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OBAMA'S APPOINTMENT OF AMBASSADORS TO BAKU AND ANKARA MUST BE CHALLENGED
By Harut Sassounian Publisher, The California Courier
http://www.yerkir.am/en/news/1593.htm
16:23 - 12.01.2011
Armenian-Americans must strongly challenge Pres. Obama's unilateral
appointments of Matthew Bryza as Ambassador to Azerbaijan and Frank
Ricciardone as Ambassador to Turkey. The President circumvented
the U.S. Senate by taking advantage of the holidays to make these
"recess appointments" on December 29.
While Pres. Obama has the legal authority to make such temporary
appointments when the Senate is not in session, his unwise decision
could have several serious consequences:
-- Undermining the legitimacy and credibility of the new U.S.
Ambassadors in the eyes of their host countries due to their
appointment through an archaic loophole in the law rather than proper
Senate confirmation.
-- Antagonizing two prominent Senators of his own party - Barbara
Boxer of California and Robert Menendez of New Jersey - who had
placed a "hold" on Bryza's nomination. Having already lost the
Republican-controlled House, Obama now desperately needs every single
vote in a Senate with a razor thin Democratic majority.
-- Alienating the entire Senate by depriving the Senators of their
mandate to confirm ambassadorial nominees.
-- Burning all bridges between himself and Armenian-Americans who were
some of his staunchest supporters in the last presidential election,
having already broken his pledge on the Armenian Genocide, Artsakh's
self-determination, and financial assistance to Armenia.
Fortunately, Pres. Obama's recess appointments are of a temporary
nature and not considered full-term ambassadorships. They are only
valid for one year rather than the usual three years. In order
for Bryza and Ricciardone to serve as Ambassadors beyond 2011,
Pres. Obama has to resubmit their names to the Senate and have them
properly considered.
The Senate and the Armenian-American community have ample time to
take all necessary steps to ensure that the President's slap in their
face does not go unnoticed and unchallenged. Both ambassadors should
be sent back home by the end of this year.
Here are the steps that could be taken to derail Bryza's Senate
confirmation in the coming months:
-- Closely scrutinize Bryza's public statements, press conferences,
and interviews in Baku to ensure that he is properly representing the
interests of the United States in Azerbaijan rather than Azerbaijan's
interests in Washington.
-- Publicize the documents submitted to the European Court of Human
Rights by an Azeri journalist who claims that Azerbaijan's former
Minister of Economic Development had paid the expenses for Bryza's
lavish 2007 wedding in Istanbul. During the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee hearings, Bryza testified under oath that his family had paid
for his wedding. Should the European Court find that the government of
Azerbaijan had indeed financed Bryza's wedding, he would be indicted
for lying under oath, not reporting to the IRS the gifts as income,
and violating U.S. government's gift acceptance and disclosure policy.
-- Investigate all his oral and written statements made to the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee last year in order to verify
their truthfulness.
-- Search for evidence of conflict of interest related to the
employment of his Turkish-born wife, Zeyno Baran, as Director of the
Center for Eurasian Policy at the Hudson Institute, a Washington-based
think tank that has received funding from ExxonMobil and other energy
companies doing business in the Caspian region. The Armenian National
Committee of America has accused Bryza of violating federal ethics
rules because of his wife's connections to Turkish and Azerbaijani
business interests.
-- Contact Senators Boxer and Menendez who had placed a "hold" on
Bryza's nomination last year, urging them to block his confirmation
once again, when Pres. Obama resubmits his name to the Senate. By doing
so, the two Senators would be reaffirming their initial conviction
that Bryza is not qualified to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan.
The Armenian community had not originally objected to Ricciardone's
nomination. However, since Pres. Obama has opposed several
major Armenian initiatives and broken his promises on all of them,
Armenian-Americans may consider expanding their opposition to the Obama
administration on many fronts. They should support those Senators who
may be inclined to place a "hold" against Ricciardione's confirmation
later this year. In view of Republican Senator Sam Brownback's "hold"
on Ricciardone's nomination last year and the objection of leading
conservative spokesmen to his recess appointment, Armenian-American
organizations now have a unique opportunity to work closely with
Republicans in opposing his confirmation later this year.
Should the Armenian-American community flex its political muscle
and show that it is ready and able to defend its interests, it is
likely that U.S. government officials would then be more attentive
to Armenian issues.
