The most common question among Armenians these days is: Why did the United States government support Israel so strongly and promptly, but not Armenia and Artsakh?
This question became more pertinent after Politico disclosed last week that Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned: “Azerbaijan may invade Armenia in the coming weeks.”
During an October 3 phone call with Cong. Nancy Pelosi, Anna Eshoo, Frank Pallone and others, Blinken reportedly told them “the State Department was looking at avenues to hold Azerbaijan accountable and isn’t planning to renew a long-standing waiver that allows the U.S. to provide military assistance to Baku.” Blinken added that “State [Dept.] saw a possibility that Azerbaijan would invade southern Armenia in the coming weeks.” Politico wrote that two other unidentified sources confirmed the phone conversation. Congressman Pallone tweeted on Oct. 11 that “Aliyev is moving forward with his objective to take Southern Armenia.” On Oct. 15, in a written statement to Armenpress, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that the Politico article “is inaccurate and in no way reflects what Secretary Blinken said to lawmakers.” However, Politico said it firmly stands by its report.
Surprisingly, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated on Oct. 11 that the “risk was extremely low” and that there was no military buildup on either side of the border. Thus, the Prime Minister contradicted what Tigran Balayan, Armenia’s ambassador to the European Union, said on Oct. 6: Azerbaijan is actively preparing an invasion of Armenia within weeks.
More importantly, Blinken and other U.S. officials have repeatedly said that they are committed to “Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” They have stated that they are “deeply concerned by Azerbaijan’s military action,” declaring that “the use of force to resolve disputes is unacceptable.” However, the U.S. government not only ignored its own warnings to Azerbaijan but also the occupation of Artsakh and parts of Armenia proper. The United States, France and Russia have apparently decided that Turkey and Azerbaijan are much more important to them than Armenia, regardless of the agreements Russia signed with Armenia and the sympathies of Western countries for Armenians. They have merely offered Armenians sympathetic words with zero action. Such shameful behavior has emboldened the dictator in Baku to move forward with impunity with his expansionist plans. These major powers did not even have the courage to pass a U.N. Security Council resolution to condemn Azerbaijan or impose sanctions.
Understandably, most Armenians are furious at the Israeli government for permitting its arms manufacturers to provide 60-percent of Azerbaijan’s advanced weapons, which have killed and wounded thousands of Armenian soldiers during and after the 2020 War.
The more important issue is: Why is the United States so protective of Israel, but not Armenia? The short answer is: mostly due to the activism of the Jewish-American community. There was a time when Jewish Americans were discriminated against in many ways. From the 1920s until after World War II, American universities limited the number of Jewish students they admitted. After World War II, the United States even refused to accept thousands of Jewish survivors of the Holocaust.
However, Jewish Americans overcame many obstacles by playing prominent roles in all aspects of American life, such as business, science, arts, literature, music, films, theater, comedy, media, civil rights and politics. As of January 2023, there were 37 Jewish Americans in Congress: 10 senators and 27 representatives. Senator Chuck Schumer is the Senate Majority Leader. The U.S. government contributed $53.6 million to build the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum on donated federal land. Over the years, scores of Jewish Americans have served on the U.S. Supreme Court. Shelley Greenspan is the White House Jewish Liaison. In the State Department, Ellen Germain is the Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues, and Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt is the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism. Vice President Kamala Harris’s husband Douglas Emhoff is a Jewish American. There are several Jews serving in high-level governmental positions, such as Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellin, Attorney General Merrick Garland, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Deputy Director of the CIA David Cohen, Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission Gary Gensler, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy Eric Lander, Deputy Health Secretary Rachel Levine and National Security Agency cybersecurity director Anne Neuberger.
80 years ago, when 400 Rabbis asked to meet with President Franklin Roosevelt, they were turned down. But last week, a group of Jewish Americans met with President Joe Biden in the White House, which was lit up in the colors of the Israeli flag. They have come a long way.
In the category of “Israel lobby in the United States,” Wikipedia mentions Christians United for Israel with over seven million members, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which has three million members and a $100 million annual budget, and J Street with an annual budget of $2 million. On the other hand, Armenian-Americans have two advocacy groups: the Armenian Assembly of America and the Armenian National Committee of America, with limited budgets. Armenians need to hire powerful U.S. lobbying firms to counter those of Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Armenians should increase their involvement in political campaigns and run for elective office. College students should specialize in political science or international relations. Armenians should increase their contacts with the U.S. media and write letters to the editor and commentaries in local and national newspapers. The community should financially support Armenian advocacy groups and contribute to the fundraising campaigns of political candidates. By playing prominent roles in American life, Armenians can influence domestic and foreign policy of the United States and help support Armenia and the Armenian Cause.
