Predictably,
Western
news media has been dramatizing and sensationalizing the recent mass demonstrations in Armenia. They are also making it seem as if police violence is taking place against peaceful demonstrators. They are also doing their best to portray
the situation in Armenia as one being against Russia. None of it is true, at least thus far.
Although the protest movement is attracting all kinds of unsavory
characters, professional revolutionaries from around the world and Western-Armenian activists, the organizers of the protests themselves have thus far been successful in keeping their
movement apolitical and strictly confined to their stated grievance. Let's therefore please stop taking Western news reports about the recent events in Armenia too seriously. Let's also stop panicking and overreacting.
Although Russians as well as many Armenians like myself are understandably concerned about the prevailing situation, there is NO color revolution taking place in Armenia. There is NO "Maidan"
in Yerevan! While I agree that we cannot underestimate the inherent dangers of having Western operatives present among thousands demonstrators on a daily basis, I also think we don't need to be creating self-fulfilling prophesies by overreacting and blowing things out of proportions. While I
understand that the danger is clearly there for
this protest movement to get hijacked at some point by Western interests, we are not there yet.
Most probably, we will not get there at all.
For now, however, we don't need to make things worst by overreacting. This especially applies to Armenian law enforcement bodies. Their actions will therefore be pivotal. With that said, from what I have seen thus far, security officials in Yerevan have been exercising great restraint. If things do get out of control, however, I am confident they are well prepared to deal with it.
What is now known about the current, widely publicized demonstrations in Armenia is that their organizers are the same group of young activists that organized two prior «ԴԵՄ ԵՄ» movements against unpopular government initiatives. From what is known about them, they don't have direct funding from abroad or even leadership, at least in the traditional sense. They are a group of loosely interconnected young activists who use social media to coordinate their actions. They had made a good name for themselves previously because they were seen by the public and authorities alike as a homegrown, grassroots movement that did its best not to align themselves with any political party. More importantly in my opinion, they were seen as doing their best to stay clear of Western/American meddling. I am therefore willing to give them the benifit of the doubt. The same group of seemingly apolitical activists have again taken to the streets to protest against another unpopular government initiative.
What is now known about the current, widely publicized demonstrations in Armenia is that their organizers are the same group of young activists that organized two prior «ԴԵՄ ԵՄ» movements against unpopular government initiatives. From what is known about them, they don't have direct funding from abroad or even leadership, at least in the traditional sense. They are a group of loosely interconnected young activists who use social media to coordinate their actions. They had made a good name for themselves previously because they were seen by the public and authorities alike as a homegrown, grassroots movement that did its best not to align themselves with any political party. More importantly in my opinion, they were seen as doing their best to stay clear of Western/American meddling. I am therefore willing to give them the benifit of the doubt. The same group of seemingly apolitical activists have again taken to the streets to protest against another unpopular government initiative.
Revolutions
are dreamed of by romantics, carried-out by adventurists and exploited
by scoundrels
Thus far, protest organizers seem to be successfully maintaining their politically non-aligned position. But with thousands of excited protesters in the streets, there is opportunity for exploitation. It goes without saying that Armenia's Western-led political opposition representatives and Western-funded activists have been trying to steal the show. It is no secret that Armenia's Western agitators want to hijack the current momentum. And therein lies the real danger Armenia faces today.
If as a result of our young romantics and adventurists Armenia descends into sociopolitical unrest, those well positioned to take advantage of the situation are Western interests.
Since political opposition groups in Armenia have been discredited in recent years, they are incapable of drawing large numbers of people into the streets. They have therefore been trying to take advantage of the current situation by trying to make it seem as if they are part of the demonstrations. For example, members from Jirayr Sefilian's Founding Parliament and Raffi Hovanissian's Heritage Party have been participating in all the demonstrations but the young protest organizers don't seem to be giving them much attention. I admit that Nikol Pashinyan's presence among demonstrators is not heartwarming in the least bit. But as much as I dislike the character, I can't in all honesty say he is directly working for Western interests. Protest organizers also seem to be doing their best not to publicly express any anti-Russian rhetoric or call into question Armenia's strategic alliance with Russia. The few EU flags seen on one particular day were not sanctioned by protest organizers. The flags in question may have been photo-shopped into pictures to either discredit the demonstrations or make them seem as if they are politically motivated. There is also the possibility that the EU flags were displayed by provocateurs or employees of Western-funded NGOs in the country. More importantly in all this, we need to understand that there was no police violence (i.e. the kind of police violence we regularly see against demonstrators in Western countries) or widespread unrest on part of the demonstrators (i.e. the kind of which we see in Western countries) at any time during the demonstrations. Demonstrations have been mostly orderly and at times even jovial. The only instance when law enforcement personnel resorted to using some force was when a group of demonstrators had blocked motor-vehicle traffic on a main boulevard and police forcibly moved them after they refused to clear the street.
One of the things about these demonstrations that immediately caught my attention is how the term "Maidan" has been turned into a negative, derogatory word inside Armenian society. It seems that the term has come to mean Western manipulation, violence, destruction and chaos. This is an encouraging sign that Armenian survival instincts are alive and well. Western interests in the country, in particular, seem to be doing their best not to liken the demonstrations in Armenia to Ukraine's Maidan. This is because they are hopeful that the current movement can still be hijacked and politicized. They therefore don't want to risk ruining their prospects by labeling what's going on in Yerevan as a Maidan. An interesting dynamic is therefore taking place: Western operatives such as Paul Goble and Richard Giragosian and Western activists such as Babken DerGrigoryan are trying to avoid using the term in question to describe events in Armenia, while Russian officials and pro-Russian political observers are not shying away from describing events in Yerevan as a possible Maidan. In other words, one side is trying not to turn off the public, the other side is trying to scare the public. This essentially suggests that the Western-instigated bloody coup in Ukraine has had a great impact on Westerners, Russians and Armenians alike. I am happy to see that Armenians have learned their lesson from Ukraine quite well.
Nevertheless, the main reason cited for the electricity rate hikes is the devaluation of the Armenian Dram versus the US Dollar. But there is one other possible factor that is not getting enough attention. I personally think that the decision to sell the Vorotan Hyrdo Cascade hydroelectric power plant in southern Armenia to a major American firm may have played some form of a role in this latest mess in Armenia. It should be noted that Vorotan Hydro Cascade produces around 50% percent of Armenia's hydroelectric power and 15% of the entire electricity capacity of Armenia. As a result of the sale, we now have a situation where Armenia's energy production and distribution is controlled by two rivals, Russia and the US. In other words, our brilliant officials have handed all of Armenia's energy lifeline to two enemies who have been conspiring against each-other around the world. Was that really a smart move? Could the Vorotan sale have formed the basis of the current crisis? Could Russians or Americans be seeking to cause trouble in the country for one reason or another? Giving a major electricity producer like Vorotan Hydro Cascade to Americans while Russians control the rest of Armenia's energy production and distribution is like giving two rival mafia gangs control over your home. Is that a really smart thing to do?
Russia controlling most strategic sectors in Armenia and Western agents running free throughout Armenian society is a recipe for disaster. Even non-Armenian observers are beginning to see this. Yerevan must curb its Western activists if Armenia is to develop safely and naturally. I personally think Yerevan's complimentary politics nonsense (i.e the desire to blindly play both sides of the geopolitical fence) is now beginning to hurt Armenia.
In an interesting turn of events, but one that was only inevitable in my opinion, on evening of June 29, the presence of a number of Armenia's Western-led political opposition leaders at the main protest venue on Bagramyan Street prompted the main protest organizers to move their demonstration from Freedom Square. It was reported that they did it not to be seen as being part of the political opposition. The move however effectively split the protest into two parts: One represented by Armenia's Western-led political opposition and their followers, the other represented by the young and ostensibly apolitical activists and their followers. The following news article by John Hughes' CIA run ArmeniaNow is about what happened that evening -
It is too bad that Uncle Sam's street whores were only shouted away. They should have been beaten bloody and sent to the hospital or the morgue instead. I say this because as long as these Western-financed agents of doom and gloom are allowed to freely breath the air in Armenia, they will continue posing an existential threat to the fledgling and embattled country -
Nevertheless, what happened on the evenings of June 29 and July 02 clearly suggests that there is a discernible ideological divide between the homegrown
protest movement against the
proposed electricity rate hikes and the country's Western-financed whores. This is very promising for this suggests that Armenians are indeed developing a heightened sense of political awareness. Thus far, the young protest organizers seem to be doing their best not to be
associated with Armenia's discredited political opposition. Law enforcement authorities in Yerevan for their part seem well aware of this unique nuance and
seem to be doing their best to differentiate between genuine protesters and
Western mercenaries. With that said, with thousands of people out on the streets and hopeful jackals roaming about them, the inherent dangers of the current situation in Armenia is all too apparent.
Since political opposition groups in Armenia have been discredited in recent years, they are incapable of drawing large numbers of people into the streets. They have therefore been trying to take advantage of the current situation by trying to make it seem as if they are part of the demonstrations. For example, members from Jirayr Sefilian's Founding Parliament and Raffi Hovanissian's Heritage Party have been participating in all the demonstrations but the young protest organizers don't seem to be giving them much attention. I admit that Nikol Pashinyan's presence among demonstrators is not heartwarming in the least bit. But as much as I dislike the character, I can't in all honesty say he is directly working for Western interests. Protest organizers also seem to be doing their best not to publicly express any anti-Russian rhetoric or call into question Armenia's strategic alliance with Russia. The few EU flags seen on one particular day were not sanctioned by protest organizers. The flags in question may have been photo-shopped into pictures to either discredit the demonstrations or make them seem as if they are politically motivated. There is also the possibility that the EU flags were displayed by provocateurs or employees of Western-funded NGOs in the country. More importantly in all this, we need to understand that there was no police violence (i.e. the kind of police violence we regularly see against demonstrators in Western countries) or widespread unrest on part of the demonstrators (i.e. the kind of which we see in Western countries) at any time during the demonstrations. Demonstrations have been mostly orderly and at times even jovial. The only instance when law enforcement personnel resorted to using some force was when a group of demonstrators had blocked motor-vehicle traffic on a main boulevard and police forcibly moved them after they refused to clear the street.
One of the things about these demonstrations that immediately caught my attention is how the term "Maidan" has been turned into a negative, derogatory word inside Armenian society. It seems that the term has come to mean Western manipulation, violence, destruction and chaos. This is an encouraging sign that Armenian survival instincts are alive and well. Western interests in the country, in particular, seem to be doing their best not to liken the demonstrations in Armenia to Ukraine's Maidan. This is because they are hopeful that the current movement can still be hijacked and politicized. They therefore don't want to risk ruining their prospects by labeling what's going on in Yerevan as a Maidan. An interesting dynamic is therefore taking place: Western operatives such as Paul Goble and Richard Giragosian and Western activists such as Babken DerGrigoryan are trying to avoid using the term in question to describe events in Armenia, while Russian officials and pro-Russian political observers are not shying away from describing events in Yerevan as a possible Maidan. In other words, one side is trying not to turn off the public, the other side is trying to scare the public. This essentially suggests that the Western-instigated bloody coup in Ukraine has had a great impact on Westerners, Russians and Armenians alike. I am happy to see that Armenians have learned their lesson from Ukraine quite well.
Nevertheless, the main reason cited for the electricity rate hikes is the devaluation of the Armenian Dram versus the US Dollar. But there is one other possible factor that is not getting enough attention. I personally think that the decision to sell the Vorotan Hyrdo Cascade hydroelectric power plant in southern Armenia to a major American firm may have played some form of a role in this latest mess in Armenia. It should be noted that Vorotan Hydro Cascade produces around 50% percent of Armenia's hydroelectric power and 15% of the entire electricity capacity of Armenia. As a result of the sale, we now have a situation where Armenia's energy production and distribution is controlled by two rivals, Russia and the US. In other words, our brilliant officials have handed all of Armenia's energy lifeline to two enemies who have been conspiring against each-other around the world. Was that really a smart move? Could the Vorotan sale have formed the basis of the current crisis? Could Russians or Americans be seeking to cause trouble in the country for one reason or another? Giving a major electricity producer like Vorotan Hydro Cascade to Americans while Russians control the rest of Armenia's energy production and distribution is like giving two rival mafia gangs control over your home. Is that a really smart thing to do?
Russia controlling most strategic sectors in Armenia and Western agents running free throughout Armenian society is a recipe for disaster. Even non-Armenian observers are beginning to see this. Yerevan must curb its Western activists if Armenia is to develop safely and naturally. I personally think Yerevan's complimentary politics nonsense (i.e the desire to blindly play both sides of the geopolitical fence) is now beginning to hurt Armenia.
In an interesting turn of events, but one that was only inevitable in my opinion, on evening of June 29, the presence of a number of Armenia's Western-led political opposition leaders at the main protest venue on Bagramyan Street prompted the main protest organizers to move their demonstration from Freedom Square. It was reported that they did it not to be seen as being part of the political opposition. The move however effectively split the protest into two parts: One represented by Armenia's Western-led political opposition and their followers, the other represented by the young and ostensibly apolitical activists and their followers. The following news article by John Hughes' CIA run ArmeniaNow is about what happened that evening -
An even more interesting development occurred during the evening of July 02. That evening, Washington's street whores in Armenia, Founding Parliament clowns and one of Armenia's longest serving CIA agents, Paruyr Hayrikian, tried to make another attempt to hijack the on-going demonstrations in Yerevan with their EU flags but they were angrily shouted away by demonstrators -Baghramyan vs Opera?: Protesters in different venues urged to remain committed to single goal: http://armenianow.com/news/64937/armenia_electric_yerevan_protest_liberty_square_baghramyan
It is too bad that Uncle Sam's street whores were only shouted away. They should have been beaten bloody and sent to the hospital or the morgue instead. I say this because as long as these Western-financed agents of doom and gloom are allowed to freely breath the air in Armenia, they will continue posing an existential threat to the fledgling and embattled country -
Founding Parliament mercenaries and CIA agent Paruyr Hayrikian arrive at Yerevan's Baghramyan Avenue with EU flag (PHOTOS and VIDEO): http://news.am/eng/news/275123.html
When not politicized, demonstrations can be evolutionary
Putting
aside geopolitics for a moment, I have to say I am somewhat happy to see what appears
to be thus far some healthy, constructive and homegrown sociopolitical activism
in Armenia - without allowing Uncle Sam any room for meddling. I am happy to see all this because the importing of Western style capitalism, materialism and consumerism
into post-Soviet Armenian society during the past twenty-plus years has utterly ruined the
country economically and culturally. The current government in
Yerevan may be the lesser of evils from a geopolitical perspective, but
it is still very incompetent, especially when it comes to domestic
matters. The bottom line is that governments cannot be run like corporations. A nation cannot
be run like a for-profit institution. And a nation's primary economic agenda should not be based on the irrational notion of perpetual growth and profit. For example: Although Russia provides Armenia with one of the cheapest gas rates in the world, what the Armenian government charges the Armenian customer is altogether another matter. There are certain things
in life that government officials simply have to ensure for their
citizenry. At the very least, the cost of food, water, shelter, transportation, medical
care, education, fuel and electricity have to be kept at affordable levels for the average citizenry.
Armenia
has been suffering from over twenty years of Western style crony
capitalism, plutocracy, monopolies, materialism and greed with all the corruption, criminality and mismanagement that comes with it.
I
am therefore happy to see politically non-aligned young men and women
taking to the streets to demand better governance from their leaders.
For many years I have been saying that Armenia needs sociopolitical evolution, not a Western-sponsored revolution. Genuinely homegrown, constructive and peaceful protest movements - not revolutions, but peaceful demonstrations - against government mismanagement is a healthy, evolutionary process that is crucially important for the organic development of any nation - as long as they are not co-opted by Western interests.
What I see on the streets of Yerevan thus far may be the beginnings of sociopolitical evolution in Armenia. With that said, Armenian authorities and protest organizers now need to find some common ground and negotiate an end to this affair. The sooner this is done, the better will it be for all. Conversely, the longer this drags, the greater will the risks be. I say this because no one knows how long protest organizers will be able to keep Western/American meddling out of their movement. Moreover, no one knows how long the relative restraint currently being practiced by both sides, police and demonstrators, will be maintained either. In my opinion, the real danger we face with the current situation comes from Western mercenaries. Similar to what they did in Kiev during the Maidan uprising, they may kill protesters or security personnel to incite widespread bloodshed. Tragic events in Ukraine during the winter of 2013/2014 vividly showed us all that this is a very real possibility. In fact, stuff like this is exactly what US embassies, especially the large ones, specializes in around the world.
To develop naturally, Armenia needs less exposure to the political West
For a nation that willingly and enthusiastically flirts with Western powers (i.e. complimentary politics), there will always be the danger of homegrown sociopolitical movements getting usurped by Western interests. As long as Armenia's incompetent and money-hungry leaders continue giving Western interests a warm place inside Armenian society, every single natural growing pain in Armenia will continue being exploited and used against the country. This is a very real danger for a small, impoverished, blockaded and embattled nation like Armenia. This is a very real danger for a nation that is allied to Russia but hosts hundreds of Western-financed NGOs, dozens of Western-financed propaganda outlets, an army of Western-financed political activists, one of the largest US embassies in the world and an American university to boot!!!
For many years I have been saying that Armenia needs sociopolitical evolution, not a Western-sponsored revolution. Genuinely homegrown, constructive and peaceful protest movements - not revolutions, but peaceful demonstrations - against government mismanagement is a healthy, evolutionary process that is crucially important for the organic development of any nation - as long as they are not co-opted by Western interests.
What I see on the streets of Yerevan thus far may be the beginnings of sociopolitical evolution in Armenia. With that said, Armenian authorities and protest organizers now need to find some common ground and negotiate an end to this affair. The sooner this is done, the better will it be for all. Conversely, the longer this drags, the greater will the risks be. I say this because no one knows how long protest organizers will be able to keep Western/American meddling out of their movement. Moreover, no one knows how long the relative restraint currently being practiced by both sides, police and demonstrators, will be maintained either. In my opinion, the real danger we face with the current situation comes from Western mercenaries. Similar to what they did in Kiev during the Maidan uprising, they may kill protesters or security personnel to incite widespread bloodshed. Tragic events in Ukraine during the winter of 2013/2014 vividly showed us all that this is a very real possibility. In fact, stuff like this is exactly what US embassies, especially the large ones, specializes in around the world.
To develop naturally, Armenia needs less exposure to the political West
For a nation that willingly and enthusiastically flirts with Western powers (i.e. complimentary politics), there will always be the danger of homegrown sociopolitical movements getting usurped by Western interests. As long as Armenia's incompetent and money-hungry leaders continue giving Western interests a warm place inside Armenian society, every single natural growing pain in Armenia will continue being exploited and used against the country. This is a very real danger for a small, impoverished, blockaded and embattled nation like Armenia. This is a very real danger for a nation that is allied to Russia but hosts hundreds of Western-financed NGOs, dozens of Western-financed propaganda outlets, an army of Western-financed political activists, one of the largest US embassies in the world and an American university to boot!!!
The danger that Armenia faces from Western powers today is essentially why many Armenians such as myself tolerate the largely ineffective leadership we have in Yerevan as the lesser political evil.
By that I mean to say many politically aware Armenians who truly love their homeland are constantly worried that under certain circumstances Western interests within Armenia's porous political landscape will turn the country into yet another Greece, Serbia, Georgia or Ukraine. Armenia is too vulnerable to survive such an affair. Faced with the danger of a color revolution in the country, Armenians such as myself are thus forced to put up with our current government's incompetence, corruption and mismanagement. This ultimately is one of the ways in which Western meddling in Armenia's internal affairs continues to stunt the country's sociopolitical evolution. Ultimately, for it to develop organically, Armenia needs less exposure to the West.
There are those who say with better governance in Yerevan Western powers will be less likely to manipulate the Armenian street. While I agree that Armenia desperately needs better governance, better governance does not necessarily mean Western powers will not be able to manipulate the Armenian street. Let's not be stupid enough to believe that merely with better governance the Armenian street will be less inclined to fall for Western manipulation.
When
it comes to understanding international relations and geopolitics, we
Armenians are no better any other sheeple. Armenians may have good survival instincts but Armenians remain largely politically illiterate, not to mention in love for all things European or American. Armenians must therefore somehow be made to recognize that Western powers are the
absolute masters of manipulation and exploitation and they continue being the root cause of all man-made
catastrophes around the world today.
Generally speaking, Armenians have always had a European/American fetish and are therefore naturally susceptible to political manipulation by Western powers. Even if Armenia was being run beautifully by wonderful politicians, as long as Yerevan chose to remain within the Russian orbit (which is where Armenia has to remain for its survival), Western powers would still be able to appeal to the Armenian street to cause sociopolitical problems in the country. Therefore, better governance by Armenian officials would not necessarily lessen the Western threat. Moreover, people also fail to realize that despite our best efforts, due to Armenia's less-than ideal geographic location and the geopolitical circumstances in the south Caucasus, attaining any form of a higher standard of living for the population in Armenia will prove elusive for many years. Being within the Russian orbit and facing the severe hardships of the south Caucasus will therefore keep Armenia vulnerable to Western machinations.
I'd like to remind the reader that Libyans once enjoyed the best living standard in all of Africa and one of the best living standards in the world. Yet, due to Tripoli's political independence (i.e. its desire to create pan-African unity) and incompetence (i.e. desiring close relations with Western powers), Libya became targeted for destruction by the "democratic" West. Today, after NATO powers militarily helped Al-Qaeda type Islamic extremists to overthrow Qaddafi, Libya has quite literally become hell on earth. But don't expect CNN, BBC or Agence France Presse to tell you this, do the research on Libya yourself to see how the country was before and after Western powers brought "democracy" to the country.
Geopolitically speaking, if Western powers do not have direct or indirect control over a nation, particularly control over its financial system, that nation becomes a target of the Western world. And the more strategic or wealthier a nation is, the bigger target it becomes. Why? Because for the Western world to maintain its political hegemony, wealth and influence over humanity, the rest of the world has to be made to live in squalor. Western powers want nations in their pockets or under their boots. In other words, bullies don't like competition of any kind.
So, seeing what we have been seeing around the world in recent years, why do we have significant numbers of Armenians still running to Western powers for support?
Because we Armenians do yet fully understand the dangers our homeland faces from the Western world. Because we Armenians have a Western fetish. Because we Armenians do not yet fully understand the dangers of Western money, Western aid, Western corporations, Western NGOs, American schools, American embassies, American music, American films and the psychological conditioning power of the English language.
Their grip over humanity is unprecedented. Their grip over humanity is cultural and psychological. In fact, it's we the sheeple that give them their power over us. Look at it this way: If we want to speak their language, earn their money, live in their lands, learn in their schools, sing their songs, watch their films, eat their foods, wear their clothing - they have already won half the battle. If we are so eager to be like them, how would we ever think of them as our enemy? If we are so open to their cultural values and their way of life, they will easily infiltrate our society and usurp our nation.
Generally speaking, Armenians have always had a European/American fetish and are therefore naturally susceptible to political manipulation by Western powers. Even if Armenia was being run beautifully by wonderful politicians, as long as Yerevan chose to remain within the Russian orbit (which is where Armenia has to remain for its survival), Western powers would still be able to appeal to the Armenian street to cause sociopolitical problems in the country. Therefore, better governance by Armenian officials would not necessarily lessen the Western threat. Moreover, people also fail to realize that despite our best efforts, due to Armenia's less-than ideal geographic location and the geopolitical circumstances in the south Caucasus, attaining any form of a higher standard of living for the population in Armenia will prove elusive for many years. Being within the Russian orbit and facing the severe hardships of the south Caucasus will therefore keep Armenia vulnerable to Western machinations.
I'd like to remind the reader that Libyans once enjoyed the best living standard in all of Africa and one of the best living standards in the world. Yet, due to Tripoli's political independence (i.e. its desire to create pan-African unity) and incompetence (i.e. desiring close relations with Western powers), Libya became targeted for destruction by the "democratic" West. Today, after NATO powers militarily helped Al-Qaeda type Islamic extremists to overthrow Qaddafi, Libya has quite literally become hell on earth. But don't expect CNN, BBC or Agence France Presse to tell you this, do the research on Libya yourself to see how the country was before and after Western powers brought "democracy" to the country.
Geopolitically speaking, if Western powers do not have direct or indirect control over a nation, particularly control over its financial system, that nation becomes a target of the Western world. And the more strategic or wealthier a nation is, the bigger target it becomes. Why? Because for the Western world to maintain its political hegemony, wealth and influence over humanity, the rest of the world has to be made to live in squalor. Western powers want nations in their pockets or under their boots. In other words, bullies don't like competition of any kind.
So, seeing what we have been seeing around the world in recent years, why do we have significant numbers of Armenians still running to Western powers for support?
Because we Armenians do yet fully understand the dangers our homeland faces from the Western world. Because we Armenians have a Western fetish. Because we Armenians do not yet fully understand the dangers of Western money, Western aid, Western corporations, Western NGOs, American schools, American embassies, American music, American films and the psychological conditioning power of the English language.
Their grip over humanity is unprecedented. Their grip over humanity is cultural and psychological. In fact, it's we the sheeple that give them their power over us. Look at it this way: If we want to speak their language, earn their money, live in their lands, learn in their schools, sing their songs, watch their films, eat their foods, wear their clothing - they have already won half the battle. If we are so eager to be like them, how would we ever think of them as our enemy? If we are so open to their cultural values and their way of life, they will easily infiltrate our society and usurp our nation.
Consequently, due to Yerevan’s counterproductive "complimentary politics" of the past twenty-plus years, large numbers of Western operatives have embedded themselves within the country today and are waiting on the political
sidelines to take advantage of any political unrest. If the
current, unpopular government is somehow toppled, rest assure that Uncle Sam’s servants
will be the ones best positioned to snatch political power in Yerevan.
This is not a far-fetched scenario. There are significant numbers of
West-leaning, self-destructive peasantry throughout Armenian society
that stubbornly refuses to learn anything from the mistakes made by
Argentinians, Venezuelans, Libyans, Egyptians, Syrians, Greeks,
Serbians, Georgians and Ukrainians. And many of these characters are found within Armenia's political landscape.
I reiterate: Armenia is too vulnerable to survive such a mistake. I would rather see Russia takeover Armenia militarily before a Western-backed revolution becomes a reality in the country. But I do not want it to come to that. We didn't wait nearly one thousand years for our nation's independence to simply hand it back to foreigners, regardless of who they are.
Therefore, there has got to be a clear red line placed between allowing sociopolitical activism and protecting the country from Western manipulation. Thus far, I see Armenian officials doing a good job managing the situation in the country. If however the current protest movement gets co-opted by Western interests or if protesters are coerced to resort to violence or vandalism as it happened back in 2008, I would expect - I would demand - law enforcement authorities in the country to use all means necessary to restore law and order. Because at the end of the day, I rather live with our chobans-in-Armani-suits than face the dire consequences of a Ukraine-style regime change. But we can't continue on with the status quo indefinitely either. Armenians need to pursue sociopolitical change in the country without the constant fear that it will turn into a color revolution.
This is a serious national dilemma and a conundrum.
I reiterate: Armenia is too vulnerable to survive such a mistake. I would rather see Russia takeover Armenia militarily before a Western-backed revolution becomes a reality in the country. But I do not want it to come to that. We didn't wait nearly one thousand years for our nation's independence to simply hand it back to foreigners, regardless of who they are.
Therefore, there has got to be a clear red line placed between allowing sociopolitical activism and protecting the country from Western manipulation. Thus far, I see Armenian officials doing a good job managing the situation in the country. If however the current protest movement gets co-opted by Western interests or if protesters are coerced to resort to violence or vandalism as it happened back in 2008, I would expect - I would demand - law enforcement authorities in the country to use all means necessary to restore law and order. Because at the end of the day, I rather live with our chobans-in-Armani-suits than face the dire consequences of a Ukraine-style regime change. But we can't continue on with the status quo indefinitely either. Armenians need to pursue sociopolitical change in the country without the constant fear that it will turn into a color revolution.
This is a serious national dilemma and a conundrum.
A way to remedy this impasse is to lessen the influence Western powers currently have in the country. The time has come therefore to shut down all Western-funded NGOs
and news outlets and expel all Western-funded political
activists and politicians from the country. Armenia's security services need to closely monitor the
daily activities the US embassy in Yerevan as well as all US affiliated
institutions in Armenia. It is high time for
Armenian law enforcement authorities to learn from the Russian experience and begin cracking down on any
organization or individual that is financed by Western interests so that
the rest of us can start the long and difficult process of nation building without the
constant threat of Western-backed political revolutions hanging over our heads.
But right
now we need to understand that the main danger we face is the danger of foreign
mercenaries stirring the pot in Armenia.
The sociopolitical conditions in the country today are in fact ripe. If killings or shootings do take place, it can spark wide-scale violence throughout the country. And if shootings or killings do take place it will be the work of either Anglo-American or Turkish provocateurs. It remains to be seen however if any of the aforementioned really want to turn Armenia into another Ukraine. I am not yet convinced they do. If Armenia descends into political chaos, Artsakh may face an attack from Azerbaijan. Facing the potential loss of Armenia and/or Artsakh, Russia will definitely get involved militarily. Moscow has also not concealed its preparedness to create a land corridor to its 102nd base through Georgia in Armenia if it's position in the country is threatened. I do not think Western powers are ready to risk a Russian invasion of the south Caucasus simply because annexation of Crimea was enough of a shock for them. They also would not want to risk being cut-off from Azeri gas supplies. I therefore do not think Western powers (or Turks) will resort to the dirty tactics they used in Ukraine. But they will definitely continue encouraging all forms of sociopolitical unrest in Armenia in order to continue putting pressure on Yerevan and keep Armenia politically, economically and financially vulnerable.
The sociopolitical conditions in the country today are in fact ripe. If killings or shootings do take place, it can spark wide-scale violence throughout the country. And if shootings or killings do take place it will be the work of either Anglo-American or Turkish provocateurs. It remains to be seen however if any of the aforementioned really want to turn Armenia into another Ukraine. I am not yet convinced they do. If Armenia descends into political chaos, Artsakh may face an attack from Azerbaijan. Facing the potential loss of Armenia and/or Artsakh, Russia will definitely get involved militarily. Moscow has also not concealed its preparedness to create a land corridor to its 102nd base through Georgia in Armenia if it's position in the country is threatened. I do not think Western powers are ready to risk a Russian invasion of the south Caucasus simply because annexation of Crimea was enough of a shock for them. They also would not want to risk being cut-off from Azeri gas supplies. I therefore do not think Western powers (or Turks) will resort to the dirty tactics they used in Ukraine. But they will definitely continue encouraging all forms of sociopolitical unrest in Armenia in order to continue putting pressure on Yerevan and keep Armenia politically, economically and financially vulnerable.
I reiterate: Armenia desperately needs a healthy sociopolitical movement
because after twenty-plus years of economic stagnation and cultural degradation, Armenia desperately needs sociopolitical evolution.
We will have to wait and see if Armenia can finally have a genuinely homegrown (perhaps even an inherently anti-West) political opposition movement that the masses will respect or descend into chaos as it happened in Ukraine. I personally do not think a Maidan scenario is possible in Armenia: Armenians are not as Russophobic, violent or politically suicidal as Ukrainians. So, let's hope the current protest movement is able to plant some healthy seeds of change. But since we live in an Anglo-American-Jewish era in human history, I have to also keep reminding myself - as well as anyone that is willing to listen to me - that Western powers do not have any shortages of activists anywhere on earth and that Armenia continues to be vulnerable to Western machinations. I do not want to make any concrete predictions for what is yet to come. Mostly likely the current situation will be remedied in the coming days. But there is also the possibility, albeit remote, that the current situation will get out of control and perhaps morph into a color revolution. The next few weeks will therefore be crucial. In the meanwhile, Armenians needs to hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
We will have to wait and see if Armenia can finally have a genuinely homegrown (perhaps even an inherently anti-West) political opposition movement that the masses will respect or descend into chaos as it happened in Ukraine. I personally do not think a Maidan scenario is possible in Armenia: Armenians are not as Russophobic, violent or politically suicidal as Ukrainians. So, let's hope the current protest movement is able to plant some healthy seeds of change. But since we live in an Anglo-American-Jewish era in human history, I have to also keep reminding myself - as well as anyone that is willing to listen to me - that Western powers do not have any shortages of activists anywhere on earth and that Armenia continues to be vulnerable to Western machinations. I do not want to make any concrete predictions for what is yet to come. Mostly likely the current situation will be remedied in the coming days. But there is also the possibility, albeit remote, that the current situation will get out of control and perhaps morph into a color revolution. The next few weeks will therefore be crucial. In the meanwhile, Armenians needs to hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
Exploitation of millions of young activists from around the world
Since we are on the topic of the exploitation of humanity towards Western imperial gains, I would like to bring the reader's attention to the following speech given by a senior Western official. The words you will read in the following quote are that of Zbigniew Brzezinski, one of the strategic masterminds of the American empire. The video link posted below Brzezinski's picture is to a 2010 speech he gave in Montreal during a Council on Foreign Relations meeting and the text below it are excepts from his "The global political awakening" speech he gave back in 2008. Please pay close attention -
The Global Political Awakening
Brzezinski Speech (2010): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEHsUojUgzk
"For the first time in human history almost all of humanity is politically activated, politically conscious and politically interactive... The resulting global political activism is generating a surge in the quest for personal dignity, cultural respect and economic opportunity in a world painfully scarred by memories of centuries-long alien colonial or imperial domination... The worldwide yearning for human dignity is the central challenge inherent in the phenomenon of global political awakening... That awakening is socially massive and politically radicalizing... The nearly universal access to radio, television and increasingly the Internet is creating a community of shared perceptions and envy that can be galvanized and channeled by demagogic political or religious passions."Well folks, there you have it: Right from the source. Please note that he made these comments before the Arab Spring and Ukraine. They have been riding one crisis to the next since he spoke these words. Which brings to mind Rahm Immanuel's words: Never let a serious crisis to go to waste. And if a crisis does not occur naturally, why not create a crisis? Nevertheless, isn't what Brzezinski conceptualized and seemed to be suggesting some years ago exactly what's going on around the world today? Aren't Western NGOs, social media networks and experts like Dr Gene Sharp being used to manipulate the pent-up hate of potential revolutionaries around the world, which as Brzezinski said were "already semi-mobilized in large congregations, connected by the Internet and prepositioned"? It's also fascinating to see that the imperial hubris of Western officials like Brzezinski are such that they see young revolutionaries around the world as coming from "often intellectually dubious tertiary level educational institutions of developing countries". And isn't it troubling to realize that Western officials such as Brzezinski seem to be hoping for when he says "these millions of students are revolutionaries-in-waiting, their physical energy and emotional frustration is just waiting to be triggered by a cause, or a faith, or a hatred".
"These energies transcend sovereign borders and pose a challenge both to existing states as well as to the existing global hierarchy, on top of which America still perches... The youth of the Third World are particularly restless and resentful. The demographic revolution they embody is thus a political time-bomb, as well..."
