Re: Armenia and the information war
Every country has its problems. The problems just vary from severe (think pakistan/libya etc) to mild( think sweden). Armenia is somewhere near the middle level. If this is the best armenians can do given the current geopolitical situation, given current economic situation, then so be it. Atleast we have a country of some sort. It's not the best situation, but would you rather go back to foreign occupation under islamic rule? that would suck big time.
So just ride the storm, and hope for better waves in a russian ship. Maybe someday armenians can jump ship and find a new world, better one they can call their own.
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Re: Armenia and the information war
I have met a lot of proud or nationalistic Armenians in my lifetime - but I have seldom met individuals that truly understand Armenia's unique geopolitical situation. Sometimes I feel as if Armenians today have actually become a liability for the Armenian state. Our so-called "opposition" in Armenia poses real risks for the Armenian state. Our Washingtonian activists in Armenia pose real risks for the Armenian state. If this kind of political immaturity and self-destructive behavior continues in our political circles, I'd expect yet another drastic measure to cleanup the mess. Back in the late 1990s our politicians were again flirting with national suicide. Thankfully they were eliminated in spectacular fashion on October 27, 1999. I hope that a reliving of that bloody day in Armenian history is not where we are headed today.
Diasporan Armenians should wake up and realize that it is Moscow that is keeping Armenia afloat in the Caucasus and not the handouts they send to their landlocked and blockaded homeland. I have to say that along with handouts the diaspora also sends Armenia agents of Washington, men like Richard Giragosian, Raffi Hovannisian, Vartan Oskanian and Jirayr Libaridian... Consequently, in a real sense, certain diasporan circles have in fact become a liability for the Armenian state. I'd like to again remind the reader that I'm a diasporan Armenian. If Armenia is in the Russian camp today it is not due to the political maturity or farsightedness of Armenians in general, it isn't even due to the efforts of the "Russified" or "Russophile" Armenians of Armenia. Armenia is in Moscow’s political orbit today simply due to the stubborn efforts of a very few individuals like Robert Kocharyan and Serj Sargsyan.
The "great game" between the West and Russia has only managed to bring death, destruction and misery to the Caucasus. What the region desperately needs today is a Pax-Russicana.
When there are two equally powerful forces acting on an object from opposite sides, the object being impacted will go no where, be it left or right. In my opinion, this is ultimately the problem Armenia has today. The geopolitical tug-of-war taking place in the Caucasus between Moscow and the West is one of the essential reasons why Armenia is economically stagnant and politically volatile. The strong presence of Washingtonian agents in Yerevan and in the Armenian diaspora is also ultimately the reason why Moscow thinks its better to keep Armenia under constant pressure and in fear. This undesirable situation will ultimately delay the socioeconomic development in the region in general and in Armenia in particular. So, thanks to our politically immature and ignorant compatriots, Armenia today is constantly dancing at very the edge of disaster.
What is currently occurring in Libya and Syria is ultimately what Washington wants to occur in Armenia. Don't fool yourselves into thinking that the Egyptian or the Tunisian scenario where the old political systems remained intact is not what Washington is really looking for in Armenia. What Washington wants in Armenia is a complete regime change. They want Yerevan to make a 180 degree reversal. Simply put: it's not about freedom or democracy in Armenia - it's about Russia in Armenia. Had Armenia been some distance away from Russia and had it not hosted a Russian base, forces of freedom and democracy would probably be bombing Armenia as well. Thank God Washington simply does not have the assets on the ground to carryout such a project in Armenia - yet. Their biggest assets seem to be Levon and Raffi and the self-destructive peasants willing to go to the streets for them. I personally do not think they will be successful in Armenia.
