Cyprus-Forum.com

[zan]

http://www.greeknewsonline.com/modules. ... =0&thold=0


To the Editor
Greek Americans outnumber Turkish Americans by approximately 11 to 1 in the United States. The National Herald’s list of the “50 Wealthiest Greek Americans” in its March 29, 2008 issue indicates a total net worth of these individuals at $33 billion. Among the largest Greek American organizations—The World Council of Hellenes Abroad, the Federation of Hellenic Societies and the Hellenic Chamber of Commerce—there are a total of 46 Board of Trustee members—38 Greek Americans and 8 non-Greeks. There are no Board Members associated with any publicly traded corporation.

Looking at just one Turkish American organization, The American Turkish Society, there are 24 Board of Trustee members—17 Turkish Americans, 7 non-Turks. The American Turkish Society includes trustees representing the following publicly traded corporations—J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, AIG, HSBC Bank, Merrill Lynch, Coco Cola, Citibank and Fairchild Corp. These corporations have a current market capitalization of $515 billion, almost 16 times more than the “50 Wealthiest Greek Americans”. Coco Cola alone is worth over 3 times more than the “50 Wealthiest Greek Americans”. On December 11, 2008, Coca Cola elected American Turkish Society Board Member Muhtar Kent as its CEO and Chairman.


While we Greek Americans pride ourselves as having achieved financial and educational success here in America, Turkish Americans have learned to work the American system far better than we have. While we pride ourselves in having elected several Greek American U.S. Senators and 5 Congressional Representatives, the Turkish Americans through their corporate ties also have access to the U.S. government. Greek Americans have access to the White House, Congress and the State Department, but the Turkish Americans, through their periodic $5 billion orders for F-16 fighters and Apache helicopters from Boeing, Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics, trump Greek Americans at the U.S. Defense Department.





I have learned these facts because I am one of the few Greek American members of the American Turkish Society. We as Greek Americans remain isolated from Turkish organizations. We have little or no contacts with Turkish American organizations, Turkish Academics, the Turkish military and Turkish charitable and non-governmental organizations. When we plead our issues, whether they are the Ecumenical Patriarchate, religious freedom, Cyprus or Greek-Turkish boundary disputes, it would help our case enormously if we positively engaged our Turkish American brothers.





Michael F. Parlamis, P.E.

[Nikitas]

Greece buys its fair share of american planes, helicopters and other hardware paid for by CASH and not FMS credits as in the case of Turkey. So this part of the argument does not hold water.

The net worth angle is interesting too. It seems the Greek Americans own their 33 billion and can spend it as they wish. The Turks who work for big corporations cannot. Which means that the Greeks can finance political campaigns much more freely.

In the end there are no Greek or Turkish Americans, they are just Americans who after one generation do not know or care very much about what happens outside the borders of the USA.

[insan]

A perfect example of a reconciled human being that aware of the realities and rapidly globalizing world. A genuine Greek cousin. I admire this type of human beings a lot.

[paaul12]

hi Zan

luv it

While we Greek Americans pride ourselves as having achieved financial and educational success here in America, Turkish Americans have learned to work the American system far better than we have. While we pride ourselves in having elected several Greek American U.S. Senators and 5 Congressional Representatives, the Turkish Americans through their corporate ties also have access to the U.S. government. Greek Americans have access to the White House, Congress and the State Department, but the Turkish Americans, through their periodic $5 billion orders for F-16 fighters and Apache helicopters from Boeing, Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics, trump Greek Americans at the U.S. Defense Department.

[Oracle]

This is the most childish thread ..... ever!

[utu]

This is the most childish thread ..... ever!

So how would you "mature" it, Oracle?

[Get Real!]

Judging by this article, Greek & Turkish Americans seem to overestimate their worth and influence on the US foreign policy…

[turkkan]

Greece buys its fair share of american planes, helicopters and other hardware paid for by CASH and not FMS credits as in the case of Turkey. So this part of the argument does not hold water.

This is quite inaccurate. Since 97 turkey has paid quite a large sum for most of its american millitary hardware and the interest it pays on the loans it takes to pay for previous arms purchases make them more costly than what they actually were. After the cold war America did every now and then used to provide some debt forgivence but that was only after turkey spent years paying interest on its loans- you can be sure turkey never got anything for free from America after the cold war. Lately aside for its air-force turkey buys almost no arms from america and instead develops them themselves in cooperation with military partners such as South Korea, Pakistan and other European countries such as Italy.

[utu]

Judging by this article, Greek & Turkish Americans seem to overestimate their worth and influence on the US foreign policy…

That can also be said for other lobbying groups.

[MrH]

What this article really means is, as we all know how easily "Very Rich" individuals can lose their wealth via corrupt cash transactions (Hence Banks, Credit Crunch, dodgy Traders etc)! It's always a more reliable bet to establish strong "Government" sponsored deals instead.

Those so-called wealthy bunch of scheming Greek-Americans are too flaky and transparent for the American Congress to base their "True" relationship(s) upon, where their Turkish-American peers, with their solid Turkish Government relations, are obviously a much better platform to invest in.

It goes to show - Quality is better than Quantity when it comes to money-related transactions (Which I guess also explains a lot with Cyprus' situation - The "Important" countries obviously value their relationship with Turkey far more than a few wealthy Greek Cypriot Boat-man who happened to have made a few dollars under their "Hijacked" Republic!) - Hehehehehe.


Obviously, this article only just touches the surface of what's really happening!