From: A. Papazian
By Harut Sassounian Publisher, The California Courier
http://www.yerkir.am/en/news/1593.htm
16:23 - 12.01.2011
Armenian-Americans must strongly challenge Pres. Obama's unilateral
appointments of Matthew Bryza as Ambassador to Azerbaijan and Frank
Ricciardone as Ambassador to Turkey. The President circumvented
the U.S. Senate by taking advantage of the holidays to make these
"recess appointments" on December 29.
While Pres. Obama has the legal authority to make such temporary
appointments when the Senate is not in session, his unwise decision
could have several serious consequences:
-- Undermining the legitimacy and credibility of the new U.S.
Ambassadors in the eyes of their host countries due to their
appointment through an archaic loophole in the law rather than proper
Senate confirmation.
-- Antagonizing two prominent Senators of his own party - Barbara
Boxer of California and Robert Menendez of New Jersey - who had
placed a "hold" on Bryza's nomination. Having already lost the
Republican-controlled House, Obama now desperately needs every single
vote in a Senate with a razor thin Democratic majority.
-- Alienating the entire Senate by depriving the Senators of their
mandate to confirm ambassadorial nominees.
-- Burning all bridges between himself and Armenian-Americans who were
some of his staunchest supporters in the last presidential election,
having already broken his pledge on the Armenian Genocide, Artsakh's
self-determination, and financial assistance to Armenia.
Fortunately, Pres. Obama's recess appointments are of a temporary
nature and not considered full-term ambassadorships. They are only
valid for one year rather than the usual three years. In order
for Bryza and Ricciardone to serve as Ambassadors beyond 2011,
Pres. Obama has to resubmit their names to the Senate and have them
properly considered.
The Senate and the Armenian-American community have ample time to
take all necessary steps to ensure that the President's slap in their
face does not go unnoticed and unchallenged. Both ambassadors should
be sent back home by the end of this year.
Here are the steps that could be taken to derail Bryza's Senate
confirmation in the coming months:
-- Closely scrutinize Bryza's public statements, press conferences,
and interviews in Baku to ensure that he is properly representing the
interests of the United States in Azerbaijan rather than Azerbaijan's
interests in Washington.
-- Publicize the documents submitted to the European Court of Human
Rights by an Azeri journalist who claims that Azerbaijan's former
Minister of Economic Development had paid the expenses for Bryza's
lavish 2007 wedding in Istanbul. During the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee hearings, Bryza testified under oath that his family had paid
for his wedding. Should the European Court find that the government of
Azerbaijan had indeed financed Bryza's wedding, he would be indicted
for lying under oath, not reporting to the IRS the gifts as income,
and violating U.S. government's gift acceptance and disclosure policy.
-- Investigate all his oral and written statements made to the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee last year in order to verify
their truthfulness.
-- Search for evidence of conflict of interest related to the
employment of his Turkish-born wife, Zeyno Baran, as Director of the
Center for Eurasian Policy at the Hudson Institute, a Washington-based
think tank that has received funding from ExxonMobil and other energy
companies doing business in the Caspian region. The Armenian National
Committee of America has accused Bryza of violating federal ethics
rules because of his wife's connections to Turkish and Azerbaijani
business interests.
-- Contact Senators Boxer and Menendez who had placed a "hold" on
Bryza's nomination last year, urging them to block his confirmation
once again, when Pres. Obama resubmits his name to the Senate. By doing
so, the two Senators would be reaffirming their initial conviction
that Bryza is not qualified to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan.
The Armenian community had not originally objected to Ricciardone's
nomination. However, since Pres. Obama has opposed several
major Armenian initiatives and broken his promises on all of them,
Armenian-Americans may consider expanding their opposition to the Obama
administration on many fronts. They should support those Senators who
may be inclined to place a "hold" against Ricciardione's confirmation
later this year. In view of Republican Senator Sam Brownback's "hold"
on Ricciardone's nomination last year and the objection of leading
conservative spokesmen to his recess appointment, Armenian-American
organizations now have a unique opportunity to work closely with
Republicans in opposing his confirmation later this year.
Should the Armenian-American community flex its political muscle
and show that it is ready and able to defend its interests, it is
likely that U.S. government officials would then be more attentive
to Armenian issues.
From: A. Papazian