Washington will eventually find out that despite the political immaturity of Armenians in general, Armenians also have a very refined sense of survival. I believe this age old instinct within Armenians will help Armenia survive the coming storm. And Armenian survival in the Caucasus simply means sticking close to Moscow. Therefore, I have no doubt that Washingtonian machinations in Yerevan will prove to be a failure in the end. The worrying part for me, however, is what will its impact be on Armenia's overall sociopolitical development? Armenia will continue to stagnate economically and it will remain vulnerable politically - as long as it remains an object of contention between Moscow and Washington. One side simply has got to give, I pray to God that it's the Western side that gives.
Arevordi
October, 2011
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Re: Armenia and the information war
Yet, instead of making a pan-national effort on Armenia's behalf within the halls of the Kremlin, our politically naive compatriots waste their times and money in an anti-Armenian vipers' nest like Washington. Instead of better utilizing our immense human potential in Russia, a vast majority of our politically ignorant compatriots continue enthusiastically crying at the feet of corrupt Western politicians. Instead of rallying behind the Armenian homeland in this time of great political upheavals, our diaspora is busy organizing church picnics.
Armenians need to open their eyes and realize that Washington will never be a strategic partner for Armenia. Armenia simply has nothing to offer Washington. Armenia is in fact an obstacle to Western interests in the Caucasus region. At best, Washington can only be a passive antagonist with regards to Armenia. But the problem here is that Washington has not been only a passive antagonist regarding Armenia. While not openly hostile (due to various political factors), Washington is nonetheless very comfortably in bed with Armenia's regional enemies and it continues to conspire against the Armenian state.
While I do not think Washington and their petty xxxxxs in Armenian society will be able to oust Russia from Armenia, they will nevertheless try their very best and in doing so they will inevitably hurt the Armenian state's development. Without getting into details, Moscow has fought tooth-and-nail to keep top level Armenian officials within its sphere of influence in the Caucasus. In my opinion, they have used every single weapon in their disposal - blackmail, threats, bribes, massive amounts of military aid, affordable energy, nuclear fuel and billions of dollars worth of investments and sometimes assassinations just to make sure Yerevan stayed its "partner" in the region.
Even with all his faults, Serj Sargsayan's ascension to power in early 2008 proved to be a God sent in this regard. It was under his rule that Yerevan's military alliance with Moscow was finally institutionalized and Armenia's existence within the Caucasus ensured as a result. President Serj Sargsyan's foresight turned Armenia into a major geopolitical player in the Caucasus. On the downside, however, the deepening relations between Yerevan and Moscow did not go unnoticed in the West. Washington has recently been subjecting Armenia to a massive media assault. As mentioned in many of my previous commentaries, their intent is to break the Armenian spirit and foment unrest in the Armenian homeland. The end-game of course is regime change in Yerevan, which simply means replacing the current Russian-0backed government with one that will obediently serve the Anglo-American-Zionist alliance; and they have a not so little army of Armenian "activists" ready to do their dirty work. Due to Armenians' political ignorance and severe emotional/psychological issues derived from genocide recognition obsessions, Washington has been able to make deep inroads inside Armenian society.
I have tried very hard battling the political self-destructiveness of Armenians but with limited success. Despite my best efforts, even within my own social environment, even amongst well educated Armenians, I continue feeling like a lowly voice in our vast and desolate wilderness.
A quick look at the major political players in Armenia reveals just how troubling the situation is in reality.
The ARF has long been penetrated by Western operatives and sympathizers and many within its rank and file today readily express anti-Russian sentiments... Raffi Hovannisian's political party in Armenia is clearly serving Washingtonian interests... Levon Petrosian's political party, needless to say, is an indirect tool for Western, Israeli and Turkish interests in Armenia... Richard Giragosian's political think tank in Yerevan, ACNIS, is funded by Washington... Vartan Oskanian's political think tank in Yerevan, CIVILITAS, is funded by Washington... Paruyr Hayrikyan, the beloved nationalist icon, is for all intents and purposes has been a neocon implant in Armenia... Prominent diasporan organizations like Armenian Assembly of America are nothing but pathetic stooges of the US Department of State... We have a large diaspora that continues to suffer from Cold War related illnesses... We have a new generation of young Armenians that are being brought into the United States to essentially receive a pro-Globalist and anti-Russian education...
