Sassounian Column
Harut Sassounian is an Armenian-American writer, public activist and publisher of The California Courier which is known for Sassounian's weekly opinion column.
April 29, 2009 
ET TU OBAMA LETTER FROM A FORMER ADMIRER
Mr. President, how could you! Your candidacy was a breath of fresh air. You stood for change. You made wonderful promises and the Armenian-American community put its trust in you.…››April 21, 2009
THINK TANK S REPORT ON ARMENIA YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR
Several pro-establishment Washington think tanks, such as the Center for Strategic & International Studies, Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Brookings Institution, Heritage Foundation, Council…››April 08, 2009
OBAMA UNDERMINES HIS CREDIBILITY BY NOT SAYING GENOCIDE IN ANKARA
For several months now, I have been exposing the Turkish government's ploy of creating the false impression that Ankara is engaged in serious negotiations to establish diplomatic relations with Yerevan.…››March 31, 2009
AZERBAIJAN GAINS LITTLE FROM HIRING EXPENSIVE U S LOBBYING FIRMS
The Government of Azerbaijan, using its considerable oil income, has been waging a propaganda campaign to win over U.S. politicians and denigrate Armenia and Artsakh (Karabagh). To accomplish these twin…››March 26, 2009
SYRIAN ARMENIANS LAST CHANCE TO FILE CLAIMS FOR THEIR PROPERTIES IN TURKEY
In a column I wrote last year, I alerted Armenians in Syria, Egypt and Iraq that they had a unique opportunity to receive compensation for their properties in Turkey. All…››March 18, 2009
DECIPHERING TURKEY S DELAY TACTICS IN OPENING THE BORDER WITH ARMENIA
While some Armenians are dismissing Pres. Obama's solemn campaign pledge to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, Turkish leaders have taken the president's promise very seriously. Ankara has dispatched to Washington several…››March 10, 2009
WHAT WERE ARMENIAN OFFICIALS THINKING IF THEY WERE THINKING AT ALL
Two shocking announcements made by Yerevan officials have deeply troubled Armenians worldwide. The first statement was made by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan in Tsakhkadzor, Armenia on February 21, during an…››March 03, 2009
U S PREFERS TO LEAVE IRAQ THROUGH JORDAN AND KUWAIT RATHER THAN TURKEY
Ever since Pres. Obama declared that he would end Americaʼs military presence in Iraq, Turkish officials have been salivating at the opportunity of presenting the United States with a series…››February 24, 2009
MAY BENEFIT FROM PRES OBAMA BEFRIENDING TURKEY
Turkey's two top leaders were elated that Pres. Obama called them last week. Pres. Gul and Prime Minister Erdogan used glowing terms to describe their talks with the President of…››February 10, 2009
OBAMETER KEEPS TRACK OF PRESIDENT S CAMPAIGN PROMISE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Those interested in finding out whether Pres. Barack Obama is keeping the hundreds of promises he made during the presidential campaign, including the one on the Armenian Genocide, now have…››February 03, 2009
TURKISH SCHOLAR EXPOSES ANKARA S VAIN ATTEMPT TO SPLIT ARMENIA FROM DIASPORA
In their persistent efforts to distort the facts of the Armenian Genocide, Turkish denialists resort to all sorts of tricks. Their latest scheme is trying to drive a wedge between…››January 27, 2009
MAJOR AMERICANJEWISH ORGANIZATIONS MAY NO LONGER BACK TURKEY IN CONGRESS
There are serious indications that Israel and American-Jewish organizations are no longer willing to support Turkey's lobbying efforts to block a congressional resolution on the Armenian Genocide. The dispute between…››January 21, 2009
SYSTEM OF A DOWN AND EUROVISION FALSE TURKISH CLAIM EXPOSED
The Turkish media regularly reports false stories and makes exaggerated claims. The latest example of misinformation is the Turkish claim of preventing the participation of the world famous American-Armenian rock…››January 13, 2009
ANGERED BY TURKISH CRITICISM OVER GAZA ISRAEL MAY RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Enraged by the abrasive tone of Turkey's condemnation of Israel's attack on Gaza, Israeli officials and Turkish analysts are now raising the possibility that Tel Aviv may retaliate either by…››January 09, 2009
TURKEY COULD BE MAJOR POLITICAL LOSER IN THE CURRENT ISRAELGAZA CONFLICT
Turkish diplomats, as far back as the Ottoman Empire, have been masters in the game of playing one major power against another, while pretending to be the best friend of…››December 23, 2008
BIZARRE LAWSUIT BATMAN TURKEY VS BATMAN THE MOVIE
After commenting on serious issues all year long, I would like to present a rather amusing topic this week, hoping to bring a good cheer to our readers' hearts during…››December 16, 2008
TURKS APOLOGY FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE GOOD FIRST STEP BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH
The Armenian Genocide issue has been attracting ever-growing attention despite the Turkish government's persistent attempts to suppress its discussion at home and recognition abroad., During the past week, two public appeals…››December 08, 2008
TWENTY YEARS AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE MUCH DONE MUCH LEFT TO BE DONE
I am in Armenia at the invitation of the Prime Minister to participate in the special commemorations marking the 20th anniversary of the Armenian earthquake. It is hard to believe…››December 02, 2008
TURKS CREATE FALSE IMPRESSIONS TO BLOCK OBAMA S PROMISES
Turkish officials are in a mad rush. Informed by Washington insiders that President-elect Barack Obama intends to carry out his promises to Armenians, the Turkish government is anxious to conclude…››November 25, 2008