APPO JABARIAN/USA ARMENIAN LIFE TV — Greetings. My name is Appo Jabarian and I’m the TV host for the USA Armenian Life TV program. I have the honor and pleasure to host today the founding chairman of a ground breaking organization called the American Armenian National Security Institute (AANSI). I’d like to encourage you to visit the AANSI website www. aansi.org. The mission of American Armenian National Security Institute is groundbreaking in many ways. For the first time ever in the history of the American Armenian Diaspora, there is a bridge organization that is empowering the American Armenian community to get into a working partnership with U.S. Defense and Foreign Policy establishment, to foster a stronger military, economic and political alliance between the United States of America and the Republic of Armenia – our longtime allies. So, I’d like to mention the fact that the American Armenian National Security Institute recently carried out a jointly with U.S. the Armenian Life Magazine, the second Educational and Journalistic Mission to the Republic of Armenia with Major General (Retired) Mark MacCarley. General MacCarley, welcome to USA ARMENIAN LIFE TV on AMGA. U.S. ARMY, MAJOR GENERAL, (RET.) MARK MacCARLEY — Thank you, Appo. I always appreciate the invitation and I hope I can explain a bit about the mission and importance of AANSI and a little bit of the history of how it came to be that many great leaders, those who are concerned about the fate of Armenia and Artsakh came together to put this organization, the American Armenian National Security Institute (AANSI) not only on paper, but to put it front and center, as one of the most vital and dynamic organizations that’s solely focused protecting the sovereignty and the continued viability of the twin republics of Armenia and Artsakh. APPO JABARIAN/USA ARMENIAN LIFE TV — Can you please tell our viewers about the Second Journalistic and Education Mission to Armenia by AANSI? U.S. ARMY, MAJOR GENERAL, (RET.) MARK MacCARLEY — No question about it. I think, now, that it would be worth a minute or so of your viewers’ time to discuss what took place before our Second Journalistic Mission last July. As you touched upon, AANSI came into being very shortly after the 2020 anti-Armenian Aggression, the 44-Day war. And so many not only in the Armenian community and in the American Armenian community, but freedom-loving peoples in the United States and around the world, saw and understood what took place and wanted to help. Out of those ashes came AANSI – the American Armenian National Security Institute. And we have over the last two years moved forward really, quite frankly, aggressively along three lines of effort: The first is education and what education means is that we get out the message about the challenges facing the twin Armenian republics and as well how people around the globe, especially in the United States, can assist in a way that perhaps is more direct and, ultimately, challenging than perhaps simply participating in a demonstration or protest ,rally. The second line of effort is providing humanitarian assistance to those in need in the Twin Republics, especially war veterans. At our first banquet year, almost a year and a month ago, we raised a good sum of money and we contributed that money to the war veterans in Artsakh. There continues to be a need to help those who are crippled or maimed as a result of that war in 2020. The third line of effort, which we’re definitely going to focus on at our AANSI Second Banquet, is the establishment of what we call the AANSI Humanitarian Support Brigade. Now, I have to say right at the outset, that we’re not discussing the creation of a mercenary army, those who join for the excitement of combat or conflict. What we’re talking about is an organization, a collection of men and women who are concerned about the survival of Artsakh and Armenia, who voluntarily come together, who receive specific training in such subjects as medicine, mass casualty assistance, communications, delivery of food, water, and maintenance of utility infrastructure and all those things that are so helpful for the twin Armenian republics at a time of manmade or natural crisis. Now, that crisis could be a reengagement of armed conflict with Azerbaijan. If Azerbaijan decides once again to engage in such unlawful and horrific conduct the humanitarian brigade would also be deployed to provide help to the people of the Twin Republics. APPO JABARIAN/USA ARMENIAN LIFE TV — This is a groundbreaking idea, General MacCarley, the formation of the first-ever of its type humanitarian brigade to Armenia. Before we go any further on the humanitarian brigade, can you share with our viewers some of the photographs of