And then there is this character called Hayk Demoyan, who unfortunately happens to be the director of the Armenian Genocide memorial. Not too long ago this Demoyan publicly stated that historically it has benefited Armenia when Russia has been expelled from the Caucasus. Well, I don't know what he is talking about but the last time Russia was forced to fully retreated from the Caucasus there was a near successful genocide of Armenians. Where is this Hayk Demoyan character getting his history lessons from, the university of Ankara?!
What we essentially have here on our hands is an embattled nation in the Caucasus that is dependent on Russia for survival - yet a nation that is also utterly saturated with Russophobes! This is the ultimate Armenian paradox!
Not only do the above mentioned individuals and political entities makeup a large portion of Armenia's political scene today, they in fact represent a significant portion of Armenians in and out of the homeland. Due to their political treachery and/or severe ignorance (it really does not matter what their true intentions/motives are), these people are causing a new rift within Armenian society and their actions are actually endangering the very future of the Armenian republic. This troubling situation on the ground in Armenia today gives credence to Reshetnikov's provocative suggestion that Armenia's best minds are currently in Russia.
Taking all this into consideration, if I were a Kremlin official I'd be looking at Armenia very suspiciously. If I were a Russian official, I'd have a poison dagger with Armenia's name on it not too far from my reach. Although I'm being a bit melodramatic here, this overall situation may actually help explain some of the actions that have been undertaken by Moscow regarding Armenia in recent years.
All of the Russian aid that has been pouring into Armenia recent years has had serious political and economic strings attached. In other words, Armenia has not given the benefit of the doubt by Kremlin officials. Reagan's "trust but verify" readily comes to mind. I reiterate, what Armenians need to be mindful of is the fact that Moscow has reemerged as a major Eurasian superpower - politically, militarily and economically. Moscow has been the Caucasus region's main power-broker since the summer of 2008. As a resurgent superpower, Moscow can make or break nations (as we saw in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan). Moscow is feverishly working on reestablishing its political presence in areas where it considers are its traditional spheres of influence. One does not need to be a rocket scientist to come to the realization that Armenia falls wholly within one of Moscow's most important spheres of interest. Armenians also need to be mindful of the fact that Moscow is also an entity that can make Armenia disappear practically overnight - even without the use of arms.
Knowing that its position in Armenia is vulnerable due to Washington's cleaver machinations, why should Moscow feel comfortable with Armenia's continued suicidal flirtations with the West? Taking into consideration the massive amounts of aid (financial, technical and military) Moscow has been providing Armenia during the past twenty years (especially during the past five to ten years), I'm actually surprised at how well the Kremlin has treated Armenia. In the big picture, although Moscow carries a very big and nasty stick, in its dealing with Armenia Moscow has mostly used a carrot.
Some say, in final analysis nothing is for free. Some say, Russia is making a profit in Armenia. Some say, Russians have in fact bought Armenia. The fact is, profit/investment wise, what Moscow makes in Armenia is minuscule (I suspect sometimes even a lose). Therefore, what Russia is giving Armenia is essentially free. Moscow's aid is simply to make sure Armenia stays aligned to it (which it naturally should do anyway). This brings me to the next point. Armenia has not been sold to Russia! Moscow has simply bought into Armenia's hitherto nonfunctional and dilapidated Soviet era industry. What Russia is doing is ultimately for Armenia's long-term benefit; it's not like they will disassemble Armenia's railroads or telecommunications towers or power-plants or pipelines and take them back to Russia. The Levon Petrosian days when Armenia was truly independent and Armenians were selling the nation's assets at scrap metal prices to Iranians are long gone. What Russia and Armenia have today is a close strategic cooperation in all sectors: industry, technology, politics, trade and military. Whats more, what Armenian in his or her right mind put a price figure on the military protection Armenia receives against Turks?
