BY YERAN SIMONIAN
Turkey makes no secret of openly buying influence in Congress through highly-paid professional lobbyists.
At the top of their list, of course, is Dick Gephardt, the one-time colleague and leader of the House Democrats. His firm is the current flagship of the Turkish lobby.
It’s no mystery why.
Very simply, Gephardt is the best connected former Member of Congress.
Having served in the powerful post of U.S. House Majority Leader and many others, he helped mentor many in the current generation of Congressional Democratic leaders. Add to this his deep pockets, and he’s perfectly positioned to persuade and, if need be, pressure U.S. House leaders to deliver Turkey’s #1 bilateral priority with the United States: blocking the passage by Congress of the Armenian Genocide Resolution.
Clearly, Turkey understands this. The millions they pay Mr. Gephardt are no act of charity. They represent, very bluntly, Ankara’s annual payment for a share of U.S. foreign policy.
Turkey has made its business decision. For the price of a few million dollars, it has made a financial investment to secure its past genocide gains, an insurance policy taken out against the possibility of truth and justice.
Mr. Gephardt has made his decision as well, turning his back on his past, principled support of Armenian Genocide recognition in return for millions from his new foreign paymasters.
Now, the leadership of the House Democrats have their choice to make, both morally and politically.
Morally, the House leadership needs to take a stand, either for America’s core commitment against genocide or, under foreign pressure, to accept a gag rule on America’s defense of human rights.
Politically, the choice is just as stark. It’s between Mr. Gephardt and all of the rest of Turkey’s foreign-agent lobbyists, on the one hand, and the nationwide grassroots of Armenian American communities on the other.
The choice is clear. There is no middle ground.
Either they pass the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.252, or they don’t.
All that remains is for us to see what choice the House Democrats end up making, and whether they are prepared to pay the political price for it.
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who is worse prostitues or politicians????
I’d say that politicians are the worst type of prostitutes. I think that it’s an apt way to describe this bunch of corrupt thieves and liers who will prostitute themselves to the highest bidder!!!!!
There is another way of putting it of course. These are prostitutes who happen to be politicians.
Politicians give prostitutes a bad name
Gephardt was a loser and a cheap politician even when he was supporting the Armenian genocide resolution in Congress.
One can support the resolution and still have no principles.
It reminds me of the issue of the Armenian Heritage Park being constructed on the Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston. Many of the politicians who attended the groundbreaking last week and who are supposed to be our friends, actually opposed the Park, and others who attended were silent when the Park was initially being opposed.
Among the two-faced politicians are Mayor Thoman Menino, Cong. Capuano, and the late Senator Ted Kennedy. Also Kennedy’s niece’s husband, Ed Schlossberg, as well as Peter Meade of the Anti-Defamation League (yes, the same ADL that does not acknowledge the Armenian genocide.)
Sadly, the Armenian American media either does not know these things or does not care. Thus, their readers are led to think that certain politicians are our friends when they really are two-faced, just like Gephardt Pasha.
This article demonstrates clearly just what the Armenians are up against. It is absolutely vital therefore that considering the position that we are in, to play our cards right. A strong, mature leadership approach is urgently needed to address this problems and ways and means to deal with these as best as we can. Unity is also essential to put it mildly and we must resort to the best possible means to overcome these sharks!
Agreed fellow Armenian….but how do we get rid of the bloodsucking corrupt dogs in our own leadership
Our young and educated people should be more politically engaged and do their utmost through all the possible legal means to show their support. We must show and prove that we will not be thrown around ,that our concerns and pains can not be dismissed by these corrupt politicians. They have sold their souls to the devil and they’ll go through anything and everything to do their dirty deeds. Let’s learn something from our bitter history. Let’s remember how we’ve been abandoned and betrayed by the very powers that promise to “look after” s! Let’s not fall into the same trap again. This is no time for losing. We simply can not afford to put one step wrong. Any wrong calculation would be disasterous for our nation, both in Armenia and diaspora Armenians. Let’s fight evil, and if need be with evil!!!!!!!!!
If you want to “fight” as you say the upcoming battle with Turkey et al – Help defeat the nomination for Bryza on Tuesday, Sept 21st. The Turkish/Azeri foreign press is calling the Armenian diaspora – in essence – a force to be reckoned with!! Think of the momentum that we can build AFTER Bryza is defeated! This herculean task may only be completed if emails and phone calls are made. Look to the ANCA webpage for guidance – I did!