Day: December 7, 2016

AHI Releases Letter To 60 Minutes Refuting Importance Of Turkey’s Air Bases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Georgea Polizos
December 6, 2016—No. 57 (202) 785-8430

WASHINGTON, DC —The American Hellenic Institute wrote to 60 Minutes following Correspondent Steve Kroft’s November 20, 2016 report, “Turkey’s disillusionment with the U.S.,” which described Turkey’s air bases, namely Incirlik, as having extreme importance to the United States and NATO for its staging areas and projection of power in the region

AHI President Nick Larigakis’ November 22 letter presents how the facts prove otherwise by citing how Turkey refused to allow the United States to use its bases to open a northern front against the Saddam Hussein dictatorship. “The United States’ successful prosecution of the war against Iraq without access from Turkey proved Turkey’s limited value as a strategic military resource,” Larigakis wrote.

Furthermore, Larigakis states that when Turkey does allow access, such as was the case with the fight against ISIS, it does so only after it stalls.  

Click here to read President Larigakis’ letter 

The American Hellenic Institute is a non-profit Greek American public policy center and think tank that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

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For additional information, please contact Georgea Polizos at (202) 785-8430 or at pr@ahiworld.org. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at http://www.ahiworld.org.

 

November 22, 2016
Mr. Michael H. Gavshon
Mr. Howard L. Rosenberg
Mr. David M. Levine
Producers
60 Minutes
CBS News
524 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019

Dear Mr. Gavshon, Mr. Rosenberg, and Mr. Levine:

Correspondent Steve Kroft’s report, “Turkey’s disillusionment with the U.S. President” described Turkey’s air bases, namely Incirlik, as having extreme importance to the United States and NATO for its staging areas and projection of power in the region. The facts of the matter prove otherwise. Turkey refused to allow the United States to use its bases to open a northern front against the Saddam Hussein dictatorship. Turkey’s reasoning was that it wanted $6 billion more — in addition to $26 billion offered by the Bush Administration — for a total of $32 billion. A former Bush administration official called Turkey’s negotiating tactics “extortion in the name of alliance.” (New York Times, Feb. 20, 2003; A1; col. 6.) The United States’ successful prosecution of the war against Iraq without access from Turkey proved Turkey’s limited value as a strategic military resource.  

Further, almost on a daily basis, Turkey violates the sovereign territory (air and sea) of neighboring NATO ally, Greece. And 43 years later continues to illegally occupy Cyprus, an EU country.

Moreover, when Turkey does allow access, it stalls.  

In 2015, U.S. Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper, when asked if he was optimistic that Turkey would become “more engaged” in the fight against ISIS, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee, “No, I’m not. I think Turkey has other priorities and other interests.”

Turkey serves to destabilize the region and not to project U.S. interests in the vitally important region of the Eastern Mediterranean.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Nick Larigakis

President  

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For additional information, please contact Georgea Polizos at (202) 785-8430 or at pr@ahiworld.org. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at http://www.ahiworld.org and follow us on Twitter @TheAHIinDC. 

CYPRUS NATIVE DINOS IORDANOU INDUCTED INTO THE EASTERN NEW YORK SOCCER HALL OF FAME


The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) is very pleased to announce that Dinos Iordanou has been inducted into the Eastern New York Soccer Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony took place at our 2016 Holiday Party on December 4 at Marina del Rey in the Bronx.
Born on the island of Cyprus, he came to the United States in 1969. With an uncle in Astoria providing the roof over his head, Dinos’ first job was pumping gas at a Shell station. He also washed dishes in a nursing home, drove a cab and worked as a cook.

“You’ve got to earn your way through school and get on,” Dinos said. With his father’s voice in his head, he moved on and stayed on track, playing soccer and graduating from New York University with a degree in aerospace engineering.

His first career stop was Pratt and Whitney, then the AIG Insurance Company for 10 years, then to CV Starr which was part of AIG, where he was a partner. He later went on to Berkshire Hathaway, and today is the CEO of Arch Capital Group.

He has been active with the Pancyprians since the beginning, helping to found the association in 1975, and he is one of their lifetime Trustees, continuing to be active. His brother Michael is the head of its athletic division and his brother George is the Vice President of the soccer club.

“I played for their soccer team when I was young,” he added with pride, winning three US Open Cup titles and three Cosmopolitan Soccer League championships with the New York Pancyprian Freedoms in the late 1970s and early ‘80s. He also played professionally in Cyprus.

The Upper Brookville resident is also founding member of FAITH, a charitable organization for the advancement of Greek-Americans in Education. He is a Trustee for the Holy Child Academy, Our Lady of Mercy Academy, Roosevelt University and the College of Insurance.

His children all grew up in Eastern New York’s Olympic Development Program (ODP). Tina just concluded her collegiate career as a starting player at the University of Virginia while Danielle played at Northwestern and Alexandra went to William & Mary.

Dinos has been involved with Eastern New York’s soccer programs for the past decade and has graciously donated nearly $500,000 to our organization during this time. Congrats to our newest Hall of Famer, Dinos Iordanou.

With over 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 11 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and United States Youth Soccer Association. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/, which receives nearly 300,000 hits annually from the growing soccer community.

Source: Hellenic News

‘The Lobster’ nabs Best Screenplay at Los Angeles Film Critics Association awards

Congratulations to The Lobster!

“The Lobster” has nabbed Best Screenplay for Greek writers Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association 2016 awards.


Starring Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz, “The Lobster” is directed by Greek filmmaker Lanthimos (“Dogtooth,” “Alps”), hailed as a leading proponent of the so-called Weird Wave of cinema.

https://youtu.be/Yd86qCE5_iM
“The Lobster” has nabbed Best Screenplay for Greek writers Efthymis Filippou and Yorgos Lanthimos at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association 2016 awards.

Starring Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz, “The Lobster” is also directed by Lanthimos (“Dogtooth,” “Alps”), hailed as a leading proponent of the so-called Weird Wave of cinema.

The action is set in a fictional world where single people or those who have lost their mates must find love during a hotel “dating game” or be turned into the animal of their choice.

“Moonlight,” the three-part tale of a young African-American from Miami’s Liberty City ghetto coming to terms with his sexuality, was the big winner on Sunday, taking home four awards for best picture, director, supporting actor and cinematography.

LAFCA’s 2016 winners will be honored at an awards dinner on January 14.

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