In my opinion, if Russians wants to buy into and build Armenia’s telecommunications network, Armenia’s railroads, Armenia’s factories and Armenia's power-plants - they can certainly be my guests because I don't see anyone else who is willing to do so (e.g. West) or able to do so (e.g. Armenian diaspora).
Allow me to also remind the reader that if Moscow ever decided to help Baku retake Artsakh - not even a million of our proud nationalists could stop them from doing so. If Moscow ever decided to cutoff its energy deliveries (nuclear fuel, natural gas and oil) to Yerevan, Armenia would retreat back into the stone-age virtually overnight. Before anyone enthusiastically yells out "what about Iranian energy(?)", allow me to simply say that the only thing Iran can provide Armenia with is natural gas. Armenia needs much more than natural gas. Moreover, Tehran cannot be considered a serious ally for Armenia. At best, Tehran can only be a non-threatening neighbor with which Armenia can trade. Nevertheless, if Moscow ever decided to stop allowing Armenians to freely work in Russia and send hundreds of millions of dollars of remittances back to Armenia annually (not to mention the hundreds of millions of dollars of Russian investments to the country), Armenia would turn into a desolate land of starving people similar to what is was back in 1918. If Moscow ever decided to (or was forced to ) take its protective hand off of Armenia - Armenia would turn into a Turkish/Western/Azeri/Georgian/Iranian playground practically overnight.
For the foreseeable future, Armenia has no choice in the matter but to fully cooperate with Moscow. In the meanwhile, Armenians need to smarten up and use the opportunity Moscow is currently providing the Armenian state to strengthen the Armenian state so that one day Armenia can in fact cut its umbilical cord with Russia and become a truly independent state.Leave a comment:
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Re: Armenia and the information war
The following commentary is essentially the continuation of my previous two blog entries. I would like to ask the reader to pardon certain redundancies in rhetoric. In my opinion, repetition of certain facts and reinforcement of certain assessments are needed. Certain truths as well as common sense have been skewed as a result of the decades long propaganda campaign we have all been subjected to.
Russian-Armenian relations has become a cause of anxiety in certain circles. The primary complaints are that Armenia is too dependent on Russia and that Armenia's top leaders are operating under orders from Moscow. Many would like to see the severing of Armenia's umbilical cord with Russia. Believe it or not, so do I. Many would like to see truly independent and nationalistic leaders in power in Armenia. Believe it or not, so do I. Despite what some of our well-meaning compatriots think, however, if today's Moscow-backed regime in Yerevan is somehow ousted from Armenia - Armenia will not turn into an "independent" republic and it wont be Armenian nationalists taking over control. Simply put: those poised to take control once Armenia's current system of government is toppled are political xxxxxs seeking to serve the energy/business interests of the Western alliance. For the foreseeable future, our small, impoverished, landlocked, remote and blockaded nation surrounded by enemies in one of the most volatile places on earth will not be able to survive without Russian military protection and economic aid.
The following commentary is essentially the continuation of my previous two blog entries. I would like to ask the reader to pardon certain redundancies in rhetoric. In my opinion, repetition of certain facts and reinforcement of certain assessments are needed. Certain truths as well as common sense have been skewed as a result of the decades long propaganda campaign we have all been subjected to.
Many Armenians these days are of the mindset that Armenia needs to curb its dealings with Russia. These political illiterates claim: Armenia is "too dependent" on Russia. Many Armenians these days also think that Armenia needs to move closer to the West. These intellectual midgets claim: Armenia is "not close enough" to the West. Many Armenians these days think that Russia is the source of all problems in the region. These self-destructive peasants claim: Armenia will only be truly"free and independent" once Russia pulls out of the Caucasus. Many Armenians these days think that Russia is the primary problem in the Caucasus and that without Russian meddling Armenia can become fully independent. Needles to say, there is a lot of delirium amongst Armenians these days, not to mention suicidal tendencies.
