LOS ANGELES–The nation’s largest Armenian American Democratic political organization announced on Friday that the Bush Administration has compiled one of the most anti-Armenian American records in history. From actively denying the Armenian Genocide–seeking to slash US assistance to Armenia in half–attempting to list Armenian immigran’s on a terrorist-watch list–to forcefully attempting to provide four times more military aid to the Republic of Azerbaijan than to Armenia–the Bush track-record represents an affront to tens of thousands of Armenian American voters in California and other Western States–according to the Armenian American Democratic Leadership Council (AADLC).
"George W. Bush and his advisors in the Pentagon–like Paul Wolfowitz–have carried on a four year sustained campaign of attacking Congressional legislation that is of concern to the Armenian American community," remarked an AADLC spokesman. "At the behest of foreign governmen’s–like the Republic of Turkey–the Bush Administration has denied the Armenian Genocide–weakened US ties to Armenia–and worked hard to boost the military strength of Azerbaijan – a nation which is committed to the total destruction of Armenia," the spokesman added.
The AADLC is working with Democratic Party officials and the Kerry campaign in reaching out to Armenian American voters in swing states like Arizona–Nevada–and Oregon. All three states already boast Armenia’s for Kerry groups and are working with the official Armenia’s for Kerry organization (www.Armenia’sforKerry.com).
In its evaluation of the Bush Administration–AADLC officials stressed that in 2002–the Bush Administration attempted to require that Armenian immigran’s register with an anti-terrorism program. Armenian Americans learned of the Bush Administration registration plan only after the Federal Register–the official record of government regulations–stated that males age 16 and up from Saudi Arabia–Pakistan and Armenia would join a list of men from 18 other countries considered at risk for terrorism. Such men would be required to visit local Immigration and Naturalization Service offices to be photographed–fingerprinted and show certain documen’s. Only a massive grassroots protest–led by the ANCA–overturned the Bush Administration’s attempt to list Armenia’s as individuals "at risk for terrorism." The Bush Administration never offered a full explanation of why Armenia’s were listed in the initial Federal Register notice.
According to the AADLC–the Bush Administration has also continued to support the Republic of Turkey–even after Turkey’s refusal to allow access for the United States to mount a northern front in the war against Iraq. Specifically–the Bush Administration supported a $1 billion taxpayer aid package to Turkey that was passed by Congress in 2003. The Bush Administration also continues to be the one of the few countries pushing for Turkey’s admission into the European Union.