To talk about
these issues, we are joined by:
|
Aram Suren Hamparian, who is the Executive Director of the Armenian
National Committee of America. |
|
Armenian
News Network / Groong
Conversations on Groong: ANCA Agenda 2022
Hello
and welcome to the Armenian News Network, Groong.
This episode was recorded on Thursday, May 12, 2022.
In
this Conversations on Groong
episode, we’ll be talking about the 2022 advocacy agenda at the Armenian
National Committee of America, the ANCA for short, which is the largest
grassroots organization advocating and promoting the views and values of the
Armenian Americans.
To talk about
these issues, we are joined by:
|
Aram Suren Hamparian, who is the Executive Director of the Armenian
National Committee of America. |
|
So we wanted to touch base with you, because we’ve been seeing how active
you and your entire organization, the ANCA is, and wanted to hear a little about
your advocacy agenda for the balance of 2022. Can you give us an overview?
Let’s talk a
little about the issue of the US providing latest generation fighter jets to
Turkey. As a 50-thousand-foot view, Turkey was part of the US project to
develop the F-35, but the US decided to not sell Turkey these fighters. As
retribution, Turkey bought Russia’s S-400 air defense systems, totally pissing
off the US, and NATO. Recently there’ve been talks for the US to provide the older
but still very capable F-16’s to Turkey.
Why is the US
suddenly considering selling Turkey the F-16’s?
Aram, let me come
clean and say that I’ve never been a big supporter of US foreign aid. Frankly I
think the US has enough domestic issues and there are plenty of very serious
problems here that can use funding, rather than throwing away the US treasury into
wars such as the nearly $50 BILLION we’ve currently committed to the war in
Ukraine.
On the other
hand, the EU has made significant allocations of targeted loan guarantees for
Armenia, something like €2.6 Billion, and 2 billion for Azerbaijan. So those guys
are putting their money where their values and goals are. Meanwhile, the US is
merely a source of demands, opinions and agendas. US
aid does not reflect the demands it has of Armenia, and the ambitions of US
foreign policy in the South Caucasus.
What’s your
perspective on this?
How do we
convince the US of making billion-dollar investments into Armenia’s future?
Just a week ago
the state of Mississippi recognized the Armenian Genocide, bringing the count to 50
states. So basically, every state.
What is the
significance of each state recognizing the Armenian Genocide, in addition to
the federal government’s formal recognition, which was basically completed with
Biden’s formal recognition in 2021 on top of the House and Senate recognitions
in 2019?
Friends of
Armenians in Congress have recently introduced a bill to promote Genocide Education. Can you
talk about this bill, and its goals?
How would it
support the 50 states in including Genocide education in their school
curricula?
Most people are
only peripherally aware of this “Dr. Oz” topic in America. Dr. Oz is a Turkish
American, who is running as a Republican candidate for the US Senate in
Pennsylvania. But the ANCA has called for a DOJ investigation into his ties to
Turkey.
Who is Dr. Oz,
what warranted a call on the DOJ for a background investigation?
OK, finally let’s
talk about the US elections from an Armenian American perspective. You recently
posted that some contested 2024 California primaries might provide an
opportunity for our community in the upcoming presidential election.
What scenarios
might these be?
That
concludes this Conversations On Groong episode.
As always we invite your feedback, Thanks to Laura
Osborn for the music on our podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel
on YouTube, Like
our pages and follow us on Twitter. On behalf of everyone in this episode, we
wish you a good week, thanks for listening and we’ll talk to you soon.
Aram Hamparian,
ANCA, Armenia, Armenian American, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Section 907, F-16, F-35,
S-400, Dr. Oz, Mehmet Oz,