Those tasked with sounding the Russophobic alarms in the Armenian community know this troubling political reality very well and that is why they are doing their best to drive a wedge between Yerevan and Moscow. Do not trust does who preach closer integration with the political West. The level of engagement Armenia has already gotten into with Western powers is already at its limit; it cannot go beyond. Due to its geographic location, its lack of wealth, its size and its historic rivalries it has with certain neighbors, Armenia does not serve the interests of Western powers. On the other hand, as long as Turkic, Islamic and Western interests threaten Russian interests in the south Caucasus, Moscow will continue seeing the small, remote, impoverished and landlocked Armenia as a very valuable strategic asset in the region. Armenia is thus an obstacle for Western interests, an important geopolitical player for Moscow.
As long as Moscow continues treating the Caucasus as one of its most geostrategically sensitive regions, it will continue jealously and aggressively protecting its foothold in Armenia. Despite the best efforts of our proudest nationalists, without Russian boots on the ground in the south Caucasus, the entire region would again turn into a Turkic/Islamic cesspool as it had been for nearly a thousand years before the Russian Czars set their imperial sights on the region beginning in early 19th century. Anyone that does not understand this nature of the region in question needs to seek professional help. All self-respecting Armenian patriots want Russian boots on the ground in the Caucasus! Geopolitical realities of our troubling times has compelled some of our more responsible politicians to remain firmly under Moscow's protective umbrella.
Consequently, it's natural that Yerevan may at times be forced to take directives from Moscow. The Armenian state, as it currently exists, cannot dictate its political will on the international stage. Armenians need to swallow their pride and realize that Yerevan will be playing second fiddle for some time to come. When it comes to the Caucasus, Moscow is the officially recognized maestro of the region. Despite what our proud patriots think these days, the only alternative to taking directives from Moscow - is taking directives from Washington, London, Ankara, Tel Aviv, Tbilisi and Baku. Therefore, official Yerevan needs to concentrate on learning how to navigate in Russian waters. This is not be a matter of patriotism or nationalism, this is a simple matter of understanding the geopolitical reality of Armenia and simply dealing with it.
Saakashvili's Georgia has shown us in recent years that raw nationalism without a clear/objective/farsighted geopolitical vision or understanding is national suicide. Even with the full backing of its British, European, American, Israeli and Turkish allies - when push came to shove in 2008, Georgia was effortlessly mutilated by the Russian Bear - as the Western world stood-by in shock and helplessness. While studying in the United States, I guess Saakashvili never took a course on international relations, or did and failed it. Nevertheless, Saakashvili's regime underscores the importance of having political foresight, sanity and humility in government - especially when the regime in question is ruling a nation that is small, dependent and its so-called friends are far away.
Due to Armenia's complex geopolitical circumstances in the Caucasus, a Saakashvilian error by Yerevan could very well cost Armenia its hard won nationhood. The Caucasus is a nasty and unforgiving place. Armenian politicians simply do not have the luxury of experimenting with different political formulations and ideas. While official Yerevan must seek cooperation with all political entities including the West, its primary political alignment needs to be with Moscow. Deeper/closer integration into Western structures was never a healthy option for Armenia. In the absence of Russia during the 1990s, nations like Armenia were forced to look Westward. The geopolitical climate of the globe has changed drastically from that of the 1990s. Dealing with a toxic entity like the Western alliance is no longer a necessity today thus should be avoided as much as possible.
For Armenia's sake, Armenian nationalists seriously need to wake-up from their fantastic dreams and begin to better understand the political world Armenia currently finds itself in. What Armenians also need to realize is that Bolsheviks are long gone and Yeltsin's Russia no loner exists. A resurgent Moscow is the main power-broker today, the king-maker and nation-breaker in the Caucasus; and it controls many levers in Armenia. Thus, any real attempt by Yerevan to break its dependency on Moscow (despite the fact that Armenia has no real alternatives to Russia) will be met with a swift and ruthless reprisal by Moscow. I reiterate, Armenians need to put aside their pride and begin seriously figuring out a way of navigating through Russian waters for the foreseeable future.
Due to the very seriousness of this very important topic, I'd like to expand on this with the following.
