HR398 Genocide recognition

I have just received information that under the severe pressure of President Clinton the HR596 has been pulled out from the house floor, and will not come back during the 106th Congress. This implies that in the 107th Congress the effort will need to start all over from ground zero.

I think that we have gotten one good thing out of this – 11% awareness in Turkey.

That f'ing bastard ! One more reason I should have never voted for him !

I appreciate your optimism, but it pisses me off to have the rug pulled out at the 11th hour

[This message has been edited by Pilafhead (edited October 19, 2000).]

We'll never get 100% awareness in turkey, because there are a few million residents missing from eastern turkey.

P.S. EVERY Armenian better vote for Frank Pallone from New Jersey in the future. We owe him for his speech on the House floor.

It was naive to think from the very begining of this "Affair" that americans will side with armenians. Money talks. This is American moral.

STATEMENT BY CONGRESSIONAL ARMENIAN CAUCUS
CHAIRMAN FRANK PALLONE (D-NJ)

Mr. Speaker, I want to express my intense disappointment with the decision
by the Republican leadership to pull the Armenian Genocide
Resolution from consideration by the House of Representatives for the
remainder of this Congressional session.

The Speaker promised to bring this resolution to the floor. His stated
reason for not doing so is a request by President Clinton that it not be
considered.

Mr. Speaker, the State Department and President Clinton have opposed
recognition of the Armenian Genocide from day one. We all know that
the State Department repeatedly uses national security as the reason to
oppose most things Armenian.

What's really going on here is that the Speaker and the President, and
therefore the government of these United States both executive and
legislative have succumbed to the threats of the Turkish government, threats
by that government against American soldiers.

This is shameful. Turkey is a bully. We have America, the most powerful
country in the world, being told by the Republic of Turkey what we can
talk about and what we can think. Not only with regard to human rights
violations, but with regard to the most heinous crime against humanity -
genocide.

I'd like to know what kind of ally threatens American lives if it doesn't
get its way. With friends like that, as the saying goes, who needs enemies.

It's not as if Turkey's membership in NATO and assistance as part of the
NATO Alliance only helps the U.S. Turkey allows NATO to use its bases
against Iraq because of Iraq's threat to Turkey, not Iraq's threat to the
United States. Turkey allows NATO to use its bases out of self-interest.

Is Turkey going to abrogate all its bilateral and multilateral agreements
over the Armenian Genocide Resolution? I think not! These agreements
exist because they're in Turkey's self interest.

What happened today on the House floor sets a terrible precedent. It means
that Turkey can threaten us in other areas. For example, they can
threaten not to negotiate a settlement with Cyprus, and continue to occupy
that nation. They can threaten the European Union if that organization
does not allow them to become a member despite continued human rights
violations against the Kurds and other minorities.

We have heard these same threats before. In 1996, for example, this body
voted overwhelmingly, 268 to 153, to adopt an amendment to reduce
U.S. assistance to Turkey until it recognized the Armenian Genocide. The
doomsday scenarios that opponents of the resolution predicted did
not occur in 1996, and I do not believe that they will occur today.

The relationship between the United States and Turkey is mutually
beneficial. It is simply not in Turkey's national interest to sever
relations with
the United States over a House resolution. Which brings me back to the
resolution and the importance I believe it plays in our overall foreign
policy. If America is going to live up to the standards we set for
ourselves, and continue to lead the world in affirming human rights
everywhere,
we need to stand up and recognize the Armenian catastrophe for what it was -
the systematic elimination of a people.

The fact of the Armenian Genocide is not in dispute. The fact of the
American record on the U.S. response to the Armenian Genocide is not in
dispute and House Resolution 596 affirms these facts. The only step left is
to reject the deniers of the genocide.

As members of Congress, we should not ignore our nation's history at the
insistence of an ally, out of geopolitical convenience.Congress should
not be forced by a foreign government to deny or ignore the U.S. record and
response to the events that took place in the Ottoman Empire from
1915 to 1923.

If the House of Representatives cannot speak to our historical experience
because of threats from a foreign government, then what message do
we send to our friends and enemies alike?

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I urge you to reconsider your decision and allow the
resolution to be voted on here on the House floor. I assure you it
would pass overwhelmingly. To do anything else would establish a dangerous
precedent for how history will be recorded with regard to current
and future actions of Congress and the Administration in response to man's
inhumanity to man.