"Their potential revolutionary spearhead is likely to emerge from among the scores of millions of students concentrated in the often intellectually dubious "tertiary level" educational institutions of developing countries. Depending on the definition of the tertiary educational level, there are currently worldwide between 80 and 130 million "college" students. Typically originating from the socially insecure lower middle class and inflamed by a sense of social outrage, these millions of students are revolutionaries-in-waiting, already semi-mobilized in large congregations, connected by the Internet and pre-positioned for a replay on a larger scale of what transpired years earlier in Mexico City or in Tiananmen Square. Their physical energy and emotional frustration is just waiting to be triggered by a cause, or a faith, or a hatred..."
"[The] major world powers, new and old, also face a novel reality: while the lethality of their military might is greater than ever, their capacity to impose control over the politically awakened masses of the world is at a historic low. To put it bluntly: in earlier times, it was easier to control one million people than to physically kill one million people; today, it is infinitely easier to kill one million people than to control one million people."
Zbigniew Brzezinski is Former U.S. National Security Advisor for President Carter, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member and co-founder of the Trilateral Commission and board of trustees at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
Aren't the "emotionally frustrated and hateful student revolutionaries" from Libya, Syria and Ukraine the same ones Western powers manipulated into destroying their nations?
This is scary stuff, especially when you juxtapose what Brzezinski said back in 2008 and 2010 with what has been transpiring around the world since 2011. And now you know who and what Armenia's not so little army of "revolutionaries-in-waiting" that go by the title of "rights advocates", "political activists" and "independent journalists" are directly or indirectly working for every time they try to rise-up against their government. Whether they realize it or not, their political activism in Armenia is only serving to advance Western imperial interests in the country.
Therefore, let there be no doubts as to why Western powers (and US government connected influential individuals and organizations in the Western world) have been spending tens-of-billions of dollars in trying to create "open societies" around the world. As we have seen in recent years, former Soviet nations have been targeted by these architects of social engineering. Under lofty banners designed to play on people's emotions, Western operatives throughout former Soviet society have been seeding nations with seeds of destruction for the past twenty years. Ukraine, Libya and Syria become their worst victim. At the end of the day, we Armenians need to sober up and look at the political West and their activists in Armenia from within the following context -
Does the US engineering revolutions?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpXbA6yZY-8
Documents Leaked by WikiLeaks Show an Organization Training Opposition Around the World: http://revolution-news.com/documents-leaked-wikileaks-show-organization-trains-opposition-around-world/
Dr. Gene Sharp: How to Start a Revolution: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1birds_how-to-start-a-revolution_news
Revolution Engineering: US know-how and 'colourful' technology: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0xlOeZ8Dr8&feature=plcp
South of the Border: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vBlV5TUI64
The Weight of Chains | Težina lanaca (2010): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waEYQ46gH08
NGOs, an extension of US foreign policy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-raqX4KKY1Q
Washington on the War Path: Civil Society as Battering-Ram: http://rt.com/politics/washington-war-russia-putin-023/
US NGO uncovered in Ukraine protest: http://www.boilingfrogspost.com/2014/01/07/us-ngo-uncovered-in-ukraine-protests/#sthash.mJPpqq63.dpuf
U.S. Groups Helped Nurture Arab Uprisings: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/15/world/15aid.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3&emc=eta1&
George Soros and his open society: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncdisau7rBs
Czechs open center for civil society activists from ex-Soviet countries: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/czechs-open-center-civil-society-activists-ex-soviet-145849840.html
Had Armenia's current regime been in bed with Washington, they would have been the darlings of the south Caucasus alongside the Islamist Erdogan, the tyrant Aliyev and the dictator Saakashvili. Had Yerevan been one of Washington's many stomping grounds, however, Armenia would have been turned into Turkey's eastern most province by now, at least economically. We need to understand that Armenia is a nuisance, or an obstacle, getting in the way of Western desires in the south Caucasus. As long as Armenia remains within its crucially important strategic alliance with the Russian Federation and in doing so empowers Moscow in the region, I'm afraid there is nothing Yerevan can do that will be acceptable in the eyes of Washington and its servants throughout Armenian society. As a result, similar to what they have done in the Arab world, Washington will continue conditioning the minds of our self-destructive peasantry with the hopes that it can eventually use them against the Armenian state when the time is right.
Zbigniew Brzezinski reminds us that the Soviet Union was an easy thing to fear for the average person for much of the 20th century. Moscow's seemingly threatening posture at the time, as well as the prospects of Marxism coming to a nation nearby helped in concealing the true face of the Western political order. Since the Soviet collapse, however, the mask has come off and the political West has been revealed to be a bloodthirsty monster of global proportions. Therefore, Zbigniew Brzezinski also reminds us that being stupid during the Cold War was one thing, when an ominous threat presumably existed on the other side of the Iron Curtain, being stupid now, in this age of information and after what we have seen and experienced during the past twenty years, is totally inexcusable.
How the U.S. Government Co-opted Human Rights
Continuing on the topic of Western manipulation and exploitation of human society, let's take look at some of the ways with which Western powers manipulate and exploit the gullible, the decadent, the disgruntled, the psychologically disturbed.
Regardless of how beneficial or even necessary they may seem at first glance, any movement that has any form of Western-backing or is spearheaded by Western-led or inspired activists need to be categorically rejected. I say this because imperial interests in Washington have co-opted and weaponized sociopolitical issues and are currently exploiting them towards self-serving political gains. Accepting help, in any form, from the political West comes with dangerous strings attached, conditions that developing nations such as Armenia or the Ukraine cannot meet. I ask you to refer to a book by James Peck regarding this very important topic for our era -
Ideal Illusions: How the U.S. Government Co-opted Human Rights
"Devastating and deeply disturbing, this book lays bare any lingering illusions that human rights concerns seriously influence U.S. policy."—Andrew J. Bacevich, author of Washington Rules. The United States has long been hailed as a powerful force for global human rights. Now, drawing on thousands of documents from the CIA, the National Security Council, the Pentagon, and development agencies, James Peck shows in blunt detail how Washington has shaped human rights into a potent ideological weapon for purposes having little to do with rights—and everything to do with furthering America's global reach. Using the words of Washington's leaders when they are speaking among themselves, Peck tracks the rise of human rights from its dismissal in the cold war years as "fuzzy minded" to its calculated adoption, after the Vietnam War, as a rationale for American foreign engagement. He considers such milestones as the fight for Soviet dissidents, Tiananmen Square, and today's war on terror, exposing in the process how the human rights movement has too often failed to challenge Washington's strategies. A gripping and elegant work of analysis, Ideal Illusions argues that the movement must break free from Washington if it is to develop a truly uncompromising critique of power in all its forms"Yes, many of the world's Hollywood-struck sheeple these days are indeed suffering from ideal illusions. These sheeple are the cannon-fodder Washington exploits against developing nations that are not in their pockets or under their boots. Now, to place the enlightening book featured above into a better, more complete perspective, juxtaposed its message to the following book titled "From Dictatorship to Democracy". Unlike the previous book's author, the following book was written by an American with a Western/Globalist political agenda. Unlike the previous book's intent, this work by Gene Sharp is essentially a step-by-step blueprint for revolution and its primary target (i.e. those it is trying to bait) are freaks of society and the disgruntled masses -
From Dictatorship to Democracy
"From Dictatorship to Democracy was a pamphlet, printed and distributed by Dr Gene Sharp and based on his study, over a period of forty years, on non-violent methods of demonstration. Now in its fourth edition, it was originally handed out by the Albert Einstein Institution, and although never actively promoted, to date it has been translated into thirty-one languages. This astonishing book travelled as a photocopied pamphlet from Burma to Indonesia, Serbia and most recently Egypt, Tunisia and Syria, with dissent in China also reported. Surreptitiously handed out amongst youth uprisings the world over - how the 'how-to' guide came about and its role in the recent Arab uprisings is an extraordinary tale. Once read you'll find yourself urging others to read it and indeed want to gift it"When Western financed civic society organizations gather their diverse operatives to form networks and workshops and make global connections during their annual meetings and conventions, these are the types of publications they disseminate and this is the kind of inspiration at work behind their activism. We must for once recognize that virtually every single societal matter found around the world today - be it Islamic militancy or gay rights or planned parenthood or nature protection - is ultimately being financed, controlled and/or exploited by Western imperial interests. As the first book by James Peck courageously suggests: Sociopolitical movements of the world today must first break free of Western control if they are to be safely embraced by developing societies. As the second book by Gene Sharp reveals, many of the democracy uprising we are seeing in various parts of the world get their funding and inspiration from Western sources.
"Free media" is a serious vulnerability
In 1969, British historian and aesthetician Sir Kenneth Clark stated: "It is lack of confidence, more than anything else, that kills a civilization. We can destroy ourselves by cynicism and disillusion, just as effectively as by bombs."
In 2004, a Dutch paper called "The Effects of Strategic News on Political Cynicism" claimed that the way a news media presents the news can cause political cynicism.
They have the tools to set the political mood of a society. They have the tools to sow political unrest. They first destroy the spirit through an information war, after which they can easily destroy the body either through economic/financial blackmail or war. Softening your opposition and making it susceptible collapse is what propaganda and psy-ops is all about. For Western powers, free media simply means media controlled by Western interests. Therefore, keep this in mind next time you read news articles produced by Armenian news outlets based in the US or come across news reports put out by Armenia's Western-led political opposition. Most of the news reports and political commentaries put out by such sources are designed to convey outrage against the Armenian state and sow hopelessness among Armenians. They are therefore meant to break down the spirit and sow the seeds of political unrest.
Now you know why Western powers have been encouraging Armenian opposition officials, journalists and political activists to disseminate negative news about Armenia on a constant basis. Their constant sky is falling rhetoric is how they have killed the Armenian spirit. Much of the reason behind why Armenians have been demoralized and why there is political instability and a powerful sense of hopelessness in Armenia in recent years is precisely due to the hysteria fomented by the Western-led opposition news press in Armenia. Armenia is suffering from a persistence campaign of doom and gloom. Every single growing pain in the country is being co-opted by Western-led opposition news media and turned into a fiasco.
In an age where information and the manner in which it is presented can be a weapon of mass destruction, one of the vulnerabilities Armenia currently has is its news press. I say this because Armenia's news media has been and continues to be much freer than its counterparts in the "democratic" West where a handful of government connected men control virtually the entire news media. Armenian news media is represented heavily by political opposition groups in the country and in the traditional Diaspora that are Western connected, whereas no real political opposition exists in any Western nation. Many Armenians naively rejoiced when news came out last year that Armenia is leading its region in press freedoms was made public. But that is not enough for them, they want more press freedoms in Armenia -
Armenia Must Seek Further Press Freedom: http://asbarez.com/127481/armenia-%E2%80%98must-seek-further-press-freedom%E2%80%99/
"[The Dulles brothers] were able to succeed [at regime change] in Iran and Guatemala because those were democratic societies, they were open societies. They had free press; there were all kinds of independent organizations; there were professional groups; there were labor unions; there were student groups; there were religious organizations. When you have an open society, it's very easy for covert operatives to penetrate that society and corrupt it." Stephen Kinzer, NPR Radio InterviewThe same and worst is being done around the world on a much grander scale. They have the money. They have the expertise. They have the experience. When they are given the freedom, they waste no time in spreading their politically motivated spin and disinformation and in doing so spread their seeds of war and political unrest. Nations of Venezuela, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Serbia and Ukraine have been recent victims of Western manipulation. Controlling and manipulating news has become a preferred weapon of choice for Western officials and many Western journalists have consequently become combatants. Please make sure to see the following -
Faking It: How the Media Manipulates the World into War: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4P2O8UjQeU&feature=player_embedded#!
Behind The Big News: Propaganda and the CFR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmKiiY_HqsY
Amber Lyon reveals CNN lies and war propaganda: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFDC7zmJgQg&feature=plcp
Pentagon spent millions studying how to influence social media in Darpa-funded research: http://rt.com/usa/171356-darpa-social-media-study/
As long as Yerevan tolerates its Western-led political opposition freaks and bestows upon them legitimate sounding titles such as "patriot", "political activist", "musician", "rights advocate", "environmentalist", "expert" or "journalist", Armenia will remain a weak state, not taken seriously by any of the world major powers, including by our only ally in the north. The global community only understands the display of power and unity. The global community only respects those who respect themselves. This is why Turks have historically been successful. This is why nations such as Armenia and Greece has historically been failures.
Yerevan is vulnerable to Western manipulation because Armenia has more than ample political freedoms and because Armenians have a love for all things Western. In fact, politically, Armenia is much freer than the US. When was the last time the US had political parties and political activists as diverse or as violent or as competitive as the ones that exist in Armenia today? Never. Why? Because Western officials realize that "political diversity" is not an advantage, it's a serious problem. Western world has been powerful because of its entrenched elite and centuries of human exploitation, peace and plunder - not because of its fictitious political freedoms. Had political diversity been a healthy thing for developing nations, Western powers would not be pushing it upon their enemies. What Armenia needs today is tighter control of its Western funded news agencies, NGOs and activists. What Yerevan needs to do is less exposure to Western powers. Armenia is too small. Armenians are too few. We Armenians simply cannot afford the kind of mistakes made by Serbians, Georgians and Ukrainians.
Some of the ways they prepare their operatives
Since we are still on the topic of Western exploitation of humanity, let's look at some of the ways they prepare their operatives. Although the Anglo-American educational system is regularly ranked among the lowest in the developed world, the hype created by the Anglo-American global propaganda machine is so powerful that a majority of the sheeple in the world actually look forward to sending their impressionable sheeplets to the Anglo-American world for an "education". What a situation like this essentially does is that it gives senior policymakers in the Anglo-American world a very large pool of "human resources" that they easily can tap into and exploit towards political purposes. This is essentially why they periodically look for Armenian students to condition, of course free of charge. This method of recruitment is one of the most effective ways to obtain and prepare operatives that eventually go back to work in their lands of birth. Incidentally, a good example of a western educated political activist in Armenia is a London resident that goes by the name of Babken Der Grigoryan. He can be seen in the following picture holding an anti-Putin placard the day President Putin was in Yerevan visiting the Armenian Genocide memorial -
Incidentally, this disgusting Babken character is very actively involved in the current demonstrations in Yerevan. Ultimately, it is unsavory assholes like him that taint the current protest movement and present it with its risks.
Having a large pool of energetic and ideologically pliant army of western educated young activists is one of the West's most powerful weapon - after American pop culture of course. In recent years we have seen many examples of how Western officials use western educated young men and women from places such as Venezuela, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt, China, Serbia, Greece, Ukraine, Russia and Armenia against their homelands. We periodically see such types on CNN or BBC justifying Western actions, including military hostility against their homelands.
I reiterate: Their grip over humanity is cultural and psychological.
Think of it this way: If we want to speak their language, earn their money, live in their lands, learn in their schools, sing their songs, dance to their music, watch their films, eat their foods, wear their clothing... how would we ever see them as the enemy? Ultimately, our love for all things Western/American is what gives them their power over us and makes it easier for them to manipulate and exploit us.
Let's take a closer look at some aspects of mental processes that makes an individual pliable to Western manipulation and make him or her actively seek the Westernization of Armenia.
A twenty-something year old from one of Armenia's many slums or backward villages suddenly opens his or her eyes in hustle-and-bustle of London, Paris, New York or Washington. Just imagine their awe, their excitement, their heightened consciousness. Imagine what it would be like for a young man or woman from a poor family in Armenia when they are given the opportunity to live and/or study in the western world. Try to put yourselves into their shoes and try to think of what their impressions would be as they walk the beautifully manicured Ivy League university campuses of the most powerful empire the world has known. How enjoyable it would be for them frolic with youth from all around the world and do so without any cultural inhibitions. Would it be far-fetched to think that these young people would be more than willing to emotionally attach themselves to the political system of the land they are so awe struck by, the system that gave them an opportunity to leave their dilapidated towns for the opulence they find themselves in? After living through Communism and Crony Capitalism, after experiencing firsthand Armenia's severe growing pains, after suffering impoverishment or unemployment, after growing up listening to the ubiquitous anti-Armenia hate-speech of all the grownups around them... of course these impressionable, naive and psychologically vulnerable individuals will be in total awe of the seemingly magnificent political system.
A common thought going through their impressionable minds would be: Why don't we have this kind of life back in our homeland? Why cant we have such diversity and freedoms back where we come from?
By consciously and enthusiastically latching themselves onto the Western system of things, they subconsciously convince themselves that they are trying to bring "progressive values" to their underdeveloped and backward homeland. They are also simply happy to have the opportunity to have a job, an education and some self-worth, all of which they lacked back in their homeland.
This type of superficial and shortsighted - yet utterly human - thinking lies at the very root of a natural psychological process that takes young men and women down the path to assimilation (a best case scenario) or treason (a worst case scenario). These young adults unwittingly and sometimes wittingly become the "human resources" Western powers exploit for their imperial agenda.
The aforementioned natural processes of turning simple, poor folk from Armenia into enthusiastic activists for the political West can of course be applied to virtually all nations on earth today. Even the world's second largest economy, China, is not immune. A recent survey conducted in China suggested that a majority of China's wealthy would prefer sending their children to the US for an education - even though their educational system is known to be better than that of the US. And in some cases, young men and women don't even need to travel to any Western nation to receive a western education. For example: There is a much beloved American University providing western education right in the heart of Yerevan.
Nevertheless, millions of young people are given the opportunity to study (i.e. get brainwashed) in Western institutions and a select few among them get recruited to become active operatives for Western governments. Therefore, keep this in mind for next time you are watching CNN or BBC and you see a western educated Arab, Russian, Iranian - or an Armenian - publicly criticizing and/or attacking his or her homeland.
The quality of education in the Anglo-American world's universities, even the "Ivy League" ones, are in no way superior to their counterparts around the world. It can be argued, for instance, that generally speaking students in Germany, France, Finland, Japan, China or Russia receive far better college educations. However, it should be noted that the thing that sets Western universities apart from their counterparts around the world is the priceless value of a thing called - networking - that students get to do, especially in "elite" Ivy League educational institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge, Yale or Harvard. These are the magnificent campuses where sons and daughters of kings and queens, presidents and prime ministers, tyrants and dictators, oligarchs and business tycoons meet and mingle, and often times make friendships that lasts a lifetime. These are also the ideal environments where Western intelligence operatives freely roam looking for prospects.
They already have a pool of millions of young, naive, pliable minds yearning to learn English and become Westernized. Western powers therefore don't have to look hard for willing or unwitting operatives. All they need to do is just put out a sign and potential recruits will flood in.
It should also be noted that homosexuals also figure prominently in this discussion.
As we all know, the Western world has become the epicenter of homosexuality. As a result of the Westernization and Globalization of human society, homosexuality is also on the rise around the world as more-and-more "closet homosexuals" are coming out in the open and a new generation of children are being encouraged to "explore" their sexuality. We know that the promotion of homosexuality and ultra-liberalism is one of the ways the Globalist elite in the Western world seeks to control population growth, breakup the traditional family, end nationalism and racism and undermine conservative religions. The ultimate agenda is to lower global population, mix all races and stamp-out nationalism and religion, all to make it easier to control the masses. This is why we see Western powers backing the proliferation of homosexual propaganda around the world through school curriculum, pride parades, same sex marriage legislation, children's shows, books, films, music and celebrities. Needless to say, when it comes to politics, a homosexual today (open or otherwise) will most likely be pro-Western. After all, Washington has become the beacon on the hill homosexuals around the world look up to today -
Western NGOs are cancerous tumors
Throughout history Armenia's internal enemies have always been more destructive than its external enemies. Throughout history Armenians have sought to advance foreign interests inside their homeland. Throughout history the Armenian state has had to fight not only external enemies but also its internal enemies. The following words spoken by Cicero more than two thousands years ago are specially poignant for us Armenians -
A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and he carries his banners openly. But the traitor moves among those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not traitor, he speaks in the accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their garments, and he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of a city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to be feared." - Cicero, 42 B.C.Two thousand years on, it is no different today. Since we are on the topic of internal threats to the Armenian state, we need to address the role Western NGOs play in Armenia. Not many people know that one of the very first American NGOs was founded in Vanadzor, Armenia in 1994 by none other than the Washington-connected Hovnanian family. Vanadzor incidentally has since become a hotbed of Western activism in recent years. The Hovnanians also introduced into Armenia American style homes and golf, but that's another story. Their lasting legacy will be the introduction of NGOs into a fledgling post-Soviet Armenia. Today, although the situation in Armenia is no way near as bad as the one that existed in Ukraine before its decent into chaos, Armenia nonetheless hosts hundreds of Western funded NGOs. We have come to realize in recent years that these foreign funded organizations pose a very serious threat to the normal development of developing societies like our embattled republic in the south Caucasus. Today, there are hundreds of NGOs championing great number of things and they employ many thousands of people in a small and poor nation like Armenia. While some of these organizations truly benefit society, some, perhaps most, do not. Nevertheless, a majority of these NGOs are Western-funded operations. For example: Caucasus Research Resource Center in Armenia is one of the typical Western funded organizations that have setup shop in the country during the past two decades -
Caucasus Research Resource Center: Donors and Partners: http://www.crrc.am/about/Donors-and-Partners?lang=en
As we saw in places like Serbia, Egypt, Venezuela, Hong Kong and Ukraine in recent times, many of these Western-funded organizations are like cancerous tumors that can metastasize and turn fatal if left unchecked by security services. If Armenia is to develop organically as a nation-state, at least some of these organizations have to be surgically removed regardless of how bloody the operation may be. Ultimately, we Armenians must understand that behind the lofty rhetoric and seemingly humanitarian concerns of some of these NGOs lurks an imperial agenda, an imperial agenda to subvert and destabilize targeted societies that are not in Western pockets or under Western boots.George Soros Meets With Armenian Non-Profits in New York: https://agbu.org/news-item/george-soros-meets-with-armenian-non-profits-in-new-york/
Speaking of toxic organizations in Armenia, USAID (one of Washington's most dangerous weapons of mass destruction around the world) is definitely one of the major ones. USAID has been known to be actively spying on Armenia since the early 1990s when they first invaded the unsuspecting nation. USAID has also been known to have introduced genetically modified foods into the country, and it has long been rumored that USAID has used Armenia as a transit hub for the CIA's global narcotics trade.
An interesting letter said to have been written by USAID's mission director in Armenia appeared on a pro-Russian Facebook page just recently. While I cannot confidently state that the letter in question is genuine (it may very well be a Russian forgery) it does nevertheless accurately portray the master-servant relationship that exists between Western organizations and those retched souls that work for them -
This letter may or may not be genuine. What is not in doubt however is that characters like this Artur Sakunts, and there are many others like him, have been utilized by Western powers to sow political unrest and societal decay in Armenia for decades. As long as these types of characters are allowed to freely operate inside Armenian society, they will continue sowing their poisonous seeds. Once more: The following is a partial list of organizations and individuals that, in my opinion, should be either put under constant surveillance, shutdown, exiled, jailed or outright banned from ever entering Armenia -
Richard Giragosian, Paruyr Hayrikian, Raffi Hovanissian and family, Zaruhi Postanjian, Levon Petrosian, Vartan Oskanian, Andreas Gukasyan, Levon Zurabian, Manvel Sargsian, Shant Voskerichian, Artur Sakunts, Babken DerGrigorian, Shant Arutyunian, Ruben Gevorkyants, Avetik Ishkhanyan, Jirayr Libaridian, Nikol Pashinyan, Yeghia Nersesian, Gayane Abrahamyan, Armen Martirosyan, Hilda Grigoryan, Salpi Ghazarian, Jirayr Sefilian, Edik Baghtasaryan, Arpine Galfayan, Emil Danielyan, Levon Parseghyan, Van Krikorian, Harry Tamrazian, Susanna Muradyan, Hranush Kharatyan, Georgy Vanyan, Igor Muratyan, Jhanna Makhyan, Ara Manoogian, Robert Davidian, Onnik Krikorian, David Grigorian, Arpine Galfayan, Vardges Gaspari, David Sanasaryan, Vahan Martyrosyan, Sassoon Kosian, Hovnanian family, Zaruhi Poghosyan, Lara Aharonian, Nanore Barsumian, Larisa Minasyan, Mamikon Hovsepyan, Naira Hayrumyan, Sona Ayvazyan, Ara Papyan, David Shahnazaryan, Yekaterina Poghosyan, Tigran Khzmalyan, Daniel Ioannisyan, Garo Ghazarian, Garegin Chugaszyan, Liana Aghajanian, Arevik Saribekyan, Anush Sedrakyan, Arman Babajanyan, Tsovinar Nazaryan, Gevorg Safaryan, Karine Aghajanyan, Angel Khachatryan, Alex Yenikomshyan, Alexander Arzumanyan, Eduard Abrahamyan, Boris Navasardyan, Gayane Mkrtchyan, Maro Matossian, Varujan Avetisyan, Marianna Grigoryan, Edgar Khachatryan, Karen Hakobian, Tony Halpin, Anna Nemtsova, John Hughes, Kirk Wallace, Rick Ney, Anton Ivchenko, Blogger Unzipped, Rotary Club of Yerevan, Transparency International Anti-corruption Center, Gala TV, Open Society Foundation Armenia, Armenian Assembly of America, Pink Armenia, Policy Forum Armenia, Armenian Renaissance, ACNIS, Civilitas, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly, Peace Dialogue, Armenian Environmental Network, NGO Center of Armenia, Rights and Support Foundation, UIC Armenia, British Council of Armenia, Women’s Support Center, Rights and Support Foundation, Caucasus Research Resource Center Armenia, Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, Founding Parliament (formerly Pre-Parliament), Heritage Party, Radio Liberty, Asparez Journalists' Club, Caucasus Center for Peacemaking Initiative, Women’s Resource Center, Arajinlratvakan, ArmeniaNow, Armenia Today, Aravot, Hetq and Lragir
These
organizations and individuals will
go to great lengths to justify their actions inside Armenia, regardless of how dangerous or irrational they may be, essentially because they are making a name and/or a living for themselves by serving a Western
agenda. Many of them, at least subconsciously, hate their homeland and are ashamed of their ethnic identity.
Quite a few of them are psychologically disturbed or suffer from psycho-sexual disorders like homosexuality and perhaps even pedophilia. And a few among them are
professional agents working directly for Western (perhaps even Turkish) intelligence. Regardless of the reason or motivation behind their service to Western powers, many Armenians
today continue being Armenia's first and foremost problem. Armenian history has taught us that the Armenian state has to be ready to battle not only external enemies but also internal enemies -
Հայ-ռուսական համատեղ մարտավարական զորավարժությունը «Ալագյազ» զորավարժարանում: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1qU3_acLno&list=UU4lSkT4s1RJ8EK4nZ7pPgqA
Ոստիկանության զորավարժությունը Արզնի օդանավակայանի տարածքում (դիտել 4:45-ից): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHgK_kKhAxs
When viewed through the prism of geopolitics, the rhetoric of Washingtonian agents in Armenia become painfully obvious. Behind their humanitarian speeches and patriotic fervor hides the cruel motives of an evil global hegemon. Washington's ultimate problem with Yerevan isn't the lack of "democracy" in Armenia, but rather it's the lack of "America" in Armenia. Therefore, be mindful of the fact that "press freedoms", "human rights", "civil society" and "democratic progress" are essentially code words for allowing Western assets in Armenia a free hand to meddle in the internal affairs of the country and sow social and political discord. The freer a society is the more vulnerable it is to manipulation and exploitation by Western powers. Sadly, more-and-more nations are curbing societal freedoms to shield themselves from Western manipulation and exploitation. It is truly unfortunate that freedoms have to be curtailed to thwart off Western imperial designs. It is truly tragic that human progress is being therefore stunted around the world due to Western machinations. But this is where humanity stands today and this has to be acknowledged. Armenia therefore needs to adopt the Russian model and begin shutting down any Western-funded organization thought to be involved in political meddling.
Neo-Bolsheviks and Western imperialists join hands
Today we have a convergence of interests between two very powerful forces: Neo-Bolsheviks (civil society groups funded by Soros-type leftist entities in the Western world) and traditional Western imperialists. The aforementioned two global powers have joined hands and are currently seeking to topple governments not under Anglo-American-Jewish rule. They have the money. They have the tools. They have the expertise. They have the experience. They have the following. They control the global control board. When they are given the freedom to operate in an targeted country, they waste no time in sowing their seeds of sociopolitical unrest. And keep in mind that George Soros is not the only Western elite engaged in Social Engineering around the world for there are many other private and government sponsored organizations that meddle in nations' domestic matters.
Nevertheless, no talk on Western politics would be complete without also addressing the near total control Jews have over the Western world. After all, everything culturally decadent and politically/financially dangerous about the Western world today can be directly traced to the Western world's Jewish elite - and the societal engineering (i.e. the mental conditioning of the masses) they have subjected western society (first via television programming, cinema and music and later through the school curriculum and legislation) beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s. While non-Jews in the Western world would not dare speak about this matter in public, Jews themselves are quite proud of their success in transforming the US into the cultural cesspool that it has become -
The Western world has become a test-tube for Jewish societal engineers and a playground for the Jewish elite. In a nutshell: Virtually all American politicians - both Democrat and Republican - eat from Jewish hands. Which is why I say: You may think you are on the left, you may think you are on the right, the reality of the matter however is that you are on 'their' side regardless of what side you think you are on. Jewish money finances both sides of the political spectrum in the US. They do this to essentially have a firm footing in any given political discourse. The US has thus become a showcase for Jews on the left and Jews on the right - and those in the middle getting screwed is the average American as well as America's reputation around the world. Much of what the world hates and/or fears about America today - be it its Ultraliberalism or its Neoconservatism - can be traced to American Judaism. Although Jews and their "Bible Belt" Shabbos Goyim known as "Christian Zionists" represent America's warmongering right, Jews are much more prolific and active in America's degenerate left. We can see this unique dynamic sometimes when Jews air their dirty laundry. While Jewish support of the political right is confined primarily to collaborating with the country's White-Anglo-Saxon-Protestants (WASPs), their support of the ultra-liberal left is massive in scope. A massive amount of Jewish money is spent to promoting liberal/leftist ideology not just in the US but all around the world. The Western world's Neo-Bolshevik tentacles are truly far reaching. If you can think of an agenda that these modern day Bolsheviks deem worthwhile, you will get funding for it.Douglas Rushkoff: The thing that makes judaism dangerous: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGt7_0GEOvo&noredirect=1
In short: There is a lot of money being allocated for all kinds of agendas conjured up in many boardrooms across the Western world. This is how they promote their Globalist ideas on sexuality, governance,
multiculturalism, immigration, pollution, food production, human rights, population
control, public health, global warming, vaccinations, etc. There are of
course also more sinister agendas that specifically target nations that
the Western establishment deems strategically important for one reason or another. Therefore, the Western world's left and the right often join hands in trying to foment political unrest in targeted societies. We have seen this process play out against nations such as Venezuela, Cuba, Argentina, Russia, Serbia, Greece, Georgia, Ukraine, Libya, Tunisia, Syria, Egypt, China and Armenia, to name a few.
Armenia needs to develop closer, more efficient relations with the Russian Bear. The basis for this can be political (i.e. combating regional threats), economic (i.e. flourishing of bilateral trade) or cultural (Christian Orthodoxy heritage and conservative societal values). Speaking of Christianity and societal conservatism and how it can impact international relations, let's take a look at German Sterligov. German Sterligov is a Russian billionaire who some years ago traded in his luxury cars, yachts and mansions for a horse, a rifle and a farm. Now, German has made yet another sensational move: He has temporarily moved to Artsakh with his family.
In fact, the Sterligovs’ are the embodiment of the ideal family:
Christian Orthodox, patriotic, hard working, innovative, traditional and ecologically conscious. It is
people like this we Armenians should be celebrating and turning into role
models, not Westernized whores from the US. As mentioned above, the Sterligov's presence on Armenian soil underscores the great importance of Armenian lobbying efforts in
Russia, be it by officials, be it by civilians. It also shows the
important role of shared cultural values between our two
historically allied peoples, shared values such as Christianity, genuine
patriotism (i.e. attachment to the soil) and the world's oldest and
most successful institution, the traditional family.
I'd like to see the arrival of more German Sterligovs in Armenia, even if they come in the form of bikers. Likewise, I would also like to see Russians get a bit more proactive inside Armenian society. I say this because Moscow is also guilty of allowing Armenia to turn into a Western playground during the past two decades. Russians officials cannot continue thinking that by merely dealing with top level leaders in Armenia or controlling the nation's infrastructure they will have no worries in the country. Moscow's negligence and old world tactics has allowed Western interests to set roots deep within Armenian society. Moscow needs to step into the modern world and recognize the paramount importance of Public Relations, Societal Engineering and, more importantly, Soft Power.
Armenia can no longer
afford playing host to a host of Western operatives seeking to use Armenia's natural growing pains to foment political unrest in the country and undermine
Yerevan's ties to
Moscow. Armenia can no longer afford to allow Westernization and Globalism (modern forms
of Bolshevism) to corrupt its national identity. Armenia can no longer
allow "Democracy" to weaken the
Armenian state by empowering those on the fringes of Armenian society. I reiterate: Armenia needs to follow Russia's footsteps and begin shutting down Western-funded organizations in the country.
Armenia needs to develop closer relations with the Russian Bear
Armenia needs to develop closer, more efficient relations with the Russian Bear. The basis for this can be political (i.e. combating regional threats), economic (i.e. flourishing of bilateral trade) or cultural (Christian Orthodoxy heritage and conservative societal values). Speaking of Christianity and societal conservatism and how it can impact international relations, let's take a look at German Sterligov. German Sterligov is a Russian billionaire who some years ago traded in his luxury cars, yachts and mansions for a horse, a rifle and a farm. Now, German has made yet another sensational move: He has temporarily moved to Artsakh with his family.
I'm not yet convinced he had to flee from problems at home. If he wanted to protect himself and his family from "threats" at home he could have gone into hiding in Russia itself. Russia is so vast there are places in the country where even the FSB would not be able to find him. Moreover, if he really felt threatened by anything or anyone, he would not be openly riding around Artskah on his brand new donkey and horse. If he really wanted to hide himself from threats, he would not be proudly advertising his intention of opening a water mill, a winery, producing and exporting organic foods to Russia and helping his wife open up a fashion studio and a clothing production line on Shushi. To be honest, I really don't care why the Sterligovs have suddenly arrived in Artsakh. I am simply happy they are there, and I would be even happier if they settle there permanently and have their children marry Armenians. The presence of these people on Armenian soil can only be positive for this is an iconic family -Why The Sterligov Family Has Settled in Artsakh: http://asbarez.com/137649/why-the-sterligov-family-has-settled-in-artsakh/German Sterligov To Start Eco-Friendly Food Production in Nagorno-Karabakh: http://asbarez.com/137672/german-sterligov-to-start-eco-friendly-food-production-in-nagorno-karabakh/
I'd like to see the arrival of more German Sterligovs in Armenia, even if they come in the form of bikers. Likewise, I would also like to see Russians get a bit more proactive inside Armenian society. I say this because Moscow is also guilty of allowing Armenia to turn into a Western playground during the past two decades. Russians officials cannot continue thinking that by merely dealing with top level leaders in Armenia or controlling the nation's infrastructure they will have no worries in the country. Moscow's negligence and old world tactics has allowed Western interests to set roots deep within Armenian society. Moscow needs to step into the modern world and recognize the paramount importance of Public Relations, Societal Engineering and, more importantly, Soft Power.
