The Rule of Law Lobby focuses on the grassroots mobilization in the Greek American community following Turkey’s illegal invasion and occupation of Cyprus on July 20, 1974. The events highlighted in the annotated Chronology record how Greek Americans reacted to the invasion of the Republic of Cyprus by Turkey in 1974. In addition to protesting vociferously and providing humanitarian assistance, the Greek American Community gradually coalesced into a lobby under the newly unfurled banner of the “Rule of Law.” This led to the remarkable accomplishment of cutting off military aid to Turkey under an arms embargo imposed by the U.S. Congress.

Book Review

Dr. Christos P. Ioannides, Director, Center for Byzantine & Modern Greek Studies, Queen’s College, CUNY. “The exceptional value of The Rule of Law Lobby is based on two critical and complementary factors. First, it is an extensive chronology digesting contemporaneous press and other public record reports as well as an accompanying bibliography and illustrations. Secondly, the editors, Van Coufoudakis and Serge Hadji, were key participants and keen observers of the developments rendering them uniquely qualified to provide a most authoritative compilation of the record and account of the dynamics and logistics of this movement. The annotations include notes by Gene Rossides, a protagonist of this remarkable achievement and founder of AHI, who participated in the structuring of this work.

The Rule of Law Lobby is a seminal book which splendidly portrays the rise and evolution of this quintessentially American lobby spearheaded by AHI and seeking to influence US policy in the region. It is also a timely book since the rule of law is as relevant as ever and remains the guiding principle in the Greek American Community’s striving for the Cyprus and Greek causes.”