing probability of the Armenian Genocide being reaffirmed as such in a Congress resolution.

Since how and when Ahmadinejad became America’s enemy most Americans would not tell you. But for some reason many are adamant that the Iranian president is the evil.

At least that’s how the media portrays Iran’s authoritarian president.  Of course a few would defend Ahmadinejad’s sinister denial of the Holocaust, but comparing him to Hitler and calling him “the evil” is pretty silly. What’s worse is that the media seems to be behind this evil-constructionism and there are few voices that question America’s paranoia for the authoritarian president and needless to say the millions of people he represents.

How is Ahmadinejad worse from Sudan’s president who is massacring millions of people? Why don’t we invade Sudan for committing a genocide?

I want to invite you to read a Huffington Post entry by Cenk Uygur, the main host of a radio show called “The Young Turks.”  Uygur is one of the few dissidents who asks a question America’s “liberal” media forgets or doesn’t dare to.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denies the Holocaust. Let me ask this provocative question: so what?

Of course, I understand that people have a visceral reaction to that claim. It is grossly untrue, offensive and ignorant. But we are also told how dangerous Ahmadinejad is because he doesn’t believe in the Holocaust. I fail to see that connection.There are countless people all across the world that deny many things that are patently true — and we don’t go to war with them over it. Senator Inhofe (R-OK) denies global warming. As far as I know we are not planning on invading Oklahoma over it.But Ahmadinejad is the leader of an important country in the Middle East. Well, so is Tayyip Erdogan, the Prime Minister of Turkey. He denies the Armenian Genocide. Should we invade Turkey? I bet I can find you at least half a dozen world leaders who deny one genocide or another. Should we suit up and restart the draft? We’ve got a lot of countries to attack.

Uygur’s reference to invading Turkey for denying the Armenian Genocide is to the point. And I type these words with hope in my heart for Turkish-Armenian reconciliation because Uygur is himself Turkish-American, and he himself has denied the Armenian Genocide in the past and has apparently overcome his nationalistic beliefs about history.  

Now it is time for us Americans to overcome our nationalistic, evil-constructionist traditions about making enemies. Condemn Ahmadinejad for denying the Holocaust; condemn any person, especially those in power, for denying any genocide, but think about the future of your children. Do we want another war of terror?

After rereading Socrates’ “Apology”, as documented by Plato, I wonder whether he would keep a blog if he lived in the 21st century.

I guess the only answer I know is that I don’t know if I will ever know. But that questions still tempts me. What do you guys think?

So Kerkorian is #7 billionaire in the US&A, says Forbes Magazine.  So Simon has some catching up to do – I mean I am only $18.00 billion short but I still have a bit more formal education.

Net Worth $18.0 billion		Source MGM Mirage (quote: MGM), Investments, Self made

Son of Armenian immigrant fruit farmer dropped out of school in eighth grade. Trained U.S., British fighter pilots during WWII. Flew surplus Air Force planes across Atlantic after war before building charter flights company Trans International Airlines; sold for $104 million profit 1966. Acquired Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas 1967, built International Hotel 1969. Sold both properties to Hilton Hotels 1970. Went Hollywood: made billions buying and selling movie studio MGM, 3 times since 1969. Back to Vegas: nabbed Steve Wynn’s Mirage Resorts for $6.4 billion 2000, then Mandalay Bay Resorts for $7.9 billion 4 years later. Today MGM Mirage owns more than half the hotel rooms on Las Vegas Strip; shares up 140% in past 12 months. Attempted to personally buy Bellagio casino, unfinished 76-acre resort complex CityCenter from MGM Mirage this spring; pulled out after company struck deal with Kerzner International to develop 40 acres of land on Strip. In August sold half of CityCenter, 9.5% chunk of MGM to Middle East investment firm Dubai World for $5 billion. Spent 20 frustrating months fighting to reshape General Motors; believed to have sold entire stake last November.

Ooo. I am so scared guys. Anti-Semites are after Blogian. Maybe I should ask Foxman for help? Oh, I forgot that Foxman is the head of the Armenian Defamation League; won’t work. Got this e-mail a few minutes ago.

Dear Mr. Maghakyan,

This letter is to confirm that you, Simon Maghakyan, are the author of the libelous statements published at:

home

under the heading:

“Anti-Semitism, Zionism and the Armenian Genocide
Blogian on 09 Sep 2007”

Is this mailing address for you still current?

Simon Maghakyan
P O Box 99800
EmeryVille, CA
94662

What is your regular residential address?

