Armenian National Committee of America Executive Director Aram Hamparian’s remarks at the SOS! Artsakh protest, organized by the ARF Eastern US and AYF-YOARF Eastern US, held at the White House on September 1, 2023
President Biden’s on the wrong side of Artsakh.
Let me be clear.
The wrong side.
Not indifferent. Not distracted. Just the opposite.
Our president is not well-intentioned but simply not trying hard enough.
He’s not trying hard enough but facing overwhelming opposition.
No. Joe Biden is on the wrong side of Artsakh.
The wrong side of genocide prevention.
The wrong side of self-determination.
The wrong side of indigenous rights.
The wrong side of religious liberty.
The wrong side of human rights.
The wrong side of Artsakh.
On the side of an oil-rich dictatorship against an at-risk democracy.
Sacrificing Armenian blood for Azerbaijani oil.
This explains why he refuses to call out Azerbaijan as the aggressor.
“Both-siding” genocide. There are no “both sides” to genocide.
That’s why Biden is hell-bent on a “peace” that will integrate Artsakh into Azerbaijan, a death sentence for Armenians.
A genocide.
A second Armenian Genocide.
He knows it.
Aliyev wants it.
The world sees it.
We must stop it.
It’s clear – Biden’s blocking genocide-prevention initiatives – from our Congress to the United Nations.
He’s derailing every attempt to break the blockade, to hold Azerbaijan accountable.
Very simply, he does not want the United States or the international community to treat Artsakh as an ongoing atrocity – a genocide – that must be stopped.
But rather as raw geopolitical leverage – sacrificed at the altar of misguided political aims.
Starving Armenians, dead Armenians – four more today – as collateral damage.
The evidence is clear:
President Biden’s arming and abetting Azerbaijan.
Waiving Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act.
Refusing to airlift food and humanitarian aid to Artsakh.
Allowing U.S. parts in the Turkish drones deployed by Azerbaijan.
Turning a blind eye to Azerbaijan’s use of cluster bombs and white phosphorus.
Giving the oil-rich Aliyev regime a free pass on war crimes – refusing to enforce sanctions.
This must stop, and that starts with us.
We, gathered here, and across America, must press the president to reverse course, using our votes and our voices.
Our community – with our congressional allies and coalition partners.
We must align our nation’s policies with true U.S. interests, with real American values.
We must move our president to the right side – the side of freedom, of self-determination – the bedrock of our own American democracy.
And if he won’t do the right thing – we should stop all of his nominations to the Department of State until he does.
Aram Hamparian
Latest posts by Aram Hamparian (see all)
- Armenian Americans: A Key Vote in 2024 Battleground States - October 5, 2023
- Hamparian: President Biden is on the wrong side of Artsakh - September 19, 2023
- It’s not too late for Joe Biden to stop Azerbaijan’s genocide against Artsakh - July 27, 2023
Why on earth do you think Biden / the US should be stepping in? Why is this not directed entirely at dear Big Brother Russia? CSTO? E(A)EU? The Russian bases in Armenia? The thousands of Russian peacekeepers?
Armenia and Artsakh massively miscalculated by putting all of their collective eggs in the Russian basket, but that’s the decision they made. Now it’s coming back to bite viciously hard, which is tragic. I agree with Concerned Armenian that it’s too late now. Those earlier choices have crystallized, Armenia didn’t see or respond appropriately, and here is the result. I just can’t see the US taking on Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and any other possible Turkish allies to help a region internationally recognized as Azeri. How much of Central Asia would leap to defend their Turkish brethren? We won’t even *directly* take on Russia in Ukraine.
As an American, I am told over and over again (by those online, in other countries) that Americans are terrible and we need to keep out of other country’s politics and government. Which is incredibly fair. How many other countries has the US meddled in, reducing them to 3rd world nightmares? Remember the whole “never start a land war in Asia” piece of advice? How many wars have we botched / lost in the last 50 or so years?
I have genuine sympathy for Armenia. Truly. And I hope section 907 gets waived ASAP. Anything else from the US government? Pure fantasy, and a waste of already limited time and/or resources. It’s not right, or fair, or okay. But it is reality. I want Armenian-Americans to wake up to this and find new goals and strategies, since what is being attempted now is NOT working.
America is the country that stands by apartheid Israel no matter what they do. And you think they will have a “principled” stand on the Armenian issue???