Some time ago Leonid Reshetnikov, the Russian director of Russia’s Institute for Strategic Studies, made some very revealing comments (see article posted below). For the sake of Armenia, Armenians need to put aside their debilitating emotions and massive egos (at least temporarily), Armenians also need to put aside their Cold War derived Russophobia and pay close attention to Reshetnikov's message. Leonid Reshetnikov is of the opinion that Moscow cannot fully trust Armenia due to the strong presence of anti-Russian and pro-American political elements within the Armenian nation. A lot can be derived from his comments. In these times of political unrest throughout the region, I personally think Reshetnikov's comments were a stern warning to all Armenians. And, in my humble opinion, Reshetnikov has made a very valid point.
I have been warning Armenians about the very point Reshetnikov raised for many years. Generally speaking, Armenians in Armenia tend to be Russia-friendly. One should not, however, try to derive political conclusions from this simply because the Russia-friendly attitude of Armenians is mostly rooted in a cultural affinity Armenians have with Russians. Armenia's political environment on the other hand cannot be considered a pro-Russian bastion in the Caucasus as many erroneously think. Great many of Armenia's politicians will even sell their mothers if the price is right and we know that Washington showers its mercenaries with money. Moreover, the Armenian diasporas of the western world and the Middle East (significant portion of the world's Armenian population) tend to be quite Russophobic.
Reshetnikov's message/warning was essentially this: due to dire sociopolitical conditions of the past twenty somewhat years a significant portion of Armenia's traditionally pro-Russia population, as well as a significant portion of Armenia's Soviet era intellegencia (or those with higher education) have settled in the Russian Federation, leaving behind a population that is politically ignorant and intellectually immature - thus susceptible to foreign manipulation.
It is not a secret that there exists a serious intellectual and ethical void in Armenia today. It is also not a secret that this void is being exploited by Washington and friends. Washington is exploiting this void in Armenia by manipulating the nation's political "opposition" as well as manipulating elements within the Armenian diaspora. It is interesting to note that Leonid Reshetnikov is not the only Russian that has publicly made critical comments about the political competency of Armenian politicians in recent years. Vladimir Putin also made similar statements several years ago when in an interview he more-or-less suggested that Moscow had a very hard time in convincing Armenian officials to stay aligned to Russia.
As a fully certified diasporan Armenian of Cilician ancestry born in the Middle East and raised in the United States), and as one who cannot even put two Russian words together in a coherent manner, I happen to fully agree with the sentiments expressed by Leonid Reshetnikov and Vladimir Putin. I'll go even further here by adding that many Armenians today are once again flirting political suicide. In a region of the world where the main competing geopolitical players are Turks, Western energy interests, Iranians, Islamists and Russians - when it comes to picking an ally our newly (re)created, landlocked and dependent state has only but one choice in the matter - Moscow! The Armenian state is able to sustain itself today primarily as a result of its close political, economic and military partnership with the Russian Federation and not due to the help of its big talking but grossly under-performing diaspora. This is essentially the source of my continued emphasis on all things Russian.
My political opinions and sentiments are based on nearly two decades of studying geopolitics, military affairs and political history. I also have some military experience which helps me better understand military matters. Moreover, and more importantly, my opinions are devoid of personal sentiments, cultural biases or self-serving agendas. I assess and analyze politics rationally, objectively, without emotions and without ethical considerations.
In my opinion, the most important factor in Armenia's existence today as a nation-state in the Caucasus is the nature and character of Yerevan's relationship with Moscow. Alarmingly, very few Armenians of the diaspora seems to understands this. How many of our compatriots look to Washington for guidance? How many of our compatriots obsess over genocide recognition? In my opinion, compared to the vital importance of Armenia's strategic alliance with the Russian Federation, matters pertaining to the Armenian Genocide and the survival of the Armenian diaspora are only secondary in importance!Leave a comment:
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Re: Armenia and the information war
Power struggle between Aliyev and his botox "wife" (who had a relationship with Belarusian president Lukashenko), just hilarious.