Speaking of Russian soft power, recent news that Permyakov will be tried by an Armenian court is an unmistakable sign that Moscow is beginning to understand the volatility of the situation in Armenia and the crucial importance of public relations. I should add here that the Russian decision to hand the murderer in question over to the Armenian side was a result of Armenian law enforcement officials working with their Russians counterparts. Another recent example of Russian soft power was the announcement that Moscow is extending a "soft loan" to Yerevan for the equivalent of 200 million dollars. The money will be specifically earmarked for the modernization of Armenia's armed forces. When one takes into account that Armenia purchases its military equipment from Russia at factory prices, it becomes apparent that the 200 million dollars is in fact the equivalent of Baku's billion dollar weapons purchases. And in an even more important development, one that clearly suggests that Russians are beginning to value Armenia's geostrategic importance, was the recent news report from Russia that Armenia may soon be supplied with one of the most fearsome, non-nuclear (yet nuclear capable) weapons systems on earth -
Russia In Talks To Supply Armenia With Iskander-M Missiles As Battle Lines Drawn Across Europe: http://www.ibtimes.com/russia-talks-supply-armenia-iskander-m-missiles-battle-lines-drawn-across-europe-1994731
With the Iskander ballistic missile system, the Armenian military would be capable of destroying virtually any target within Azerbaijan with pinpoint accuracy and their S-300 missile defense systems would not be able to intercept it. This is astounding news and militarily speaking this is a potential game changer in the south Caucasus. I'm extremely satisfied that in its effort to keep NATO out of the south Caucasus region Moscow has gradually begun turning Armenia into an impregnable fortress. Armenia's
geopolitical stature has risen significantly in recent years as a result.
And with its membership in the EEU and its recently granted observer status in the SCO, Armenia also stands poised to become a major regional trade hub. All that is now left for Armenia to do is to somehow secure some form of unhindered land access to the Russian Federation (via Georgia and/or Azerbaijan) and the post-Soviet nightmare will be over. And speaking of a land link between Russia and Armenia, the gap has already shrunk by about a mile in recent days -
Georgia: Russia Occupies BP Oil Pipeline: http://www.eurasianet.org/node/74201
One way or another Georgia will be brought back under the Russian orbit, it's only a matter of time. Armenia will then have a secure and stable northern border through which it can trade with Russia freely and efficiently. Nevertheless, as
much as I hate to say it, and I know many of my readers will disagree
with me, when it comes to protecting Armenia from regional predators, I
have more trust in Russian officials than I do in Armenians. Why do I say this? Until
the Armenian nation begins giving birth to capable nationalistic leaders with
vision, wisdom, courage and political acumen and a populace that stands-by its
leadership unconditionally, I will continue looking north
for Armenia's salvation. As long
as Armenians are not rallying behind their state unconditionally, at least on the
international stage and with matters pertaining to national defense, Armenia will forever
be looked upon as vulnerable and will thus be subjected to foreign manipulation. As long as we Armenians continue tolerating a fifth column that is always ready to
attack
the Armenian leadership at any given opportunity, the international
community will continue looking down at
Armenia, Western powers will continue funding subversive activities
in Armenia and Moscow will continue holding Armenia on a very short
leash. And speaking of why Russians keep Armenia on a short leash: In the following video link we see the views of a well known Russian parliamentarian about Armenia -
I would disagree with the way Evgeny Fedorov characterizes the current demonstrations in Yerevan. But I
would agree that Armenia is playing a very dangerous game today by maintaining close ties with the political West. By playing both sides, Armenians think they are being smart, clever, shrewd, etc. I think Armenians need to put aside their empty bravado and understand that Western powers are the undisputed global masters of political and financial manipulation. You don't play them, they play you. I
should also add that all of the flaws that currently exists within
Russian-Armenian relations as well as the reason why Armenia is incapable of fully exploiting its historic alliance with the Russian Bear can be directly traced to Armenia's so-called "complimentary politics", its desire to maintain
close ties with the political West as well as Russia. Moreover, and perhaps more importantly, Yerevan's burning desire to flirt with Western powers is giving Western mercenaries a dangerous foothold inside Armenian society. Yerevan is therefore playing a very dangerous game, during a very dangerous time, in a very dangerous environment.We would be lucky if all this does not seriously backfire on Armenia one day.
Although I don't agree with some of what Evgeny Fedorov is saying about the current demonstrations in Yerevan, I'm glad that he is saying it nonetheless. I am glad Russians are raising the alarm. But I would have been gladder if they got more directly involved inside Armenia. Armenia needs more Russian involvement because the vacuum the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union created in Armenia in the early 1990s was filled by Western influences. Although its situation not nearly as bad as the one that exists in the Ukraine, Serbia, Georgia or Greece, Armenia is still dangerously exposed to Western manipulation and exploitation. It's high time to buffer the toxicity of Armenia's Westernization with better, closer, more efficient relations with the Russian Bear.
One of our main national tasks today is to resist the lure of the Western lifestyle - and Western financing - and not allow Western operatives to comfortably settle inside Armenian society. Westernization of Armenia, with all that it entails, poses an existential threat to the fledgling nation. Therefore, all those in Armenia that maintain ties with the Western alliance, in any capacity and regardless of who they may be, should be placed under state surveillance by an Armenian government that is not beholden to Western interests. Moreover, Armenians that actively promote Western agendas in the country need to be jailed or banned from entering the country. Ultimately, however, we must also understand that Armenia simply does not have the proper resources, the strength, the expertise or the experience to effectively counter Western machinations on its own. Therefore, when it comes to safeguarding Armenia against Western manipulation and exploitation, the only remedy Armenians have is closer relations with the Russian Bear. I hope to see Russians start taking Armenia more seriously and begin making a concerted effort in playing a bigger role inside Armenian society.
Going back to the topic of demonstrations in Armenia: Clearly, many observers, including Russians, thought Armenia was going through a color revolution. The reality however was that there was no color revolution taking place in Armenia. It's normal and expected for foreigners to misjudge/misrepresent what has been going on here in Armenia. But this should not be the same with Russians. What's troubling for me is that when the demonstrations reached their height in late June-early July, Moscow seemed caught off guard and clearly panicked. I'm not concerned that Moscow panicked per se, for it is a sign that Russians officials are taking Armenia seriously. I am rather concerned that Moscow panicked - because it still does not have a good handle on the situation inside Armenia. Moscow panicked because it was not sure of what was going on in the country. That is a very troubling sign for me.
I am concerned because Moscow still seems to be on the outside looking in as Western operatives (from Western backed politicians to Western funded news sites) are on the inside causing trouble. I have said this many times before: Russians are for the most part continuing to do things the old fashioned way: They are controlling Armenia from the top down, whereas Western interests are controlling Armenia from the bottom up. This is causing a situation where the top and the bottom in the country are going in different directions. If Russians don't wake up and recognize the immense value of soft power and PR, there WILL eventually be a Western instigated revolution in Armenia because Western assets are firmly embedded throughout Armenian society.
Surveys/polls where Armenians express pro-Russian sentiments are generally misleading. Generally speaking, Russians are looked upon by Armenians as a necessary inconvenience and Armenians are always quick to blame Russians for Armenia's problems, whereas the Western world is dreamed about. In other words, Armenians want military relations with Russia but they enthusiastically seek financial, economic and cultural relations with the West. For Armenians the West is an fancy amusement park. The fundamental problem here is that amusement parks are always more interesting for the sheeple and that includes government officials. In the absence of spirituality and ideological movements today, humans simply want to be entertained and titillated. The West certainly entertains and titillates. Humans today are gradually devolving into mindless consumers. Without God, family and country (i.e. without a clear direction in life) humans are animals simply concerned with survival and self-gratification. This is what we get when God, family and county is killed through 70 years of Globalization, Westernization and Americanization (i.e. Anglo-American-Jewish social engineering).
Westernization amongst the youth in Armenia has taken deep root. Most young Armenians today (at least in Yerevan) yearn to learn English, live in Western lands and consume Western pop culture. There is a clear deficit of genuine patriotism, political foresight and the proper understanding of the world in general in Armenian society. I do not have much hope that we Armenians will by ourselves be able to keep Western interests indefinitely contained because we Armenians generally speaking, even the anti-Western amongst us, have a deep attraction and appreciation for the Western life style. In my opinion, if there are no fundamental changes in the way Armenian officials handle cultural and sociopolitical matters, time may make things worst.
Most Armenians today, even pro-Russian ones, do not see anything wrong with Armenia's youth embracing Western pop culture. This in my opinion is a formula for disaster. We must be wise enough to realize that Western political interests follow closely behind Western pop culture. Think of it this way: Western pop culture (with all that it entails) are the main battle tanks and Western activists are Panzergrenadiers (soldiers who follow close behind tanks). The tanks penetrate defensive lines (national cultural boundaries), the Panzergrenadiers do the footwork on the ground to finish off the enemy.
I reiterate: Their grip over humanity is unprecedented. Their grip over humanity is cultural and psychological. It is we the sheeple that give them their power over us. If we want to speak their language, earn their money, live in their lands, learn in their schools, sing their songs, watch their films, eat their foods, wear their clothing - they have already won half the battle. If we are so eager to be like them, how would we ever think of them as our enemy? If we are so open to their cultural values and their way of life, they will easily infiltrate our society and usurp our nation.
Ultimately, our attraction and appreciation for all things Western keeps us - even the pro-Russian ones among us - vulnerable to Western manipulation and psychological conditioning. In my opinion, this deep love and appreciation for all things Western also lies at the root of Yerevan's complimentary politics. Simply put: Armenians don't' want to lose access to their Western bank accounts, shopping in Paris or purchasing their Bentleys merely for the sake of Russia. Yerevan's complimentary politics has nothing to do with Armenia's defense because Armenians know very well that Western powers are comfortably in bed with Armenia's enemies and that Western powers will not come to Armenia's aid in times of war. Nevertheless, this prevailing situation is allowing Western powers to saturate Armenia with Western propaganda, Western money, Western activists, Western NGOs and Western "values". Although things are currently under control in Armenia, the potential for future problems continues to exist in the country.
Armenia - the 100th coup. Evgeny Fedorov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOLZdLzy7ok
Although I don't agree with some of what Evgeny Fedorov is saying about the current demonstrations in Yerevan, I'm glad that he is saying it nonetheless. I am glad Russians are raising the alarm. But I would have been gladder if they got more directly involved inside Armenia. Armenia needs more Russian involvement because the vacuum the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union created in Armenia in the early 1990s was filled by Western influences. Although its situation not nearly as bad as the one that exists in the Ukraine, Serbia, Georgia or Greece, Armenia is still dangerously exposed to Western manipulation and exploitation. It's high time to buffer the toxicity of Armenia's Westernization with better, closer, more efficient relations with the Russian Bear.
One of our main national tasks today is to resist the lure of the Western lifestyle - and Western financing - and not allow Western operatives to comfortably settle inside Armenian society. Westernization of Armenia, with all that it entails, poses an existential threat to the fledgling nation. Therefore, all those in Armenia that maintain ties with the Western alliance, in any capacity and regardless of who they may be, should be placed under state surveillance by an Armenian government that is not beholden to Western interests. Moreover, Armenians that actively promote Western agendas in the country need to be jailed or banned from entering the country. Ultimately, however, we must also understand that Armenia simply does not have the proper resources, the strength, the expertise or the experience to effectively counter Western machinations on its own. Therefore, when it comes to safeguarding Armenia against Western manipulation and exploitation, the only remedy Armenians have is closer relations with the Russian Bear. I hope to see Russians start taking Armenia more seriously and begin making a concerted effort in playing a bigger role inside Armenian society.
Going back to the topic of demonstrations in Armenia: Clearly, many observers, including Russians, thought Armenia was going through a color revolution. The reality however was that there was no color revolution taking place in Armenia. It's normal and expected for foreigners to misjudge/misrepresent what has been going on here in Armenia. But this should not be the same with Russians. What's troubling for me is that when the demonstrations reached their height in late June-early July, Moscow seemed caught off guard and clearly panicked. I'm not concerned that Moscow panicked per se, for it is a sign that Russians officials are taking Armenia seriously. I am rather concerned that Moscow panicked - because it still does not have a good handle on the situation inside Armenia. Moscow panicked because it was not sure of what was going on in the country. That is a very troubling sign for me.
I am concerned because Moscow still seems to be on the outside looking in as Western operatives (from Western backed politicians to Western funded news sites) are on the inside causing trouble. I have said this many times before: Russians are for the most part continuing to do things the old fashioned way: They are controlling Armenia from the top down, whereas Western interests are controlling Armenia from the bottom up. This is causing a situation where the top and the bottom in the country are going in different directions. If Russians don't wake up and recognize the immense value of soft power and PR, there WILL eventually be a Western instigated revolution in Armenia because Western assets are firmly embedded throughout Armenian society.
Surveys/polls where Armenians express pro-Russian sentiments are generally misleading. Generally speaking, Russians are looked upon by Armenians as a necessary inconvenience and Armenians are always quick to blame Russians for Armenia's problems, whereas the Western world is dreamed about. In other words, Armenians want military relations with Russia but they enthusiastically seek financial, economic and cultural relations with the West. For Armenians the West is an fancy amusement park. The fundamental problem here is that amusement parks are always more interesting for the sheeple and that includes government officials. In the absence of spirituality and ideological movements today, humans simply want to be entertained and titillated. The West certainly entertains and titillates. Humans today are gradually devolving into mindless consumers. Without God, family and country (i.e. without a clear direction in life) humans are animals simply concerned with survival and self-gratification. This is what we get when God, family and county is killed through 70 years of Globalization, Westernization and Americanization (i.e. Anglo-American-Jewish social engineering).
Westernization amongst the youth in Armenia has taken deep root. Most young Armenians today (at least in Yerevan) yearn to learn English, live in Western lands and consume Western pop culture. There is a clear deficit of genuine patriotism, political foresight and the proper understanding of the world in general in Armenian society. I do not have much hope that we Armenians will by ourselves be able to keep Western interests indefinitely contained because we Armenians generally speaking, even the anti-Western amongst us, have a deep attraction and appreciation for the Western life style. In my opinion, if there are no fundamental changes in the way Armenian officials handle cultural and sociopolitical matters, time may make things worst.
Most Armenians today, even pro-Russian ones, do not see anything wrong with Armenia's youth embracing Western pop culture. This in my opinion is a formula for disaster. We must be wise enough to realize that Western political interests follow closely behind Western pop culture. Think of it this way: Western pop culture (with all that it entails) are the main battle tanks and Western activists are Panzergrenadiers (soldiers who follow close behind tanks). The tanks penetrate defensive lines (national cultural boundaries), the Panzergrenadiers do the footwork on the ground to finish off the enemy.
I reiterate: Their grip over humanity is unprecedented. Their grip over humanity is cultural and psychological. It is we the sheeple that give them their power over us. If we want to speak their language, earn their money, live in their lands, learn in their schools, sing their songs, watch their films, eat their foods, wear their clothing - they have already won half the battle. If we are so eager to be like them, how would we ever think of them as our enemy? If we are so open to their cultural values and their way of life, they will easily infiltrate our society and usurp our nation.
Ultimately, our attraction and appreciation for all things Western keeps us - even the pro-Russian ones among us - vulnerable to Western manipulation and psychological conditioning. In my opinion, this deep love and appreciation for all things Western also lies at the root of Yerevan's complimentary politics. Simply put: Armenians don't' want to lose access to their Western bank accounts, shopping in Paris or purchasing their Bentleys merely for the sake of Russia. Yerevan's complimentary politics has nothing to do with Armenia's defense because Armenians know very well that Western powers are comfortably in bed with Armenia's enemies and that Western powers will not come to Armenia's aid in times of war. Nevertheless, this prevailing situation is allowing Western powers to saturate Armenia with Western propaganda, Western money, Western activists, Western NGOs and Western "values". Although things are currently under control in Armenia, the potential for future problems continues to exist in the country.
June, 2015
***
Russia warns against 'color revolution' in Armenia
Russia warns against 'color revolution' in Armenia
In a veiled warning to the West, Russia cautioned Thursday against any attempt to spark a new "color revolution" in Armenia by exploiting protests against electricity prices for political ends. Large crowds of mostly young people have been protesting in the Armenian capital Yerevan for more than 10 days, demanding the government scrap plans to raise the price of electricity for households. Russia
has been wary of unrest on its borders since governments fell in
Georgia's 2003 Rose Revolution, Ukraine's 2003-04 Orange Revolution and
Kiev's 2014 Maidan protests - events in which it says the West backed the protesters.
"You know how the 'color revolutions', and the Maidan in Ukraine, started," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a BRICS Youth Summit gathering of young people from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) in Moscow. "The current developments in Armenia
- there is also a temptation among many to use them to whip up
anti-government sentiment although the root of these events is purely
economic," Interfax news agency quoted him as saying. "It seems useful for someone to go further and develop these processes in a political way." Lavrov
said that the West in particular was paying increasing attention to the
role of young people in shaping national agendas, including through
"peaceful protest."
His comments were the closest any senior
Russian official has come to suggesting the West may have or be seeking a
role in the protest in Armenia, which hosts a Russian military base, to
pull it further out of Moscow's orbit. Thousands of protesters have been gathering every evening in Yerevan
though their numbers dwindle during the day. Police tried to disperse
them with water cannon early last week but the protest continued and has
been peaceful since then. The protesters have ignored concessions
offered by President Serzh Sargsyan, saying they want the price rise of
up to 22 percent planned by the distribution company, a subsidiary of
Russian firm Inter RAO, to be scrapped entirely. The protesters
have avoided chanting anti-government slogans, saying their demands are
limited to the electricity price dispute, though many also complain
about alleged corruption in Armenia.
"I think the process of these protests is largely over - or if not over, heading that way," Armenian political analyst Alexander Iskandaryan told Reuters in Yerevan. But Russian leaders fear unrest in neighboring states could encourage protests in Russia and President Vladimir Putin said last year that Moscow "should do everything necessary" to prevent such a "color revolution" in Russia. Armenia,
in the southern Caucasus, was once part of the Soviet Union and its 3.2
million people have been hit hard by an economic downturn in Russia,
its main ally and trading partner. It is also part of the Eurasian Economic Union, a political and economic bloc set up by Moscow to try to match the economic strength of the European Union, China and the United States. The Kremlin has said it is up to Armenia's government and the protesters to resolve the dispute themselves.
Bloomberg: Kremlin Fears a Revolution in
Armenia
The events of the past five days in Armenia can be followed on Twitter under the hashtag #ElectricYerevan,
but they aren't on the front pages of global newspapers. The world
doesn't get excited about protests over an increase in electricity
prices in a country of 3 million, tucked into a beautiful but
resource-poor corner of South Caucasus. The demonstrations in Armenia
are watched closely in Moscow and Kiev, however, because they reflect
unusually intense dissatisfaction with Russian power in a post-Soviet
nation that had seemed to be securely in the Kremlin's grip.
It
all started last month when the country's energy monopoly, Electric
Networks of Armenia, asked the government to raise electricity tariffs
by 40.8 percent. The utility complained that Armenian hydroelectric
plants were producing less energy, and that repairs at the country's
sole nuclear power plant were taking longer than planned, causing the
company to go into debt to the tune of $250 million -- a huge sum in a
country with a gross domestic product of just $10 billion -- and fall
out of favor with Armenian banks.
The government initially resisted, arguing that the losses had been caused by graft.
The public utility regulatory commission established, for example, that
ENA had been overpaying suppliers and contractors (charges that the
company denies).
But on June 17 the commission caved, raising tariffs by 16.7 percent
starting in August to avoid outages. Two days later, activists staged
the first relatively small sit-in in the center of Yerevan, Armenia's
capital. Then the protests grew. Tuesday, police used water cannons to
disperse the demonstrators, and arrested 250 people. About 1,000
protesters stayed through the night, though, and they were marching
again Wednesday morning.
All this would have little significance
outside Armenia if ENA weren't fully owned by Inter RAO UES, a large
Russian energy company whose board chairman is Igor Sechin, a close
friend of President Vladimir Putin and chief executive of state oil
giant Rosneft. So the protests against the company's allegedly corrupt
management are, by default, anti-Moscow, if not anti-Russia.
The
Kremlin is highly aware of this. "Armenia is our closest partner, we are
united by historical ties with Armenia and the Armenian people,"
Putin's press secretary Dmitri Peskov said Tuesday.
"Of course we are watching what's going on there very closely." That
may sound tame, but in Armenia it was a thunderclap. "The very fact that
that the Russian presidential press secretary commented on the events
in Yerevan," commentator Musa Mikaelyan wrote on
the news site 1in.am, "is evidence that either Russia is taking part in
the events unfolding in Yerevan, or it is very worried and trying to
take part, or is expressing readiness to participate if events get out
of control."
Moscow's worry is that the uprising in Ukraine
started in the same way: with quiet grumbling, small rallies and a
singalong. Then police used excessive force, and the protests escalated
so that, in less than two months, downtown Kiev was burning, and soon
President Viktor Yanukovych fled to Russia. Many Ukrainians, proud of
having broken Russia's hold on their country, would like to see this
repeated in Yerevan. Liga.net, one of Ukraine's most popular sites, is covering the
"Electric Yerevan" protests as a new "Maidan," the common name for the
Kiev uprising. Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, an ethnic
Armenian, encouraged the Yerevan demonstrators with a Facebook post recalling
the romanticism of the Ukrainians' struggle. "My dear Armenia," it
started. "There was a day when we were beaten up and dispersed, and our
barricades were cleared from Krepostnoy Lane in Kiev. It seemed our
hopes had been trampled." Yet, Avakov concluded optimistically,
Ukrainians' "will for freedom" prevailed.
This support from Kiev
tells Putin's allies in Moscow that what's going on in Yerevan is no
mere economic protest. "I'm sure there are plenty of militants from
Ukraine and there is an outside coordination center run by the same
political operators who ran the Maidan in Kiev," Russian political scientist Sergei Markov wrote on
Facebook. "There can be no doubt that this is no spontaneous outpouring
of popular protest in Yerevan. It's all a matter of technology and the
organizers' main goal is to incite bloodshed."
According to
Markov, the Yerevan disturbances are the response of a sinister Western
cabal to Armenia's 2013 decision to opt out of a trade and association
agreement with the European Union and instead join Putin's Eurasian
Union. But it's not as if Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan had much
choice in that matter: Apart from its energy stranglehold on the tiny
nation, Russia has a military base in its second city, Gyumri, where
5,000 soldiers serve as a warning to neighboring Azerbaijan that
resuming hostilities over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region might not
be a good idea.
Russia has been playing both sides in
that frozen conflict -- the most rarely mentioned one of the five that
help Russia control its post-Soviet neighborhood -- since the early
1990s, lately using it as leverage to pull both Armenia and Azerbaijan
into the Eurasian Union. Although both countries are part of the EU's
Eastern Partnership program, Moscow is determined to prevent that loose
association from turning into anything more meaningful.
The
balance in this region is, if anything, more delicate than it was in
Ukraine at the time of Yanukovych's ouster. Perhaps this is why there's
less anti-Moscow sentiment in Armenia and even in the huge Armenian
diaspora, which by far exceeds the country's population. Serj Tankian, a
singer with the Grammy-nominated California band System of a Down, has
been posting on
Facebook about the electricity demonstrations, but even though he's
clearly sympathetic toward the protesters and would like Armenia to nationalize "monopolistic foreign-owned utility companies," he has studiously avoided making anti-Putin remarks.
So
#ElectricYerevan is no Ukrainian-style revolution yet, and it's not
likely to turn into one. Yet it gives Putin's paranoid regime another
reason to rattle its weapons. It would have done better to deal with
corruption inside the companies it uses to exert influence in its former
empire. Moscow is unable to do that, however, because corruption is one
of its main exports. It can only fight the symptoms, which often
include popular discontent, as though they were part of a global
conspiracy.
Source:http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-06-24/kremlin-fears-a-revolution-in-armenia?cmpid=yhoo
Sergei Markedonov: What Armenians are protesting (and what they’re not)
Last night, some 6,000 people marched towards President Serzh
Sargsyan's residence in Yerevan. Water cannons against protesters have
been used against participants in what has already been dubbed 'Electric
Yerevan' in reference to the cause of the protests: rising energy
prices. Tuesday's initial mass protest against hikes in
electricity tariffs, and the authorities' reaction against them, have
had a noticeable effect on the country’s political situation. According
to the Armenian police, 237 people were arrested on 23 June and, in
total, 29 people suffered injuries, including 11 police officers. But
while this situation has already begun to provoke comparisons with
recent events in Ukraine, these protests have a domestic trajectory
which should not be ignored.
Why are Armenians protesting?
Why are Armenians protesting?
On 17 June, 2015, Armenia's Commission on Regulating Civic Services examined a document from Electricity Networks of Armenia (the ENA, which owns and manages the country's national grid). This company is part of Inter RAO, a large energy holding company based in Moscow. According to the Armenian police, 237 people were arrested. In total, 29 people suffered injuries, including 11 police officers. Though it is a publicly traded company, Inter RAO is often seen across the post-Soviet space as an instrument of Russian energy politics (critics of the Russian Federation go as far as calling it a tool of 'Russian energy imperialism').
Thus, many internal political
decisions in Armenia are seen (or can be seen) in light of this
relationship, even if Moscow itself does not directly influence concrete
administrative decisions in Yerevan. ENA is thus extremely important
for Moscow-Yerevan relations and, of course, how Armenian society
perceives them. ENA petitioned for a 16% rise in
electricity tariffs, and this rise was due to come into force on the
first day of August. The Commission's decision was the immediate cause
for the public’s dissatisfaction. Two days later, a sit-in started in
central Yerevan, where protesters shouted simple slogans, such as 'No to
theft!'.
After the protesters' demands were left
unaddressed, they marched towards Baghramyan Avenue, the centre of
Armenia's central state apparatus. It was these demonstrations that
resulted in clashes with police. The
authorities have their own reasons for being so heavy-handed. The
paralysis of state institutions is fraught with dangerous consequences.
And there are those among the protesters who would like to use this mass
protest for their own political gain. However, the authorities' actions
in June 2015 look more like the temporary treatment of a symptom rather
than a systematic treatment of a far deeper illness.
These protests are the latest, not the first
These protests are the latest, not the first
It would be hard to say that protest demonstrations here in Armenia were unexpected. This is not the first time public dissatisfaction with the authorities (and not just the ever-loathed 'bureaucracy', but the current administration in particular) has been manifested. People have had many grounds to come out on the streets. The economy languishes. Remittances from workers abroad make up a large chunk of the economy. Citizens differ on the best way to provide security to the country against hostile neighbours.
It would be hard to say that protest demonstrations here in Armenia were unexpected. During the 2013 presidential election, when Serzh Sargsyan faced little political competition and many political heavyweights ‘refused’ to participate, Raffi Hovannisian, an ex-foreign minister and leader of the Heritage party, took 36% of the vote. Hovannisian is not known for his electoral successes, and Heritage, a liberal democratic party with traditional leanings, holds only four seats in the Armenian parliament.
Hovannisian's
'success' was the result of a protest vote, pure and simple. Electors
voted for Hovannisian because, for various and different reasons, they
were unhappy with the current authorities. Indeed, the result was less a
vote for Hovannisian, than one against Sargsyan. The fact that the
Heritage leader didn't manage to convert this success at the subsequent
elections to the Council of Elders (the highest organ of self-government
in Yerevan) is an indication of Hovannisian's poor leadership, as well
as the authorities' ability to counter the opposition. But these factors
did not quell the existing social problems and dissatisfaction.
Later
that year, in November 2013, there were clashes between police and
participants of a so-called Million Mask March, when anti-establishment
protesters gather in cities all over the world. Of course, there weren't
a million people in masks in central Yerevan. And the demonstration
didn't receive mass support: the protest attracted roughly 100 people.
However, 20 people were arrested, 38 were detained and 9 – hospitalised.
The clashes were also marked by the use of Molotov cocktails and smoke
grenades.
Eurasian integration was seen by many as a route to higher tariffs and cuts to government services.
The
most notable thing about the protest was its reception: after the smoke
cleared and the fires doused, Shant Aruntyunyan, leader of the
nationalist Tseghakron party, called it a 'revolution.' Back
then, many Russian journalists (just like today), turned to a
'comparative' lens in order to understand this 'Yerevan Maidan'. And
although the protest didn't led to any significant results, November
2013 did reflect Armenian society's disposition to protest and activism. Likewise, Vladimir Putin's visit to Armenia in December 2013
also provoked demonstrations. And although protesters made the Russian
leader a target of their criticism and what the protesters saw as his
attempts to 'drag' the republic into the Customs Union, domestic
circumstances also played a role. Many people saw Eurasian
integration not as another guarantee of Armenia’s security, but also as
a route to higher tariffs and cuts to government services.
The danger of lazy analogies
The danger of lazy analogies
Since the beginning of Kyiv's 'EuroMaidan' in November 2013, which led to a change of government, triggered a European crisis and caused the most serious confrontation between Russia and the West since the end of the Cold War, most opposition activity in the post-Soviet space is viewed through a 'Ukrainian lens'.
In addition to causing
lazy analogies between different political situations, this approach
shifts the domestic political agenda in any given country to the
background. Instead, domestic politics is made a sacrifice to
'geopolitical determinism', according to which any crisis in former
Soviet territories are merely a reflection of the 'proxy war' between
America and Russia. Since the
beginning of the 'EuroMaidan' , most opposition activity in the
post-Soviet space is viewed through a 'Ukrainian lens'.
Thus,
an otherwise obvious point disappears from view: political crisis is
not a virus. Of course, judging by purely external signs, you could
unite the events of the Arab Spring, the 2003 Rose Revolution in
Georgia, two Maidans in Ukraine, and two changes of power in Kyrgyzstan
into a single whole. But this obscures fundamental
differences. When talking about Egypt or Tunisia, the issues of Kurds or
Alawites don’t figure, and in the case of Syria, no one talks about the
merits of ‘strategic partnership with the West’ like they do in
Ukraine.
Prior to 2003, Georgia had already
experienced two ethnopolitical conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia
(and received two de-facto states on its territory in return); before
the 'second Maidan', Kyiv didn't see Crimea or Donbas as potential
points of conflict. The armed conflict in Ukraine's east is just one of
the consequences of a revolutionary change of power in the country. Just
as post-revolutionary Georgia intensified its struggle for territorial
unity, making it the cornerstone of its domestic politics and foreign
policy, so did Ukraine encounter a similar problem after EuroMaidan.
Clearly,
no country exists in a vacuum. Countries are of interest both to their
strategic allies and partners, and to their opponents and competitors.
Here, both groups try to influence what is happening in any given
country, and extract maximum profit for oneself in the process. But
whatever interests external forces might pursue, there have to be
certain 'domestic' pre-conditions for social protest and political
crisis. And they are present in Armenia.
So, before
we apply the Ukrainian lens to Armenian reality, forecasting a 'change
in Yerevan's geopolitical vector', we should pay closer attention to
domestic political dynamics in this small Caucasian republic. Not least
of all because Russia considers Armenia to be a strategic partner.
In
contrast to Ukraine, in Armenia today the authorities and opposition
are not squaring off against one another on the basis of their attitude
to Russia. This issue is not a fundamental part of their conflict. Even
today, you can easily find people in the Armenian bureaucracy who are
sceptical about Eurasian integration. And you can easily find supporters
of deeper ties to Moscow among the opposition. Just take a look at
statements by Levon Ter-Petrosyan, leader of the Armenian National
Congress, which ultimately boil down to this: Putin is not our opponent,
the current government is.
You can easily find supporters of deeper ties to Moscow among the opposition.
Thus,
Moscow should not yield to its emotions, should not look for spectres
of the Maidan where they don't exist, and try to build co-operation with
people from across the political spectrum of Armenia. Dissatisfaction
with tariffs today is still far from dissatisfaction with Moscow. But under certain conditions, this 'connection' could be made. In particular, if Russian politicians and diplomats draw the wrong conclusions from these protests and make their own connection: the opposition is part of a US State Department plot (making support of the Sargsyan government an absolute priority).
One
need not have illusions about American or European 'good intentions'
when it comes to Russia's interests in the post-Soviet space. But to
reduce the domestic political agenda to the evil designs of the EU, Nato
and US is a serious mistake, which could have a negative impact on
Russian-Armenian relations.
Source: https://www.opendemocracy.net/sergei-markedonov/what-armenians-are-protesting-and-what-they’re-not-protesting
Sputnik: The Interests That Power Armenia's 'Electric' Protests
Armenia's
"Electric Yerevan" protests against a hike in power tariffs coincide
with Armenia's sale of a massive complex of dams to a little-known US
company with US government approval. We look at how it could impact US
influence in the region.
Protests
over electricity price hikes in Armenia follow the June 6 privatization
of Armenia's Vorotan Hydroelectric Cascade to private US holding
company ContourGlobal, reportedly financed in part by the US
government's Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). The protests' declared apolitical nature and the Armenian
opposition's relatively marginal role in them could indicate that the
conflict is inside Armenia's government and foreign interests rather
than an internal political movement. On Wednesday, a rally in Armenia's
neighbor Georgia is expected to take place to support the Armenian
protests.
If the protests succeed at reversing the price hike decision, they
could force the energy distributor, Russian InterRAO-owned Electric
Network of Armenia, which already operates at a loss, out of business
and open the company for acquisition, considerably changing the
country's energy landscape. "In Armenia's energy system, this cascade is
the unit generating the cheapest power. If it is sold for the said $180
million, the new owner will in the near future raise electricity prices
by at least 20 to 25 percent," the head of Armenia's Domestic Produers
Union Vazgen Safaryan said after the cascade's sale.
Armenia's opposition demanded that the government prevent the stations' privatization as recently as 2014. The leader of the opposition Armenian National Congress, Levon Ter-Petrosyan called the deal illegal in 2014. The current protesters do not appear to have issued any statements on the sale. Armenia's opposition underwent a considerable restructuring earlier in 2015. "We are not against the sale. But we doubt the terms of the deal, the logic of the price formation, and so on," member of parliament from the opposition Prosperous Armenia party Mikael Melkumyan said in June.
The Vorotan Hydroelectric Cascade, which generates half of Armenia's hydroelectric power, is also reportedly one of the country's most profitable companies, with a 23 percent annual profit rate. The cascade also has the lowest electricity generation costs in all of Armenia. The privatization of the company to ContourGlobal violated multiple Armenian laws, including Armenia's laws on water resources and its privatization law. The deal, which required parliamentary approval to sell the holding, was negotiated on the executive level by the country's president and its Ambassador to the US, Tigran Sargsyan. "The Vorotan Cascade is by itself unique because on the territory of the entire former Soviet Union this cascade, has the biggest slope. This provides the cheapness of the electricity it supplies," Melkumyan added.