H.Res.596 Committee:
The Coalition for Affirmation of the
U.S. Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution

PRESS RELEASE

October 19, 2000

Contact: hres398@aol.com
(202) 775-1918
(202) 393-3434

SPEAKER HASTERT WITHDRAWS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

-- Citing Clinton Administration Claims that its Consideration
Would Threaten American Lives, Speaker Withdraws Measure
Only Moments before Adoption by House

Washington, DC -- Citing claims by President Clinton that the
consideration of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.596) would
endanger American lives, Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert today
broke his pledge to bring the measure to the House floor, acceding
to the President's request that he withdraw the resolution. This
action was taken only moments before the resolution was to come to
the House floor for a vote, reported the H.Res.596 Committee.

Speaker Hastert, in an announcement explaining his decision, noted
that, based on the concerns raised by the President, he was
removing the resolution from the legislative schedule of the House.
The Speaker said that President Clinton had raised "grave national
security concerns" over the resolution, stressing that even the
measure's consideration would pose a threat to American lives. The
President, in a letter to the Speaker dated today, noted that
bringing the resolution to the House floor "could have far-reaching
negative consequences for the United States." The Speaker
acknowledged in his statement that the resolution "would have
enjoyed support among the majority of the House."

In a statement released after the Speaker's decision was announced,
the "596 Committee" said, "Turkish threats are not credible, but
have nevertheless prevailed. Instead of succumbing to threats
against American service personnel stationed in Turkey, the Speaker
should have called upon the President to reject Turkey's threats
and put that nation on notice that it would be held fully
accountable for the safety of Americans there."

The Committee also noted that it was "deeply troubled that the
Speaker had allowed Turkish threats, as conveyed by the President,
to prevent the House of Representatives from voting on a measure
which he himself supports, which has progressed through every stage
of the legislative process, and which, by his own admission, enjoys
the support of a majority in the House."

The Armenian Genocide Resolution has been cosponsored by over 140
members of Congress and was the subject of more than ten hours of
mark-ups and hearings at the committee level. It was amended
several times to accommodate the concerns of members of Congress,
had been approved by the Rules Committee, and was slated - as late
as 7:00 p.m. this evening - for a final vote on the House floor.

In a statement on the House floor following announcement of the
Speaker's decision, Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank
Pallone (D-NJ) expressed sharp disappointment with the Speaker's
decision, noting that, "If America is going to live up to the
standards we set for ourselves, and continue to lead the world in
affirming human rights everywhere, we need to stand up and
recognize the Armenian catastrophe for what it was - the systematic
elimination of a people. Commenting on the Speaker's claim that he
was pressured into withdrawing the resolution, Rep. Pallone
stressed that, "if the House of Representatives cannot speak to our
historical experience because of threats from a foreign government,
then what message do we send to our friends and enemies alike?"

The full texts of the Speaker's press release, President Clinton's
letter, and Congressman Pallone's remarks are provided below.

#####


====================================================
Press Release from Speaker
of the House Dennis Hastert
====================================================

J. Dennis Hastert
Fourteenth District, Illinois

Speaker's Press Office
United States House of Representatives
Washington D.C.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: 202-225-2800
October 19, 2000 John Feehery or Pete Jeffries

Regarding the Armenian Genocide Resolution

(Washington , D.C.) Speaker Denny Hastert released the following
statement today:

"Because the President has raised gave national security concerns,
he has requested that the House not consider H.Res.596, Affirmation
of the United States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution. I
have acceded to this request.

I support this resolution and I supported bringing it to the floor.
I believe that the Armenian people suffered a historic tragedy and
that this resolution was a fitting condemnation of those events.
But the President of the United States, the Commander and Chief of
our Armed Forces, has asked us not to being this resolution to the
House Floor.

The President believes that passage of this resolution may
adversely impact the situation in the Middle East and risk the
lives of Americans. This is not an idle request. We all know that
the situation in the Middle East is unusually tense. The cease-fire
now in place between Israel and the Palestinians is fragile. The
Congress, while it has a right to express its opinions on critical
issues of the day, also must be cognizant of the consequences of
those opinions.

The President has made plain his very strong concerns about the
timing of this resolution and its possible impact on our interests
in the Middle East. We must take these concerns into consideration,
especially given the latest developments in the Middle East.

This is a bipartisan that I believe would have enjoyed support
among the majority of the House. Every patriotic American should
heed the President's request. Current circumstances dictate that we
proceed with caution, and for that reason, I have asked the
Majority Leader to take H.Res. 596 off the schedule for the
remainder of the 106th Congress. The President's letter is
attached.