Harut Sassounian
Americans as well as Europeans suffer from white guilt, that’s one reason they virtue signal for Israel. Armenians, being Christian, makes them afraid to appear biased.
Some places get plenty of attention, perhaps in the Levant excessive when one considers the actual number killed, others little the south Caucasus region is one that rarely catches global attention, for better and for worse. Hence Armenia phobia is very minor compared to anti semitism yet support beyond Armenians is minor for Armenia. Thus Azerbaijan wouldn’t be able to elicit the Muslim mob in the way the Palestinians can. Indeed the first war 1991-94 was let to play out according to its own fate and fortune with no foreign pressure for ceasefires or intervention. Most people globally don’t have an opinion either way about Armenia because they don’t know much about them or Armenia itself. They might know people of Noah and Mt Ararat (under Turkish control), first Christian nation, distinctive alphabet and language, famed for apricots and skilled stonemasons and merchants, mass killing and deportations by the ottoman empire in ww1 but beyond these anecdotes care little either way which has it’s advantage and disadvantage.
Yes Jewish people have fast network of Lobbyists, Politicians, Create Attorneys and Judges in United States.
But, if the question is about current events in the Middle East and why the United State is so protective of Israel (and I would like to add also the Russian rootless innovation of Ukraine too)? But not Armenia? is because;
1- Israel and Ukraine are a strong and trust-wordy United States and European Allies. Where Armenia is not only not a US and EU Ally, Armenia is a Russia’s Ally, and that makes Armenia US and EU enemie’s Ally. Why is Armenia not abondening their ties with Russia? because Armenia’s government is still functioning under old Bolshevik Soviet System run by group of Bolshevik Kremlin puppets for past 30 + years.
2- Both Israel and Ukraine asked for military aides, they did not ask Unites State and the rest of the world to come and fight for their wars. So, why do we Armenians expect that America and the rest of the world to come and fight for Armenia?
Armenians Around the world need to understand that every single one of us needs to fight and defend Armenia, for not only what’s left of Armenia today, but also fight for occupied Wilsonian Armenia of 1920’s. Armenians also, has to come to realization that the Armenian Genocide that started 100’s of years ago By Russians and Turks is still continuing today, these blood sucking tyrants have not finished their agenda of extermination of Armenians from all of their Ancestral homelands.
Yes Azerbaijan could invade Armenia soon or later, and yes Russias-Kremlin, Turks and Azeris are getting ready to invade Armenia.
But, we the Armenian people need to find courage in ourself and fight and defend Armenia, and it’s full territorial integrity, and when we do that, the civilized countries and disent people around the world will find courage to help us and provide us the necessary military aides and protect us from tyrants, dictators and terrorists.
I’m tired of reading misinformation in Al Jazeera, Reuters, The New York Time, Fox News and other similar media outlets by some Kremlin- Russian Propagandist, or some Tatar Azerbaijani propagandist, or some Turkish propagandists misinformation writing about return of their Leninist – Stalinist Bolshevik stolen and occupied Armenian Lands, Why is Kremlin- Russia not demanding return of East Germany? or Poland? etc…. And who were those two mass murders to give away or distribute the OCCUPIED ARMENIAN LADS to Tatar Azeris and Turks?
And why don’t we Armenians have articles written on fact information about Armenias – HighLands and Cilicia, Western Armenia and Great Armenia in all these outlets at lest once a week so people stop asking where is Armenia?
One more time: your Jirayr Sefilian is a known Israeli Mossad asset, your Garegin Chulgaszyan is a known George Soros asset, and your Ara Papyan has been living off of Western grants for many years. Prove me wrong.
“Azgayin Bever” aka “Sasna Dzrer” are working for Western, Israeli and Turkish interests. It’s their type that got us to where we are today.
Hmm, I din’t even mention BEVER in my comments above but, I gust this short statement is actually directed to me from a person named Gurgen, if that’s actually your real name? or if you even care about Armenia at all? maybe, you are paid to promote a “Turkish Welayet” or as you put it, you would like to see RUSSIAS Annexation of Armenia. What kind of Armenian would even suggest that?
As for BEVER!
1- Do you have any prove that “ԱԶԳԱՅԻՆ ԺՈՂՈՎՐԴԱՎԱՐԱԿԱՆ ԲԵՎԷՐ” and “ՍԱՍՆԱ ՑՐԵՐ” are anything but true Armenian Nationalist who are as we speak the only group of people in Armenia who are trying to save Armenia from your terrorist Bolshevik KREMLIN, TURKS and AZERIS friends?