While
Electric Networks of Armenia has not linked its price hike
policy to ContourGlobal's Vorotan acquisition, it has posted statements
on its website, stating that the hike is due to increased supplier
prices, citing a World Bank expert. In an official statement, the
company also said that factors such
as the decrease in hydroelectric power generation in Armenia have been
behind the price increase, as the company continued investing into the
modernization of Armenia's power grid despite lower revenue. "In total,
Energy Networks of Armenia received 37 billion drams ($78.2 million)
less revenue than planned," the statement said. Armenia's second hydroelectric power cascade, the Sevano-Radzan
Cascade 90-percent owned by Russian RusHydro has been increasing power
generation, unlike the now US-owned Vorotan Cascade.
Source: http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150624/1023800067.html
Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan: Foreign
media trying to politicize Yerevan protests
Foreign media reports are trying to politicize the protests in Yerevan against the electricity price hike, a political scientist Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan said in an interview with Sputnik Armenia radio station in comments on Tuesday's protest and its tough dispersal by the riot police in the early hours of June 23. "This is clearly a social protest without political overtones. Although it sounds strange but the attempts to politicize it are being made by largely foreign media, especially, from Ukraine and Russia. The impression is that Armenia’s information field, especially today, in a sense, has become a platform of Russian-Ukrainian confrontation,’ said Melik-Shahnazaryan.
According to him, this tendency should be prevented as quickly as possible, because it can distract both demonstrators and government representatives from the developments that are unique to Armenia only. In comments on the fact that some foreign media describe what happened in Yerevan as "Maidan” he said they, in fact, are not particularly interested in what is really going on in Armenia, and what is the real reason behind the protest. "This is a social unrest, social rebellion, and they (foreign media) will try to use this opportunity to solve their own problems,' he added.
Another political analyst Movses Demirchyan said there is no word about the choice of the country’s development vector or the choice of a party ideology and in this sense, foreign media reports do not reflect the situation that was created in Armenia. Demirchyan found it difficult to predict how the situation will develop in the future saying that will depend on what kind of demands the activists of the protest may put forward today, and how realistic they are. The office of the prosecutor general said today it has opened a probe into "hooliganism and disturbing public order" after today morning’s dispersal of the sit-in. If found guilty, the protesters could face a fine of a jail term.
Armenia's health ministry said 25 people, including 11 police, were treated for injuries including fractures. The overnight rally was the culmination of several days of protests aimed at forcing president Serzh Sargsyan to cancel the tariff hikes, with protests also taking place on Monday in several other cities.
Source: http://arka.am/en/news/politics/foreign_media_trying_to_politicize_yerevan_protests
Pro-West NGOs, Armenian unrest and the destabilization of Russia
A number of pro-Western NGOs in Armenia perform various functions,
including the support of political processes and even overseeing foreign
elections. Now, as protests against an electricity rate hike drag on,
these groups are getting a second look. Protesters, demanding the cancellation of a 17 percent
electricity price hike that is set to take effect on August 1,
have spent another night on the streets of Armenian capital. The
demonstrators have refused to meet with Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan to discuss their grievances, opting instead to continue
their street sit-in that began last Friday.
In the midst of these protests, and with the Ukrainian political
crisis still smoldering on Russia's doorstep, attention is being
given to some of the non-governmental organizations operating in
the country. Many of these NGOs have been funded by the United
States ever since Armenia voted for its independence following
the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
“The Choice is Yours” organization, for example, which is fully
funded by Washington, actually performs in the election processes
outside the territory of Armenia. In December 2004, during the
third round of presidential elections in Ukraine, for example,
over 100 independent observers from Armenia were sent to a
province in Ukraine to monitor the elections. By the time the
2010 Ukrainian elections rolled around, the number of Armenian
election monitors from this US-funded group appeared to more than
triple. An official from “The Choice is Yours” NGO told Armenpress that “450 short-term observers
took part in the international observation mission in the
Ukrainian presidential elections.”
However, proving that Washington is directly bankrolling NGOs
lobbying on behalf of American interests in the political and
socio-political sectors is “practically
impossible,”writes Susanna Petrosyan, in Vestnik Kavkaza.
“Armenian fiscal structures have information about the
finances but they do not publish it.”
Meanwhile, other NGOs with an anti-Russian bias, such as the
"Committee for Support of Ukraine," pop up like weeds for a short
period of time and therefore are not registered at the Justice
Ministry, Petrosyan says. Mger Simonyan, the president of the Fund for Development of
Eurasian Cooperation, believes that the number of pro-West NGOs
grew significantly since Armenia joined the Russia-led Customs
Union and the Eurasian Union.
“Russian and pro-Russian public organizations of Armenia are
far behind their Western competitors. Armenia has 5-10 competent
Russian organizations and about 200 Western ones,” says
Simonyan. Meanwhile, some observers are cautious about drawing parallels
between the current Armenian unrest and the violent upheaval that
occurred during last year's Maidan protests in Kiev, Ukraine,
which ultimately forced out a democratically elected leader."If American NGOs were directly involved in the Armenian
unrest we would be seeing a lot of crude street slogans talking
about the need for 'good governance,' which is just another way
of describing politicians supported by Washington,"
Dmitry
Babich, a political analyst based in Moscow, told RT. "The
protesters all seem to be holding homemade signs demanding
economic justice, while there has been no overt blaming of
Russia."Armenians understand that Russia is not the source of their
problems," Babich said. Dr Paul Craig Roberts, the former US assistant secretary of the
Treasury for economic policy, who actually predicted turmoil for
Armenia due to foreign meddling, also shared his thoughts with RT
on the role of NGOs and how they might be used for
less-than-beneficent purposes in the realm of geopolitics.
RT:So how did
you see this coming, when it seemingly caught most people by
surprise?
Paul Craig Roberts: Well, it’s part of the
destabilization of Russia. It is part of the regime change that
neoconservatives in Washington desire to accomplish. So it was
obvious that Armenia would be subject to this type of thing. Now this particular protest, it might be innocent, it may be a
legitimate protest. But even if it is, Washington will make an
effort to turn it into more. And the same thing is going to
happen in Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan. If possible, Washington will
destabilize Kazakhstan, they would love to do that because then
they can also put pressure on China.
RT: So how do you see this unrest unfolding
then, given your suspicions?
PCR: Well, it’s not suspicions, it’s just fact:
the National Endowment for Democracy was set up in 1983 for the
explicit purpose of causing a political dissension inside of
Soviet Eastern Europe. And it is the main source of funds for
these non-governmental organizations that are active, that exist
in every former constituent part of the Soviet Union. In fact,
you have hundreds of them in Russia itself. These were created by
Washington and although the Russian government is finally taking
notice of them and put some constraints on them, they are there.
And of course they are in Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan; and they are
being used against China in Hong Kong. So they are everywhere and
they are used to try and put pressure on countries that are
trying to exercise an independent foreign policy from Washington.
RT: Do you find these protests to be
proportional to the issue of energy price rises?
PCR: Well, it didn’t unless they made a huge
increase in the electricity price that people really can’t meet;
it does seem to be an unusual thing to protest. But even if it is a legitimate protest, it does not mean that
Washington won’t jump on it and turn it to its own purpose.
Sometimes Washington will originate the protest, other times it
waits for one to happen. And then it puts its NGOs and various
bought and paid-for local politicians into the mix. We saw this
perfectly in Ukraine. And it happened in Georgia. All of these
so-called color revolutions are a product of the National
Endowment for Democracy funding of the NGOs in those countries.
And the money is also used to pay politicians who will line up
with Washington, such as the current Prime Minister of Ukraine.
RT: What do authorities need to do to ease
the public mood inside of Armenia?
PCR: I don’t know enough about this particular
situation, but the authorities everywhere that are on the
periphery of Russia and were former constituent parts of the
Soviet Union, or Russia itself, they need to understand that they
are targeted for disruption. Because that is part of Washington’s
policy of putting pressure on Russia. That’s what going on, and
people need to be aware of it. So, what they have to do: regulate
these NGOs, or watch them, or terminate the foreign funding? I
don’t know, but they need to be aware that is what they are used
for. They are not there to teach democracy and human rights and
women's rights. They are there as fifth columns for Washington.
Andrey Areshev:
Protests against electricity tariff rise in Armenia have no signs of a
coup d’etat
The protests against the electricity tariff rise in Armenia have no
signs of a coup d’etat, but they will continue until the local
authorities try to reach a compromise with citizens, Andrey Areshev, an
expert at the Center for Central Asian and Caucasus Studies of the
Institute for Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told
RIA Novosti.
“I think the situation should be resolved peacefully – given its complexity – which was also said in yesterday’s statement of Dmitry Peskov (editor: Russian President’s spokesman). It is important for Armenia, an EEU member and a country close to us (editor: Russia), to maintain socioeconomic and internal political stability. I believe that the Armenian authorities need to take steps in that direction,” the expert stressed.
He said that in order to settle the current conflict, it is first of all necessary to eliminate the prime cause that triggered discontent, namely, to deal with the issue of power price increase. In his words, some solutions can be found, including at the level of parliament – the confrontation should be moved from Yerevan streets into a more constructive course, in particular, the parliament where such issues are to be solved. Areshev said on the whole, the Armenian authorities are in control of the situation, and although various people joined the ranks of protesters, “there has always been an understanding in the country that the conflict’s development according to ‘Ukrainian’ scenario will result in very negative consequences. “Armenia have always managed to find some compromise. I think it will do it this time as well,” the expert noted.
As was reported, Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) Company earlier submitted a bid to the Public Services Regulatory Commission about a rise in electricity tariffs. The parliamentary opposition considers it unfounded and serving the interests of that company. The current night-time tariff for the population is 31.85 drams per one KWh, the daytime tariff is 41.85 drams. The bid of ENA proposed raising the tariffs to 48 and 58 drams respectively. Yet the Commission satisfied the bid of ENA only partially on June 17. The tariffs in Armenia will increase by 6.93 drams, and not by 17 drams. The Commission’s decision will take force on August 1, 2015. Protests against the power tariff raise have been staged in Yerevan since June 19.
“I think the situation should be resolved peacefully – given its complexity – which was also said in yesterday’s statement of Dmitry Peskov (editor: Russian President’s spokesman). It is important for Armenia, an EEU member and a country close to us (editor: Russia), to maintain socioeconomic and internal political stability. I believe that the Armenian authorities need to take steps in that direction,” the expert stressed.
He said that in order to settle the current conflict, it is first of all necessary to eliminate the prime cause that triggered discontent, namely, to deal with the issue of power price increase. In his words, some solutions can be found, including at the level of parliament – the confrontation should be moved from Yerevan streets into a more constructive course, in particular, the parliament where such issues are to be solved. Areshev said on the whole, the Armenian authorities are in control of the situation, and although various people joined the ranks of protesters, “there has always been an understanding in the country that the conflict’s development according to ‘Ukrainian’ scenario will result in very negative consequences. “Armenia have always managed to find some compromise. I think it will do it this time as well,” the expert noted.
As was reported, Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) Company earlier submitted a bid to the Public Services Regulatory Commission about a rise in electricity tariffs. The parliamentary opposition considers it unfounded and serving the interests of that company. The current night-time tariff for the population is 31.85 drams per one KWh, the daytime tariff is 41.85 drams. The bid of ENA proposed raising the tariffs to 48 and 58 drams respectively. Yet the Commission satisfied the bid of ENA only partially on June 17. The tariffs in Armenia will increase by 6.93 drams, and not by 17 drams. The Commission’s decision will take force on August 1, 2015. Protests against the power tariff raise have been staged in Yerevan since June 19.
Source: http://www.panorama.am/en/popular/2015/06/24/areshev/
Alexander Iskandaryan: Protesters against power tariff hike in Armenia have no claims against Russia
When commenting on the fact that Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA)
Company that submitted an application for a rise in electricity tariffs
in Armenia is a daughter company of Russia’s Inter RAO UES, political
scientist Alexander Iskandaryan said that it does not necessarily mean
the protesters have claims to Russia.
“Stereotypical thinking leads people to assume that if it is a Russian company, there must be an anti-Russian component. I suppose that some people can say anything and that one can always find people who show their emotions that way. Yet there is simply no background for widespread anti-Russian sentiment in Armenia,” the expert said.
He invited attention to the fact that the demonstrators have appealed to the authorities, the president, rather than they “gather outside the office of Electric Networks of Armenia”. Protesters also believe that it is up to the Armenian authorities to deal with the problem of the Russian company, Iskandaryan added. He stressed that it is a social protest, not a political one, and it was the power price hike that prompted people to take to the streets.
“Stereotypical thinking leads people to assume that if it is a Russian company, there must be an anti-Russian component. I suppose that some people can say anything and that one can always find people who show their emotions that way. Yet there is simply no background for widespread anti-Russian sentiment in Armenia,” the expert said.
He invited attention to the fact that the demonstrators have appealed to the authorities, the president, rather than they “gather outside the office of Electric Networks of Armenia”. Protesters also believe that it is up to the Armenian authorities to deal with the problem of the Russian company, Iskandaryan added. He stressed that it is a social protest, not a political one, and it was the power price hike that prompted people to take to the streets.
“It does not resemble the Ukrainian maidan. Maindan had a different, foreign political nature, but here the character of protests is domestic: it is annoyance with the economic situation. An economic stagnation has been observed in the country since 2008. The country remained in that situation for long, and there is growing annoyance with the economic scheme. Of course, it is a specific rise in prices which is a pretext, rather than a cause,” the expert noted.
“In Armenia there is a culture of street political activity. Rallies have been staged regularly since 1991. A culture of achieving something through rallies does exist in Armenia. A year ago a pension reform was scrapped. Rallies against the gas price increase took place in Yerevan, and the decision on transport fare hike was suspended. People are accustomed to the fact they can take to the streets and gain their end in some cases. True, they may not gain it, either,” Iskandaryan said.
It should be noted that amid numerous statements of Russian politicians, MPs and senators about some similarities with the Ukrainian maidan and intrigues of ‘external forces’, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said on June 24 that statements to the effect that the situation in Armenia was provoked from outside need to be proven. “We will carefully examine everything that preceded it, but I would not jump to conclusions,” he said.
Source: http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2015/06/25/iskandaryan-meeting-armenia-rf/
Anatoly Karlin: Why Armenia Isn't Ukraine (Probably)
There’s this little thing called the Armenia-Azerbaijan stand off in which Armenia desperately needs Russian support (since it is not going to get it from the west)
In recent days, some Armenians have been up in arms over increases in
electricity tariffs by the evil Russian-owned electricity monopoly that
will bring them up to… well, a level slightly higher than in Russia and
about 2-3x lower than in most EU countries (don’t you love
comparative context?). Discourse in both Russia and the West has now shifted to the familiar template of color revolution. Cookie girl Victoria Nuland was in Armenia last
February in a closed meeting with NGOs, which is never a good sign, and
the Maidanist Ukrainian elites are salivating over the prospect of a
color revolution in Yerevan, with Interior Minister (and ethnic
Armenian) Arsen Avakov going so far as to express his support for the
“Electromaidan” couched in a bizarre anecdote about his adventures with a thermos in (Ukraine’s) Euromaidan.
Does
this presage the overthrow of Russia’s colonial “puppet” in Armenia and
its inevitable transition to the promised land of freedom, prosperity,
and end-of-history that all such revolutions inevitably entail?
At first, one might have cause to be skeptical. The numbers of protesters fhas been few so far: No more than 1% of Yerevan’s one million strong population. And while they do include the usual young pro-Western and anti-Russian types, there’s also plenty of older leftists and apoliticals, so for the most part it could be said to be a domestic political affair with no particular connection to questions such as Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union or its hosting of a Russian military base in Gyumri.
In opinion polls, Armenians are highly positive towards
Russia. On the other hand, pretty much of all of this could also have
been said of Ukraine’s Euromaidan in Ukraine before November 2013. There
is however one very critical difference between Ukraine and Armenia and
it is summarized in the following chart (figures are from SIPRI):
Azerbaijan
does not much like Armenia. The two fought a war in the early 1990s
soon after the collapse of the Soviet Union over the territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh, which was officially Azeri but populated by Armenians
(thanks to Georgia’s Stalin). Occupying favorable defensive
positions and enjoying high morale and funds from the diaspora, the
Armenians got by far the better of the exchange, and Nagorno-Karabakh
has since been de facto theirs, albeit that is hotly disputed by the
Azeris and unrecognized by the world community.
Azerbaijan is
fully committed to revanche, and relations between the two countries are
poisonous to an almost slapstick degree. This is mostly amply
demonstrated by the case of an Azeri military officer who murdered an Armenian counterpart while on a NATO exchange program in Hungary. Upon
being sent back to Azerbaijan to serve the rest of his life sentence,
was immediately set free by Presidential decree, named a national hero,
and given a free flat. Azerbaijan is backed to the hilt by Turkey, but
is constrained by uncertainty over Russia’s possible response to
overt aggression.
The two countries maintained a rough parity in
military spending until the mid-2000s, with Armenia also benefitting
from below market cost Russian weapon supplies. Since then, however,
Azerbaijan has surged massively ahead, and its oil-fueled military
spending is now higher than Armenia’s entire state budget.
Source: http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/why-armenia-isnt-ukraine-probably/ri8347
Paul Creig Roberts: Are Armenian Protests Aimed At Russia?
As I expected, protests have broken out in the capital of Armenia.
The pretext is a rise in electricity rates. Apparently, the rise was
not budget-breaking, which puts the pretext under suspicion. Moreover,
videos of the protesters show an overwhelming young component, which
suggests that the protesters are not the ones who pay the electricity
bills. The protest may be innocent and legitimate, but on the surface looks
yet again like National Endowment for Democracy-funded NGOs calling the
gullible and naive students into the streets.
Even if the protest is innocent, Washington will jump on it in order to turn it to Washington’s purpose. Protests are Washington’s method of putting pressure on governments
that do not adhere to Washington’s foreign policy and of effecting
regime change, as in the former Georgian and Ukrainian provinces of
Russia and the Soviet Union.
“Color revolutions” and regime change are the purpose of the National
Endowment for Democracy. This US government agency was set up in 1983
in order to spread political dissent in Soviet Eastern Europe. NED is
funded by the federal budget via the Department of State. Washington has its NGOs in all former constituent parts of the Soviet
Union and inside Russia herself. By using “color revolutions” or, as in
the case of Ukraine, regime change via an outright coup, Washington
removes governments friendly to Russia and replaces them with its
vassals. Once Russia’s periphery is in Washington’s hands, Washington
will begin to break up the Russian Federation itself.
The Russian people and their government have been slow to understand
this threat to their sovereignty. Having emerged from the authoritarian
rule of the Communist Party, Russians thought that their country would
be welcomed and supported by the United States. Russia would be as long
as Russia is willing to be a US vassal like all of Europe, Canada,
Australia, and Japan.
Once the Russian government acted in defense of its national interest
and international law and blocked Washington’s intentions against Syria
and Iran, the neoconservatives shifted their focus from the Middle East
to Russia. Having spent $5 billion cultivating Ukrainian politicians
and financing NGOs in Ukraine, Washington grabbed Ukraine while the
Russian government, trusting to Western good will, was focused on the
Sochi Olympics.
Washington has used its coup in Kiev to foment an European-Russian
crisis that harms Europeans more than Russia, but serves to keep Europe
under Washington’s thumb. The Russian government’s response to the
crisis has not been sufficiently strong to make Europeans see the error
of their ways. The weak Russian response, relying on diplomacy which Washington has
rejected and replaced with force, has encouraged Washington to further
surround Russia with regime changes. Armenia was predictable, as is
Kyrgyzstan. Kazakhstan would be the big prize as the country also
borders China. Indeed, if Washington can grab Kazakhstan, Washington
will also have Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan, all
of which sits atop Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
As far as I can tell, a number of influential Russians believe that
their prestige and self-esteem depend on being a part of the West.
Russians of this ilk are willing to give up Russian independence for
Western acceptance. These are the Russians on whom Washington is
relying. And these Russians are Russia’s main enemy.
Radio Liberty: 'ElectricYerevan' Protesters Chafe At Comparisons To Ukraine's Euromaidan
As protests in Yerevan and other Armenian cities enter their second
week, activists are struggling with a postmodern problem -- branding. They bristle at comparisons -- whether well-intentioned or not --
with the Euromaidan movement that ousted Ukrainian President Viktor
Yanukovych in February 2014. Babken DerGrigorian, an activist who is also a researcher at the London School of Economics and who invented the #ElectricYerevan Twitter hashtag
that has been widely adopted, has been adamant on social media that
outside observers should avoid slapping the Maidan label on events in
Armenia.
"Framing is crucial," he posted on Twitter. "IT IS NOT A MAIDAN! ITS (sic) MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT!!!" Perhaps the main reason why the protesters resist this comparison is
because Russian state-controlled media and pro-Kremlin figures have been
so aggressive in insisting on it. And when they use the term "Maidan,"
they mean a U.S.-inspired anti-Russian coup. Pro-Kremlin analyst and former Duma Deputy Sergei Markov has been one
of the most outspoken. The Yerevan events "are an attempted color
revolution that has been ordered from abroad," he wrote on Facebook on
June 23.
"This attack on Yerevan was expected as a reaction to its rejection
of a semicolonial Association Agreement with the EU and its joining to
Eurasian Union," he wrote the same day. "Most likely there are many
fighters from Ukraine among the demonstrators and they are being managed
by an external headquarters run by the same political technologists
that ran Kyiv's Maidan."
Russian state-controlled television has also pushed the Maidan
comparison, prompting demonstrators to try to shout down Russian
journalists reporting from the protests.
"Last night the crowd moved through the center of Yerevan along
Marshal Bagramian Avenue, where the embassies of key European countries
are located," Russia's Vesti news program reported on June 23. "The
prosecutor's office is now interested in the protests. Inspectors are
looking into reports that the people are being provoked and incited by
some nongovernmental organizations -- of which there are dozens in
Armenia, most of which live off of grants from the United States."
As a result of such reports -- which have also included the claim
that demonstrators attacked police on June 23, prompting the authorities
to respond with water cannons -- demonstrators have been holding up
signs with slogans such as "Tell the truth!" behind Russian journalists
trying to do stand-up reports from the scene. Such Russian coverage prompted activist DerGrigorian to concede at least one comparison between Yerevan and Kyiv. Some protest supporters have tried to counter Russian media claims with humor, setting up a Facebook page featuring mocking memes and other jokes. In one, for instance, a photograph of protesters playing a game of
chess is captioned in Russian: "Armenian activists have received the
latest tactical maps from the U.S. State Department. Now they are
preparing to storm the presidential residence."
Similar In Motivation, At Least
On the other hand, some Ukrainians and others who argue that
Euromaidan was a grassroots popular movement aimed at holding corrupt
politicians accountable have been eager to see Yerevan in the same
light. "Yesterday some friends and I went down to Marshal Bagramian Avenue,"
Oleksandr Bozhko, Ukraine's former ambassador to Armenia, told RFE/RL's
Ukrainian Service on June 25. "The atmosphere that prevailed there, the
particular sense of elevation, the confidence of the people in the
justice of their cause, of course, reminded me of Kyiv's Maidan. And it
even seemed to me that I had gone back to the autumn of 2013."
The main spokespeople for the Armenian protesters insist that
#ElectricYerevan is not an anti-Russian phenomenon, but is narrowly
aimed at the repeal of a government decision to raise electricity rates
for the third time in recent years and the investigation of possible
corruption and mismanagement at the country's monopoly electricity
supplier. They insist the fact that the electricity supplier is owned by a
Russian company is irrelevant to their basic contention that ordinary
Armenians are being asked to pay for poor management and the government
is doing nothing to protect them.
Yelizaveta Khramtsova, a correspondent for Russia's LifeNews channel,
says demonstrators consistently tell her to report that their demands
are not "political" and they are not calling for a change of government.
"There is nothing like in Kyiv here," Khramtsova tells RFE/RL. "I was
in Kyiv and I can say that these are two different situations."
"The important thing is that we realize Armenia will not follow the Ukrainian scenario," she adds. Razmik Avagian, an ethnic Armenian who lives in Sweden but who is
participating in some of the protests, says that the international media
"make things more complicated than they really are."
Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/armenia-electricyerevan-protesters-chafe-at-euromaidan-comparison/27095421.html
Electric Yerevan and Lessons on the Color-Spring Tactic
The Electric Yerevan protest provides us with an excellent opportunity
to review some of the basic underlying mechanics and psychology of the
Color-Spring tactic. It is important to share these publicly, for it is
indeed probable that the Color-Spring tactic will be increasingly
applied in the world as a “hybrid soft-power/hard-power tactic”.
A moral principle held by Gene Sharp, who was one of the tactic’s
main developers, was that violence is not necessary for revolution. What
is strange, contradictory, even dishonest here is that violence is
reduced taxonomically to the physical violence of the state’s gendarmes
against the civilians. But we know that violence comes in many forms.
We live in a time of great violence; physical, psychological, legal,
economic, spiritual violence. Not only has the Color Revolution tactic
engendered the latter four, but its mutation into the Arab Spring tactic
also employs heinous physical violence. We can see today, tens of
thousands dead in Libya, hundreds of thousands in Syria, and a mounting
figure in Ukraine which threatens to surpass the precedents.
 |
| “Non-violent” change in Syria |
Novices to political science and political activism may be lured by
the spectre and spectacle of the Color Revolution method that has
characterized ostensible movements for radical social change in the last
generation. The symbols have become iconic and clichéd: the tent city,
the die-in, the girl placing flowers in the gendarme’s gun barrels,
water cannons and tear-gas, the fist flag.
What is missing of course from this view is an understanding of the
real social forces in a society, class and economic forces. For forty
years, genuine activism, labor union militancy, has been marginalized.
In place of direct action against the ruling class at the very places
that make their wealth, is a strange simulation of late 1960’s student
activism; shown to us on a never-ending film reel loop. Others have caught on to the fact that the US has been funding these
protest movements, and that these ‘grass-roots’ movements are in fact
astroturf movements. Still, it is misunderstood how the US viewed these
governments before they tried to destabilize them.
One thing which is often popularly misunderstood about the
Color-Spring tactic, by those who know that the US is behind them, is
that governments being targeted for regime change by the US are not just
those which have apparently bad relations with the US, but may in fact
be generally US-friendly governments. By and large, in fact, the latter
is the case. We will be exploring this aspect as it relates to
Armenia. Also we will look at some of the methods used in the application of
this tactic in Armenia, and at the general psychological and technical
framework of the organizing methods.
 |
| Gene Sharp – a man of ‘Non-Violence’ |
Why the US Targets ‘Regimes’ for ‘Change’
In the Color-Spring tactic, the US may target countries for ‘regime
change’ that it has had generally constructive relations with, but whose
other ties are increasingly problematic. It may be also generally
friendly countries who refuse to commit resources to reshaping regional
power balances, such as with Mubarak in Egypt, who was reluctant to
interfere with Syria. Another reason may be that the targeted country
has a natural relationship with other countries in its region which,
regardless of the official position of the government, promotes certain
economic and meta-political relationships and developments which are
contrary to US interests. In the latter case, it may be desirable to
employ a scorched earth policy, known as the ‘failed state’, in order to
destroy the material foundations of economic and political coherency.
Given the failure of the Orange Revolution to frustrate relations
with Russia, the situation in Ukraine may be an example of this scorched
earth/failed state strategy. Conclusively, the Color-Spring tactic is
compatible with any number of strategies, and can be a part of
producing any number of desired outcomes, and as such is a very useful
weapon to possess.
How the US Sets up a ‘Regime’ for ‘Change’
In this tactic, the US can effectively hide behind itself. It works
to create or at least catalyze the very situation which it later
exploits. From one of the pioneers of the Color/Spring tactic at
Dartmouth and Harvard, Gene Sharp – whose work follows that of Saul
Alinsky and others – we can reflect on the following truths:
1.) People often think of redressing grievances politically in terms
of protests by citizens; it is under the legal-constitutional framework
as citizens that protests are legitimate.
2.) The mischief of mercantile and private interests: companies,
corporations, investment consortia, etc., often are the source of
public discontent.
3.) Yet it is the government’s approval of (or inability to work
against) these private interests which, by and large, becomes the focus
of citizen protests.
4.) People generally understand that one actor (such as the US) may
benefit from being behind one side of a given conflict. But the idea
that one actor may simultaneously generate the problem, provoke a public
reaction, and then back a pre-planned solution of its liking, strikes
many as either difficult to understand or ‘conspiratorial’ in nature.
5.) Thus, the US can with a relative degree of public stealth, be the
promoter and main beneficiary of these above described private
interests in the short term, while simultaneously using the public
discontent that these logically produce, as a vehicle to leverage
long-term pressure upon that same government, up to and including
‘regime change’.
The basic framework of the ‘Electric Yerevan’ protests is a prime
example of this dynamic. The reasons why average Armenians would take
part in and support these protests are rational, and from the
perspective of the public interest, even supportable at face value. The
US, working through its network of NGO assets and favored charitable
corporate entities, seeks to steer these protests in an anti-Russian
direction.
Why the US wants to ‘Regime Change’ Armenia
When Armenia joined Eurasian Economic Union on January 2nd, 2015, it
made history. This was a civilizational decision which would define its
relationship to the world for the coming period. The US saw this
coming partly as a result of the previous elections. The US had been a
longstanding partner in various Armenian economic and political
projects, ever since the collapse of the USSR almost twenty-five years
ago.
Armenia never lost its close ties with Russia, and in the previous
period – which in US foreign policy we might say ended with the 2007
economic crisis – it was acceptable for the US within the framework of
the US’s lukewarm relationship with Russia, and the US’s course at that
time, for Armenia to maintain good relations with Russia.
Nevertheless, the US never lost sight of the importance of Armenia to
Russia, and vice-versa. The US continued to play the regional power
politics, in terms of encouraging and promoting the pre-existing
conflicts and problematic historical narratives between
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Insofar as the US could not decisively improve its power base within
Armenia, it simultaneously promoted a weak Armenia policy (similar to
its Serbia policy) which significantly favored Georgia and others. The
end of 2014 was when the US made a major decision.
Indeed, when the winds of change were felt a few years ago in
Armenia, the US changed its policy and appointed a new US ambassador in
December 2014, and declared that the US will substantially cut funding
and assistance to Armenia, and will terminate several projects that were
in development. The February 13th, 2013 presidential elections, as
well as the May 6th, 2012 parliamentary elections were critical. It
has been discussed for some years that Armenia would be joining the
Eurasian Union, and US efforts to steer that discourse ultimately
failed.
The general context here is that going back to 1994, Armenia joined
the important Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). This, as
it is known, is what the Russian Federation has been building with
former Soviet republics as a replacement to the unified command
structure of the Soviet Army.
Despite Armenia’s willingness to globally diversify its partnerships
(including in the energy markets which are critical to ‘Electric
Yerevan’), the post-2007 period has been characterized by a change in
the US’s tolerance for balanced or multi-polar foreign policies in other
countries. The US has never been a paragon of free market liberties,
and to the contrary, as a realist oriented actor on the global stage,
has always used tariffs, exclusive agreements, and gunboat diplomacy
within its repertoire in pursuit of its own interests; i.e., the
interests of its ruling elite. But the upping of the ante vis-à-vis the
‘BRICS and friends’ nations has significantly changed the climate and
the rules of the game.
Despite Armenia’s willingness to allow US companies and NGO’s to
operate in Armenia, it’s membership in the Eurasian Union and CSTO
remains the US’s primary reason for targeting Armenia for regime change.
Why the US Thinks it can get Armenians to ‘Regime Change’
As we have explained, the US’s use of the Color-Spring tactic does
not negate the fact that the Armenian government has faced massive
public discontent over several ongoing issues. Because Armenia’s economy
and public budget is so tied to the global economy, government
initiatives to increase prices or taxes related to public sector
services are essentially a public recognition of economic fact; a
rubber-stamping of a reality being created far beyond Armenia’s borders
or the reach of its government. A number of protests preceded this one, and while they were popular
for tangible reasons, they were also a training ground for the
organizers of ‘Electric Yerevan’.
Protests happened two years ago when the government indicated its
need to increase the transportation fare by 50%. In this case, elements
of the public protested for a week and the government heeded these
demands. Additionally, this type of protest happened last year in opposition
to a new pension fund system, and the struggle to abolish this lasted
for six months. But what was popularly promoted by the NGO leadership among
protesters in both of these policy-protest movements, was that people
are doing this without any leadership or organization.
Because there is an organizational history of protests, with
organizers taking notes and perfecting various methods and strategems on
the ground, US financed organizers may now believe they are in the
position to escalate the present protest into a ‘regime change’
scenario.
They might believe this because they have been escalating the whole
time. In labor and community action-organizing, planning works by the
method of escalation. Each step that escalates is harder to pull off,
but is harder for the target to withstand. If you have accurately
assessed your organizing results so far, and if the prior escalations
have succeeded, then the next step stands a better chance at success. Now this protest dubbed ‘Electric Yerevan’, organized under the
project name ”No To Plunder”, against the electricity cost increase, is
being promoted as a self-organised internal protest which has no leader
and no political affiliation, including with the opposition.
Activists claim, and many believe, that there are no political
dimensions, no political slogans, and no call for resignations. They
claim that they are not against any country (Russia), are not for any
country or international body (USA or NATO), and that they do not call
for revolution, nor demand any change in government policy. At this stage, we can see they have attempted to sanitize the
protests as purely being a demand for an investigation into the workings
of the Electric Networks of Armenia.
The Protester’s ‘Demand’ Reveals the real Target
The reason that this demand is indeed political, geopolitical, and
geostrategic, is that the power distributor Electric Networks of
Armenia is controlled by one of the successors to Russia’s electricity
giant, Unified Energy System of Russia (RAO UES). Under a
reorganization plan in 2008, RAO UES technically ceased to exist, with
its 51% government shares being largely privatized as well, but the
successor network is commonly referred to by this name as a matter of
habit, and because the various entities are essentially managed in the
same centralized manner.
This makes a perfect narrative to steer this in an anti-Russian
direction, and lay the blame at the government’s relationship with
Russian firms. The purpose of this call for an investigation into
Electric Networks of Armenia is more clear when we understand who the
protest organizers ignore: the US company, ContourGlobal. ContourGlobal purchased the Vorotan Hydro Cascade, a complex
consisting of three hydroelectric plants, on June 6th, 2015.
ContourGlobal then increased its projected operating costs, compelling
the government to recognize this, which the distributor, Electric
Networks of Armenia, was forced to pass on to consumers.
In other words, the demands of the protest organizers exclude both
the facts and the recent history of the issue, focusing instead on a
downstream element, the distribution end of the industry. Rather than demanding socialization of the Vorotan Hydro Cascade,
protest organizers – not without reason – are hyperventilating the
public into an anti-Russian direction. This direction focuses just
on Electric Networks of Armenia and its control by RAO UES. This
relationship is reinforced by the Eurasian Union.
Economies of scale tend to deliver goods and services at a lower cost
when compared to smaller scale operations. Armenia has a population of
about 3 million. “RAO UES”, in the wake of the collapse of the USSR, is
and was well positioned to manage the affairs of Electric Networks of
Armenia. “RAO UES” essentially inherited the system used by the USSR,
which was already designed to maximize output on a non-profit basis, by
using a centralized management system. However, “RAO UES” and its
successors are not ‘non profit’, and public outrage against a basic
utility such as power being run on a for-profit basis is rooted.
Nevertheless, we may believe at first that the relatively limited
demand to focus just on the “RAO UES” could be relatively benign: heed
the protester’s demands, conduct the investigation, and shift budgetary
items around, or take on further debt in order to cover the cost of the
rate hike reduction.