====================================================
Letter from President Bill Clinton to
Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert
====================================================

THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON

October 19, 2000

The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert
Speaker of the
House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515-1314

Dear Mr. Speaker:

I am writing to express my deep concern about H. Res. 596, dealing
with the tragic events in eastern Anatolia under Ottoman rule in
the years 1915-1923.

Every year on April 24, I have commemorated Armenian Remembrance
Day, mourning the deportations and massacres of innocent Armenians
during that era. And every year, I have challenged all Americans to
recommit themselves to ensuring that such horrors never occur
again.

However, I am deeply concerned that consideration of H. Res. 596 at
this time could have far-reaching negative consequences for the
United States.

We have significant interests in this troubled region of the world:
containing the threat posed by East and Central Asia, stabilizing
the Balkans, and developing new sources of energy. Consideration of
the resolution at this sensitive time will negatively affect those
interests and could undermine efforts to encourage improved
relations between Armenia and Turkey -- the very goal the sponsors
of this Resolution seek to advance.

I fully understand how strongly both Turkey and Armenia feel about
this issue. Ultimately, this painful matter can only be resolved by
both sides examining the past together.

I urge you in the strongest terms not to bring this Resolution to
the floor
at this time.

Sincerely,

[signed]
Bill Clinton

U.S. House shelves Armenia genocide bill
Legislation sparked protests by Turkish government, citizens
From staff and wire reports

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday canceled a vote on a controversial resolution that would have recognized as genocide the mass killings of Armenians in what is now Turkey approximately 80 years ago.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, said the resolution had been pulled after President Bill Clinton said he was "deeply concerned" about the language in the document. Clinton and Hastert talked by telephone on Wednesday night about the legislation.
Hastert said Clinton had warned of "possible far-reaching negative consequences for the United States" if the House voted on the legislation.

Turkey, a key U.S. military ally and a member of NATO, denies the genocide and says that Armenians were killed or displaced as the Ottoman Empire tried to quell civil unrest. Part of the Ottoman Empire became Turkey in 1923.

Armenians say 1.5 million of their people were slaughtered between 1915 and 1923 as part of the Ottoman Empire's campaign to force them out of eastern Turkey.

"It's outrageous that the Clinton administration has bowed to these threats from Turkey. ... It sets a very dangerous precedent," said Ross Vartian, executive director of the Armenian Assembly of America.

Turkey on Friday praised the abandonment of the resolution.

Legislator 'saddened'
U.S. Rep. Jim Rogan, R-California, who sponsored the resolution, said he was "personally saddened" the legislation had been pulled. He vowed to reintroduce the resolution after tensions in that region of the world subside.

Rogan, locked in a difficult re-election contest, has an estimated 75,000 Americans of Armenian ancestry -- approximately 8 percent of the voters -- living in his district.

The resolution was shelved amid heightened tensions in the Middle East over the terrorist bombing in Yemen of the USS Cole, which killed 17 Navy sailors, and weeks of violent clashes recently between Israelis and Palestinians.

In a letter to Hastert, Clinton said, "We have significant interests in this troubled region of the world: containing the threat posed by East and Central Asia; stabilizing the Balkans; and developing new sources of energy.

"Consideration of the resolution at this sensitive time will negatively affect those interests and could undermine efforts to encourage improved relations between Armenia and Turkey."

Turkish reaction swift
There had been some repercussions after the House International Relations Committee approved the resolution earlier this month.

Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer had called Clinton to express concern over the resolution, and Turkish legislators threatened not to renew the mandate for U.S. forces using the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey to patrol the no-fly zone in northern Iraq, in an ongoing effort to contain Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Turkey's top general, Huseyin Kivrikoglu, canceled a trip to the United States to meet with U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Henry Shelton.

It also threatened to end negotiations with U.S. firm Bell Textron to buy 145 attack helicopters in a $4.5 billion tender, and hinted at other commercial steps it might take, including fully reopening an oil pipeline from Iraq.

'Not an idle request'
The speaker defended the resolution.

"I believe the Armenian people suffered a historic tragedy, and that this resolution was a fitting condemnation of those events. But the president of the United States, the commander and chief of our Armed Forces, has asked us not to bring this resolution to the House floor," he said.

And in announcing that the vote has been canceled, Hastert said he believed the legislation would have passed, but that circumstances required that U.S. Congress members proceed with caution.

"This is not an idle request. We all know that the situation in the Middle East is unusually tense," Hastert said.

