InternationalSupport our allies in Congress
Published: Tuesday September 23, 2008
Election Day in the United States is less than two monthsaway. The presidential contest gets the bulk of the attention, forunderstandable reasons. We have and wewill continue to cover that important race.
Meanwhile, all the seats in House and a third of the seatsin Senate are at stake in November. For us as Americans and asArmenian-Americans the shape of Congress has been and remains vital. Since Armenia's and Karabakh's independence,it has been Congress that has set key policies for the South Caucasus and thathas perennially allocated US assistance far above amounts requested by bothDemocratic and Republican presidents. And it has been Congress that has challenged decades of Executive Branchfailures in dealing justly with the ongoing legacy of the Armenian Genocide.
As Armenian-Americans, there are certain issues for which weregularly turn to Congress: acknowledgment of the U.S. record on the ArmenianGenocide; appropriate levels of aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh; blockingof military aid to Azerbaijan as long as it continues to threaten Armenia andKarabakh.
Other issues of concern to Armenian-Americans for which wealso turn to our representatives in Congress include the fate of Armenians invarious parts of the world, such as Armenian refugees from Iraq or the Armeniancommunity of Turkey.
In these matters we expect members of Congress to bereceptive to our concerns and to demonstrate an understanding of and commitmentto certain principles. Less than a year ago, members of the House ofRepresentatives were lobbied hard - by Turkey and by the Bush administration -to oppose the Armenian Genocide resolution on the grounds that it was untimely.A phalanx of op-ed writers, generals, and other influential people urgedmembers of Congress to succumb to blackmail from Turkey. They argued,incongruously, that Turkey is a good, reliable ally and will become a bad,unreliable ally if America fails to bury the fact of the Armenian Genocide.
We cannot support members of Congress who could buy anargument like that.
We saw war return to the Caucasus this summer, destroyingthe notion of frozen conflicts. How do members of Congress see the securityneeds of the region? Do they demonstrate sensitivity to the war rhetoric ofAzerbaijan, coupled as it has been with out-of-control spending on theacquisition of weapons systems that threaten the Armenian people? Do theysupport political dialogue and engagement in the region? If the alternativethey support is to promote confrontation in Iran and in Georgia, it is analternative that is very unattractive to us.
Shared experiences
Meanwhile, as Americans, we have a wide range of views ondomestic policy issues. We believe, however, that our shared history - that ofimmigration and experiencing discrimination based on our origins, of overcomingpersecution abroad, of facing off against a well-funded establishment lobby inthe United States - make us especially sensitive to certain matters.
With our shared background, we are likely to look carefullyat candidates' records for demonstrated appreciation of the needs and concernsof immigrants. We are likely to look at their commitment to protecting the Billof Rights. We are likely to seek evidence of their ability to stand up to powerfullobbies - such as the oil lobby - that seek to put their business interestsbefore the common interest in a healthy environment and a sustainable futurefor all of us.
Where a serving member of Congress has been particularlyactive on behalf of Armenian-American concerns, we find that giving him or herour continued support sends the right message. Drawing on these criteria overthe coming weeks, we will endorse numerous candidates for the House ofRepresentatives and the Senate.