Organizing and Manipulating: The Course of Escalation
Ultimately, the Color-Spring tactic – in borrowing from the rich
history of left-wing social protest movements, as reflected upon by Saul
Alinsky in Rules for Radicals – begins with minimal demands
before moving forward to the maximal ones. This moves the protest
movement from a relatively benign one; based upon a popular framework of
peaceful assembly and seemingly realistic and necessary demands, into a
full-scale scene of chaos and disorder which forces the gendarmes of
the state to act, thereby finally de-legitimatizing the already shaky
government.
The demands change as ‘things change'; the nature of the Color-Spring
tactic always involves a developing list of demands which grow and
change in strategically planned stages. Each reform that the government
commits to as a compromise, to meet the demands of the protest
organizers, is not promoted by the organizers as a sign of goodwill on
the part of the government. Rather, the concessions are couched as proof that the government was
wrong in the first place, proof that all alleged excesses of law
enforcement were indeed criminal acts, and proof that the power of the
people is growing, that the government is afraid, weak, and divided; and
that now is the moment to push forward with more and more demands.
An interesting distinction that Alinsky makes is between organizing
and manipulating. Organizing is when the ‘leading from behind’ is done
in the best interests of those being led. Manipulating is when the
leading is done against the interests of the led. Given the results of
the Color-Spring tactic in the last few decades, the US’s co-option of
Alinsky’s work probably fits the latter description; and by their own
professed ideas the employees and volunteers of these US backed NGO’s in
Yerevan ought to be called ‘Manipulators’ instead of ‘Organizers’.
From Riot to ‘Revolution’ and the Dynamics of Group Psychology
The group psychology of the encampment in Yerevan changes by the day.
The more time the protesters spend with each other, the more they have
common memories and the more they think and act as a single unit. The
tone of the protest movement becomes more severe, more fatalistic: it
becomes the final, last stand.
The protesters are manipulated by the organizers and lose any sense
of history or proportion. Those who speak the most, who call the
regular meetings, seem like natural, honest, charismatic figures. They
symbolically project and communicate ‘goodness’. In reality they are
highly trained organizers whose first area of expertise is in
downplaying or concealing the organization that trained them, and the
organized nature of the proceedings. The ‘sworn testimony’ of the
regular encampment participants that there was ‘no leadership’ is honest
testimony; the simulation has been executed very well.
Paul Goble: 'Armenia is not a new Maidan. Please don't make it one'
Protests against electricity price hikes in Yerevan have little in
common with Ukraine’s uprising – but Russian geopolitical rhetoric has a
habit of making self-fulfilling prophecies, says Paul Goble
Many Russian analysts are hurrying to suggest that this week’s protests in Yerevan and their suppression by the Armenian government are the opening round of a new Maidan – an anti-Moscow action promoted and exploited by the west as part of a broader geopolitical struggle. But such an interpretation of events, if it comes to guide policy,
could prove to be the worst form of a self-fulfilling prophecy,
transforming what are protests by Armenians about domestic conditions
into something more. Should Moscow choose to defend the existing
authorities in Yerevan no matter what, it would alienate the country
against Russia.
That is the conclusion Sergey Markedonov of the Russian State Humanities University offers in his latest commentary,
one that constitutes a clear warning to the Kremlin, as well as
analysts inside Russia and abroad, about misreading the situation on the
ground by trying to make everything fit a pre-existing framework. Those who read every case of popular discontent in the post-Soviet
space as a Maidan or proto-Maidan are falling victim to a kind of
geopolitical determinism, as Markedonov puts it, according to which
“practically any [protest movement] is only an expression of ‘a proxy
war’ between the United States and Russia.”
Such people are taking the lazy way out, and forgetting that “a
political crisis is not a virus” which spreads from one place to
another, but rather reflects specific problems, however much some of
those who are participating in it – both the regimes andthose who oppose
them – draw on past cases in their vocabulary. What is happening in Armenia is decidedly not like what happened in Ukraine.
For one thing, Russia considers Armenia its strategic partner. For
another, the government and the people are not divided in their attitude
toward Moscow. Some in the government question Yerevan’s ties with
Russia; and many in the streets would like to see those ties deeper.
In short, the Moscow analyst says, the issue of Russia is not the
defining element in their struggle and it is critically important that
“in Moscow people do not fall victim to emotions and look for signs of a
Maidan where they are hard to find”. Rather, Russia must recognise that
the protesters are not unhappy with the Kremlin but with Yerevan’s own
power structure.
“If Russian politicians and diplomats draw incorrect conclusions and
link the opposition to the actions of the [US] State Department”,
Markedonov says, they will create a situation in which Moscow will have
to support the Armenian government no matter what, something that could
have the effect of alienating Armenians from it. In that event, what is a domestic Armenian problem today could become
a Maidan tomorrow, and thus something larger and more dangerous for
Russia. Instead, the analyst urges that Russia keep its lines open to
both the government and people of Armenia and encourage a settlement rather than backing only one horse. Markedonov concludes with the observation that he “has no illusions
relative to the good intentions of the Americans or Europeans with
regard to Russian interests on the post-Soviet space. But to reduce
everything to the ill intentions of the US, NATO or the EU is an
enormous mistake.”
Source: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/25/armenia-yerevan-protests-kremlin-ukraine
Radio Liberty: Russian
'Profiteering' At Heart Of Armenian Power Protests
Russia owns Armenia's power-distribution grid, and Armenian consumers
are furious about the way they are being treated by the firm when it
comes to paying for electricity. Protests have been growing in Yerevan
and other Armenian cities since the country's Public Services
Regulatory Commission voted on June 17 to raise electricity prices by 16
percent. A violent police crackdown on June 23 against demonstrators and journalists in Yerevan has fueled the anger further, bringing even larger crowds of protesters out to Yerevan's Liberty Square.
The plan to raise power prices by 16 percent as of August 1 came
after Inter RAO UES -- the Russian state-controlled electrical-energy
import and export monopoly that acquired Electric Networks of Armenia
(ENA) in 2006 -- asked for a 40 percent increase. Amid reports of widespread misappropriation and mismanagement by
ENA's Russian leadership, many Armenians say they are the victims of
Russian corruption and oligarchs.
'Servile' Attitude To Russia
Meanwhile, Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian's government has refused to investigate ENA's financial matters. Armen Grigorian, an Armenian political scientist and analyst for the
Washington-based Jamestown Foundation, says a "habitual servile attitude
toward the Russians" among Armenian officials is being paid for by
ordinary Armenian citizens. "Russian ownership of Armenia's gas and electricity supply and
distribution networks has not resulted in the discounts or higher
quality of services that were expected by Russia's loyalists," Grigorian
says. "Rather, it appears to have led to profiteering at the expense of
the country's population."
Armenia provides a crucial foothold for Moscow in the strategic South
Caucasus, hosting a large Russian military base, and this year joined
Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan in the Eurasian Economic Union, one of
the groupings the Kremlin is using to increase its clout in former
Soviet republics. However, Grigorian says, "Despite the 'strategic partnership' and
'brotherhood' narratives, Armenian households pay the highest
electricity fees in the post-Soviet space, and household gas prices
exceed even the costs paid by consumers in Ukraine" -- which is fighting
Russian-backed separatists in a bloody conflict -- and in some European
Union member states.
Losing Money?
ENA's managers, led by the firm's Russian general manager, Yevgeny
Bibin, have attempted to justify the price-hike demand by pointing to
the company's low profitability and mounting debt, which have resulted
in overall losses. Grigorian says that those explanations "seem suspect" and that "complaints about losses suffered by ENA do not seem justified." A report published by Inter RAO UES itself showed that the Russian
company's revenue from Armenia was $104 million for the first quarter of
2015, compared to $60 million in the first quarter of 2014. The May 2015 report said that the company's earnings from Armenia
before interest, taxes, depreciation and other adjustments also rose
during that period, increasing from $2.23 million to about $12.3
million.
Paying High Prices
Meanwhile, RFE/RL's Armenian Service has documented how ENA's Russian
managers have been paying, on average, about 20 percent above the
market price for equipment, electrical cables, and other materials it
has purchased since 2013 -- usually from Russian suppliers or Armenian
firms with close ties to the government. In one example, RFE/RL investigative reporters in Yerevan found that
ENA was paying eight times the market price for electrical gloves.
According to ENA's own records, its Russian management paid more than
1,000 times the market price for concrete supplies from the Ararat
Cement Factory, which is owned by influential government-connected
tycoon Gagik Tsarukian. Tsarukian is a parliament deputy and head of the Armenian National
Olympic Committee. His daughter is married to the son of Prime Minister
Hovik Abrahamian.
After RFE/RL published the price that ENA itself had reported paying
to Tsarukian's concrete firm, ENA responded by saying those figures were
the result of a technical error. But Robert Nazarian, the chairman of Armenia's Public Services
Regulatory Commission, has said that ENA simply made up the figures for
those payments. RFE/RL also found that services supplied to ENA by contractor
companies were, on average, about 14 percent above the market price.
The Armenian parliament's oversight committee reported in April that
ENA had paid a Russian-owned electricity producer in Yerevan more than
twice as much for supplies during 2014 than it had paid Armenian-owned
firms for the same amount of electricity. Transparency International also has said that the way ENA pays for
supplies, salaries, travel, and other costs is not transparent.
Poor Service
Despite such reports, the Public Services Regulatory Commission said
on June 24 that their decision to raise electricity prices for ordinary
Armenians was economically justified. ENA also faces complaints about poor service and frequent power outages in Armenia. Critics say that since it was taken over by its Russian owners, the
firm has failed to modernize the aging infrastructure that delivers
electricity to about 985,000 consumers -- despite a 10-year, $45 million
loan issued to ENA in 2009 by the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development to improve Armenia's power-distribution network.
The Russian owner of Armenia's power grid is one of the largest
Russian public energy companies on the basis of market capitalization.
Inter RAO UES heads a group of more than 20 different companies based in
more than a dozen other countries from Europe to Asia. In Armenia, it also operates the Metsamor nuclear power plant, which
produces about 40 percent of the electricity generated in the country.
Other assets that Inter RAO UES owns outright in Armenia include the
Hrazdan thermal power plant, which it has been expanding with help from
Russia's state-controlled natural gas giant, Gazprom.
Armenia does not produce its own natural gas. It depends upon Russian
supplies shipped to the Armenian border by Gazprom and purchased by
Gazprom Armenia, a firm which is fully owned by Gazprom. Natural gas accounts for about half of Armenia's total energy consumption, including about a third of its power generation.
Source:http://www.rferl.org/content/armenia-russian-profiteering-at-heart-of-protests/27091644.html
Richard Giragosian: This is not Armenia's Maidan moment - yet
![Armenian demonstrators during a protest against an increase in electricity prices in Yerevan, Armenia [Getty]](http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/imagecache/mbdxxlarge/mritems/Images/2015/6/26/2ac37379458d425c8ff20ebaada0da63_18.jpg "This is not Armenia's Maidan moment - yet")
As an estimated 10,000 people in Armenia joined round-the-clock
protests over a recent rise in electricity prices on June 24,
demonstrators sensed a turning point on the fourth day of this
outpouring of discontent. The turning point was evident as scores of
normally disengaged, first-time protesters descended on the protest site
to show solidarity and support. Yet this wave of protest represents much more than a display of
anger over an energy price rise. And these demonstrations are only the
latest in a series of civic actions against the Armenian government.
This recent round of protests against the Armenian government
represents something new and novel. Public demonstrations themselves are
certainly not new for Armenia. But the protesters, largely consisting
of the young, educated, and empowered, stand as a new challenge for the
government. Unlike the more traditional political rallies and protests of
Armenia's opposition parties, these demonstrations deprive the
authorities of any avenue for political negotiation, and the protesters
are simply not interested in anything short of concession.
More than energy
While this lack of politicisation served as an important
advantage for protesters in the initial period, it is now becoming a
weakness, as the need for a strategy for coherent political demands is
now apparent. Yet, despite that serious shortcoming in leadership, the
momentum of the protests is likely to only deepen, and not dissipate.
Such an outlook of sustained momentum is grounded in the fact
that these protests are also about more than energy prices. The
discontent is much deeper, rooted in a broader economic downturn, as
seen by an already severe one-third decrease in remittances coming to
Armenia from abroad. This cut in remittances has hit many ordinary
families in Armenia, who depend on the money for basic commodities and
food staples.
A second, related element that has only exacerbated the
situation is the anger over the arrogance of the Russian-owned energy
company in Armenia that has pushed the Armenian government for the
electricity price rise. The Russian connection does not necessarily mean that these protests
are directed against Moscow, and they are certainly not a Kiev-style
'Maidan moment'.
The anger and outrage over Russian arrogance was not only
rooted in the exposure of lavish spending on luxury vehicles and homes
for the Russian executives, but grew due to the company's refusal to
respond to a request by the Armenian parliament to defend the move in
the legislative debate over the price rise. The Russian connection does not necessarily mean that these
protests are directed against Moscow, and they are certainly not a
Kiev-style "Maidan moment".
But against the backdrop of a pre-existing crisis in
Armenian-Russian relations in the wake of the brutal murder of an entire
Armenian family by a Russian conscript stationed at the Russian base in
Armenia, any additional public perception of a Russian insult to
Armenian sovereignty only escalates tension.
Russian economy
And with the cause of the decline in remittances directly
linked to the downturn in the Russian economy, which is the source for
roughly 90 percent of all remittances coming into Armenia, there is a
broader aspect to such public anger. But it is also a "crisis of confidence" in the Armenian
government that is driving these protests. In fact, one key lesson from
the earlier round of demonstrations over the Armenian government's
half-hearted attempt to introduce sweeping pension reforms was that
those earlier public protests were based as much on a lack of trust in
the government's capacity to fairly implement the reform as the pension
reform itself.
Moreover, this crisis of confidence in the government has also
been matched by a destabilising degree of government arrogance, where
key decisions are taken with little or no public preparation or
engagement. This was most notably demonstrated by the Armenian
president's unilateral and abrupt decision to commit Armenia to joining
the Russian-led Eurasian Union in September 2013, which thereby ended
Armenia's hopes to conclude an Association Agreement with the European
Union.
No Armenian government has been able to handle public protests. For the Armenian authorities, the traditional response has always been a reflexive resort to force, in varying degrees of excess and abuse. This was most evident in the country's violent clashes during its 2008 post-election crisis, in which 10 people died and many more were wounded in a violent crackdown on demonstrators by police.
Given its consistent failure to communicate, the government's
inability to strike a delicate balance in response means that there is
little likelihood of a negotiated way out of this confrontation. This
was only confirmed by the excessive force used by police during an
initial attempt to forcibly disperse the protests on June 22, which also
included the mass arrests of some 230 demonstrators and journalists. Thus, while the immediate outlook of these mounting protests in
Armenia remains far from clear, it is fairly certain that Armenia faces
a long, hot summer of discontent in the weeks to come.
Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2015/06/armenia-maidan-moment-150625112125114.html
Freedom House: Armenian protesters were exercising their constitutional rights
Freedom House issued a statement regarding the recent peaceful protest in Yerevan that was dispersed by police on June 23. “Freedom House condemns the arrest of 237 peaceful protesters by police,” said Susan Corke, director of Eurasia programs. “The thousands of Armenians who marched in Yerevan to protest widespread corruption were exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and expression. The images of hospitalized civilians, beaten journalists, and broken filming equipment show that these rights are being trampled. We call for a full and transparent investigation of these unprovoked incidents of police brutality and use of force against peaceful demonstrators.”
Source: http://news.am/eng/news/273705.html
Opportunity of one-year free education in Great Britain for Armenian students
The British Embassy Yerevan is offering Chevening Scholarships, funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and administered by the British Council. Press service of the British Council told Armenpress that these cover the costs of study (including living expenses and international flights) in the United Kingdom for 12 months. They are awarded on a competitive basis for Master's degree programme in the fields of: conflict prevention and resolution; development of the public sector to meet EU and other international standards; strengthening free/unbiased media. Applicants must have the potential to rise to positions of leadership and influence. They will need to demonstrate that they possess the personal, intellectual and interpersonal attributes reflecting this potential. Although the scholars must meet the academic requirements for their courses of study, academic excellence is not the determining selection criterion for the scholarship. The criteria for suitability are: applicants should ideally be aged 25-35 but applications from all ages are welcome, should already hold a higher education diploma, hold a higher education diploma, should have at least two years work experience in their selected field of study, have an adequate standard of English, and should be committed to return to Armenia and contribute to the development of the country. All applications must be made on-line. Deadline for submitting applications is 23 January 2
Source: http://armenpress.am/eng/news/669866/Opportunity_of_one-year_free_education_in_Great_Britain_for_Armenian_students.html
Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Who should apply? Applicants should be:
- Motivated to make a career that will take them to positions of leadership in their own country within ten years of their scholarship
- Able to use their studies and experience in the UK to benefit themselves, their countries and the UK
- Natural influencers and talented communicators, with energy and ambition
- People who value networking and who can demonstrate the value of networks to their studies, and to bringing about change on a global level
- Intelligent, with demonstrable academic potential
- Strong characters with integrity, drive, and the ability to self manage and work independently
Research Fellowship Opportunity at Chatham House for Armenian Citizens
Through the program, fellows will complete a personal research project with the aim of producing a peer-reviewed publication, undertaken with the guidance of a Chatham House expert. This portion will account for half of the fellowship. The remaining time will be spent participating in the Academy’s Leadership Program and contributing to the ongoing research activities of their host research team. The fellowship is aimed at candidates at the mid-stage of their career and who come from academia, NGOs, business, government departments, civil society, or the media. They should possess knowledge of, and an interest in, one of the policy-related challenges laid out in the Russia and Eurasia Program‘s research topics, which include:
Internal Dynamics
- Developments in Economic Growth, Modernization and Democratization in the Eastern Partnership Countries and/or Russia
- Domestic Political Elites and Networks of Power
- Societal Changes, Social Capital, Migration, Inter-ethnic Relations and Non-state Actors
- State Capacity, Resilience, and External Influences on Domestic Politics in Eastern Partnership Countries and/or Russia
- Relations between EU/NATO and the Eastern Partnership Countries/Russia
- Security and Conflict Resolution
- Prospects for Intra-regional Conflict or Cooperation
- Relations between the Eastern Partnership Countries and Russia
Armenia First in Region in Winning US Green Cards
Source: http://news.am/eng/news/77821.html
American University of Armenia hosts talk on Turkish identity
Meltem Naz Kaşo, a former Today's Zaman daily reporter and a research
fellow participating in a Turkey-Armenia Fellowship Scheme established
by the Hrant Dink Foundation, was a guest speaker at the event.
Participants included 25 second-year Armenian students who took the
Armenian Language and Literature course at the university. The class was
taught in English and focused on the questions of identity formation
through literature. The course instructor at the AUA, Nareg Seferian, who invited Kaşo to
the event, told Today's Zaman that it was the first time that many of
his students had interacted with a Turk in their lives. “This was a
thought-provoking session for them. A seed was planted in their minds to
transform clashing narratives into a much more nuanced common
narrative,” he said.
Kaşo's discussion focused on three aspects of Turkish identity that she found important to the collective identity of her native country. “The Turkish identity is not a rigid construction, quite unlike Armenian culture in Armenia, which appears somewhat monolithic [and] consists of a single religion, race and certain traditions,” she said. Her talk highlighted Islam; the legacy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the republic's founder; and patriarchy as three key values of the Turkish identity. “These three aspect of ‘Turkishness' are usually in conflict with each other, causing Turks both individually and as a society to struggle to be in peace with themselves,” she said. Kaşo also mentioned the increasing polarization among Turks based mostly on the questions of the practice of their faith, social class and political stance.
After the talk on Turkish identity, Seferian told Today's Zaman that in modern times, it was very easy to base Armenian identity in a stark contrast with the Turkish one. The idea is that “we are Armenians because we are not Turks,” Seferian explained. According to him, Armenian students are not exposed to the Turkish identity enough. “The Turk is a character or a figure in Armenians' minds. It comes from their collective memory. The Turk is not a person with a story,” he said to Today's Zaman. Students were also active participants of the event, raising questions both during and before the talk and also sharing their perspectives. They were made up of Armenians coming from different countries, including Canada, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the Netherlands and the United States.
Meghety Karjikian, a Lebanese-Armenian student who joined the Turkish identity talk, spoke to Today's Zaman after the event. “I am glad we had this talk because we needed it. We had been exposed to only one side of the story,” she said. The Turkey-Armenia Fellowship Scheme promotes cross-border affiliation and cooperation of professionals from Armenia and Turkey within the framework of the Support to the Armenia-Turkey Normalisation Process program financed by the European Union.
Kaşo's discussion focused on three aspects of Turkish identity that she found important to the collective identity of her native country. “The Turkish identity is not a rigid construction, quite unlike Armenian culture in Armenia, which appears somewhat monolithic [and] consists of a single religion, race and certain traditions,” she said. Her talk highlighted Islam; the legacy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the republic's founder; and patriarchy as three key values of the Turkish identity. “These three aspect of ‘Turkishness' are usually in conflict with each other, causing Turks both individually and as a society to struggle to be in peace with themselves,” she said. Kaşo also mentioned the increasing polarization among Turks based mostly on the questions of the practice of their faith, social class and political stance.
After the talk on Turkish identity, Seferian told Today's Zaman that in modern times, it was very easy to base Armenian identity in a stark contrast with the Turkish one. The idea is that “we are Armenians because we are not Turks,” Seferian explained. According to him, Armenian students are not exposed to the Turkish identity enough. “The Turk is a character or a figure in Armenians' minds. It comes from their collective memory. The Turk is not a person with a story,” he said to Today's Zaman. Students were also active participants of the event, raising questions both during and before the talk and also sharing their perspectives. They were made up of Armenians coming from different countries, including Canada, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the Netherlands and the United States.
Meghety Karjikian, a Lebanese-Armenian student who joined the Turkish identity talk, spoke to Today's Zaman after the event. “I am glad we had this talk because we needed it. We had been exposed to only one side of the story,” she said. The Turkey-Armenia Fellowship Scheme promotes cross-border affiliation and cooperation of professionals from Armenia and Turkey within the framework of the Support to the Armenia-Turkey Normalisation Process program financed by the European Union.
How British spies covertly shape the flow of information online to 'discredit' their targets
British spies build fake websites, impersonate people, and create "persuasive" YouTube videos to disrupt their targets' activities, according to documents obtained by The Intercept. JTRIG, or the Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group, is part of British spy agency GCHQ, and was first revealed publicly in documents leaked by exiled NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. A newly published document dating from 2011, which Business Insider has been unable to independently verify, appears to shed more light on the secretive group's activities. In one section, the document lists a number of the tactics that JTRIG staff have employed. These include:
- Uploading YouTube videos containing “persuasive” communications (to discredit, promote distrust, dissuade, deter, delay or disrupt)
- Setting up Facebook groups, forums, blogs and Twitter accounts that encourage and monitor discussion on a topic (to discredit, promote distrust, dissuade, deter, delay or disrupt)
- Establishing online aliases/personalities who support the communications or messages in YouTube videos, Facebook groups, forums, blogs etc
- Establishing online aliases/personalities who support other aliases
- Sending spoof e-mails and text messages from a fake person or mimicking a real person (to discredit, promote distrust, dissuade, deceive, deter, delay or disrupt)
- Providing spoof online resources such as magazines and books that provide inaccurate information (to disrupt, delay, deceive, discredit, promote distrust, dissuade, deter or denigrate/degrade)
- Providing online access to uncensored material (to disrupt)
- Sending instant messages to specific individuals giving them instructions for accessing uncensored websites
- Setting up spoof trade sites (or sellers) that may take a customer’s money and/or send customers degraded or spoof products (to deny, disrupt, degrade/denigrate, delay, deceive, discredit, dissuade or deter)
- Interrupting (i.e., filtering, deleting, creating or modifying) communications between real customers and traders (to deny, disrupt, delay, deceive, dissuade or deter)
- Taking over control of online websites (to deny, disrupt, discredit or delay)
- Denial of telephone and computer service (to deny, delay or disrupt)
- Hosting targets’ online communications/websites for collecting SIGINT (to ;disrupt, delay, deter or deny)
- Contacting host websites asking them to remove material (to deny, disrupt, delay, dissuade or deter)
These techniques are deployed against a number of law enforcement
targets, including suspects believed to be engaged in "online credit
card fraud and child exploitation." It also co-operates with other
domestic British law enforcement agencies, and helps "[provide] evidence
for judicial outcomes" and monitoring domestic terrorist groups. The documents also go into detail about psychological research that
could be used to help promote JTRIG's goals. "Theories and research in
the field of social psychology may prove particularly useful for
informing JTRIG's effects and online HUMINT operations," one document
says, identifying topics including "conformity," "obedience," and
"psychological profiling" as "particularly relevant for social influence."
In short: The documents — if accurate — demonstrate how the British
spy agency uses sophisticated psychological techniques to try and shape
the flow of information online to achieve its strategic goals. When reached for comment, a GCHQ spokesperson provided Business Insider with the following statement:
It is longstanding policy that
we do not comment on intelligence matters. Furthermore, all of GCHQ's
work is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy
framework, which ensures that our activities are authorised, necessary
and proportionate, and that there is rigorous oversight, including from
the Secretary of State, the Interception and Intelligence Services
Commissioners and the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee.
All our operational processes rigorously support this position. In
addition, the UK's interception regime is entirely compatible with the
European Convention on Human Rights.
Pentagon spent millions studying how
to influence social media
The Pentagon’s research lab has funded dozens of studies concerning the use of social media, the Guardian reported on Tuesday, raising further questions about what kind of data is of interest to governments around the globe.
Just days after a report published by researchers at Facebook revealed that users of the social media site had been manipulated for science, Ben Quinn and James Ball at the Guardian wrote this week that DARPA — the Pentagon-run Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency — has in one way or another funded several studies recently that set out to explore that social networking site, as well as users of Twitter, Pinterest, Kickstarter and others.
The journalists’ report stems from a list of publications that went live on DARPA’s site late last month concerning its Social Media in Strategic Communications, or SMISC, program.
“The general goal of the Social Media in Strategic Communication (SMISC) program is to develop a new science of social networks built on an emerging technology base,” a statement there reads. “Through the program, DARPA seeks to develop tools to support the efforts of human operators to counter misinformation or deception campaigns with truthful information.”
From there, visitors to the site can view any of dozens of studies from researchers at the likes of the University of Southern California, IBM or Georgia Tech Research Institute who have relied either fully or partially on Pentagon money to conduct social media studies.
According to the journalists, the projects funded by the federal agency run the gamut of social media and include a number of studies sure to raise a few eyebrows. Formed in 1958, DARPA has been instrumental in the Pentagon's development of drones, robotics and even the internet.
“While some elements of the multi-million dollar project might raise a wry smile – research has included analysis of the tweets of celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, in an attempt to understand influence on Twitter – others have resulted in the buildup of massive datasets of tweets and additional types social media posts,” the Guardian reported.
“The project list includes a study of how activists with the Occupy movement used Twitter as well as a range of research on tracking internet memes and some about understanding how influence behavior (liking, following, retweeting) happens on a range of popular social media platforms like Pinterest, Twitter, Kickstarter, Digg and Reddit.”
Responding to the Guardian’s request for comment, DARPA defended the lengthy list of social media studies.
“Social media is changing the way people inform themselves, share ideas, and organize themselves into interest groups, including some that aim to harm the United States,” the Guardian quotes an agency spokesperson as saying. “DARPA supports academic research that seeks to understand some of these dynamics through analyses of publicly available discussions conducted on social media platforms.”
Revelations concerning DARPA’s role in these studies comes only days after the researchers involved in the controversial Facebook report publically apologized for manipulating the posts that appeared on users’ news feeds to see how emotions can carry across the web. “The goal of all of our research at Facebook is to learn how to provide a better service,” Facebook staffer and researcher Adam Kramer wrote.
On the Pentagon’s part, DARPA told the Guardian that the studies it has funded are essential to US defense interests.
Non-Governmental Organizations in Armenia
During
the Soviet era in Armenia, there were virtually no non-governmental
organizations (NGOs). After the devastating earthquake of December 1988
and during the years of the war in Artsakh (Karabagh), NGOs began to
form and were heavily involved with relief and humanitarian efforts. The
government of Armenia was unable to cope with the dire situation
resulting from the earthquake and the war, and therefore had to accept
the active participation of civil society organizations (CSOs).
Alongside humanitarian aid, major international organizations and NGOs
started contributing to the development of the local non-government
sector. Major Armenian organizations from the diaspora also provided
humanitarian aid and contributed greatly to the reconstruction process.
The focus of these new NGOs was on refugees, women, children, the
elderly, and the disabled, but their activities were somewhat limited.
Their inability to meet the growing demand for emergency services and
operations, for example, was due to a lack of local NGO skills,
knowledge, and capabilities, and the absence of an appropriate legal
framework. This period can be considered the first stage in the
formation of local NGOs.
Even though most of the NGOs were located in Yerevan, local NGOs began emerging in the marzes (provinces),
too, and implementing projects in education, health, culture, community
development, and income generation. In 1997, the number of local NGOs
passed 500. By 2001, data from the state register showed that 2,585 NGOs
were officially registered. In 2010, the state register reported 45
international NGOs and 5,700 local NGOs. However, out of the total
number of local NGOs registered, only 15 percent can be considered
operational; most in that percentage are small outfits that are not
active, and some have vague and obscure missions. The following are the
mission statements of a few such NGOs:
–The main goal of the organization is to participate actively in the social and legal life of the country in order to promote a free and safe life for the youth.–The main goals of the organization are to develop art and psychology and to form civil society.–To organize and collect all the recipes of Armenian national cuisine and publish it. To participate in international contests, seminars, and meetings.Table 1 presents a list of operational NGOs and their fields of activities, although not all are necessarily active.
International NGOs can be classified under the same categories as
local NGOs, but have two additional categories—(1) infrastructure
development and construction, and (2) capacity building and technical
assistance for local CSOs, self-governing bodies, and community
councils. A survey conducted by World Learning revealed that in the 1990’s, 70
percent of NGO leaders were women. However, by 2001, 58 percent of NGO
leaders were men, and by 2009, the percentage of male NGO leaders had
increased to 63. The shift might have occurred as men came to view NGOs
as a job opportunity and a means to further their careers. Yet, while in 2004, approximately 75 international NGOs were
operating in Armenia, that number has since decreased. The reason for
this decline may be the stable economic growth seen in Armenia in 2006
and 2007.
Government involvement
The gradual increase in the number of international NGOs in Armenia
and the corresponding need to regulate the activities of all types of
CSOs led to the Armenian government adopting its first Law on Civil
Society Organizations in 1996. The law encouraged international NGOs to
shift their activities from emergency response to development, the
protection of human rights, and enhancing the capacity of local NGOs.
The law states that Armenia recognizes the crucial role of NGOs in the
development of civil society and aims to promote the establishment of
NGOs as legal entities. The government has also passed decrees,
regulations, memorandums, and agreements related to cooperation with
NGOs, and formed institutional bodies and units on community and
national levels.
Voluntarism
When interacting with society, NGOs in Armenia, in comparison to NGOs
in the Armenian Diaspora, use an informal and less structured process
for volunteering. NGOs in Armenia also have greater issues with
volunteer mismanagement; sporadic volunteer recruitment; lack of skills
assessment, orientation, and training for volunteers; and recognizing
volunteer contributions. Engaging volunteers in long-term regular
commitments, instead of ad hoc projects, could better utilize this
important resource.
Because voluntarism for society was not a common practice during the
Soviet era, there is a need to widely publicize the value of
volunteerism to get more people interested. Presently this important
human resource is underutilized by NGOs in Armenia. NGOs should realize
the expectations of the volunteer in order to retain their involvement
and commitment over time. A non-profit organization with a strong and
committed volunteer base is also more likely to attract new funds.
Democratic governance
The internal democratic governance of NGOs in Armenia is another
issue that needs to be addressed. NGOs have developed written policies
for democratic governance, but often do not follow these policies. They
hold elections to select their internal leadership, yet the rotation
rate of such leadership is low. Typically, the founders of NGOs hold
their positions for a long time, which affects the formation of an
independent Board of Directors.
While most Armenian NGOs have bylaws and constitutions that outline
their governance mechanisms, it sometimes seems as though these
mechanisms are developed only to get the required permits and to attract
new funds, rather than from a genuine interest in democratic
management. Members are also often excluded from decision-making
processes. Unless NGOs embrace democratic procedures into their regular
operations, they will not be able to establish a credible reputation in
the community.
Funding sources
Financial sustainability is one of the main challenges that local
NGOs in Armenia face. It is this challenge that limits their capacity
for impact and distorts the image of civil society as a financially
dependent sector. It is necessary to diversify funding sources by
fostering partnerships with a full variety of potential funders, whether
they are individuals, corporations, or governments. NGOs in Armenia
undertake fundraising activities through various events, exhibitions,
concerts, and other activities. However, the majority of NGOs have
difficulty with fundraising because they lack experience in fundraising
methods, basic marketing, and financial management skills.
The activities of Armenian NGOs are heavily reliant on external
funding. Some donor organizations work directly with NGOs, while others
operate on a bilateral or multilateral basis. The Armenian Diaspora also
assists the local NGO sector by allocating funds or providing in-kind
assistance. Many NGOs believe that if donor organizations leave Armenia,
the scope of their activities will be curtailed and they will become
non-operational due to a lack of funding.
The Civil Society Fund is one of several programs supported by the
World Bank, which has provided grants since 1999 to NGOs and other CSOs
in Armenia. The grants support activities related to civic engagement,
and focuses on empowering people who have been excluded from society’s
decision-making processes. The individual grants are between $8,000 and
$10,000.
Today’s unfavorable legislative framework related to donations to
non-profit organizations does not provide the NGO sector with an
opportunity to acquire alternative financing. Therefore, limited and
unsustainable funding from donors and the government make the NGO sector
more dependent, which in turns affects their independence and
sustainability. Furthermore, the Armenian business sector does not
invest in NGO development. (If it does, the investment is limited to a
one-time project or event-based charitable contributions.) Often NGOs
are forced to accept funding for projects that are not in line with
their mission, values, or principles; the project requirements are often
determined by the donor’s agenda, and this greatly affects credibility
of the organization. Armenia’s state budget allocates some funds for
NGOs on a competitive basis.
Lack of transparency and accountability is another issue facing NGOs,
which generally do not produce and disseminate annual reports and
financial statements. The majority of NGOs claim that their financial
information is publicly available; yet, on closer inspection, it becomes
clear that they rarely report to their beneficiaries when it comes to
the finances and the quality of their work. The majority of Armenian
NGOs think that the preparation of reports requires additional financial
expenditure. Reporting of finances and activities would improve the
public’s perception of NGOs.
Effectiveness
One of the underlying causes of civil society’s weak effect on policy
and social issues is that NGOs have failed to extend their outreach and
rally greater support and higher levels of citizen participation in
their activities. Long-term financial insecurity stands as another hindrance to the
number of CSO’s in Armenia. NGOs have relied solely or predominantly on
international donor funding, without diversifying their income sources
or developing a long-term strategy to change this situation. As a
result, the instability of work in the NGO sector has not attracted
young specialists.