CONGRESSMAN JAMES E. ROGAN
Serving California's 27th Congressional District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2000

Contact: Jeffrey Solsby
202-251-0566

STATEMENT FROM CONGRESSMAN JAMES E. ROGAN REGARDING ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS
TO BLOCK VOTE ON GENOCIDE BILL

WASHINGTON - Congressman James E. Rogan (R-CA) a lead cosponsor of House
Resolution 596 - a bill to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide --
today released the following statement:

"This afternoon, a White House courier delivered a letter from President
Clinton to the Speaker of the House. This letter followed many similar
letters sent by the current and former secretaries of defense, by Secretary
of State Madeline Albright, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other high-ranking
civilian and military officials. Their belief is that pursuing this
resolution may adversely impact the situation in the Middle East and risk
the lives of Americans.

"While Speaker Hastert supports this resolution and its intent, today he was
asked by the Commander in Chief to be sensitive to tensions in the Middle
East."

"Those fighting this resolution believe that pursuing this action at
this time will put American service men and women at risk. Speaker Hastert
has acted to protect the safety of our armed forces.

"While I am personally saddened by this change, I remain pleased with our
historic success to enact this resolution. Never before has this
legislation earned even a hearing. This year, working with my colleagues on
both sides of the aisle, we were able - together - to secure not just one
hearing, but two hearings, a markup and a scheduled floor vote. That is
great progress.

"Supporters of this resolution have my assurance, and that of the Speaker,
that as soon as tensions in the Middle East ease, we will resume our fight
to pass this measure."

"Those who would seek to make a political statement at this time of foreign
crises must be reminded that those who serve the public are patriots first,
and politicians second. Our men and women abroad deserve our united
support."

Pouring money into fruitless lobbying campaingns is out-of-date. What we have to do is to concentrate our efforts on building viable nuclear programs that would allow better "understanding" between Armenians, Americans and Turks.
We have the "brains", we have the equipment, we have the "material"(plenty of it). What we need is good will. Obviously this is the language that everyone can understand.

Logically, pragmatically, rationally, etc. I agree with you, but I just want to see the Genocide recognized in my grandmother's lifetime. It is one of the few areas of my life and thoughts where I react from the heart rather than the brain.

The idea that I might vote for Rogan simply because of his involvement in the House Resolution, makes my head want to divorce itself from the rest of my body ! I can't stand the guy !



[This message has been edited by Pilafhead (edited October 20, 2000).]

No problem, guys. We have an amazing quality of declaring moral victory in every defeat.

Get knowing us


[This message has been edited by MJ (edited October 20, 2000).]

This resolution showed that Rogan was doing it only for the sake of winning the election. If he was the true "barekam" of the Armenian people he would have been up at the House floor with Congressman Pallone and criticized both the president and the speaker. Rogan is the congressman that represents the highest number of Armenians in the U.S. It is ridiculus for him not to even say a word critizicing even the president. The fact that he even agreed with the speaker's decision is outraging. I didn't mind Rogan before, but after this incident I really hate him. I hope Schiff wins and the Democrats take over the House.

Dear Hay Mart
But where is Schiff's statements regarding this story?
And how do you explain his lie about Rogan's visit to Azerbaijan?

Thank you Hye Mart! Now I can justify not voting for Rogan. My main problem with him (and many jermag Republicans) is that deep down I believe they don't like all the so-called foreigners that have invaded their Anglo-Saxon Christian Armerica.

Dear Ararat,

The answer about where Schiff was with regards to the decision. First of all he is not in Congress to go on the House floor and ciriticize the President and Speaker. Second, I have talked to him personally and he was outraged at the decision.

I don't know what your talking about with Rogan's visit to Azerbajan, but if you clarify what your talking about I'll gladly answer back.

Dear Ararat,

The answer about where Schiff was with regards to the decision. First of all he is not in Congress to go on the House floor and ciriticize the President and Speaker. Second, I have talked to him personally and he was outraged at the decision.

I don't know what your talking about with Rogan's visit to Azerbajan, but if you clarify what your talking about I'll gladly answer back.

I have recieved the following letter from my congressman today.
_____________________________________________
... I certainly believe that we must strongly condemn ethnic cleansing wherever it occurs. In order to prevent future crimes against humanity, we must not forget the tragic events of 1915 and 1923, and America’s response. At the same time, we must be mindful of the contributions that other nations make to keeping the peace in the region.