2- And where Armenia is today, is actually because of TERRORIST BOLSHEVIK – KREMLIN, TERRORIST TURKS, and TERRORIST TATAR AZERBAIJAN with the help of bunch of Kremlin assigned Armenian government puppets for past 30+ years.
3- By the way we Armenians do consider ourself Westerners, and not Tatars or Slovak Russians or Turks, and I’m not sure what WORKING FOR means? but, more like WORKING WITH THE WESTERN ALLIES AND UNITED STATE – to protect the Sovereignty and the Integrity of Armenian Territories.
Therefore, the only thing that these group “ԱԶԳԱՅԻՆ ԺՈՂՈՎՐԴԱՎԱՐԱԿԱՆ ԲԵՎԷՐ” and “ՍԱՍՆԱ ՑՐԵՐ” wants is,1) the so called Armenia’s PM “Oughlou Pashinyan” and his HIP-HOP Fan club parliament to go away, and 2) a “FREE INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATIC ARMENIA”(Some people have problem understanding what this means I gust), because having BOLSHEVIK KREMLIN as our only Ally is actually got Armenia were we are today. KREMNIL’S Bolshevik Soviet System is dead and it’s not coming back.
Here is their youtube link for you, so you can watch and understand what they are trying to pass on to people who can’t even tell who is who and what’s really is going on in Armenia today.
https://www.youtube.com/@NatDemAlliance
There are several reasons that US supports Armenia much less than Israel.
1) Very strong domestic support in US for Israel: Supporters of Israel are integrated in US society for over 100 years at all levels : political, economic, business, intellectual , scientific, technological, law, media etc . The political system could not function without Jews providing the horsepower for political campaigns, policy writers, intellectual leaders and financial support , just like the entertainment industry could not function without them. The Fed and Treasury has been run by people like Yellen, Bernanke, Summers, Lew, Greenspan. Companies such as Facebook, Google, Home Depot , Comcast to name a few , were founded by Jewish Americans. Many nobel prize winners in the past 100 years , including this year’s co discoverer of Covid 19 vaccine are Jewish Americans. Many areas of law, real estate , medicine have significant Jewish presence including many Jewish affiliated hospitals. Local politicians respond to donors and lobby groups such as AIPAC and support aid to Israel
2) The American Jewish community has provided considerable financial support(billions of dollars) to Israel. Also many people have emigrated to Israel from the US so that there is a strong cultural bond. Many US citizens serve in the IDF
3) Israel has shown itself to be a resourceful country, building a vibrant society amongst moribund and stagnant Arab societies. The US can identify with a country like Israel which has been a mostly reliable ally. Israel has successfully fought several wars with and without American help. Israel acts as a beacon of the American empire in ME just as Japan, and South Korea do in Asia
4) In contrast, Armenia came out of the Soviet Union in 1990 with the initial hope of joining the West under President Ter Petrossian. Note that the US provided several hundreds of millions of dollars in aid in the 90’s , even shipping tons of wheat through Turkey. Ter Petrosyan was the only president ever invited to the White House. But Armenia leadership and society chose to go back to Russia under President Kocharyan and Sargsyan, and the movement towards liberalization and democracy stopped for 20 years (1998- 2018). American aid came to a halt.
5) During the period 1998-2018 Armenia stagnated economically, diplomatically and militarily while Azerbaijan surged ahead. The results of 20 years of stagnation are now apparent with Armenia’s weak military and diplomacy, resulting in the loss of Artsakh and the possibility of invasion. Nearly 1 million Armenians left the country to find better economic fortunes abroad. Since Pashinyan was elected , his government has been trying to tack more to the West with the hope of reviving the economy – it is too early to tell how successful he will be
6) The diaspora turned 100 years old with very mixed results. The survivors of the 1915 genocide showed considerable resourcefulness in establishing communities in Arab Muslim countries. But their French and American cousins fared less well struggling with adapting to Christian societies. The vastness of American society( both geographically and culturally) was intimidating and assimilation became rampant. Armenians were not able to organize them selves into strong communities.
7) A second opportunity arose in 1960’s when significant emigration started from the Middle East to US , Canada and Australia. These emigrants were more educated and could have formed significant voting and economic blocks in New Jersey, Massachusetts and California. There were attempts made in the 70’s to organize these communities but they failed because of small minded partisan bickering. A third wave started in the 1990’s when Armenians from Armenia started arriving.
8) There is no shortage of Armenians to becoming a significant component of American society as Armenians, just as the Jewish Americans play their role. If the Armenian community can be organized economically, educationally, culturally and politically then it will benefit both Armenians here and also in Armenia. Then Armenians can send a billion dollars per year to Armenia for infrastructure projects, with government participation. The US may become more invested in Armenia if it sees that it is moving in its direction and not Russia’s.