Increasing the professional skills of CSOs through trainings and
staff development could help strengthen the level of organizational
development and achievement. What is critical is focusing on staff
retention, as well as establishing a culture of information sharing and
knowledge transfer.
Fragmentation and competition among NGOs occur frequently, resulting
in an ineffective system for Armenian CSOs. Because of limited
coordination among NGOs, the sector lacks updated information and a
database of NGOs. This creates an inadequate picture of these
organizations and, consequently, gives people a poor perception of NGOs.
This also affects the ability of NGOs to influence the decision-making
process in the public sphere.
Some issues facing civil society include a short-term approach, lack
of strategic thinking, clustering around pro-government or opposition
groups, and poor organizational capacity. In order to increase citizen
participation and sponsorship, NGOs must realize that they should be
deriving their legitimacy from society, as they depend on popular
support. Increased transparency and accountability are vital to support
this action. This includes reporting to beneficiaries just as they do to
funders, and presenting an inclusive account of all aspects of their
activities. Improvements in these fields will contribute to increased
levels of trust with the civil society sector and the broader society,
and will foster increased citizen participation.
Source: http://armenianweekly.com/2014/01/15/ngo-armenia/
Do Certain NGOs Play the Role of a ‘Trojan
Horse’ in Armenia?
In an August 28 article titled “Could a Euromaidan happen on
Yerevan’s Republic Square?,” Vestnik Kavkaza magazine wrote: “After the
events of the last decade in Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine, experts
have started serious talks about color revolutions in the South
Caucasus.” Some analysts claim that the neo-cons in the West are angling
certain opposition media outlets, some NGOs and certain political
operatives to “open a new anti-Russian front in the Transcaucasus.”
Vestnik Kavkaza further wrote: “The term ‘democracy’ in Armenia has long been exploited for information wars. For quite a while, Washington has been hesitating whether to support President Serzh Sargsyan or put bets on the opposition. After the victory of Sargsyan in early presidential polls, it seemed that the power was in the hands of a politician loyal to Moscow. However, it is hard to say that Armenia has a pure pro-Russian position. Sargsyan himself is trying to gain the support of both Russia and the U.S.”
According to the Center for World Journalism and Research, the work of non-governmental organizations in Armenia has reached “a grand scale in recent years.” The Justice Ministry has registered thousands of NGOs. The magazine also noted: “After the collapse of the USSR, the Armenian Assembly of America, a structure related to the State Department … has been in the avant-garde of American influence in Armenia.”
The article pointed out the fact that millions of dollars have been dumped in Armenia to fund the activities of NGOs that are loyal to western donors’ agenda. “Open Society Institute, a Soros Fund founded in Armenia in 1997, has already spent over $24 million in Armenia. … The Investigative Journalists got $187,400, the Asparez Journalist Club got $58,650, and the Independent Network of Journalists got $83,200 for creating a negative image of Russian-Armenian cooperation.”
Back in 2012, I wrote: “Not all NGOs in Armenia are completely devoted to their stated missions. Some of them have raised several ‘red flags’ because of their activities. They may have been set-up to pursue hidden agendas that are detrimental to Armenia’s national security. … Given the fact that sizable segments of the Armenian society continue to be politically illiterate they can be easily influenced and misguided by individuals or non-governmental organizations that may present themselves as ‘well-meaning’ but in reality they can pursue hidden goals. They may sound very empathetic towards the general populace, yet they care less about Armenia and its future. They publicly discuss burning issues and gain political mileage, yet their main intention is not democracy as they claim to be.”
I further underlined: “Can Armenia mitigate the negative impact of certain NGOs that play the role of Trojan horses from within? It can and it should. Armenia Should Emulate Russia in Qualifying Foreign-Funded NGOs as ‘foreign agents.’ … It would be strongly effective if all NGOs whether engaged in political activities or humanitarian endeavors be required to publicly present every year the sources of their income and itemize their expenditures. Transparency at NGO level can be utilized as a great example to follow.”
A few years ago, in an interview with the REGNUM News Agency titled, “LOOK OUT! ETHNIC ESPIONAGE,” Igor Muradyan, a widely recognized expert on the politics of the Caucasus region, stressed: “First of all, you should take into account the continuing political struggle in Armenia and view the stance of the Armenian Assembly of America also in this light. I don’t think that ethnic NGOs enjoy full independence in the US, but the point is that the Armenian Assembly of America is more than dependent. Even more, the Assembly is functionally dependent. The Assembly directors and employees don’t just look down on Armenia’s political class and leaders; they look down on them with disdain.”
He elaborated: “In 2001 the Assembly’s board decreed ‘to fight Armenian nationalism.’ This implies suppression of any instance of patriotism, especially over the Karabakh problem and Armenian-Turkish relations. … Gathering information on the state of the armed forces of Armenia, including armaments, information on senior officers, on the import of military hardware (invoice numbers, payment terms, transportation routes), receiving analytical notes on the fighting capacity of the Armenian army, information and assessment of typical conflicts inside the military command, the concerns and plans of different groups in the military circles; gathering information on the leaders and activists of political parties, the mass media and political leaders of Armenia, including economic interests, ties with foreign countries.”
He concluded: “Of certain interest is the impression I got personally from such contacts. Strange but true: Assembly representatives get openly malicious and bilious over the fact that the Armenian armed forces are highly capable of discharging many combat operations on their own. Would they be more comfortable if the army of their ‘historical homeland’ had other characteristics and was like the armies of some other states? Altogether incompetent, the Assembly representatives were as much annoyed to know that Armenia is not a perishing country and is successfully developing economically.”
Many Armenia-based NGOs are well-organized and genuinely transparent, and continue making transformational contributions to Armenia’s present and future. Armenian society can achieve optimum results through social, political, spiritual and economic activism. There is no question that civil society in Armenia is in need of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
However, some NGOs can prove to be a curse if they are not regulated properly and their activities watched closely.
Source: http://www.armenianlife.com/2014/09/03/do-certain-ngos-play-the-role-of-a-trojan-horse-in-armenia/
A Distorted Media Mirror
When Armenian attained independence, many Diasporan-Armenian
organizations and experienced journalists moved to Yerevan to "liberate"
the bland Soviet-style news media and restore its original mission. The
newspapers, radio and TV broadcasting improved dramatically, in terms
of formatting design, news gathering, reporting and above all,
commenting freely. This much was a patriotic contribution, which
Diaspora Armenians brought to Armenia.
But in a parallel rush, major powers introduced their own outlets, of course, to serve their own political interests. While the newspapers owned and operated by Armenian organizations have encountered funding challenges -- consequently suffering in quality -- foreign-funded news outlets flourish and are run professionally. George Orwell's Big Brother is omnipresent globally, tending its business and has not spared Armenia.
Open Society Foundation, Radio Liberty and other agencies operate freely in Armenia and common sense will dictate that they don't care about the well being of the Armenian people nor the problems facing Armenia. They have recruited professional journalists, writers and commentators to toot their own horn. For example, the Open Society Forum could feign to promote democracy in Europe and in Third World countries but in the end, it serves a greater political design.
The Open Society Forum is the brainchild of billionaire George Soros, who escaped tyranny in Hungary and made a fortune in the US. During the Bush-Cheney Administration, he demonstrably confronted the US administration in its foreign policy objectives. But in the meantime, his organization trained some youth and sent them to Ukraine and Georgia -- and certainly to other parts of the world -- to organize the Orange Revolution and the Rose Revolution, a feat that the US military power could not have achieved so easily.
Mr. Soros is entitled to use his money to spread his ideas around the world but he is not entitled to play with the destiny of the Armenian people who have suffered so much from major power rivalries, in their history. The writers and commentators of these agencies may be sitting in Yerevan and Karabagh, but the brain may be on the remote control in Prague or in Washington. The controlled news media does not operate in isolation -- and no matter what lofty ideal it claims to pursue -- it is part and parcel of the overall strategy of a major power.
We can easily make the connection with all the well-oiled religious sects, which penetrate like rodents in the fabric of the society in Armenia to decimate and to disorient the population. One treacherous act is to brainwash the youth to refuse to bear arms under the guise of conscientious objection, when Armenia is at war with its neighbors -- not of its own choosing.
To cite a salient example, trading Armenia's security against NATO's objectives in the Caucasus we may refer to an article in lragir.am, an outlet funded by Open Society Forum. The article is entitled "Serious Geopolitical Prospect for Javakhk," under the byline of Hakob Badalyan, a prominent political commentator.
Javakhk is an Armenian-populated region of Georgia. Historically it has changed hands between Georgia and Armenia. Currently more than half of the region is populated by Armenians; in cities like Akhatsikhe and Ninotsminda, Armenians account for 94.3 percent and 95.8 percent, respectively. The region was deliberately mismanaged and left economically depressed by Tbilisi authorities to force Armenians out of the area, fearful that Armenians would one day ask for autonomy or independence.
Until 2007, the city of Akhalkalak was home to a Russian military base, which provided jobs and security for Armenians in the region. Moscow precipitously moved out the base, before even its deadline in the treaty, leaving the Armenians to the mercy of the hostile Georgian government. Tbilisi's harassment and Russia's reckless move satisfied, to a certain measure, the Georgian goal of the government, as many destitute Armenians migrated to Russia for jobs and for security.
Russia went to war with Georgia to give independence to South Ossetia and Abkhazia while the destinies of Javakhk and Ajaria were left in the hands of the Tbilisi government. President Saakashvili jailed human rights activist Vahakn Chakhalian and implemented policies to force the people out or to assimilate them under the guise of teaching them the Georgian language. Despite a punishing war with Russia and despite a regime change, the new government in Tbilisi is looking for NATO presence on its territory, if not outright membership.
Armenians have enjoyed the "benefits" of having a NATO member in the Turkish border and now this writer is hailing a NATO move into the heartland of Armenians in Javakhk, as he writes: "NATO may empower itself with new tools of cooperation with non-member countries like Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. And it may mean that the North Atlantic Alliance will receive a possibility or prospect for being present in Georgia, though the latter is not a member. In this respect, Georgian military base in Akhalkalak has strategic importance because it is close to the Russian base in Armenia, is located in a place where Russian provocation against Georgia are probable, close to the conflict area of Artsakh which is one of the potential places of destabilization of the region."
First NATO's interference on the Southern Russian underbelly is the most flagrant provocation, and also, the writer should know better that even Washington blamed Saakashvili for the provocation, which triggered the 2008 war. In a shortsighted conclusion, the writer jubilantly welcomes NATO's extension in the region as a "stabilizing factor," exactly at the moment when the defense ministers of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey had been meeting in Nakhichevan to plan war games and tighten the noose around Armenia at NATO's behest.
The conclusion is more ludicrous than the article itself as it states, "It would be interesting to observe the reactions of Russia, Javakhk and Armenia to the Georgian military base, who will torpedo the process full of prospects for regional balance for the sake of security of Armenia, Artsakh and Javakhk and what the force will be."
This concept fits in and complements the recent proposal by Ambassador James Warlick to introduce US Peacekeeping forces in Karabagh. Adding insult to injury, the Open Society Forum has a hypocritical disclaimed at the bottom of the article, which reads, "The opinions and analyses expressed in these sections are those of the authors and are not approved by OSF-Armenia or its Board."
When Open Society Forum cuts the payroll check of the writer, at least it is disingenuous to make such claims. Hagop Badalian is a better-qualified writer. He deserves a more dignified job than peddling NATO wares in Armenia through a distorted media mirror.
But in a parallel rush, major powers introduced their own outlets, of course, to serve their own political interests. While the newspapers owned and operated by Armenian organizations have encountered funding challenges -- consequently suffering in quality -- foreign-funded news outlets flourish and are run professionally. George Orwell's Big Brother is omnipresent globally, tending its business and has not spared Armenia.
Open Society Foundation, Radio Liberty and other agencies operate freely in Armenia and common sense will dictate that they don't care about the well being of the Armenian people nor the problems facing Armenia. They have recruited professional journalists, writers and commentators to toot their own horn. For example, the Open Society Forum could feign to promote democracy in Europe and in Third World countries but in the end, it serves a greater political design.
The Open Society Forum is the brainchild of billionaire George Soros, who escaped tyranny in Hungary and made a fortune in the US. During the Bush-Cheney Administration, he demonstrably confronted the US administration in its foreign policy objectives. But in the meantime, his organization trained some youth and sent them to Ukraine and Georgia -- and certainly to other parts of the world -- to organize the Orange Revolution and the Rose Revolution, a feat that the US military power could not have achieved so easily.
Mr. Soros is entitled to use his money to spread his ideas around the world but he is not entitled to play with the destiny of the Armenian people who have suffered so much from major power rivalries, in their history. The writers and commentators of these agencies may be sitting in Yerevan and Karabagh, but the brain may be on the remote control in Prague or in Washington. The controlled news media does not operate in isolation -- and no matter what lofty ideal it claims to pursue -- it is part and parcel of the overall strategy of a major power.
We can easily make the connection with all the well-oiled religious sects, which penetrate like rodents in the fabric of the society in Armenia to decimate and to disorient the population. One treacherous act is to brainwash the youth to refuse to bear arms under the guise of conscientious objection, when Armenia is at war with its neighbors -- not of its own choosing.
To cite a salient example, trading Armenia's security against NATO's objectives in the Caucasus we may refer to an article in lragir.am, an outlet funded by Open Society Forum. The article is entitled "Serious Geopolitical Prospect for Javakhk," under the byline of Hakob Badalyan, a prominent political commentator.
Javakhk is an Armenian-populated region of Georgia. Historically it has changed hands between Georgia and Armenia. Currently more than half of the region is populated by Armenians; in cities like Akhatsikhe and Ninotsminda, Armenians account for 94.3 percent and 95.8 percent, respectively. The region was deliberately mismanaged and left economically depressed by Tbilisi authorities to force Armenians out of the area, fearful that Armenians would one day ask for autonomy or independence.
Until 2007, the city of Akhalkalak was home to a Russian military base, which provided jobs and security for Armenians in the region. Moscow precipitously moved out the base, before even its deadline in the treaty, leaving the Armenians to the mercy of the hostile Georgian government. Tbilisi's harassment and Russia's reckless move satisfied, to a certain measure, the Georgian goal of the government, as many destitute Armenians migrated to Russia for jobs and for security.
Russia went to war with Georgia to give independence to South Ossetia and Abkhazia while the destinies of Javakhk and Ajaria were left in the hands of the Tbilisi government. President Saakashvili jailed human rights activist Vahakn Chakhalian and implemented policies to force the people out or to assimilate them under the guise of teaching them the Georgian language. Despite a punishing war with Russia and despite a regime change, the new government in Tbilisi is looking for NATO presence on its territory, if not outright membership.
Armenians have enjoyed the "benefits" of having a NATO member in the Turkish border and now this writer is hailing a NATO move into the heartland of Armenians in Javakhk, as he writes: "NATO may empower itself with new tools of cooperation with non-member countries like Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. And it may mean that the North Atlantic Alliance will receive a possibility or prospect for being present in Georgia, though the latter is not a member. In this respect, Georgian military base in Akhalkalak has strategic importance because it is close to the Russian base in Armenia, is located in a place where Russian provocation against Georgia are probable, close to the conflict area of Artsakh which is one of the potential places of destabilization of the region."
First NATO's interference on the Southern Russian underbelly is the most flagrant provocation, and also, the writer should know better that even Washington blamed Saakashvili for the provocation, which triggered the 2008 war. In a shortsighted conclusion, the writer jubilantly welcomes NATO's extension in the region as a "stabilizing factor," exactly at the moment when the defense ministers of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey had been meeting in Nakhichevan to plan war games and tighten the noose around Armenia at NATO's behest.
The conclusion is more ludicrous than the article itself as it states, "It would be interesting to observe the reactions of Russia, Javakhk and Armenia to the Georgian military base, who will torpedo the process full of prospects for regional balance for the sake of security of Armenia, Artsakh and Javakhk and what the force will be."
This concept fits in and complements the recent proposal by Ambassador James Warlick to introduce US Peacekeeping forces in Karabagh. Adding insult to injury, the Open Society Forum has a hypocritical disclaimed at the bottom of the article, which reads, "The opinions and analyses expressed in these sections are those of the authors and are not approved by OSF-Armenia or its Board."
When Open Society Forum cuts the payroll check of the writer, at least it is disingenuous to make such claims. Hagop Badalian is a better-qualified writer. He deserves a more dignified job than peddling NATO wares in Armenia through a distorted media mirror.
Methods and goals of anti-Russian media in Armenia
It's no secret that the Armenian media space contains pro-Western, anti-Russian mass media. There are two ways to spread anti-Russian information, and the aforementioned media are divided into two categories. The first category includes the mass media which openly, strictly and even thoughtlessly criticize all things connected with Russia. That is why they are not taken seriously even in Armenia, and their work is like a proverb – the dog’s barking is for the wind to carry. The second category of the mass media treats its mission more seriously and is very dangerous. In such media projects, criticism of Russia is added to criticism of the native government, criminal stories and the gutter press. If we exclude the gutter press aspect, the Armenian radio “Freedom” belongs to the second category.
The Armenian media – Azatutyun – is financed directly, but unofficially, by the American embassy in Armenia. And the consequences are clear. The edition works solidly, steps are highly coordinated, and information is well-thought through. Almost all the correspondents of “Freedom” go to various conferences on one and the same day and ask one and the same question. Usually the question touches on Russia’s activities or reaction to a certain problem which often has nothing in common with Armenia. It means the edition fulfills a clear plan which hasn’t been developed by it. “Freedom” floods the Armenian media space with false information to promote an atmosphere of mistrust of Russia and all its projects in the region.
After Serge Sargsyan’s statement on intention to join the Eurasian projects of Moscow, the activity of the aforementioned media had improved. Most of the anti-Russian articles and reports are absurd. For example, the authors state that a possible Armenian-Azerbaijani military conflict will be beneficial for Russia. Information on Moscow’s plans to “give away Karabakh” can be seen in publications of the mass media in the last 20 years. In January 2014 there was information that a group came from Russia and jabbed residents of Yerevan with HIV-contaminated syringes. “We don’t comment on rubbish,” the police of Armenia told Vestnik Kavkaza.
Now the radio is very concerned about the situation surrounding the status of the Armenian language and violations of the country's Language Law. Among such violations, according to Freedom radio, is the fact that a number of Russian-language international conferences are being held in Armenia. According to the law, all public events should be held with simultaneous translation into Armenian. The radio station's official website is now full of anti-Russian comments concerning this topic provided by various experts. The same is happening on air.
The radio has also paid special attention to the Rossiya Segodnya's chief executive Dmitry Kiselyov's remarks made in the Armenian parliament. Kiselyov and Armenian lawmakers who were taking part in the event, are still being stigmatized and accused of all possible and impossible transgressions. This also promotes an atmosphere of distrust and fear.
The last event, which caused an immediate reaction in the pro-Western media, was the Armenian president's visit to Georgia. It's quite clear that the massive Russian Railways' project launched in the region is unfavorable to the United States. That is why such media could not hide their delight when the president failed to reach an agreement with the Georgian authorities. According to such authors, there is now no chance that the railway connection between Georgia and Abkhazia can be resumed since Georgia agreed to join the European customs space. It seems like no comment is necessary.
Source: Methods and goals of anti-Russian media in Armenia | Vestnik Kavkaza
George Soros Meets With Armenian Non-Profits in New York
After brief introductions, George Soros spoke candidly about his hope that the roundtable would aid in the free exchange of ideas about what can be done in Armenia to strengthen civil society, an overarching goal for Soros’ non-profit organization, the Open Society Institute (OSI). Soros underlined his belief that establishing good cooperation with diasporan Armenian organizations was important for OSI to accomplish its work in Armenia. “Our constituency is Armenia’s society in general, and I know the diaspora has influence in this regard,” he said.
OSI and the Soros foundations network-which began in 1984-spent more than $400 million worldwide in 2006 on improving policy and helping people to live in open, democratic societies. OSI works on issues ranging from human rights, to access to education, to freedom of information. Since 1997, OSI Assistance Foundation-Armenia, the Armenia-based Soros foundation, has spent $20 million in developing grassroots programs for Armenians.
Soros introduced the Executive Director of OSI Armenia, Larisa Minasyan, who elaborated on the media, arts, education and justice programs that the organization has been able to successfully implement. She explained that the organization received funding from the British and Dutch governments, in addition to annual funds from Soros’ Armenian foundation. “Our goal is to establish democracy in a diverse way,” Minasian said. “We are trying to bring systematic change in the various fields and we are achieving success in different ways.”
OSI Armenia board member, Lucig Danielian outlined some of the objectives of the organization and their approach to the problems facing Armenia, “We feel it is about empowering people and giving them the skills and the jumpstart, and the funding when required, encouraging change from below.”
Vigen Sargsyan, Board member of OSI Armenia and the World Bank Yerevan, explained the barriers to democratic reform in Armenia via the media, “The media [in Armenia] today, suffers from homogeneity and it is state-dominated, which doesn’t allow for alternatives.”
Various individuals spoke about the interconnection of democracy and economic development, and how the role of each could contribute to a sustainable and strong Armenia.
The frank discussion touched upon the problems of migration from Armenia, the sensitivity of Armenia’s relationships with its neighbors, the continuing economic blockade of Armenia’s borders, and the question of corruption in Armenia’s public and private sectors.
Soros acknowledged that the Armenian scenario is unique, since a strong, diverse diaspora can contribute to reform in Armenia, which is not the case in other Eurasian nations. He concluded on a hopeful note, sharing a personal anecdote about his own native country of Hungary, which experienced a short period of freedom in the 1950′s only to be quickly suppressed by Soviet forces. “I will tell you that the 1956 Hungarian Revolution came into fruition in 1989. No one could have imagined that,” Soros said.
AGBU President Berge Setrakian thanked Soros for his participation in the exchange and shared some of his personal thoughts. “This process is only beginning and we will certainly continue this dialogue. Hearing about the successes of the Soros foundation in its efforts to build civil society in Armenia, we are encouraged to explore new possibilities. As the world’s leading Armenian non-profit organization, it is AGBU’s responsibility to seek out effective ways to help Armenians and Armenia become a strong and stable nation,” Setrakian said.
Russian military to order major research to counter ‘color revolutions’
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has told reporters that the
military will sponsor a major research of coups conducted through mass
protest – so called ‘color revolutions’ – to prevent the situations that
Russia faced in 1991 and 1993.
“Some people say that the military should not be involved in
political processes, some say the direct opposite. We will order
a study on the phenomenon of color revolutions and the military’s
role in their prevention,” Shoigu told the participants of
the Army-2015 political forum Friday. “We have no right to allow the repetitions of the collapses
of 1991 and 1993,” he said. “How to do it is another
story, but it is clear that we must deal with the situation. We
must understand how to prevent this and how to teach the younger
generation so that it supported the calm and gradual development
of our country.”
The minister added that the consequences of color revolutions can
be now observed in many Arab nations and also in Serbia. He also
said that the Ukrainian crisis that started in 2014 also was
“a major tragedy in the row of color revolutions.” In March this year the head of Russia’s Security Council, Nikolai
Patrushev promised that this body would develop a detailed plan
of action aimed at preventing color revolutions or any other
attempts of forceful change of lawfully elected authorities
through mass street protest. He also said that the Security
Council had prepared a list of proposed measures that could
negate the possible threat, including some steps against
“network protest activities” and propaganda work against
“romantic revolutionary stereotype.”
Also in March, President Vladimir Putin addressed the dangers of
color revolutions in his speech to the Interior Ministry.
“The extremists’ actions become more complicated,” he
said. “We are facing attempts to use the so called ‘color
technologies’ in organizing illegal street protests to open
propaganda of hatred and strife on social networks.”
In the same month, the Interior Ministry drafted a bill
containing amendments to the law on rallies that covered car
protests and sit-ins. The ministry experts said that the move
would circumvent legal ambiguity in the interest of society as a
whole. In November, Putin blasted color revolutions as a main tool used
by destructive forces in the geopolitical struggle. “In the
modern world, extremism is used as a geopolitical tool for
redistribution of spheres of interest. We can see the tragic
consequences of the wave of the so-called color revolutions, the
shock experienced by people in the countries that went through
the irresponsible experiments of hidden, or sometimes brute and
direct interference with their lives,” the Russian leader
said.
In January, a group of Russian conservative activists, uniting
war veterans, nationalist bikers and pro-Christian politicians
launched an “anti-Maidan” political movement in Moscow to oppose
any attempts to thwart the stable development of the country. Its
first rallies were held on the same days as some anti-government
protests and according to law enforcers the conservatives
outnumbered the pro-revolution activists by almost 10-fold.
Russian security doctrine to be adjusted after Arab Spring, Ukraine turmoil - official
The head of Russia’s Security Council has promised that the
authorities will adjust the nation’s security doctrine after learning
the lessons of the latest political crises in the Middle East and
Ukraine. “In order to update the basic concepts of national
securitythe council has ordered to begin the work on making
corrections to the main strategic plans – the National Security
Strategy of the Russian Federation to year 2020 and the
Informational Security Strategy,” Nikolai Patrushev said in
an article published Wednesday in the Defense Ministry’s daily
newspaper, Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star).
He added that the necessity of such actions has arisen after the
so-called Arab Spring (a wave of violent mass protests that led
to overthrowing of governments and leaders in several Middle East
countries in 2011-12), the wars in Syria and Iraq and also the
situation in and around Ukraine. Patrushev said that these events demonstrated the tendency for
security threats to shift from the military sphere into the
informational space. “As leading nations of the world fight
for their interests they typically use ‘non-direct action,’ the
population’s protest potential, radical and extremist groups and
also private military contractors,” Patrushev wrote.
He also noted the increasing aggressiveness of the United States
and NATO toward Russia, embodied in the beefing up of military
potential near Russian borders and the continuing deployment of
the global missile defense system. The Security Council is Russia’s top consultative body on
national security, and Nikolai Patrushev has headed the council
since 2008. Before that, he was the director of the Federal
Security Service for nine years.
In October 2014, Patrushev openly accused the United States of
playing a role in the current turmoil in Ukraine and the military
conflicts in Georgia and the Caucasus, saying these were direct
results of the anti-Russian policy of the US administration. He
also revealed in a press interview that intelligence analysts
established that American special services were executing an
anti-Russian program that dates back to the 1970s, and is based
on Zbigniew Brzezinski’s “strategy of weak spots,” the policy of
turning the opponent’s potential problems into full-scale crises.
In September 2014, President Vladimir Putin tasked senior
military and state officials with developing an updated military
doctrine that would meet the needs of changing global politics
and modern military challenges and the new dangers and threats,
in particular those manifested in the so-called Arab Spring, the
civil war in Syria and the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
Source: http://rt.com/politics/256025-russia-security-doctrine-patrushev/
How foreign NGOs destroy Russia
Recently, the Federation Council
suggested introducing a "stop-list" for foreign NGOs in Russia that
either implement political tasks to the benefit of foreign states or finance Russian NGOs for the same purpose. The
issue of "political NGOs" has become relevant again lately. It was
about the story of Dynasty Foundation, which the Russian Justice
Ministry labeled as a "foreign agent". In addition, President Putin made a speech in the Public Chamber,
where he spoke about political NGOs, separating them from the part of
the "third sector" that deals with social problems. Let's
take a look at well-known political NGOs. Many of them do not work in
Russia officially anymore. However, there are organizations that still
work on the territory of the Russian Federation, such as The Council for International Research and Exchanges, or IREX.
The organization was created in 1968 to oversee exchange issues between the United States, Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union within the scope of educational, scientific and socio-political programs. IREX really can hardly be called a "non-profit organization. Officially, the organization is registered as an independent foundation. In fact, the lion's share of its annual financial turnover - about $60 million - consists of funding from the USAID and the Office for Culture and Education of the US State Department.
The organization was created in 1968 to oversee exchange issues between the United States, Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union within the scope of educational, scientific and socio-political programs. IREX really can hardly be called a "non-profit organization. Officially, the organization is registered as an independent foundation. In fact, the lion's share of its annual financial turnover - about $60 million - consists of funding from the USAID and the Office for Culture and Education of the US State Department.
Foreign NGOs work to destroy Russia from within
In some countries of the former Soviet
Union - Belarus, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan - the work of this NGO has
been officially banned "for anti-state and anti-government activities."
In Russia, IREX focuses on journalists and media. A recent report from
the organization about mass media in Russia is very eloquent: "We see an example of Kremlin's total control of national television stations and the press." On
this occasion, IREX has a "training of journalists" program in Russia,
so that they write "correct news" and provide information the "right
way." Generally, IREX targets humanitarian personnel in the
countries with "emerging democracies." That is, in fact, the
organization is preparing platforms for color revolutions, to establish US-loyal political regimes.
American Councils for International Education is another similar organization, funded by the US State Department. The fund was established in the first half of the 1970s, specifically to manage research and educational programs in Eastern Europe and Eurasia. In 2006, a US citizen of 27 years of age, James Matthew Dirmon, decided to improve his knowledge of the Russian language. American Councils for International Education sent him to the city of Vladimir. During his entire stay in Russia, Dirmon was collecting specific information, for example, about Russia's migration legislation. He studied and analyzed the appearance of interethnic conflicts in Russia and corruption in the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation.
The young man did not receive specific instructions of what he was actually doing. He went straight to the Migration Service in Vladimir and asked for a report on migration in the past five years. As a result, Dirmon was invited for an interview, where he said a lot about his work with American Councils, about the ties of the organization with diplomats and politicians in Russia and the former Soviet Union and about the interest of the organization in Russia's Far East and Siberia.
American Councils for International Education is another similar organization, funded by the US State Department. The fund was established in the first half of the 1970s, specifically to manage research and educational programs in Eastern Europe and Eurasia. In 2006, a US citizen of 27 years of age, James Matthew Dirmon, decided to improve his knowledge of the Russian language. American Councils for International Education sent him to the city of Vladimir. During his entire stay in Russia, Dirmon was collecting specific information, for example, about Russia's migration legislation. He studied and analyzed the appearance of interethnic conflicts in Russia and corruption in the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation.
The young man did not receive specific instructions of what he was actually doing. He went straight to the Migration Service in Vladimir and asked for a report on migration in the past five years. As a result, Dirmon was invited for an interview, where he said a lot about his work with American Councils, about the ties of the organization with diplomats and politicians in Russia and the former Soviet Union and about the interest of the organization in Russia's Far East and Siberia.
USA not the only country to promote its interests in Russia
The USA is not the only country that promotes its interests in Russia. The
UK invests for the same purposes too by introducing its own NGOs. For
example, there is the British Council working in Russia, a
non-ministerial department of the government of Great Britain. That is,
the gentlemen do not even hide that they are a public service. The
organization works to spread British culture in the world.
Noteworthy, the names of many employees of the British Council were put on the list of secret agents of British intelligence working abroad. It goes about the so-called "Tomlinson List." In Russia, there was only one office of the British Council left - in Moscow. Yet, the organization is much more active in Ukraine. The official goal is to teach Ukrainians English. However, a bit more than one thousand Ukrainian officers and employees of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry have taken part in "Peacekeeping English" program since 2008.
Separate political parties promote their interests in Russia via NGOs as well. The most straightforward one of them is the International Republican Institute. The head of the fund is Senator John McCain; the organization is financed by the Government and the Congress of the United States. Officially, the organization has no party affiliation, but most of the staff are members of the Republican Party. The organization says that its mission is to bring democracy to the world. The fund works with political parties, officials and state system of foreign countries.
In Russia, IRI works since 1992. The fund actively participated in the events of 1993 on the side of Yeltsin and his team, of course. During the Cold War, the fund was involved in several coups in Latin America. Generally speaking, the organization works to arrange color revolutions without hiding its goals. This is not surprising at all as its chief is Senator John McCain. He is definitely an enemy of Russia, but he is a straightforward man, who remains alien to subtle diplomacy.
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a much talked-about organization. This is a fully politicized organization funded officially and publicly by US Congress. The NED is closely related to US foreign intelligence. In Russia, the NED is banned, but it still funds Russian NGOs. In 2014, Russian foreign agents received more than 40 million rubles from the NED. The money is transferred "to develop democracy and civil society to teach protest action techniques to politicians and public figures. Noteworthy, it is considered a crime in several countries to receive finance from the NED.
We can not but mention the Soros Foundation.
This structure, like NED, is widely known in Russia, although it has
not been working in Russia for years. More specifically, the work of
the Fund in Russia was discontinued in 2003. Yet, the fund created a
network of NGOs that now work without direct participation of the parent
organization, at least on an official level. From 2013 to 2015, the
Soros Foundation wired more than 250 million rubles on accounts of
"foreign agents" in Russia. This is only a small part of foreign
funds that invest in socio-political organizations in Russia. All of
them invest their funds to promote specific political and ideological
interests.
One
can see now that the "humanitarian work" of American and
British philanthropists leads to humanitarian catastrophes, rather than
achievements: think about the bombings of civilians in the Donbass and
the total collapse of the Ukrainian statehood. Therefore, developing
protective measures is a question of Russia's national security.
Source: http://english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/01-07-2015/131184-foreign_ngo_russia-0/#
Source: http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/26602633.html
Ambassador Kovalenko Again Warns Armenia About the Dangers of Adopting Western Values
Armenia will put its national
security and independence at serious risk unless rejects “Western
values” to fully align itself with Russia, a former Russian ambassador
in Yerevan warned on Tuesday. Vyacheslav Kovalenko claimed that failure to make a “final”
geopolitical choice in favor of Russia could thrust the country into the
kind of crisis that has plagued Ukraine since the overthrow of a
pro-Russian government in Kiev.
“Armenia must make a choice because in order for the economy of a small country like Armenia to develop, it has to integrate, it has to join some integration structures,” Kovalenko told Armenian journalists in a video conference from Moscow. “And the choice here is stark. I think the situation will develop in such a way that we will require Armenia to make that choice.
“Armenia can’t endlessly balance [between rival foreign powers] in this complicated international situation. So a lot depends on Armenia’s historical choice: the future of the country, the future of the Armenian people and the future of Armenians in general.”
“Will Armenia remain an independent state with its own national policy, national interests and identity respected around the world?” continued the diplomat who headed the Russian mission in Yerevan until March 2013. “Will it embrace instead the Western values which … will exist as long as Western powers continue their aggressive policies?”
Echoing the official Russian line, Kovalenko claimed that the spread of those values was responsible for the Ukraine crisis. “It is very important that what is now happening in Ukraine, where such [conflicting] relationships have emerged between various segments of the population, is not repeated [in Armenia,]” he said.
“I think that the Armenians, who are one of the most ancient peoples in the world and outlived other peoples that are now non-existent, now live on thanks to right choices which they have always made at critical historical moments. Now is such a critical historical moment in which the Armenians must make a final choice for themselves.”
“Armenia must make a choice because in order for the economy of a small country like Armenia to develop, it has to integrate, it has to join some integration structures,” Kovalenko told Armenian journalists in a video conference from Moscow. “And the choice here is stark. I think the situation will develop in such a way that we will require Armenia to make that choice.
“Armenia can’t endlessly balance [between rival foreign powers] in this complicated international situation. So a lot depends on Armenia’s historical choice: the future of the country, the future of the Armenian people and the future of Armenians in general.”