taken by your team at AANSI — American Armenian National Security Institute during the recent Second Educational and Journalistic Mission. In this photograph. What do we see? U.S. ARMY, MAJOR GENERAL, (RET.) MARK MacCARLEY — So the first photograph, sort of to set the theme, is that I and one of my fellow Army General Officers, Scott Efflandt (Retired), were in a bunker. And that bunker sits on what we call the line of conflict, no more than 300 meters from the location of a significant number of Azerbaijan armed personnel. APPO JABARIAN/USA ARMENIAN LIFE TV – Can you tell our viewers about this second photo? U.S. ARMY, MAJOR GENERAL, (RET.) MARK MacCARLEY — In the second photograph, we’re up at the forward part of that defensive bunker. We’re trying to get what we call the “lay of the land” situated between the Armenian and Azeri forces. This is especially important if the Azeris were to launch an attack. And I should footnote that, indeed, a month and a half after we left that particular location close to the Syunik region, the exact thing that we were concerned about took place. The Azeris crossed the line of contact and attached the Armenian forces. APPO JABARIAN/USA ARME- NIAN LIFE TV – In this photograph, we see Colonel Arman Mkrtchyan, the Defense Attache of the Republic of Armenia in Washington, D.C.. What about this next photograph? U.S. ARMY, MAJOR GENERAL, (RET.) MARK MacCARLEY — The following photographs help us understand the conflict. Now, as to this Humanitarian Brigade, it consists of folks from America, Armenian Americans, Non-Americans, Disapora Armenian from around the world, whomever desires to protect the Sovereignty and the freedom of Armenia and Artsakh – the only two nations in that particular part of the world that have anything even closely resembling a democratic government. Now, those governments aren’t perfect, but they’re a heck of a lot better than what we see in every single other neighbor in that region. As part of our educational line of effort, we seek, firsthand, an understanding of some of the tactical military challenges that Armenia faces. We were escorted by Armenian military officers. But, we have no direct or even indirect relationship with the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, of Artsakh. So, we went out there and that’s what that picture shows. It shows those Armenian Army personnel moving to defensive positions. APPO JABARIAN/USA ARMENIAN LIFE TV – General MacCarley, Thank You! In the aftermath of the 44 day anti-Armenian Aggression by Azerbaijan, Turkey and ISIS, Islamic State terrorist mercenaries, and after so much losses in terms of human lives and the casualties of war, numbering in the thousands sadly and losses of huge territory, what positive encouraging signs do you see in light of the inception of AANSI -The American Armenian National Security Institute? U.S. ARMY, MAJOR GENERAL, (RET.) MARK MacCARLEY — Certainly what we see now is that several senior American political leaders, the Honorable Nancy Pelosi, for instance, and our Secretary o Defense, Lloyd Austin, are showing renewed interest in Armenia’s survival in that part of the world, Now, whether AANSI was the primary cause of this encouraging development, I can’t say. But I will say that we have worked with our elected officials and sought to “educate” them as to the importance of supporting Armenia and Artsakh. We have tried to suggest that there is a common theme between what has happened in the Twin Republics and in Ukraine. Each country is defending its right to be free. APPO JABARIAN/USA ARMENIAN LIFE TV – In the case of the Armenian nation, by that I mean the vast Armenian Diaspora and the Armenian population in the twin Armenian republics, like any other nation, it is the birthright of the Armenian nation to do everything in their capacity to maintain and enhance Armenia and Artsakh’s Sovereignty, Independence and Defense. Is this a realistic national aspiration for the Armenian people? U.S. ARMY, MAJOR GENERAL, (RET.) MARK MacCARLEY — Appo, that’s a question that suggests its own answer. And the answer is quite simply absolutely “yes.” The order of business for any nation is that it remains free and that it can decide its own destiny as an independent entity. So absolutely, Armenia and Artsakh have a right to their own destiny, the right to survive and the right to prosper in this world. Again, that is one of the lines of effort of AANSI, to bring the primary issue of the survival of Armenia and Artsakh, front and center, before those who make the decisions in the United States. And that is a very positive statement to the people of Armenia that they have not been forsaken. 