Sincerely,
Christopher Jon Bjerknes

As the letter below shows, the main Turkish lobbying organization in the Unites States is facing serious troubles. Although they are not blaming Armenians for their inhouse fights yet, Armenians are certainly guilty for bringing the Turkish lobby together in the first place. If Armenians had not existed in history, Turks wouldn’t committ genocide against them and then having to create a lobbying group to deny it. Here is the letter:

“August 17, 2007

Dear ATAA Members and concerned Turkish Americans, and Friends of Turks:

Recently, you have been receiving phone calls, emails and letters from a group of ATAA members, who are telling you a story that they want you to believe.

Like in every story, there is more than one version of events that are taking place. I ask you to listen and read all sides of the story before you render a judgment.

ATAA’s chronic problems surfaced about in 2003. At that time you observed an open debate about ATAA in emails. This was settled in late 2004, and we had relatively quiet period during 2004-2005.

In 2005, there was a challenge to the longstanding structure of ATAA. Currently, this struggle continues.

At the heart of the issue is that certain members of Board of Directors feel that they can run ATAA like their personal fiefdom without providing any financial records to other bodies of ATAA and members, and avoid verifiable audit of the financial records. They want members to rely on some numbers placed on a white sheet of paper by them and ask you to take these numbers on a faith. ATAA is not a faith based organization. We trust but would like to verify.

Since current administrations takeover, ATAA has no budget. We do not now where the ATAA’s funds are being spent. Administration refuses become transparent. They provide no minutes. They keep no records. They are unaware of the number of component associations. They do not know who are the legitimate members or component association of ATAA. They resided over two elections and later turned around and announced these elections to be invalid, thus clearly declaring their own incompetence.

A group of us from Board of Trustees and long time volunteers of ATAA pleaded with the administration many different ways and times. They stubbornly continue to refuse accountability and transparency. They gave us no choice but to complain to court to secure the records we should have access in the first place and in order to bring ATAA within a legal frame than the current illegal orbit ATAA is wandering. The court documents and interrogatories are public documents and we will also publish them.

We are paying legal costs out of our own pocket. We never intended to spend any ATAA funds in this controversy, unlike our opponents. So, ATAA’s funds are not wasted by our group. Our opponents should also defend themselves with their own personal funds.

Our group of friends continues to work on all the issues involving Turkish American community. We never stopped. We continue to work individually with our local leaders to inform our legislators and media about our issues.

ATAA Endowment Fund is untouched and being invested under the supervision of an Investment Committee comprised of professional money managers. As chairman of Board of Trustees, I attend these meetings for record keeping purposes. All meetings are recorded in minutes and delivered to the legal Secretary of ATAA with a copy remaining with Board of Trustees.

The problem is complicated. You will hear more details in near future. Keep and open mind. Some members may be disappointed from the current situation. Please do not throw the baby with the bathwater. Stick with our beloved ATAA. It shall rise again and eventually become a grassroots organization, not a puppet of few elitist in Washington , D.C. When people speak beltway will always have to listen.

Sincerely,

Tamer Acikalin, M.D., MBA
Chairman, Board of Trustees
President, 1996-98
Assembly of Turkish American Associations”

ADL recognizes the Armenian Genocide, but falls short of supporting U.S. legislation

ADL Statement on the Armenian Genocide

http://www.adl.org/PresRele/Mise_00/5114_00.htm

New York, NY, August 21, 2007 … Abraham H. Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today issued the following statement:

In light of the heated controversy that has surrounded the Turkish-Armenian issue in recent weeks, and because of our concern for the unity of the Jewish community at a time of increased threats against the Jewish people, ADL has decided to revisit the tragedy that befell the Armenians.

We have never negated but have always described the painful events of 1915-1918 perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenians as massacres and atrocities.  On reflection, we have come to share the view of Henry Morgenthau, Sr. that the consequences of those actions were indeed tantamount to genocide.  If the word genocide had existed then, they would have called it genocide.

I have consulted with my friend and mentor Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel and other respected historians who acknowledge this consensus.  I hope that Turkey will understand that it is Turkey’s friends who urge that nation to confront its past and work to reconcile with Armenians over this dark chapter in history.

Having said that, we continue to firmly believe that a Congressional resolution on such matters is a counterproductive diversion and will not foster reconciliation between Turks and Armenians and may put at risk the Turkish Jewish community and the important multilateral relationship between Turkey, Israel and the United States.