WASHINGTON—Armenian Americans nationwide were justifiably shocked to see reports on Wednesday, September 12 on top U.S. news sites spotlighting Armenia as one of seven countries, including Burundi, Egypt, Kuwait, Sudan, Tunisia and Zambia, in which U.S. Embassies issued security alerts after the tragic attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, Libya just a day earlier.
Neighboring U.S. embassies in Azerbaijan and Georgia have yet to post any type of warnings either on their websites or in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security page. An alert was finally posted on the U.S. Embassy of Turkey on September 15, regarding credible reports of demonstrations, with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security site posting it a day after.
The raising of alarms in Armenia, an overwhelmingly Christian-populated nation, in response to a wave of anger in the Muslim world over offenses against the Prophet Mohammed made no apparent sense, either to Armenians or observers worldwide. Armenia has no modern history of religiously-oriented violence or anti-American demonstrations, and no ties to any of the groups leading protests in the Arab countries in which U.S. embassies have been targeted.
Since the story first broke, in an effort to seek answers and accountability, the ANCA reached out to the State Department and the Associated Press reporter who wrote the initial article on this subject.
The ANCA was informed by Department of State sources, later confirmed publicly by State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland that on the night of September 11, after the Benghazi attacks, the State Department “sent a message to every diplomatic mission in the world asking them to again review security and take the necessary measures. Some of you will have seen that there were increased emergency warnings or security warnings that were also issued to Americans in some 50-plus missions around the world since that went out.”
On September 12, the U.S. Embassy in Armenia was among the first seven countries to send emergency messages to Americans travelling and residing in their respective countries. The Armenia alert called on U.S. citizens to “remain vigilant,” in light of recent anti-American violence following recent events in Egypt and Libya. It noted, however, that “the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan has no specific information to indicate that these events will affect security in Yerevan.” The alert can be read here:
https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=12863
The Zambia alert, like Armenia, indicated no specific threat reports. Burundi was even less specific. Egypt, Kuwait, Sudan and Tunisia referenced reports of times and places of possible demonstrations.
These emergency alerts were emailed out to U.S. citizens in their respective countries, were posted on Embassy websites, and on a central State Department alert site maintained by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security:
https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentReports.aspx?cid=13
The AP reporter, Matthew Lee, who broke the story, saw the list of the seven initial alerts and ran with it. He could have made the distinction that Armenia, Zambia and Burundi had no specific threat listed in their notes, while the other four did. However, he stands by his reporting that the U.S. Embassies in these seven countries acted first, perhaps believing that their specific situations were serious enough to merit posting an Emergency Alert to American citizens. He confirmed that list had been expanded to some 50 countries since then.
A number of pressing questions remain unanswered.
Why was the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, a Christian country with no record of Islamic protests, among the first countries to send out an emergency alert to U.S. citizens?
The ANCA will continue to press for honest answers and governmental accountability regarding this highly sensitive matter for all Armenians.
It does not make any sense at all.!!
Sure it makes sense. Like all American foreign policy. That’s why America’s future is so secure.
I don’t think it has ANYTHING to do with Armenia. It has to do with Iran–Armenia has friendly relations with it.
If the U.S. Embassy issued this warning it can only mean two things One they know nothing about Armenian
history and what they went threw to keep there Chritsian Indentity or they must be living in the realm of the ubsurd as a Armenian,American I am shocked as well.
This is interesting. Both Turkey and Azeribaijan are listed here for demonstrations! https://www.osac.gov/Pages/ContentReports.aspx?cid=13
Yet, they aren’t listed. Know why? They are US “allies” and the US doesn’t want to embarrass them!
Hypocrites!
It makes a lot of sense.
The American empire is a hostile entity for Armenia; it has always been and will always be. This is Washington’s way of putting pressure on Yerevan for being on friendly terms with Iran and, more importantly, for hosting a Russian military presence on Armenian territory. Also, Washington is pissed because 2000 troops of the CSTO’s rapid reaction forces are currently in Armenia performing unprecedented military exercises that are thought to a clear warning message to Washington and its Turkish and Islamic ally to stay way from Iran and the Caucasus.
Armenian idiots, more commonly called called Americka-Hays, need to wake up and understand that Washington’s presence in Armenia is a serious threat to the nation’s longevity.
There are paid Turkish agents and their lackeys, throughout all levels of the US government. They are responsible for al this anti Armenian propaganda.
Sure it makes sense, when you consider slandering Armenia’s good name…..
Armenia has an open border with Iran.
My guess is this: some Turk-supporting or Armenian-hating clown somewhere did this on purpose in order to bundle Armenia with these other backwards Islamic countries. Its not funny, only desperate.
The U.S.diplomatic corps being pro turkey and israel,is so biased,it feels threats,for their behavior,in the wrong places.HOW SCREWED UP CAN YOU GET.
Alguem sabe o número de iranianos que visitam a Armenia?