“Will Armenia remain an independent state with its own national policy, national interests and identity respected around the world?” continued the diplomat who headed the Russian mission in Yerevan until March 2013. “Will it embrace instead the Western values which … will exist as long as Western powers continue their aggressive policies?”
Echoing the official Russian line, Kovalenko claimed that the spread of those values was responsible for the Ukraine crisis. “It is very important that what is now happening in Ukraine, where such [conflicting] relationships have emerged between various segments of the population, is not repeated [in Armenia,]” he said.
“I think that the Armenians, who are one of the most ancient peoples in the world and outlived other peoples that are now non-existent, now live on thanks to right choices which they have always made at critical historical moments. Now is such a critical historical moment in which the Armenians must make a final choice for themselves.”
Source: http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/26602633.html
This babken dergriorian monkey needs a good kick in the head and be sent back to london on a one way ticket.
ReplyDeleteGev
There are quite a few monkeys in Armenia that need a good kick in the head and a one way ticket to where they belong.
DeleteIt seems the authorities succeeded in managing the gathering herd within the limits of civil order. The first phase seemingly has passed. It remains to be seen what follows next. The heads behind the front heads of the protesters have been singled out by government operatives. The hidden hands behind the scenes are the ones to be on the look out and severed from council of heads marshaling these protests. As for the insalubrious cad Babken, he is a small cog in the wheel. What is important to know is who funds him, who bank rolls him .There are many more Babkens out there mixed in the crowd, maybe less conspicuous , doing their sedition and undermining work. At the end of it all one has to distinguish between genuine spontaneously vociferous expressions on grievances , with organized manifestations loaded with political content and objectives.
ReplyDeleteThe authorities have a pretty good handle on the situation. Armenia is a very small country: Everyone knows everyone. All the Western activists in the country, whether they are directly financed by the West or not, are known to security bodies, and a few of those who are not yet revealed pose no significant threat to the state. Armenians may be politically illiterate, they do however have a refined sense of survival. Armenians may hate their government officials but vast majority of them are categorically against a Maidan type revolution in the country. Going forward, it will be interesting to see how the homegrown protest movement evolves and how far the radical opposition is willing to go to hijack the current momentum. It will also be interesting to see how security officials will juggle dealing with the two ideologically different groups of protestors.
DeleteThe following video clips I pulled from the CIA run "Radio Liberty" Youtube page is quite revealing of the unique and quintessentially Armenian dynamic of the current demonstrations -
ReplyDeleteՈստիկանությունը չի պատրաստվում «կոտրել ջահելին»: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LiA9HFgO8c
Ոստիկանապետ.Տեր հայրերը մոլորվել ե՞ն, թե՞ մոլորյալների հետևից են եկել: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke3OC0kuFrI
And the following is how the head of police seen above has been treating radical protestors LOL -
http://www.rferl.org/media/video/armenia-gasparyan-police/27100222.html
http://www.rferl.org/media/video/amenia-yerevan-police-gasparian/27101898.html
Very interesting finds Arevordi, thanks for posting. Gasparyan seems to know exactly what he is doing. I especially agree with the need for a respectful dialog between police and protestors, because the two sides do not need to be enemies when there is a dispute over purely internal matters like this electricity price protest. The Sargsyan administration has managed to neatly filter out the radical Heritage party, regime change protestors from the more reasonable protestors who focused on the narrow issue of electricity prices. Recent history shows that the Heritage led group will make asses out of themselves and then fade into oblivion, discredited and defanged.
DeleteАрмянские миротворцы в Косово/Armenian peacekeepers in Kosovo
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYmbnAn9Yqs
Off topic but interesting, this clip about Armenian peace-keeping soldiers in Kosovo has a strong pro-Serb feel to it. I am glad to see Serbia slowly begin to get more attention in Armenian media and society because Serbs and Armenians are brotherly nations. Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić had the honor and decency to be present at the Armenian Genocide Memorial on April 24, 2015, standing next to the great Russian President Vladimir Putin. And we've already discussed how when Armenians stood up to liberate Artsakh from the Azeri Turks during the collapse of the Soviet Union, a few volunteers from relatively distant and unrelated Serbia volunteered, along with a handful of Russians; Arevordi mentioned coming across two wounded Serbian freedom fighters who were recovering in a hospital in Yerevan.
Also, you can see the twisted and contradictory nature of Armenia's 1990s era "complimentary politics" where Armenian soldiers are shown protecting the interests of Kosovar Serbs, while at the same time serving in a US-led occupation forces that which has as its main aim the suppression of Kosovo's Orthodox Christian Serbs and their replacement with Islamic Albanian colonists. You can see the unnatural phenomenon of Armenians sharing facilities and breaking bread with undisciplined Turkish and American occupiers, driving American vehicles, receiving medals from American/NATO officers, etc. Cleary this mess, which had its genesis in the 1990s, must be corrected so that Armenia can develop in a healthy manner.
In Boris Malagurski's documentary "The Weight of Chains" there is a similar situation where Serbian refugees who were expelled from their homes in Kosovo by the NATO-Albanian alliance expressed, on camera, their thanks to the Orthodox Christian Greek peace-keepers, because the Greeks were more or less the only group to bother with the welfare of the Serbian refugees, while the occupiers from the western "democratic" nations were intent on making living conditions so unbearable for the Serbs that they would either be forced to abandon/flee Kosovo permanently, or otherwise live in squalor until they perished. These facts speak for themselves, a neo-Orthodox or neo-Byzantine alliance including Armenia, Serbia, Greece, and led by Russia is the natural order of the general region; especially now that the historical aberrations known as Islamic conquests and the Ottoman Empire are dead and buried, never to rise again. This new Eastern alliance has the potential to be more powerful than the old Soviet Union ever was, and the Anglo-American-Jewish alliance and their global system would be unable to withstand such a power. It is no surprise that Russia, Greece, Serbia, and Armenia have each been targeted for chaos and subjugation by the political west, designed to keep them from ever rising to their full potential.
Arevordi,
ReplyDeleteGood job as always. I specially liked the section on how they prepare operatives and how gays are drawn towards western activism. Not a homophobe at all but I agree with you that global powers have turned homosexuality into a political tool in conservative countries. I was also very worried about the protests becoming a Euromaidan but not know. I am happy you made the distinction between grassroots activism and western instigation. From what I see that Babken and Brzezinski are two sides of the same coin.
Arevordi:
ReplyDeleteWhat are thoughts on current developments in the middle east as far as the Kurdish advances against IS in Syria? The only entity opposed to the inevitability of a Kurdish state is Turkey, where Erdoghan publicly stated they are ready to militarily intervene to prevent the formation of a Kurdish state. Do you see this happening? Iran has warned Turkey. If it does happen, war may very well, and very likely spread to and inside Turkey, where the biggest Kurdish population lives. If the Kurds inside Turkey revolt, I see the collapse of the country not too far away--yet the third country (after Syria and Iraq), to be fragmented. There was a map out a few years back of a new middle east. It appears as though that's in the making. Armenia must be ready for this scenario--at the very least Kars, Ardahan, Surmalu and our dear Ararat. Your thoughts on these developments and possible scenarios playing out. thanks
To properly answer your question I would need an entire blog commentary. To keep it as short as possible: Western powers and Israel have ideas for the Middle East. A new Middle East is systematically being created and some form of a Kurdistan is definitely part of that agenda. While Turkey and Saudi Arabia are for the most part collaborating with Western powers and Israel, it should be pointed out that they also have their own national agendas, especially Erdogan's Turkey. In other words: For Ankara, there is room for cooperating with Western powers and Israel in places such as the Black Sea region, south Caucasus, Syria and Iran but at the same time there is room for conflict when it comes to Kurdistan. Although a future Kurdistan will be founded on Iraqi and/or Syrian territory, since Ankara sees such a state as a potential future problem for Turkey, they may look for ways to stop it from happening. This may put Ankara into conflict with Western powers and Israel. Ultimately, however, Turkey's strategic position is so important that Anglo-American-Jews may seek ways to come to a compromise with Turks regarding Kurdistan. But the potential for a serious conflict between Ankara and the West is definitely there and hinges upon the actions of Erdogan's government. I don't rule out a color revolution in Turkey if Erdogan continues its independent/antagonistic policies. Western assets are well preposition throughout Turkish society to make such a thing happen, and it may result in a lot of bloodshed. But, again, this does not mean Western powers want to hurt Turkey, it only means they want to push Erdogan's clique out of the government. All in all, there are too many potentially explosive variables at play, which makes predictions nearly impossible.Nevertheless, everything you see happening in the Middle East today is in preparation of new borders. It may take another few years and another few hundred thousand casualties, but the destruction Western powers/Israel have sown in the region is so severe that a new Middle East is only inevitable.
DeleteI read in the paper today that the US was categorically against any Turkish military involvement in Syria and would not support such a move. A potential warning to Erogan? if turks go thru, it will spread war to turkey...
DeleteThe US is using Turkey to flood Syria with ISIS fighters but they don't want Turkey to get involved militarily in Syria? Don't believe everything you read. Turkey is already militarily involved in Syria.
DeleteWell, big powers always have a way of using smaller countries to their advantage, that doesn't give them a green light to pursue a policy as they see fit for themselves.
DeleteNews Articles:
Turkey Uneasy as U.S. Support of Syrian Kurds Grows:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/30/world/middleeast/turkey-uneasy-as-us-support-of-syrian-kurds-grows.html?_r=0
Syria's Kurds warn Turkey against intervening militarily in Syria:
http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2015/07/01/syrias-kurds-warn-turkey-not-to-intervene-militarily
Arevordi,
DeleteMany of us would like to see you do a full blog post on a remapped Middle East, or at least the Kurdish part of it. I tend to think the Western powers want a bigger Kurdish state, more like what we see on the Yinon Plan map. An expanding Kurdish state will put serious pressure on Iran and Turkey, and be very much in the control of the West.
While this might be a bad thing overall, it would certainly change the politics for Armenia. If a Kurdish state wants to incorporate the Kurdish areas of Iran, what would Yerevan's position be? If the new Kurdish state reached the Black Sea, well, that changes the geographical prison problem. Also, if there were such a serious change to borders, one would imagine that this would give Russia the impetus and cover to do some things they might want to do.
My guess would be that Iran has proven to be too tough to break territory out of. Turkey might prove to be much weaker as the country is very infiltrated with Western operatives and NATO, plus the Kurds have been treated very poorly.
Eurasian
While the Kurds behaved no better, if not worse, than during in their treatment of Armenians throughout history, a Kurdish state is most definitely in the state and national interests of Armenia. Even if Kurds base their lands on Western Armenia, dealing with such a Kurdish state would be much simpler than with the Turkey we have today. But for the moment, we have a common boogie man, and I'm certain we're going to collaborate for a common purpose.
DeleteA Kurdish state would greatly reduce the threat posed by the Turkey we have as a neighbor today, for a fragmented Turkey is that much a less of a threat.
As for Iran, a fragmented Iran would be in Armenia's interests as well, but only after the Turkish state has fragmented. It would NOT be in our interests today.
Kurds pose an existential threat to Turks, whereas Armenians are merely a geopolitical problem for Turks. A Kurdistan in or on the border of Turkey can potentially elevate the importance of Armenia and give Armenians some room for political maneuvering. If the day comes when a Kurdish state in eastern Turkey becomes imminent, there is a good possibility that Ankara will be inclined to begin seeking channels of genuine cooperation with Armenians. Faced with losing Turkey's south-east to Kurds, if Turks were smart, they would try to weaken the Kurdish presence in the region by giving back to Armenia some of the Kurdish populated regions such as Mount Ararat and the cities of Kars and Ardahan. Had Armenians been anything like Jews, Armenians would be secretly establishing lines-of-communications with Turks to essentially convince Ankara that Turkey would be better off returning some Armenian lands back to Armenia than face a large Kurdish state in south-east Turkey. Had Armenians been anything like Jews, Armenians would also be establishing similar lines-of-communication with Kurds.
DeleteTurks would never go to any voluntary concessions to Armenians in hopes of avoiding a bigger threat posed by Kurds; I don't think that is realistic. A lot of the lands in Eastern Anatolia are still relatively empty. More west and south is where the Kurds are significant in numbers. As I am aware, Armenians have had links and ties to Kurds in Northern Iraq, and recently an embassy was opened there.
DeleteWhat is certain is that we don't know what Turks will do when they face such a scenario. With that said, when it comes to pursuing Armenian interests, Armenians must be ready to deal with ANYONE. Politics cannot be solely based on biases, emotions or on past events, unless we want to end up like Arabs.
DeleteSpeaking of Armenians need to act like Jews, take a look at how Jews play the game
Deletehttp://theweek.com/articles/562830/why-russia-should-take-over-israels-defense-from-america
Thank you Arevordi for this timely commentary. It is so important that our intellectuals start thinking about distractive policies of the west and come out of suicidal coma. Most educated Armenians in Armenia have best intentions about our homeland but have little understanding about western manipulations.
ReplyDeleteThe protests in Armenia is a serious test for our security and police officials. There are inside and outside forces trying hard to turn this into maidan. However, by now our security officials should have a good knowledge of every traitor (and hopefully even have infiltrated those organizations) to mark their movements. Anytime they plan something it should be anticipated and dealt with without hesitations. As to youngsters who have best intentions let them protest so the elite doesn't feel too comfortable, rich and fat.
I have not finished reading so it is not proper to comment so soon, however I feel I must before this thread gets too deep, so listen carefully.
ReplyDeleteAs pointed out this is not another Maiden, this is not the case as a lot of us have said. No one in the West is keep on stoking the flames in Armenia at this point in time. I point to one glaring fact, US dollar rate vs the Dram is going down. someone is supporting the Dram and it is not the Armenians, nor is it Russia. There is active support for the Armenian Dram so no one with a bright idea to make a quick buck in the money markets is getting the chance to make a quick buck, this is forbidden for now.
What we should do is keep quite on this subject matter. Least we should be the ones playing out the game theory for someones wet dream. In the past they have tried to pull strings like this, and failed. At this moment in time they don't have such a desire, we can speculate as to why?
Let us not game a theory for them who have failed so many times. If today it is not their wish you can bet that tomorrow they might change their minds, let us not lend our brains in this effort! Come on people we are smarter then this.
Getze Hayastan.
Vahram
Another observation about rich and fat elites (think most MPs with their clans who own 75% of the business in Armenia) are the main culprits of this unrest (indirectly). It is known that the reason why electro tariffs need to go up is that ENA has no other way out. This has been an ongoing problem because large and medium businesses owned by the elite don't pay their electrical bills, at times accumulating 100k debts. Later they negotiate (handouts under the table) and pay a portion of that bill to settle and move forward. They created this mess and now want the common people who barely make their ends meet to pay for all stolen megawatts.
ReplyDeleteAnd these are the same greedy fat bustards that talk about western rule of law and why Armenia should stay away from Russia.
@the term "Maidan" has been turned into a negative, derogatory word inside Armenian society
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, in Romanian Maidan has the same pejorative meaning, a place where idle people, vagabonds, hoodlums, whores, thieves congregate. "Behaving like on the Maidan" is a short for lack of manners. Argotically "a ieși la maidan" (to go on the...) means 1. a se face cunoscut în lumea interlopă (to make himself known to the underworld). 2. a ieși la jefuit (to go out to robb). 3. a practica prostituția (to practice prostitution).
It may have to do with its Turkish origin.
If the Kurds in turkey raise their heads they'll be subjected to ethnic cleansing from the areas they now occupy. The Kurds are splintered, and fractured into factions. It is going to be a challenging mission to unite them. Besides a united Kurdish entity also runs counter to Persian national interests, as well as Syria, but Syria has already been virtually carved up. In such a scenario Armenia will be affected one way or another. That is why the armed forces have to be on maximum alert. The nation is in a state of virtual and undeclared war, yet many people do not realize it. It is plain to see the new demarcations of the ME. The Arabs have to be fractured and parceled out into small entities, instead of sovereign nations. The Arabs too lack the unity factor. It is understandable since the Arabs are racially different from each other. When Egyptians declare themselves to be Egyptians and not Arabs , then one understands the depth of the disconnect in the masses occupying Arabia. Against these Machiavellian machinations of redrawing the ME, the interests of the international Jewish lords will be paramount and Jewish inspiration will drive this project forward. Once again there is no substantial resistance to these grandiose designs for the region. All the chaos reigning in the ME is architected and engineered by them. The only constant is to maintain the region in constant turmoil, warfare, terrorism,caliphates, Isis today Massis tomorrow and so on. An open ended chaos and havoc wreaking conditions in nations ensure the security and prosperity of them.
ReplyDeleteNot to deny the challenges in building a Kurdish state, but it is worth pointing out that a fairly high percentage of the Republican establishment is coming around to the idea that a Kurdish state of some sort is in US interests. As these kinds of statements anger the Turks, who have had a reasonable lobby in DC, this is significant.
DeleteIt is fairly likely that the next US President will be more inclined to backing the Kurds overtly than Obama.
An excerpt
...
“I think they would fight like hell if we promised them a country,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) recently said of the prospect of an independent Kurdistan. While it’s clear that the Kurds are fighting “like hell” today even without the promise of statehood, there are a number of Americans on both sides of the political aisle who would agree with Paul.
“Paul has joined the chorus of Republicans calling for the U.S. to directly arm the Kurds without passing through the Iraqi government, but he has now taken a step further by calling for Kurdish independence,” CNN reported. “It’s a move that would certainly upset Iraq’s government in Baghdad, which is struggling to hold together a fractious and complex coalition of Sunnis, Shias and Kurds to keep the country in one piece.”
Even conservatives who would agree with Paul on little else with regard to the conduct of American foreign affairs are on the same page when it comes to a free Kurdish state.
...
http://hotair.com/archives/2015/03/11/rand-paul-wants-a-free-kurdistan-but-is-that-the-right-course/
Eurasian
I invite everyone to watch this 15 minute interview with Evgeny Fedorov. The subject is: Unconventional Warfare (English subtitled).
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8tucyhhwUU
The above interview is on this YouTube channel that contains various interviews of Fedorov and Starikov. All subtitled in English. Well worth watching them all, especially the newer ones:
https://www.youtube.com/user/NewInsightSubs/videos
While Starikov is a bit more down to earth and logical, Fedorov exaggerates and overdramatizes everything but there is an element of truth in everything he sees.
Zoravar, that was a brilliant speech by Federov. He may be over dramatizing things a bit but that is what is needed today to awaken the sleeping masses to the dangers that humanity currently faces from the Anglo-American-Jewish world. This is a civilizational struggle - pardon my dramatization - between good and evil. What we don't need to do is sugarcoat things.
DeleteGreece (as well as of course Ukraine, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Macedonia) are vivid examples of what Armenia would have looked forward to had it been suicidal/stupid enough to seek membership in the EU. I have not recently addressed the historic mess Greece is in because I have talk about it in my previous blog commentaries about why Armenia does not need membership in the bankrupt, multiethnic, decadent, theme park known as the EU. But the following two WSJ articles vividly shows the double screwing Greece is getting as a result of Western polices throughout the region and the Greek desire to remain in the Anglo-American orbit -
ReplyDeleteCash Crunch Hits Everyday Life in Greece: Shutdown of Greece’s banking system cripples businesses, makes it hard for people to pay bills; just €1 billion in cash left:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/cash-crunch-hits-everyday-life-in-greece-1435791588
Impoverished government, plagued by a debt crisis, struggles to contend with flood of asylum seekers: http://www.wsj.com/articles/greece-grapples-with-its-own-migrant-problem-1435707678
Greece as a country has been morphed into a pathogenic cell. It is perfectly understandable when a nation births from its bosom a political class with a pedigree of repugnance and disgust. The situation in Greece today makes the years living under the Germans look paradisaical. This is the view of peoples ( non marxists of course) who look back to those " dark years" and compare it to the abject misery , decadent degeneration and scorched economy that nation is enduring today. What flotsam came on top after the war ( " dark years") ended is paradigmatic. Greece was virtually in the hands of the marxists as the Wehrmacht started its withdrawal. For 30 days Athens experienced the red terror, in which wild Armenian red marxists went rampaging into the Armenian communities , killing fellow Armenians who were considered anti marxists. One family I know well lost 6 members to these wild subhumans bearing the ian surnames, their sin was that during the war their property was used to house German officers. The communists were ultimately driven out of Athens when Churchill arrived in December 1945 and british troops begun to aid the non marxists. The Greeks in their majority are left oriented, and their leadership is saturated with crypto jews ( Simitis, the dragon who pushed Greece into the Euro in cahoots with his co -racials in the international Banking fraternity/mafia- The fatso Venizelos half jew,a quarter turk and a mason to boot- Papandreu the rumanian jew - Diamantopolu, the vixen jewess who resided in Brussels and kept raping the Greek educational system by passing laws subverting Greek history- Pangalos, the corpulent free mason and embezzler par excellence ,when asked what happened to all the monies the government borrowed since entering the Euro he responded with a " All of us ate it" ( meaning all those scoundrels in parliament, government and opposition political swindlers)- Samaras, a jewish manequin, a treacherous savage ( this Samaras was the harbinger of the catastrophe Greece faces today when in 1989, serving under the presidency of Mitsotakis ( another crypto jew) opened the borders to Albanian invasion and subsequently the acceptance of the illegal tsunami of Afro Asian invasion) who serves and genuflects to international jewry. Endowed with leadership bereft of national sentiments and in the payroll of foreign masters it is no wonder the political class in Greece is a monument to granite like corruption. Armenians will never realize how fortunate they are - by design or a quirk of good fortune- being out of the pestilential cattle corral of the EU.
DeleteIf you guys read between the lines of the following WSJ article, you will see what I have been saying all along: The Western alliance is not serious about attacking and destroying ISIS because ISIS is performing a needed function on the ground, which is to lay the foundations of a new Middle East. The current fighting and infighting is about who will control what when the bloody show ends and Western forces are positioned in the region to basically manage the show -
ReplyDeleteThe Phony War Against Islamic State: The U.S. and its allies mostly harass, unwilling to strike decisively:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB11091212670656464670804581058451367149150
Off topic but good news like this has to be shared, Armenia is getting the Iskander-M!
ReplyDeletehttp://news.am/eng/news/274929.html
Good news indeed! And thank you for sharing. If Armenia does get this awesome weapon system it will be a game changer, militarily speaking. I think in the next year or two we will get news that Armenia has also received a squadron of Mig 29s and/or Yakolev 130s. In its effort to keep NATO out of the south Caucasus, Moscow is gradually turning Armenia into an impregnable fortress. All that is left now is to establish unhindered economic link with Russia (through Georgia and/or Azerbaijan) and the nightmare will be over.
DeleteWow, Armenia can hit anywhere in Baku now and their S300s cant stop us. This word class news even Business International is talking about this: http://www.ibtimes.com/russia-talks-supply-armenia-iskander-m-missiles-battle-lines-drawn-across-europe-1994731
DeleteWashington's street whores in Armenia, Founding Parliament activists and Paruyr Hayrikian, just made another attempt to hijack the on-going demonstrations in Yerevan with their EU flags but they were heckled away by demonstrators. They should have been beaten bloody and sent to the hospital or the morgue instead because as long as these filthy vermin are allowed to breath the air in Armenia, they will continue posing an existential threat to the fledgling and embattled country.
ReplyDeleteFounding Parliament mercenaries and CIA agent Paruyr Hayrikian arrives at Yerevan's Baghramyan Avenue with EU flag (PHOTOS and VIDEO): http://news.am/eng/news/275123.html
Even CIA agents at ArmeniaNow is reporting this news
Deletehttp://armenianow.com/news/65078/armenia_electric_erevan_rally_protest_baghramyan_eu_flags
What a shame that old fart going there with EU flags. Add to that bitch postajyan voted against the 200million military loan to purchase Iskandars and planes.
DeleteI think they are discrediting themselves. This type of actions will not sit well with people.
I am thinking how parukian did not have his nose broken ? The EU flag should have been confiscated from this swarthy traitor with his juden wife, and sent him and his gangsters packing. He is a senile fool or a consummate traitor.
DeleteTsavt tanem, Arevordi
Delete"The European Union is for human rights and nothing else", says this tavajan foreign agent Hayrikian. I couldn't have been prouder of my people telling him like it is. Your sentiments are right on with all the other human garbage davajans that you mentioned. Civil society of Soros and all the rest.
You made my day!
Keep up the good work!
Arevordi, I think you predicated this
ReplyDeleteDespite past quarrels with Russia, Georgians are returning to its orbit
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/despite-past-quarrels-with-russia-georgians-are-returning-to-its-orbit/2015/07/01/40d64c24-1b49-11e5-bed8-1093ee58dad0_story.html
Evgeny Fradtkov's expresses hisopinion about the Armenian protests in this :
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOLZdLzy7ok
I agree with Federov that Yerevan is risking a lot by playing both sides. I disagree with him that Armenia is on the verge of a Western-backed color revolution. One thing however that is beyond any doubt is that Moscow does not trust Sargsyan's government due to Yerevan's complementary politics bullshit. And I don't blame them. In fact, as I have said before, all of the flaws that currently exists within Russian-Armenian relations can be traced to Armenia's desire to maintain close ties with the political West, for financial gain of course. This desire to flirt with Western powers is giving Western mercenaries a dangerous footing inside Armenian society. Yerevan is therefore playing a very dangerous game. Armenia would be lucky if Sargsyan's complimentary politics bullshit does not blow up on Armenia's face one day. Therefore, although I don't agree with some of what Fedorov is saying, I'm glad however that he is saying it. But I would have been happier if Russians got more politically involved inside Armenia.
DeleteA Partnership with China to Avoid World War
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2015/jul/09/partnership-china-avoid-world-war/
The thing known as George Soros, which the editor at dailyslave.com appropriately refers to as an "evil Sith lord," penned another ridiculous piece arguing that the west should try to entice China into abandoning its sovereignty and its security alliance with Russia as a way of "avoiding" a future war... because if the Anglo-American-Jewish alliance cannot separate and then subjugate Russia and China under its control, then war is inevitable.
Honestly, had I been a Jew, I would despise cretins like George Soros, because I believe that throughout history it has been meddlesome warmongers like Soros which have instigated calamitous wars for the gentile nations they inhabited to the point that the gentiles got fed up with the death, destruction, and debt and reacted by going on Jew-hunting pogroms and rampages. The extreme amounts of hate that the likes of Soros, Adelson, Netanyahu, and other big name Jews are attracting has a real chance of backfiring on Jewry as a whole. In a ironic twist, Jews may be the most clever and yet ultimately most self-destructive ethnic group the world has ever seen.
Many Jews, the conservative, right wing ones in particular, despise Soros but they also see him as a powerful tool. Some fifteen years ago Soros was invited to speak at a Jewish gathering/convention at a prestigious institution in NYC. Soon after he got on stage to give his speech, he went on a rant against Israel's political polices. He wouldn't stop. It got so bad they basically had to turn off his microphone. I happened to be an indirect witness to the event. Afterwards, I spoke with a Jew who was at the gathering and he basically said that Soros is looked upon by the Jewish community was a cash cow (i.e. they collaborate with him because he is political and he has billions to throw away) but they also see him as a problem (i.e. he is too liberal, too left wing and too extreme). The guy I was speaking to went as far as saying it is prominent Jews like him that give Jews their bad name in the US. I did not get into a deeper conversation with him because I had told him that I was conservative Republican. In other words, I was playing dumb.
DeleteA little off topic but more evidence of the growing strategic importance of Armenia. The question is whether our politicians are capable of using it to the nation's advantage. With their head so far up Europe's ass, and their unquenching thirst for more and more persoal wealth, our politicians have dropped to ball on too many occasions
ReplyDeletehttp://chinamatters.blogspot.com/
Arto2
I agree with you 100% How many times have Armenian officials ever visited China (or even India or Iran)? Compare it to how many times they are seen in the Western world. It seems as if our top officials are in western Europe or the US on a regular basis. Our people's greed, materialism and political illiteracy is having a negative impact on Armenia's political and cultural evolution. China is a great opportunity for Armenia yet the country plays a very little role in Armenia's foreign ministry. Since Armenians love comparing themselves to Jews, Jews would have been all over stuff like this -
DeleteTurks protesting against China attack Koreans 'by mistake': http://news.yahoo.com/turks-protesting-against-china-attack-koreans-mistake-193516278.html
Reading comments we can all agree that we want this protests to end due to the danger that it will be highjacked by traitors with deadly consequences. However, end of this protests does not mean end of the problems. The government needs to implement rapid changes if we want to avoid backlash. Armenia's security priorities must include safeguards against public unrest. Reforms in following key areas are long overdue:
ReplyDelete- Foreign financed NGOs should be only allowed humanitarian and social activities, any political activity should be forbidden.
- Special commission headed by president's chief of stuff should be formed to examine every complaint of investment fraud. Every Armenian around the world who wants to come back, invest in business should be under strict protection of the government and feel 100% secure.
- New business should be given tax benefits for hiring employees. We need working population not coffee drinking.
- Russian companies should be given every opportunity to invest and be protected in Armenia.
- Special prosecutor should be appointed to deal with corruption in Customs, Tax, Judicial and Police ministries.
- Oligarkhs should be given an opportunity to keep their "hard" earned billions if they agree to reinvest them in strategic areas inside Armenia.
Armenia is a small country, it can become a decent place to live even with no oil or gold, or being landlocked. Bringing 2-3 billion dollars investment per year will be enough to make it a paradise in 10 years. All we hear from the government is whining, nobody is planning, nobody is making changes to address those problems voiced for last 10 years. They feel content to keep things the way they are, 200 families own and share the spoils and 99% suffer. they don't want competition. this is a recipe for disaster, people will get fed up one day and throw them out. Russian-Armenian relations are at stake here, the anger will be manipulated toward our strategic partner.
I agree with you 100%. We first need to get rid of our Western mercenaries, we then need to get rid of our 1990s era chobans-in-Armani-suits. I hope Russians can help us one day make this possible.
DeleteJust a little off topic but.....with regards to the Iskander-M deal.
ReplyDelete1. Why have no contracts been signed yet? In the article i read it says nothing is signed what could be holding it up?
2. Iskander-M will be a complete change over in the balance - can we expect the Russians to sell more weapons to Azeri if we get the Iskander-M?
The 'M' version is what the Russian Military uses......surely we are not getting M and we will be getting 'E' export version? I somehow don't believe Moscow will give us the Iskander as much as i respect the Russian help we get i think this news will fade away.
Gev
If you remember, about two years ago DM Ohanyan stated that Armenia will be acquiring highly accurate modern ballistic missiles from Russia. Some thought at the time that he was talking about the Smerch. It's now obvious that the ballistic missile he spoke about was the Iskander. According to Russia's Tass, the Iskander is not set to be delivered to Armenia before 2016. I guess there is a lot of preparation that needs to be done before the actual delivery. What's more, when it's about highly sensitive weapons system such as the nuclear capable Iskander, don't expect any transparency or details. I think Moscow released this information to the press prematurely. I think it was done for PR reasons because of heightened tensions in Armenia. Lastly, the Tass article talks about the "M" variant. As long as Armenia is a member of the CSTO and the EEU and hosts Russian troops, I think Russians will be willing to arm it with their best weapons systems. Again, this all goes back to trust. Armenians need to put aside their Western fetishes and seek deeper and more efficient collaboration with Russians.
DeleteThe protesters are still having their summer fun in the streets. Are they causing some distruption ? If they are not, the authorities seem remiss to sweep them away. After all it is a form of circus show, free entertainment for the populace on the hot summer days in the open air. It is patently obvious the demonstrators are idle wanderers , with liitle or nothing to occupy themselves. Should they become prickly to handle, the risk of the circus being hijacked by the Jewish-USA cabala and turn it into a searing tool for destabilization and mayhem is very real, the authoritites will move in and clean out the fun and merry makers from the streets. If Armenia were a multiracial land the USA-Jews would have had it easy to corrupt and corrode it with revolts; this electricity street fair presents them with a golden opportunity. Armenia is a beautiful country to live in . Problems you'll find even in heaven. The government does what it can. The corruption in government at least it is of an armenian texture and color and not by fake armenians.Corruption in governments is today a pandemic disease overlapping borders and nations. The difference lies only in the degree that exists across the planet and the exposure it gets by the organs of communication. The richer the country , the bigger and lucrative are the corruption levels. The allure to align with Europe, cultural roots and history links apart, for material gains would become less and less allluring as the Europe starts losing its economic cornucopia. One point that escapes us all is that we are a besieged country and our priority is the security and life line of the nation. Priorities are the strengthening and bolstering of the the armed forces. Our vital force today lies solely in our racial homogeneity which makes us rooted to the soil, history, traditions,language and religion, through blood, notwithstanding the plethora of traitors and thundreds of sell outs in our midst, The priorities are to turn the nation into a armored steel fortress, not to provide a BMW or Mercedes to all . The priority is to make the military the bakbone and soul of the land. No one should have the daring to tamper with the armed forces, anyone contemplating such designs must know they will get irremediably hurt.
ReplyDeleteI would argue that the type of corruption is the key thing. In Asia, most corruption is with, say, a 10-20% cut of the money going to connected families and groups for projects of some sort. So this slows development, of course. But progress is palpable. Corruption in the old Soviet sphere seems to be more fundamentally harmful. In Asia, imports and exports are not so abused by officials as the policies of the central governments are to promote business. Actually, that might be the key thing. The ideology is pro-business and pro-development. Then compare that to, say, Bulgaria, Latvia, Ukraine, or Armenia. And the ideology of the European Dream is not pro-business or pro-development. More like pro-gay rights and pro-immigrants from incompatible countries. Their corruption is in ways that often harm the country, not slow progress. An obvious example would be to accept all these NGOs in exchange for various inducements. This doesn't slow development; it puts the country at risk.
DeleteWhile on this topic, Armenia would benefit from studying the rise of modern Asia. I travel around Asia a reasonable amount, and feel that it is leaving the West in the dust. Instead of looking up to the historical amusement park known as Europe, why not examine the policies and ideas that have worked so well over the last 50 years?
Eurasian
The problem is that theme parks or amusement parks are always more interesting for the sheeple (that includes government officials). In the absence of ideological movements today, humans simply want to be entertained and titillated.That is what you get when God, family and county (i.e national ideology) is killed through 70 years of persistent Globalization, Westernization, Americanization (i.e. social engineering).
DeleteDear all,
ReplyDeleteSo this Cher suddenly decides to take an interest in Armenia, and rather than using her past fame in a positive manner, as Kim did, in order to draw attention to the AG, she has to open her fat mouth in this manner (better if she just stayed lost). Worst of all, she's attempting to draw Kim into it:
http://armenianow.com/society/65127/armenia_electric_yerevan_protest_cher_kardashian
Check out this piece by agent Kirakosyan:
Armenians have lost faith in Russia:
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2015/07/armenians-lost-faith-russia-150705060558520.html
---------------
Questions for arevordi:
When you say China is energy dependent on the west, I thought china got its oil and gas from Russia and iran mostly, what do you mean by energy dependent on the west?
Can you please tell us more about Igor Muradyan. Wasn't he at one time considered to be a "nationalist" and the Armenian Assembly blocked his visit to the US? now this guy is pro-US (saying it mildly).