Who will replace Azerbaijan’s President?
October 21, 2011 | 05:54
BAKU. – Domestic political situation in Azerbaijan is getting tenser in connection with the country’s presidential elections to be held in 2013, and the next candidate’s issue is actively discussed, Azadliq newspaper of Azerbaijan writes, presenting new details on the meeting which the Nakhijevan clan recently held in Gabala.
The clan’s key representatives examined the matter of replacing current president Ilham Aliyev and choosing a convenient candidate. “If [Ilham Aliyev’s wife] Mehriban Aliyeva becomes president, this would have disastrous consequences for the Nakhijevan clan,” the newspaper writes. That is why the Nakhijevan “troika” is looking for an alternative to Ilham Aliyev, and the most likely candidate from among them seems Kamaladdin Heydarov, the Minister of Emergency Situations.
“So, it will also become clear soon as to how Ilham Aliyev will deal with these problems. And when that happens, the Minister of Emergency Situations could find himself in a difficult situation,” Azadliq concludes.Leave a comment:
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Re: Armenia and the information war
Originally posted by bell-the-cat View Post
I find your characterization of the Armenians a bit amusing (because of your bias).
If anything Armenians are not sophisticated enough regards their enemies, friends and loyalties.
True, Armenians have an "eternal" enemy.
However I would like to remind you a quote from General De Gaulle,
..xxxxxx., who admired de Gaulle, once cautioned him,
"General, you must not hate your friends more than you hate your enemies."
De Gaulle himself stated famously,
"France has no friends, only interests."
.Last edited by londontsi; 10-20-2011, 10:09 AM.Leave a comment:
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Re: Armenia and the information war
Another hilarious piece in an American publication written by an Azeri/Turk.
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Reduce U.S. aid to Armenia
As the House Appropriations Committee prepares for a vote on the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs budget, I would like to call for a reduction of U.S. aid to Armenia and elimination of any aid to the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.
Since 1990s, the U.S. Congress has been allocating assistance to the victims of the Armenian-Azerbaijani/Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. But in 2005, under pressure from the ethnic special interest groups, wording of the appropriations bills was revised to direct U.S. taxpayer dollars only to a group of fewer than 100,000 Armenians in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, more than 600,000 ethnic Azerbaijanis, expelled from their homes during the Armenian occupation, were deprived of any U.S. assistance.
Further, in the last six years, the allocation of funds to the Armenian community in Karabakh has been gradually increasing without basis, from $3 million to $8 million.
In regards to the U.S. aid to Armenia, this country’s policy has been a major roadblock to peace and development in the South Caucasus. Armenia’s regional policy directly challenges the U.S. interests as well.
In 2003, Armenian government sold 1,000 RPG-22M rockets and 260 PKM machine guns to Iran. These weapons were used by the Iranian-backed Hizballah brigades in Iraq to kill a U.S. serviceman.
Thus, at the time when the U.S. national debt nears $15 trillion, another extension of U.S. aid to Armenia is unsubstantiated.
Agshin TaghiyevLeave a comment:
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Re: Armenia and the information war
We have more friends than enemies in the world. Our enemies are primarily Turkey and Azerbaijan and whatever country supports them and works against our interests. It's pretty simple why they are our enemies, and why we will not be on good terms with countries that are overly open with them in support and work against our interests. Those type of countries are mainly Pakistan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and now Belarus.Originally posted by bell-the-cat View PostLeave a comment:
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Re: Armenia and the information war
That is true only if politics transcends the personal. At a personal level, it seems to me that Armenians behave as if they can't ever have too many enemies. It is almost as if self-worth expands with the number of enemies/opponents an individual has. Every friend or ally is just a future enemy - and one must never miss an opportunity to turn the former into the latter.Originally posted by Mos View PostLeave a comment:
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Re: Armenia and the information war
Mos Sorry I got the colors mixed up.Leave a comment:
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