9) To answer your question, compare Israel and Armenia as countries , one with a GDP of 500 billion and the other with 20 billion. Compare the two diasporas , one with vast economic and intellectual capital , and the other one struggling to maintaining its identity. Armenians were known in the past to be resourceful people and they have to rediscover that strength within their society and religion and stop looking for help from outsiders.
Reply To Mardiros Comment,
I agree with your observation regarding the important role that the Jewish American community plays in support of Israel, if Jewish people started their integration into US society over 100 years ago, it’s fare to say we Armenians probably started at lest over 50 years ago, we too have not as strong as the Jewish Community, but many professionals and intellectuals in all level of politics, economy, business, science, technology, law, medicine, however, unfortunately not in Media witch could have played a big role for the diaspora Armenian community.
We are probably behind close to 50 year, hopefully we can try and clutch up some how.
As far as the current problem in Armenia today, or in past 30 + years, your observation and the analysis of the core issues that we are facing today, are either not clear or you are being very careful and hesitant to not blame on any of the Armenia’s corrupted governing bodies of current and past 30 years, so called the leaders of Armenian government.
1- For example Ter Petrosyan, a KGB trained officer, he may have portended to be shifting toward West and US at his time in the government, BUT WHY didn’t he abundant Kremlin Alliance?
I first visited Armenia in late 80’s when it was still under Soviet system and then again in 1997, I did not see any changes in Economy, people were misrable and they were just eager to migrate to Russia and US or Canada for survival jobs, all the Soviet era factories were auctioned to dollars and pennies including, government buildings and they distributed the profits among themselves and their friends and their families.
2- Next came Kocharyan, more corrupt then Ter Petrosyan, taking over parliament by executing the prominent member of ruling party. Again auctioning Armenias mines, government lands and becoming billionaires they are today, every one of them from Ter Petrosyan to Pashinyan.
3- Next came Sarkisian same thing from the same corrupted Bolshevik and communist party of thieves, not only looting the country’s mines, lands, but also corruption called bribery system.
4- Then we have a traitor called Pashinyan and you are actually giving some credit to some incompetent, no nothing about geopolitics, politics or anything else for that matter, if he knew anything about politics or if he ever cared for Armenia, first and most he would have seen how weak and devastating the Armenia’s Military was and is, and he would have or should have done something about it. Instead this failed journalist is so coward and neigh (because he was able to deceive the whole Armenians around the world) that he thought he can full the whole world with his stupidity.
One day he is Pro- West, next day he is Pro- Kremlin and who knows what he will be tomorrow, a Turkish ambassador perhaps.
THE BEST THING HE CAN DO FOR ARMENIA AND THE ARMENIAN PEOPLE, HE SHOULD RESIGN ASAP.
You are right about Armenia being stagnated, but not just from 1998-2018 from 1992- trough the current day, economically, diplomatically, TECHNOLOGICALLY and above all Militarily.
WHY- it’s because of bunch of incompetent, greedy, corrupted individuals who only cared about their selfish interest.
however, we should be optimistic and believe it’s never too late to make changes in our habits and try professionaly to do our best to help, support, aid and make Armenia Economically Prosperous, Technologically Innovative, Diplomatically Articulate and Intelegent, and Militarily Strong for the interest of a Free Independent Democratic Armenia.
Please check out this link and Join https://www.youtube.com/@NatDemAlliance
I wonder, I really do, what the Armenian admirers of Israel have to say for themselves today, four months after their clever, civilized idols began crushing and incinerating tens of thousands of children? Judging from their behavior in the past, I would not be surprised if they would applaud the on-going genocide in Gaza. Or perhaps they would blame the victims themselves, by pretending that the conflict suddenly began on 7 Oct. 2023 (not 16 or 75 years earlier), or by repeating the lies about 1400 innocent Israelis killed by the attackers, or beheaded babies, or (still undocumented)rape by Palestinians of Israelis (rather than documented cases over the years and more recently, of rape by the Israeli military and police of Palestinians, children and adults, women and men). (Reminder: the occupiers of Palestine have not accused “barbaric” Palestinians of having committed any crime on 7 Oct. –including rape, the murder of children, and the mutilation of bodies–that Azerbaijanis have not accused “barbaric” Armenians of having committed in Khojalu on 25 February 1992.)
What kind of people have we become? We expect everyone on Earth to acknowledge a genocide that took place more than 100 years ago, even as we ignore a genocide going on today, right before our eyes.