ARMENIAN CAUCUS CO-CHAIR DAVE TROTT’S AMENDMENT ON GUN SALE TO TURKEY ADOPTED

July 13, 2017 By administrator

Dave Trott’s (R-MI)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of H.R. 2810, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Representative Dave Trott’s (R-MI) amendment on a proposed gun sale to Turkey was adopted as part of the overall bill, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly). The amendment stated: “It is the sense of Congress that the proposed sale of semiautomatic handguns for export to Turkey should remain under scrutiny until a satisfactory and appropriate resolution is reached,” in light of the Turkish security guards attack against peaceful protesters in our nation’s capital.

“Over the past few months, we’ve seen our NATO allies take extraordinary steps against Turkey, and it’s time for the State Department to do the same. We need to block this arms sale and once and for all point a finger in Erdogan’s chest and tell him that a strategic location does not place Turkey above the law,” Rep. Trott said. “Just two months ago, Erdogan’s henchmen, with him complacently observing just feet away, launched a brutal attack on peaceful protestors exercising their first amendment rights. A notorious oppressor of basic human rights and freedom, Erdogan imported his nefarious attitudes to our nation’s capital. While Erdogan’s thugs may run unchecked in Ankara, this is the United States of America and this is totally unacceptable,” he added.

Rep. Trott’s amendment to H.R. 2810 highlighted concerns that “the security force that participated in this violence may be the recipient of arms exported from the United States under a proposed deal.” The amendment builds on the unanimous passage last month of H. Res. 354, which condemned the violence that took place outside the Turkish Ambassador’s residence on May 16 and called on the perpetrators to be brought to justice under U.S. law.

In its letter to the House Rules Committee this week, the Assembly strongly supported the Congressman’s amendment and urged its adoption. Approval by the Rules Committee paved the way for its adoption by the full House of Representatives.

“The Armenian Assembly commends Rep. Trott for his ongoing efforts to hold Turkey accountable for its actions. Adoption of this amendment sends a strong message that the United States will not let its democratic values be trampled upon by a foreign government,” said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.

In addition to his amendment, Rep. Trott spearheaded a bi-partisan letter last month with 36 Members of Congress to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson opposing an anticipated gun sale to Turkey. “We can no longer enable Turkey to compromise our democratic values, and this proposed arms sale is nothing short of an endorsement of the actions of President Erdogan’s security force. As such, we strongly urge you to reject this proposed sale and any potential weapons transfer to President Erdogan’s security detail,” the letter stated.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

Trott and Pallone lead congressional letter to stop controversial gun sale to Turkey

June 30, 2017 By administrator

turkey, gun sale WASHINGTON, DC – Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Dave Trott (R-MI) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) were joined by House Intelligence Committee Chairman and Ranking Member Devin Nunes (R-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY) and key leaders of House Foreign Affairs Committee in calling on the State Department to reject the pending sale of semi-automatic guns for use by Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s security detail, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“We greatly appreciate the bipartisan leadership of Representatives Trott, Pallone and their Armenian Caucus colleagues against the controversial sale of U.S. handguns to the very same armed Erdogan security detail that, on this dictator’s direct command, attacked Americans exercising our Constitutional rights at the peaceful May 16th protest organized in Washington, DC by the ANCA and our coalition partners,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Erdogan and his henchmen should be brought to justice for their crimes, not rewarded with American weaponry.”

Rep. Trott explained, “Right here, on U.S. soil, we witnessed President Erdogan’s blatant disregard for democracy as his henchmen waged a brutal attack on peaceful protestors. As the very model of freedom and liberty around the world, the United States cannot condone such an overt suppression of democracy and this proposed arms deal would be nothing less than an endorsement of Erdogan’s henchmen’s brutal attack. We need to call out and hold accountable President Erdogan and his bodyguards for who they really are – thugs.”

The Trott-Pallone letter states that “We can no longer enable Turkey to compromise our democratic values, and this proposed arms sale is nothing short of an endorsement of the actions of President Erdogan’s security force. As such, we strongly urge you to reject this proposed sale and any potential weapons transfer to President Erdogan’s security detail.”

German gunmaker Heckler & Koch to no longer supply Turkey

November 29, 2016 By administrator

gun-turkey German arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch will no longer sign contracts to supply Turkey,news agency DPA reported on Monday, November 28.

Also, countries outside of NATO‘s influence will no longer have such contructs either because it has become too difficult to obtain government approval for such deals, Reuters says.

The company, one of the world’s best-known gunmakers, will in future only sell to countries that are democratic and free from corruption and that are members of NATO or NATO members’ partners, DPA said, citing company sources.

It said this change in strategy would rule out deals with countries such as Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Brazil, India or even NATO member Turkey.

Heckler & Koch did not respond to requests for comment.

Its HK416 assault rifle is said to have been used to kill Osama bin Laden and its G36 rifle is standard issue for armies across the globe.

Smartphone-shaped gun allows users to carry arms ‘on any occasion’

March 29, 2016 By administrator

A new two-shot handgun made to look like a smartphone will help owners of the .380-caliber gun pack heat “on any occasion,” according to its inventors.

The Ideal Conceal pistol, which is slated to go on sale for $395 later this year, allows its owner to “carry with confidence, conceal in style,” NY Daily News reports, citing the Minnesota startup’s website. The product could be seen on the site with an unfolding handle revealing a trigger and muzzles for the bullets where earphones would usually plug in.
Ideal Conceal CEO Kirk Kjellberg told the Daily News the lightweight invention aids gun owners hoping to avoid a Second Amendment debate.

“Part of what this allows people to do is carry a weapon without engaging in that conversation,” Kjellberg said. “This way, you don’t have to have a .38 or .44 strapped to your waist, you can carry it in your front pocket.”

The invention is already causing controversy. Bill Johnson, the executive director of the National Association of Police Organizations, told CNN Moneythe invention could make police officers’ jobs more difficult.
“In general, the concept of any kind of weapon that’s disguised, so that it’s not apparent that it’s a weapon, would be cause for concern,” Johnson said.

Yet Kjellberg said he’s received a lot of compliments on the product from police officers.

“I had a police chief write to me and say he wants them for their officers when they’re off-duty,” Kjellberg said.

He told KARE-TV on Monday that he’s received over 4,000 pre-orders and the gun is “just made for mainstream America, not criminal enterprise.” He also told the TV station the story of how he came up with the invention while dining out armed one night.
“I walked towards the restroom and a little child, a boy about 7, saw me and said, ‘Mommy, Mommy, that guy’s got a gun,’” Kjellberg said. “The whole restaurant of course turns and stares at you and I thought, ‘There’s just gotta be something better to do than this.’”

Turkey: Video shows Turkish police putting gun on journalist’s head in curfew town

October 4, 2015 By administrator

A video that emerged on Sunday showed a special operations police officer putting his gun on the head of a journalist after the latter wanted to record a police raid on the municipal building in Silvan which has been under a curfew for three days.

The video showed police threatening journalists in front of the Silvan Municipality after reporters from Özgür Gün TV wanted to take images from the raid. One of the policeman put his gun on Özgür Gün TV cameraman Murat Demir although he had said he shut down his camera.

Police detained Demir as well as Dicle News Agency (DİHA) reporter Sedat Yüce after seizing their cameras.