00:18:39:13 – 00:19:14:15 But it’s very important as Armenia matures has only been independent as a result of the breakup of the Soviet Union for, what, 30 odd years, 31, 32 years. And with that, AANSI provides as one of many organizations. But I think AANSI has a uniqueness about it, because it focuses only on the Sovereignty, the survival. And when you say survival, that also implies the ability of the Twin Republics to defend themselves against aggression. APPO JABARIAN/USA ARMENIAN LIFE TV – General MacCarley, I must acknowledge the fact that you’ve working very, very hard as a top volunteer in the American Armenian National Security Institute. in the shadow of humility. Many of our TV viewers and U.S.A. Armenian Life and the American Armenian print and social media readers have noticed positive changes on the level of the strategic political, economic and military alliance between the United States of America and the Republic of Armenia. So where do we go from here? What can the American Armenian community do to further the mission of the American Armenian National Security Institute — AANSI? U.S. ARMY, MAJOR GENERAL, (RET.) MARK MacCARLEY — I’ve spent a little bit of time thinking about that question. And the way to answer that question is to look at what took place within the last month and a half. We had another flare up of the conflict between the Twin Republics and Azerbaijan. Once again Azeri forces, without provocation crossed the line of contact, shot missiles and cannon into Armenia and flew their drones into Armenian military positions. And a thousand or so Armenian young men and women died as a result of that initiation of that that unjustified incursion by Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan’s actions were in clear violation of international law. Now, here’s what happened here in America, in response. Those members of the Armenian community and those who support Armenia and its defense in Artsakh, rose up, went out to the streets and protested across the United States. They were trying to get the message in front of media about Azeri atrocities. To some extent, the protesters and activists were successful. But I ask you, how much of all that protest is remembered today? There’s now a huge amount of frustration because the Armenian American community and its leaders now ask, “What else can we do?” So, what AANSI says, is, “Here is real opportunity to help. We have the Humanitarian Support Brigade. If you really want to do something, whether you’re in America or you’re in France, or other concentrations of the Diaspora, you take the next step. And that next step is joining the Humanitarian Support Brigade. This is what we call ,”Direct Action.” You can go to go through the training. You can prepare yourself to deploy to Armenia or Artsakh. If some- thing happens, whether it’s a natural or a manmade disaster, you will be able to provide immediate assistance in an organized manner to the Armenian people. If support of the Twin Republics is central to your character, then, nothing will satisfy that desire to do good than to be a participant in support humanitarian efforts and enlist to be a member of the support brigade. APPO JABARIAN/USA ARMENIAN LIFE TV – General MacCarley, thank you for inspiring work, groundbreaking work. Thank you for being a visionary leade. As Vice President of AANSI, I’d like to remind our viewers that we can support the work of AANSI, by joining together at the upcoming AANSI American Armenian National Security Institute banquet on Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 6 p.m., at the World-Famous Award-Winning Taglyan Complex in Hollywood. So please call 818.241.5800 and visit the website (www.aansi.org) to reserve your tickets. Together we can move and shake mountains with the help of our faith and vision. U.S. ARMY, MAJOR GENERAL, (RET.) MARK MacCARLEY — And I should say, as we wrap this up, that AANSI is not supported by the US government or any governmental agency here or around the world. It receives absolutely no funds from the Republic of Armenia or Artsakh. That is why the banquet is so critically important, because the brigade and everything else that AANSI does, the educational missions, the charitable and humanitarian contributions to military hospitals and civilian hospitals in Twin Republics, it’s all funded by our contributors and one of our biggest events to raise money, is this banquet. APPO JABARIAN/USA ARMENIAN LIFE TV – Please join us on December 1st. Be part of a groundbreaking, historic development that is unprecedented in its nature and the type of work that it does as an advocacy and education nonprofit tax-exempt organization. Join many visionary supporters. Join visionary Founder, U.S. Army. Major General (Ret.) Mark MacCarley. See you on December the first.