The Resolution was on the House Calendar for vote on October 19, 2000. At the last minute, it was withdrawn by Speaker Hastert after a personal request from the President and the State Department. In a letter to the Speaker, the President said that it was “deeply concerned that the measure could have far-reaching negative consequences for the United States.” The Speaker issued a statement saying that “The President believes that the passage of this resolution may adversely impact the situation in the Middle East, and risk the lives of Americans. This is not an idle request. We all know that the situation in the Middle East is unusually tense. The Congress, while it has a right to express its opinions on critical issues of the day, also must be cognized of the consequences of the expression of those opinions.”

Thank you again for your ideas and the input on this issue. If I may ever be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.


Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson

Here is what I have received from my congressman 3 days ago
-------------------------------------
Dear Constituent:

Thank you for contacting my office regarding the current status of
H. Res. 596, the United States Training on and Commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide Resolution.

This resolution comes up for a vote on the House floor today,
October 19, 2000. I will let you know how the vote turns out. You may be
assured that I will do everything in my power to secure passage of this
measure so that the Armenian Genocide will be recognized as an historical
fact.

Again, thank you for writing to me. It is an honor to represent you
in Congress.

With best personal regards, I remain

Sincerely,

JAMES E. ROGAN
Member of Congress
JER:ms

I have written a reply to my congressman. Here is my reply:
_____________________________________________
October 23, 2000

Dear Congressman Isakson,

Thank you for the attention given to the issue of Armenian Genocide, as well as to my subsequent letters. I know how busy you have been lately, and especially at this time of the year, and I appreciate your taking of time to respond.

I am saddened by the development of the events in the Middle East, and the lose of lives of American men and women of uniform, as well as the large numbers of Palestinian civilians and Israeli solders. I am also disturbed by the alleged “far reaching negative consequences for the United States.” But I am also angered by the potential risking of the lives of Americans in the Middle East as a result of potential acceptance of the HR596 resolutions in the Unites States, as the President warns us.

While I understand and share the concerns for American lives in the Middle East, I am upset with infamous and unprecedented blackmail of the United States by the Turkish officials. I think the statement of the President regarding the “far reaching negative consequences for the United States” has to result in far-reaching conclusions about the attitude and the behavior of our strategic ally in the region – Turkey.

While at this juncture in history, I will not hold dropping of the resolution HR596 against the President or the Speaker, I have to notice that the Middle East is going to stay very complicated and inter-tangled region for many years to come. When is it going to be the proper time for the recognition by the United States of the Armenian Genocide by Ottoman Turks? This question of mine is not intended to be of rhetoric character, but rather pursues a desire of seeing further action by the US legislative and executive branches along the discussed lines, with the purpose of promoting justice in that region, both in historic and current contexts.

If the Government of Turkey is capable of blackmailing and threatening the US, there should be something that the Government of the US has to be able to do as a result, other than submitting.

It is a fact that the current administration has miserably failed to resolve the issues in the Middle East region. I do recognize their hard work, and I am far from holding individual executives responsible for these failures. This is a wider issue. I am blaming the architects of the US Geopolitical Concepts for neglecting the interests and the realities of the region, and for reducing the entire US Foreign Policy of the region to sheer oil or Israel vs. Palestine issues. I am not undermining these undertakings, but there is much more to the Middle East and Caucasus then these two complex issues. It is a complex of issues, and the real peace may be established only if the interests of all states and nations of the region are taken into consideration. But this is not the case, currently.

The US Administration and the Congress have by in large neglected the issue of occupation of parts of Cyprus by Turkey. They have also neglected the issue of the slaughter and the violation of the very basic Human Rights of the Kurdish population in Turkey. They have also
overlooked the historic and current persecution of Armenian, Assyrian, and other religious minorities in Turkey. Only since 1970, about 80,000 Assyrians have emigrated from the Southeastern parts of Turkey, and are living now in Germany, Sweden and other states of Western Europe. Most of them have been accepted as refugees for religious persecution. And this has happened only recently, and not far back in the history. These facts demonstrate that the silence of the US Administration and the Congress for the sake of questionable geopolitical interests has only encouraged further violations of Human Rights by the modern day Turkey – and not the Ottoman Empire.

The passivity of the United States, and its lack of willingness to use our good offices to influence our ally in the Middle East region makes us a silent participant of the mentioned oppressions and violation of Human Rights. It seems to me that some states are allowed to do whatever they want, as long as they host our air bases, while some others are being measured by different standards.