This is simply a gesture by Hilarious Clinton to look good to Turkey and Azeris… and to the governments of the world, is to show Clinton’s Idiocracy
This is far more serious than a simple clerical error or misjudgement. The effects of this “mistake” are bigger than you think. Now every ignoramus in the US (and there is a lot of them) will take one look at that map and automatically associate our noble, civilized, and Westernized Armenia with those savage Islamic countries, some of which are as hateful towards us as they are towards Americans. I can hear it now “Them Muslim A-rab Armenians can go to hell. America!” While the truth can’t be farther from it. We are the most “European” (religiously, culturally, ethnically, etc) nation in the Caucasus, Eastern Europe, Near East, Middle East whatever you want to call it. Yet with irresponsible and damaging information like this our image is tainted in the eyes of the majority of the Western world’s population, who are too ignorant or uneducated to realize that we are about as different from our neighboring nations as Sweden is from Swahili. It is every Armenian’s duty worldwide to educate people about us.
I believe the Hypocrite Clinton is expressing this way that how she despise Armenia
So I guess since the Armenians in Syria aren’t taking sides, the American spy of dens in Armenia is spearheading a “threat” so that the entire muslim world focuses on the only “Christian” country in the near east.
This shows how stupid the American adminstration is, it’s unbelievable.
People People hold on for a minute, what exactly is it that it doesnt make sense how many students are there in Armenia from Muslim countries well when all of you have the count let me know, now it is the duty of the State department to put all the Embassys on high alert in the mentioned areas you can never know were the fire will spark from so it is what it is so no one should jump up and down and start yelling and pointing fingers at any one, and then we have the Iranians next to us what if some fanatic from Iran travels to Armenia
to have a chikyufta and does something stupid and i hope rest of you got my point.
The State Departments shenanigans doing their dirty work again!!!
The State Department Neo Cons. and Hillary Clinton bow to the Turkish & Azeri Governments’ dictates.
Couldn’t be that someone got paid off/bribed…for this ooopsy daisy mistake. lol. Or maybe very simply, someone who is doing this, is prejudice… just thinking outloud.
Free publicity, methinks.
Looks like the Department of State is infiltrated by personal working for Armenia’s enemies (Azerbaijan /Turkey) regardless of Victoria Nuland’s explanation, which makes no sense.
This is BS
Shows you how much the US truly understands Armenia…..
They probably think an Azeri might attack their embassy and blame it on Armenians.
This is the most ridiculous thing! Considering what Armenians have had to endure at the hands of Muslims I find this offensive.
Everybody needs to calm down.
In case some of you have not been to Armenia yet, there are many many Iranians coming to Yerevan for all sorts of purposes. Perhaps there are individuals that are coming to Armenia from Iran that makes the security situation a bit uneasy. Therefore, the Embassy has rightfully placed an alert – it’s their right, their security, and their embassy. This should not be viewed as something against Armenia or Armenians…everyone should very well know that Armenia is located in a very dangerous neighborhood and our American friends at the Embassy have every right to take measures to be vigilant.
There should not be a fuss over it. Please get over it.
I agree with you. It’s about the Iranians in Armenia–NOT about Armenia or Armenians.
If your American friends recognise the Armenian Genocide. Forced Turkey to open border with Armenia. Recognise the self determination of Armenians of Artsakh. Stopped Israel from arming Azerbaijan with advanced weapons. recognised the teribble act of cultural rape of the tomb stones in Nakhijevan. Then maybe I also would call them my friends as well. But so far they are doing all the wrong things. They are working very hard to be my enemy. Every year their president disrespects the dead by making a speach in 24th of April and not mentioning the word Genocide knowing well he is desrespecting my people, my dead ansestors and my identity. No my friend America is definatly not my friend.
Fred – the current U.S. Administration has to accept the Armenian Genocide. In the past, if you have read history, President Reagan and the U.S. Congress have recognized the Armenian Genocide.
Coming back to the subject, none of your statements are relevant to the security of the U.S. Embassy. Again, it is sovereign American soil (according to the Vienna Convention), and the U.S. Government has every right to protect and alert its property and citizens. If Armenia wanted, they can send Armenian troops to protect its diplomatic missions…no one will be crying over that. The question is not whether the U.S. is your friend or not. That’s out of context. Read a little bit on geopolitics please.
I highly disagree with skinner, people’s behavior isn’t molded they are just born stupid.
Vahe Y, had the best answer, I have exact the same idea, there are many Azeri Turks who can easily pass Armenia’s borer and cause a lot of problem for US and Armenian security as well as US Embassy. Turkey, Tatar-Turks, hate to see Armenia as part of civilized world…Armenia is surrounded with sea of Muslim nations and a landlocked country!!We should never take Embassy action personal, we should just get over it!!
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2012/09/2012914181845374685.html
That’s all fine and dandy, but then shouldn’t the embassies in Turkey and Azerbaijan be on even higher alert then? I don’t see them being marked on any maps…
Armenia is Israels worst enemy. As long as a viable Armenia exists, Israel can not dominate middle east and the world. That is why brittish and American forien policy has always been anti Armenian. Because Britain and US have jointly created modern Israel, populated modern Israel and are now about to make Israel a super power. But still the Israelis are scared of Armenians.