We don’t want to see our tax payer money used to finance systematic violations of Human Rights in Turkey, as well as to see how the biggest recipient of American Military Assistance in the region bullies the US. To me, this very fact indicates that our Foreign Policy is bankrupt as it pertains to Turkey. The US has lost its reputation as an impartial broker. It has failed to facilitate lasting peace in the region.

Ironically, many ordinary people of this troubled region hold the United States responsible for their troubles. The sole reason is our supporting and helping of the bullies of the region, at the expense of the other nations and states. The controversial US Foreign Policy in the region has resulted in an overwhelming cynicism of the peoples of the states neighboring Turkey. This cynicism has spread to a degree that each time the US makes diplomatic or other moves in the region, peoples try to understand which pipelines or which energy reserves are dictating these latest developments?

Obviously, this sad situation is resulted not only from an outdated Foreign Policy, but also from the failed domestic Energy Policy. Our increasing dependence on Foreign Energy sources makes even harder for our Foreign Policy to be fair and balanced in the region. It makes us to become hostage of the established status quo. But it is impossible to maintain the old status quo of two world wars in the region. It is also impossible to maintain peace and stability in the region by the sheer force of power. The peoples of the region have to trust each other, and have to want to co-exist peacefully. They have to recognize the legitimate interests of the opposite parties. And I think, the US has to be the champion of this recognition and understanding. This most troubled region of the world is begging for new mentalities and new approaches. It is begging not for mere New World Orders, but for Fair World Orders. Validation and renewal of the old status quo are not the solutions of the problems of the region. Implementation of fair and balanced policies in the region will result in reduced necessity of US military presence in the region, and will save much sensitive tax payer money, rather than spend it. The balanced and fair policies will also promote free and new markets, which would be of enormous value for the US investors, as well as local population and the businessmen. It will help our corporations and citizens to profit from the spirit of the collaboration in the region. This is a region of enormous economic potential and untapped human talent.

We live in a different world. I would anticipate increasing numbers of terrorist actions directed at the United States in the near future. There are a lot of groups hating us. The best and easiest solution against these actions would be elimination of the sources of hate. I am convinced that there are very beneficial for all, and realistic solutions in the region. There is no one simple thing that has to be done, though. Things are very much tangled there. But one of the most important things would be putting of our Foreign Policy in a proper context as it pertains to Turkey.

One of the crucial missing links of our Foreign Policy in the region is our absurd policy towards Iran. Iran is a regional superpower, and a key state to regional stability. Fortunately enough, in our days it conducts balanced Foreign Policy, and is on the way of liberalizing its domestic policies. There cannot be peace and stability in that region, if Iran is taken out of its political context. Having normal relations with Iran, which is of enormous economic and other interest to both sides, I believe, will increase and diversify our access to the energy resources of the region. It will also allow us diversifying our foreign policy, not preventing the rogue countries like Turkey to bully us, making us to sacrifice our principles of fairness and morality, characteristic to the American way of life. I understand that Human Rights violations are still taking place in Iran. But I would reiterate that Turkey and, even Saudi Arabia, our two allies, are more notorious for such violations. I understand that we have issues with Iran, or it is better to say we have had issues with Iran. But we have also had issues with Vietnam and North Korea. We have had and still have issues with Russia. But we recognize that there cannot be stability in Europe without the Russians. Similarly, there cannot be stability in the Middle East without Iran. The times have a stubborn habit of changing. And they have changed since our latest controversy with Iran.

Obviously, this is a huge subject, which cannot be systematically covered in this letter. And besides, I am perhaps not the most qualified person to make such judgements and introduce new agendas. But I strongly believe that this subject requires thorough and professional analysis. I also think that any qualified analysis will show that the current ironic incident with Turkey is resulted from an incompetent Foreign Policy.

I ask you to use your pulpit to influence the Foreign Relations Committee of the House of Representatives, and the State Department, to identify and implement new, “out of the box” Foreign Policy agenda in the discussed region.

You will have my family’s moral support, and I am sure of many other concerned citizens, who have links to this troubled region of the world.

Thank you again for your responsiveness, and God Bless you and America!


Sincerely,
Martin J.

MJ
Excellent!
I want to prepare similar (but short ) and supportive letter to J. Rogan.
Unfortunately down here in LA there is big anti-Rogan campaign managed by ARF.
I hear good job of some ARF branches in all over the world, but here in LA they are really disgusting. They support A. Schiff, but unfortunately with Middle Eastern methods!