Thanks
To begin, I consider Gulf Arab states to be for the most part, part of the Western political order. With that said, I have not said China is energy dependent on the West for a good few years now because China has increased its intake of Russian, Iranian and Central Asian energy in recent years. What I have always said and will continue to say it that China is dependent on the West through its financial sector and trade. I have also said and will continue to say that the West wants to have some degree of control over energy deliveries to China. This desire to have an influential effect over Beijing by controlling energy deliveries to China was part of the reason why Western powers did their best to contain Russia and have a foothold in Central Asia throughout the 1990s and 2000s, and part of the reason why Iran is being harassed by the West.
DeleteChina is an economic giant but an energy midget. Those who control China's energy deliveries, will indirectly control China. The Chinese know this all too well, which is why they are doing their best not to be dependent on any one power. They are doing similar diversification with their trade and finances.
In the past Igor seemed to be a Russian asset in Armenian society. Then he was inactive for some time. When he reemerged, he reemerged as part of Armenia's Western financed radical opposition (i.e. Founding Parliament). You draw whatever conclusions you want.
Cher, Kim Kardashian, Serj Tankian, Charles Aznavour... Celebrity worship has been one of the worst "values" that Armenia has imported from the west. Cher was a passable whore 40 years ago, now she is a batshit crazy old ultraliberal who rants on social media. If only the late Dr. Jack Kevorkian were around to help her treat her own misery. Her tranny/faggot/dyke offspring could also use the treatment.
DeleteApart from demonstrating the dangers of celebrity worship, the life story of that Armenian Mestizo Cher demonstrates the danger of Armenians mixing with racially and culturally incompatible peoples. Its father must be rolling over in his grave.
Igor Muradyan is just a free agent traitor. Whoever pays him the most will get their viewpoints published in his articles. Not much different than a prostitute really.
DeleteI don't care much for Kim, but the fact of the matter that she used her frame to generate publicity to Armenia and the AG would be wrong to not appreciate. She did in fact do something good and commendable. Serj Tankian should not get involved in Armenia's internal politics. I don't have any beef with Aznavour, he is Armenia's official ambassador to Switzerland.
DeleteI really don't care if the world "recognizes" the Armenian Genocide. It doesn't really accomplish anything at all for Armenia. Every single western citizen can become aware of the Armenian Genocide, it still wouldn't affect Turkey one bit because the citizenry are powerless ants and Turkey would retain its geostrategic importance for the ruling Anglo-American-Zionist elites. Now ask yourself, what did Kim actually accomplish for Armenia, specifically to the women and young girls who compromise the majority of her followers? She showed them that if they act like the lowest street whores they will be rewarded. She showed them that if they make sex tapes with niggers at age 18, procreate and race-mix with niggers they will be rewarded with fame, money, and attention - which are the things women are programmed want most. She showed them that it is acceptable for an Armenian woman to shamelessly parade her hideous Mulatto offspring all over our sacred homeland. Kim is without a doubt the lowest level of trash we can imagine, and she didn't even have the decency to keep her shit confined to the ghettos of Los Angeles. Whatever miniscule attention Kim brought to Armenia momentarily, her overall message of pornography, miscegenation, and the most base and vapid behavior imaginable on camera has been infinitely more destructive to the Armenian psyche and spirit, even if Armenians are not able to recognize it right away. Look at it this way: after Kim's example in Yerevan, if even a few hundred Africans were allowed to move to Armenia, our bloodline would be tainted and the nation unsalvageable. Now I really don't give a shit if non-Armenian White whores around Europe and North America, or Armenian whores who will permanently remain in the diaspora (until they assimilate) engage in miscegenation with mates from incompatible genetic and cultural backgrounds, but that poison should be banned in Armenia, and anyone promoting it should be dealt with accordingly... ps, Peter Balakian has a very informative book called "The Burning Tigris" in which he describes how in the period during and immediately after the Armenian Genocide, they whole of the American public knew of and sympathized with Armenia, and it was said that for the moment Britain was the only foreign country that Americans knew or talked more about than Armenia. Ask yourself what that recognition amounted to, the answer of course is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. The seeds of American dominance over Turkey were sewn during that period, the Senate voted down America's mandate for the Armenian Republic during that period, and the American public moved on to the next major headline. That was 1919. Now look today at the people who follow celebrity culture, Kim's followers, and ask yourself if these people have even an iota of impact on Armenia or Turkey... And if you need further convincing as to why Kim is a threat, search the Internet for "North West Kardashian" and ask yourself what impression it makes on young Armenian girls when that half-breed is paraded around by its mother Kim as an example of a modern "Armenian."
DeleteI agree, Serj is actually pretty stupid and ignorant regarding Armenia. Like all musicians/celebrities he thinks he is helping a good cause when in reality he playing the role of an unwanted intermeddler. He wasn't even aware of which Western Armenian cities his family came from when asked on the documentary "Screamers."
Aznavour is a piece of shit. Appointing that idiot to a political post was a huge mistake. He ran his mouth trivializing the Armenian Genocide and alleging that "corruption" in the Armenian government is worse than genocide. His usefulness has expired, and he has become a national nuisance. A nice quiet retirement is what he needs, perhaps somewhere in Tel Aviv:
Armenians for Israel - Charles Aznavour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lplGlUGPL-c
Speaking of corruption, the rumor has it that Aznavour was given his "ambassadorial" position by the Armenian government to make him immune to tax fraud charges he was facing in France.
DeleteSarkis,
DeleteDo you recognize the Irish Genocide? It was one, of course. The criminals in London are even worse in many ways than a normal killer. A normal killer doesn't whitewash it and throw BS all over the place. But the Irish only got a state through a very long and brutal fight.
So apologies for discussing such a sensitive topic when I am not of Armenian descent, but I think it is important to make the discussions of the AG be for productive means, not a kind of left-wing, politically correct movement to a dead end. Ethnic pride and solidarity is a good thing, of course, but you don't need any more marches with a leadership of Hollywood types or Soros employees. Instead, you want to sue Turkey and claim money and territory. You won't get it, but you will hurt them. Get a lawyer in Europe to sue so all Armenians have the right to visit where their ancestors were killed. Fund an advertising campaign that says "Jews have the right to visit where their relatives were murdered in Germany, and we want the same for Turkey." Get a street-fighting lawyer from Chicago to give you ideas. Or a Jew. Go for the throat. If and when Turkey weakens, you want the chance to grab some territory. Try to get the UN to denote a few places in Turkey as important in some way. Maybe some famous site like a church also had a big massacre. Whatever. Consider whether working with Kurdish groups is a good idea. Senator Rand Paul is calling for a Kurdish state, and, actually, lots of Republicans now want this. Get a feel for whether they want to weaken Turkey. I suspect they do, though Arevordi may doubt this.
One other thing. Are there videos of famous Armenians saying things like "I want to be able to visit my grandfather's grave with the rest of my family - but we can't. Turkey not only murdered them, but won't let us visit." or "Mount Ararat is historic heart and symbol of Armenia, but since the AG it is in Turkish control. This is a terrible injustice to go along with all those murders." Put them on YouTube. Instead of a celebrity promoting the modern Hollywood degeneracy, get them to do something good.
Eurasian
Eurasian, your question whether I recognize the terrible death and destruction that the English inflicted upon the Irish actually does a great job demonstrating the point I was trying to make about why recognition in general is worthless. What difference does it make if I recognize historical facts or not? Who am I that my opinion should matter, either to the perpetrators or to the victims? "Recognition" is worthless... And I am not Irish, so while I greatly sympathize with the Irish and their tragic history, it is not going to affect my daily activities, Ireland wont pop up in my thoughts as I go about my daily business, and I am certainly not going to help the Irish or hurt the English through anything I do, except maybe inform a handful of people about what happened to the Irish. The same is true for any non-Armenian citizen who learns about the Armenian Genocide from Armenian social and media activism, recognition is pointless. And this is the fact even though I consider myself slightly better educated about history and slightly more politically active than the average American or the average fan who has his/her political opinions influenced by some slut like Kim Kardashian or through reading comments under youtube videos or social media posts.
DeleteThe "commoners" from the Armenian Diaspora that scream for "recognition" are mainly young people who want some sort of recognition of their ethnic identity. Most of them are not advanced enough to understand the nuances between "fighting for recognition" and actually doing something tangible to help Armenia and Artsakh, and most of them will never become advanced enough because apart from Arevordi's blog there are little to no decent sources for teaching geopolitics - the most important yet least understood topic on Earth - to Armenians or anyone else for that matter. To their everlasting credit though, almost all of the Armenian activists fighting for recognition are well-intentioned, just extremely naive and/or uneducated in the realities of geopolitics, history, the paramount importance of preserving genetics and culture in order to save Armenia, etc. These Armenian-Americans see the success of the Jews and their hollow-hoax bullshit, and they think "recognition" is the key to making Armenia as "successful" as Israel. The fact that these Armenians fail to understand how politics really works is the reason they continue to place all of their hopes in "pro-Armenian politicians" and the Genocide Resolutions that occasionally come up in the US Congress, and the reason why these Armenians are still shocked and hurt when the pro-Turkish interests of the Anglo-American-Jewish alliance inevitably prevail and the Resolutions are killed. Combine that with the dumbed-down indoctrination they received at school, the ultraliberal propaganda that Professors Levy and Goldberg fed them in college, and the ultraliberal messages they receive from the Jewish-controlled mass media of news and entertainment, and you end up with the self-destructive "activists" we have today who either waste their time and resources, or occasionally even harm Armenia through their promotion of the western agenda thinking they are doing a good thing for Armenia by promoting faggotry, interracialism, pacifism and "brotherhood" in the face of aggressive and barbaric Turco-Islamist neighbors, the suicidal system of democracy, Russophbia disguised as "anti-corruption," "anti-imperialism," and "modernization," etc. It is a tragic waste that these peoples activism is not focused on doing things to actually help Armenia rather than trying to get the warmongering scumbag politicians of the American Empire to "recognize" the Armenian Genocide.
That is why the US Armenian community concentrates on this type of activism. Of course some of the leaders of the community are more than happy to corral these efforts, and of course engage in unlimited "fundraising" to pursue this purpose further.
DeleteLawsuits are a waste of time. There were lawsuits against insurance companies, including NY Life and France's AXA for unclaimed Genocide-era life insurance policies. The settlements were far lower than you might think, the lawyers received a notable portion of the settlements, and then the lawyers sued each other over how the funds were divided. The Jew Brian S. Kabateck, an associate of Mark Geragos, was involved; it was a bad idea letting Jews further profiteer from the Armenian Genocide - the fact that you even suggest it makes me question your ability to comprehend and assess the Armenian question... And that was the case suing western insurance companies; the Turks would blatantly tell any plaintiffs and international judge who ruled against Turkey to go fuck themselves, and Turkey would be fully protected by the Anglo-American-Zionist elites.
As for campaigns against Turkey, Turks are not over-civilized pussies like Europeans. YouTube comments are about as effective as tweets from Kim Kardashian in changing the situation on the ground. There is no shortage of Armenians on the Internet and in academia spreading the truth. You will find Armenians and non-Armenians on any forum regarding Turkey spreading the truth. The fact that you are not aware of the countless thousands of such comments shows how ineffective they are. And there is no shortage of UN declarations - those worthless declarations are worthless against the Turks as long as Turks have NATO protecting their asses. You might want to search The Iron Ladle by Khrimyan Hayrig from the late 1800s, it is the same reality today except Turkey is stronger and is the prized possession of the Anglo-American-Jewish alliance.
Kurds are useful only as much as they can be used to cause problems for the Turks. Otherwise they are no different from their Islamic brethren the Turks. Kurds have as much Armenian blood on their hands from the Ottoman Era as the Turks and the kikes. Any Armenian who sees a long-term alliance between Armenia and Kurdistan is an armchair general who did not learn the lessons from 1915 about the danger of relying on the goodwill of Armenia's Muslim neighbors. In fact, if the Turks were not targeting the Kurds for destruction right now, Kurds would have enthusiastically supported the Turkish-Azeri war against Armenia. Islamic peoples are no allies of Armenia, whether Turkish or Kurdish or Chechen or even Iranian.
DeleteRelying on the US Senate or any other part of the US or other western governments is an idiotic suggestion. Rand Paul and all of the rest are just political actors - this is the only type of politician which a democratic system can produce. The Senate already fucked Armenia in 1919, and Congress has repeatedly told the Armenian-Americans to go fuck themselves over meaningless, symbolic Genocide recognition bills. Instead of wasting resources on Rand Paul or so-called "pro-Armenian" western politician, Armenians need to realize that the key to Armenia's survival and prosperity lies in Moscow and Moscow alone. The key to the dissolution of the Turkish state lies in Moscow and Moscow alone.... Ron Paul, the "non-interventionist" cook, had the filthy Turkophile kike lawyer Bruce Fein as one of his top policy advisors during his 2012 presidential campaign; even though the kike Fein was a registered foreign agent and his work for Turkey inside the United States legal and political systems went directly against everything Ron Paul claimed he stood for. Democracies and lawyers inevitably produce the lowest form of vermin for political leadership, without exception. Real leaders, like Alexander Zakharchenko from Donetsk, never ever emerge from any democratic system. I like the late Qaddafi's statement on how democracy is a sham:
GADDAFI Speech - Democracy in the U.S, War against Libya, Obama, Israel, Iran, Kennedy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wGKgA2FkTc&t=2m19s
Sarkis,
DeleteMaybe I didn't make my points clearer enough. Recognition of Turkish crimes is not to change their hearts; it is a political maneuver to make certain things easier in the West. The most obvious of which would be to gain some territory if a Kurdish state gets part of Turkey. If not, it is simply a card that might have some value at some time. But the Turks don't care. It isn't about getting Armenians in California to qualify for affirmative action to get more useless jobs in government to promote all the crap that is destroying the US.
My point with stars is they should have a message about the AG and push the narrative. Not identity politics in the US, which has led to the dead end there now. I am aware of the endless videos of people saying something bad happened. As for lawyers, it is not about the money. It is to harm Turkey's image, and to rationalize your future actions. Armenia is in a dangerous situation, with Azerbaijan having an unstable geography, obviously needing a line from Baku to Istanbul, and the Kurds are also in a state that is not conducive to long-term peace. And Russia doesn't have land access to Armenia.
I don't trust Rand Paul or any major politician in the US at all, and neither should anyone else. But so what? As Arevordi roughly said, "Armenia needs to be ready to work with anyone at any time to further Armenia's interests." I am pointing out that the US is turning against Turkey and Yerevan should think long and hard about how to take advantage of that. It isn't about relying on those scumbags, but you want to feel them out. Putin talks to all kinds of scumbags; it is the nature of our world.
And I agree that Moscow is the main thing for Armenia to focus on. Absolutely. But it probably wouldn't be Moscow that led to a Kurdish state and a possible shrinking of the Turkish one. Moscow has a fairly passive and reactive stance internationally. The single most important thing for Armenia is get the attention of Moscow and promote things there. All the rest is of a lesser nature. And Armenia doesn't have any goodwill with Muslim neighbors to worry about. You can't lose what you haven't got.
In other words, I was pointing out that nobody cares about the Irish Genocide and it isn't much better for the AG. The world is a brutal place. What percentage of Cambodians got killed 30 years ago or so? One-third? Nobody cares, even those who visit. Hell, we are right now watching an incredibly dirty and evil war against Syria and almost nobody even speaks honestly about it, even people like Putin. That is the real world.
Eurasian
"Moscow is ready to use nuclear weapons to protect itself AND its allies". Iskander M baby!
ReplyDeleteRussia’s Foreign Ministry: We Are Ready To Use Nuclear Weapons
http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/07/russia-ready-to-use-nuclear-weapons/
Arevordi, the protests are not stopping I know you know this but the longer they last the more dangerous it's for Armenia. They are even protesting in front of the Armenian consulate in LA now and a lot of activists are going to Armenia for continuing the protests. BTW, that Baruch Hayrikian is such a slut LOL
Longtime reader
If any " activists" are coming to Armenia to sit in protests, they 'll soon find out they are sitting in cells.The VI pan armenian games are due to start on 2nd of August. They are expecting approximately 5500-6000 sportsmen and followers. The sit ins and carnival like protests would be brought to an abrupt end if common sense does not prevail." Activists" coming to Armenia must be netted , trouser ed and conscripted into the armed forces and marched to the front.Let their activism flourish in the front lines facing the enemy. As a matter of fact, it is high time the Government introduces compulsory military service for diasporan youths in military age. A two year stint in the army will work wonders for the dispossessed and alienated youths of the diaspora. They can learn the language, soak up the history, handle weapons, awaken their spiritual kinship with the land, and become useful to the nation. There are numerous numbers of young men drifting apart and falling into the mincing machine of assimilation in USA and other countries. It is a crime against the nation to allow this new form of genocide to continue.
DeleteNice, Soros and other funds are kicked out of Russia. we need to do the same in Armenia
ReplyDeletehttp://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=2638430
While it is depressing that it has taken Russia so long to deal with certain foreign elements, it is likely the case that these groups are full of Russian agents. Some of the pro-Western activists do a great job of discrediting the West.
DeleteThe actual problem is more the structural economic dependencies on the West and the mindset that makes the West so appealing for Russians. You would think they might realize that the Western paradigm does not include a big, rich, powerful, and independent Russia. That is a nightmare.
Eurasian
Al-Jazzira is funded most probably by Turkey or Azeri sources for anti-Armenian work. the emphasis is Russian-Armenian relations. I have learned that there is a link, money trail most likely from Azeri businessmen in Turkey.
ReplyDeleteAl-Jazeera is primarily financed by its founder, the government of Qatar, the government that also hosts the "US Central Command’s Forward Headquarters" as well as the US military's "Combined Air Operations Center".
DeleteIs calling for another open fest protest on the 9 July. He threatens to start a hunger strike, and urges everyone to join the struggle. His hunger strike it's a charade, he'll strike until he loses a few kilos, just like the porcine Raffi in 2012 when he went on hunger strike with one sole objective to lose kilos, a form of a diet in public Raffi went as far as to state that he'll die of hunger if he does not get the presidency, or is the results are not overturned. What a farce.
ReplyDeleteYou mean this idiot? http://www.armenianlife.com/2015/07/09/activist-in-yerevans-liberty-square-ends-his-hunger-strike/
DeleteSanasaryan announced the ending of his hunger strike. What a farce, a clownesque posturing to outdo all clowns. Judging by a photo of his, he looks scraggy ,skin flint, and gaudy in appearance. A trouble maker,
DeleteWhat do you people think of this? German Sterligov moves to Artsakh.
ReplyDeletehttp://armenpress.am/eng/news/811499/german-sterligov%E2%80%99s-visit-as-a-tourist-confirmed-from-nagorno-karabakh-republic.html
Gev
very interesting interviews with protesters.
ReplyDeletehttp://russia-insider.com/en/politics/armenia-protesters-agree-no-electromaidan-here/ri8593
Can we ease off the whole illiterate, greedy, materialist peasantry a bit now, or should we keep bashing the whole population by bringing up stupid individuals or obscure practices like tuxtogir or whatever the fck it's called and extrapolate these things onto every Armenian
DeleteNo, we can't "ease off" because we continue to have more than our share of politically illiterate citizens, Westernized youth, self-destructive peasants and Western mercenaries. We cannot afford the luxury of 'complacency' because our nation remains dangerously vulnerable to Western manipulation and exploitation. In fact, instead of "easing off" we should be using this opportunity to start cracking down on all those who are promoting Westernization of Armenia.
DeleteIt is very good news of Sterlikov settling in Artsakh. We need to populate the pristine garden of Eden, which is Artsakh. Sterlikov can provide an example and inspiration. We have to hear what he has to say on Tuesday in his interview as to his reasons for moving to Artsakh.
DeleteWow, I'm glad to see that Armenia can produce a protest movement that is not inherently suicidal for the nation. Those Levin Ter-Petrosstein protestors from 2008 almost destroyed Armenia with their western-orchestrated "death to the 'Karabakh clan'" bullshit. Back in 2008 LTP's protesters openly carried Israeli flags in Yerevan and danced to blatantly Hebrew music. These young protestors rejected EU flags and kept scumbags like Paruhi Hayrikyan, Nikol Pashinyan, Blowjob DerGrigorian from London, or any of the freaks from Heritage or Founding Parliament from hijacking the protests. LTP's protests were definitely a western operation designed to appeal to the very lowest rung of Armenian society; these protestors appear more disciplined and intellectual than LTP's gypsies. I'm sure the Anglo-American-Jewish alliance is seething that the billions they are gambled in Armenia have not produced any victories for them, I suppose they will soon attack Armenia through Freedom House and Heritage Foundation rankings and some pro-Azeri activity on the international diplomatic scene. What an ironic twist: that faggot Americunt ambassador Heffern called Armenia "a road to nowhere," turns out it was an accurate description or a self-fulfilling prophecy as far as the western agenda in Armenia is concerned.
DeleteI'm sensing that Armenian society in general is aware that Maidan was nothing more than a western coup d'etat in Kiev which will result in the destruction of Kiev. That is reassuring, given the immense presence that western agents have in Armenian schools, mass media, social media, and the civil society/NGO scene. Moscow should try to target Armenia with some more educational programs on topics like geopolitics, psychological warfare, NATO-Turkey, the bonds of Orthodox Christianity, the coup d'etats Ukraine and Georgia, all tailored for an Armenian audience. Russia does a lot of good, like free weapons, genocide recognition, documentaries, and concessions like having Permyakov tried by an Armenian court but I think they are too subtle and should advertise and highlight these actions in a way which will better resonate with the public/masses.
This maybe symbolic but here is a picture of leaders who will be shaping the new world away from western values. and i am glad to see little Armenia part of it.
ReplyDeletehttp://tass.ru/en/economy/807455
Meanwhile EU showed it's true colours, wish Armenian media will cover this news repeatedly so everyone in Armenia knows.
http://news.am/eng/news/276186.html
Armenians also need to be bombarded with another news item from today. Again we see Western whores siding with Turkic Muslims against Orthodox Christians. Again we see Western powers rushing to label events as genocide, as long as it's not about Armenians. And again we see Russia doing God's work on earth -
DeleteRussia plays politics with Balkan genocide: https://euobserver.com/foreign/129559
PS: Anyone that has the intellectual and/or spiritual depth to visualize what the world's current political situation would have been like had Russia not existed - will thank God for the existence of today's Russia.
http://gretawire.foxnewsinsider.com/2015/07/08/russia-vetoes-and-un-ambassador-samantha-powers-with-a-strong-statement-good-for-her/
DeleteYou beat me to it Arevordi. These people ARE disgusting whores!
Absolutely disgusting article that Arto1 linked to. Samatha Powers was hailed back in 2007-2008 as supposedly being one of the Armenian communities greatest supporters. As Arevordi has pointed out thousands of times, Washington is an anti-Armenian vipers den.
DeleteTK, I don't know about the "BRICS" but Russia and China are the way of the future. As the Western world continues its suicide (e.g. proliferation of pop culture, drugs, homosexuality, interracialism, feminism, multiculturalism, immigration, debt, etc), Russia and China will shape the 21 century. And when Armenian historians finally get around to writing books about our times, they will discover that President Sargsyan's most enduring legacy was his wise decision to keep Armenia within the Russian orbit, where it naturally belongs.
Deletehttp://russia-insider.com/en/russia-rewards-armenia-not-starting-another-maidan/ri8630?utm_source=Russia+Insider+Daily+Headlines&utm_campaign=8155ce4127-Russia_Insider_Daily_Headlines11_21_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c626db089c-8155ce4127-227204733&ct=t(Russia_Insider_Daily_Headlines11_21_2014)
ReplyDeleteIt pays to stick with Russia...
I don't like this line of thinking because it sounds like Armenia is being bribed by Russia. This is not the case. From what I have been able to find out, the loan and well as the Iskander missile system were in discussion well before the latest protests, but they were being discussed in secret, as are most sensitive military matters between Russia and Armenia. I personally think Moscow made the news public during the protests as a PR measure to lessen tensions and embolden the pro-Russian voices in the country - in case the demonstrations got out of control. Nevertheless, it's a misrepresentation (as well as an insult to Russian-Armenian relations) to frame the matter simply as a "reward" to Yerevan for not having a EuroMaidan. Speaking of rewards: Russia has been rewarding Armenia to the tune of many billions of dollars in military aid, investments, trade and affordable energy - going back to the 1990s. Russia has been rewarding Armenia non-stop because Armenia is Russia's natural ally in the region and Armenia willingly remains in Russia's orbit. With that said, there is still a lot of room for much deeper, more mutually beneficial collaboration between the two nations. Needless to say, there are flaws as well, which in my opinion is a result of Yerevan's desire to also have good relations with Western powers and the lack of Armenian lobbying in Moscow.
DeleteHow probable do you think it is that Iran and the US will establish diplomatic ties by the end of Obama's term in office? The word is that its in the works. Any thoughts? And what implications can this have on Armenia? Sanctions lifted against Iran will surely benefit Armenia immensely in economic terms. What about the political aspects?
ReplyDeleteTheoretically, if Iran's current government is toppled it may prove disastrous not only for Iran but also for Armenia. We don't need a Ukraine or Syria on Armenia's border. Theoretically, the lifting of Western sanctions on the current government of Iran will benefit Armenia. With that said, if you think Iran and the West are heading towards normalization of relations you have a very simplistic understanding of geopolitics... as well as Iran. There are too many obstacles in the way of normalizing Iran's relations with the West. The main three are Israel, Saudi Arabia and the Iranian mullahs' desire to survive. Washington still sees the submission of Iran as an ultimate geopolitical goal because Iran is becoming a regional independent power, and one that has good relations with Russia and China. As far as the West, Israel and Saudi Arabia is concerned, Iran has to be contained and/or controlled. Their military threats failed. Their economic warfare failed. Now, they are trying the carrot on a stick approach. It's also going to fail because Iranians are not stupid. Iranians know that their antagonists are just looking for different ways to control/subdue them. As long as Iran remains an independent geopolitical power in the region, it will be conspired against by its aforementioned antagonists. Since I don't see the Mullahs giving up all that they created during the past 35 years for promises of better relations with entities that they know want it dead, all the recent efforts by Washington will prove futile.
DeleteOne can make the case that the American view of diplomatic ties with most of the countries that are under pressure is based on the idea that the other country move into the Western camp to a fair degree. This would be the approach with Burma and Cuba. If they don't become somewhat pro-American, what is the point? The idea that Iran could be neutral is not necessarily so attractive to the West. Neutrality for Armenia or Belarus or Kazakhstan would be OK, but not Iran. Neutrality means no Russian bases.
DeleteAnother angle is that it appears that these negotiations have been a big stall. Various factions in the West just wanted to wait and hoped to apply pressure in Syria or perhaps just to wait for personnel changes in DC - maybe even till the next President. From an Israeli point of view, things a year ago or so in DC were about as bad as they could get. Their position seems to be improving, so why make a deal?
Finally, we shouldn't rule out a deal that then gets broken. The West does not bargain in good faith. The purpose is to win. If an agreement is written in a certain way, the West will always have the option of saying that Iran broke it. If Iran wants that kind of a deal, then fine. Besides the lack of good faith in general, there could be specific elements that would be broken of a particular nature - perhaps using the good cop/bad cop cover. An example would be to promise to not support the Kurds and then have Israel do it. Then the US would pretend to be against the whole thing. This type of duplicity is fairly common. "We couldn't control the people in Kiev."
Eurasian
Arevordi,
DeleteI have a different perspective. In the epic that is world history, a period of 35 years might not even amount to a footnote. In the current politics of the region taking into account Israel and the ideologically-driven government in Iran, you see where a clash or difference of opinion can take place. While the USA/West may want to control/contain Iran, Russia is an immediate neighbor capable of, and has done in the past, of invading the country and inflicting physical control over Iran in actual terms, as it has done in the past. As it did during the soviet invasion of northern iran. In the wide-scale of things, the US would be more of a natural ally to Iran than Russia--a natural competitor or threat even; that's where they say politics makes for strange bedfellows--but that's not something that lasts indefinitely. Don't forget that prior to The 79 revolution, iran was on great terms with Israel and the US. The lifting of sanctions of Iran would reduce the Turkish/Azeri blockades to sheer pointlessness. This is something Yerevan needs, and badly. The Turks had attempted to get Iran to join in on this blocake many times.
Anonymous, I more-or-less agree with what you said. One thing you should not do however is to base your political forecasts on past events, such as Czarist Russia's and the Soviet Union's invasion of Persia and Iran. Treat each time period separately and realize that each time period has unique geostrategic factors at play. There were geostrategic reasons why Russia invaded the south Caucasus in the 19th century. There were geostrategic reasons why ANGLO-Soviet forces temporarily invaded Iran during the Second World War. Moreover, there were geostrategic reasons why Iran sponsored Islamic groups in former Soviet nations, including Russia, during the 1990s.
DeleteThe epic that is world history is constantly evolving and changing. You don't base current political formulations or forecasts solely on past events.
We all know that Iran wants better relations with the West simply because Iran wants to boost its stagnant economy and gain some freedom in pursuing its nuclear ambitions. With that said, Iran will also seek to have close economic relations with Russia - its large and wealthy neighbor who has no designs on Iranian territory, who is not seeking to lessen Iranian influence in the Middle East and who does not seek to topple the mullahs in Tehran. Economically and politically speaking, better relations with Russia is potentially more beneficial and thus important for Tehran - especially when fledgling entities such as BRICS, SCO and EEU begins bearing fruit.
But the final determinant that will decide whether or not Iran can have good relations with the West is, as Eurasian stated in his comments, Western intentions towards Iran. Uncle Sam and friends are seeking to politically and economically control Iran, curb Iranian influence in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq and stop Iran from becoming nuclear weapons capable nation. Will the mullahs give in to these demands for the opportunity to have better trade relations with the West? Also don't forget the very important factors played by Israeli and Saudi Arabia in all this.
Normalization of Iranian relations with the Western world will prove elusive in the current global climate. Can it happen in the future? Of course it can.
Anon,
DeleteAs Arevordi points out, one cannot really look back to the distant past. The US didn't hassle Persia 150 years ago. This is irrelevant as the US didn't have the capability at the time, and there was no profit in it. In the current geopolitical situation, Russia has a more compatible position from an Iranian point of view, and has no possible reason to try to occupy Northern Iran or anything. Just imagine some Russian scenarios and then imagine some Western ones. Russia would like to see Armenia be stronger. Is that a problem for Iran? No. Russia would like to avoid a big war in the Caucasus. Is that a problem for Iran? No. The list goes on and on. Now look at things like the Yinon Plan or a Clean Break. They call for a Greater Azerbaijan and a "Free" Balochistan. Oh, and a big Kurdish state. Isn't that alone pretty horrible for Iran? They would lose a third of their territory, plus see American military bases in those regions. That kind of stress would also likely lead to a collapse of the regime. So, while it is true that 35 years is not the issue, we are talking about the survival of the regime. It is in the West's interests to see the current Iran shafted. And it isn't that much better for Armenia. Privately, it is likely that many, many in DC would tell you that it is sad what is happening in Syria and that Assad is one of the few half-way decent individuals in Middle Eastern politics. So what? It doesn't matter. The geopolitical interests of the elite come first.
It doesn't matter about some cultural or economic issues if geopolitical concerns are strong enough. Yes, the top fourth of Iran want more access to Western things, and Russia can't provide that. But survival is more important. Also, the Shah was a nasty piece of work propped up by the West and Israel due to their interests at that time. He lost favor by developing the country too much and the West moved into its "destroy the world through radical Islam" phase. So the West's interests changed, too. There is a Kissinger quote along the lines of "The only thing more dangerous than being an enemy of America is being a friend." The reasons for being a friend can change.
Eurasian
Abandoning luxury cars for a donkey? What a unique and wonderful family! God bless them all. And I wish his wife much success. I hope their decision to move to Artsakh becomes a lesson for Armenians worldwide -
ReplyDeleteRussian Tycoon Who Moved to Karabakh Calls Press Conference: http://asbarez.com/137532/russian-tycoon-who-moved-to-karabakh-calls-press-conference/#comment-57755
Karabakh is a marvelous land with wonderful people, Russian tycoon says: http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/07/09/karabakh-is-a-marvelous-land-with-wonderful-people-russian-tycoon-says/
From Shushi With Love: Russian multimillionaire moves to Karabakh: http://armenianow.com/karabakh/65269/armenia_karabakh_russian_businessman_german_sterligov
Ինչո՞ւ են Ստերլիգովները հաստատվել Արցախում: http://www.armradio.am/hy/2015/07/09/ինչո՞ւ-են-ստերլիգովները-հաստատվել-ար/
German Sterligov, Orthodox Environmentalist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFxnJoHBYq0
He seems to have a very good background: a Russian Nationalist, a dedicated Russian Orthodox Christian, focused on developing community ideology and traditional values over individualism and western "pop culture" and its assorted "values." And his environmentalism is the blood and soil (Blut und Boden) type of Nationalism that results from a racial-cultural attachment to your land, not the globalist "environmentalism" we see in the west which promotes childlessness, state totalitarianism, and demands that common folks adjust to vastly lower living standards while giving corporations and the military a total exemption... So this looks like it holds great potential for Artsakh. And he has the wealth and ideology that allows him to invest in sustainable infrastructure developments in Artsakh, things like solar panels and wind farms, funding mine removal operations, funding programs to irrigate and farm suitable land which currently lies fallow.
DeleteThe Russophobes in the Armenian Diaspora and the small number inside Armenia, who already suffer from several psychological disorders, must be freaking out at the very positive trends which are developing in all spheres of Russian-Armenian relations. I noticed on the Asbarez article that the faggot known as Kevin Abrahamian of Glendale was lamenting that a religious "A Russian nationalist with hostilities toward science and technology" was moving to Artsakh - this is the same degenerate who asks questions about how to recycle toothbrushes. Faggots instinctively know that in normal societies with strong traditional values and especially with Orthodox Christianity they have absolutely no future.
From what he said German Sterligov has close friends in NKR. This shows the importance of personal ties which is like lobbying. I know you have been saying this for a long time Arevordi but the Sterligov family story proves the benefits of Armenian lobbying in Russian society. It can be done by government officials and by private individuals.
DeleteThank you for the link Arevordi. That clip never gets old. I agree with Gev, Georgia at the very least needs massive population reduction and control.
DeleteWatch this monkey hayrikyan interview.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v8yeQaQwAU
Gev
This is a deeply sick man suffering from illusions of grandeur, narcissism, paranoia and hate. Not surprising for a sick man like him, he is also one of Armenia's longest serving CIA agents. I find it shameful that Armenians give this utterly sick and treasonous filth any degree of respect - regardless of what he did in the past. Even in this interview we could see the interviewer going out of his way to be respectful, which allowed Hayrikian to aggressively spew his venom. You don't talk to dangerous vermin like Hayrikian, you silence them - anyway necessary.
DeleteScathing...
ReplyDeletePentagon Concludes America Not Safe Unless It Conquers The World — Paul Craig Roberts
July 9, 2015 | Categories: Articles & Columns | Tags: | Print This Article Print This Article
Pentagon Concludes America Not Safe Unless It Conquers The World
Paul Craig Roberts
The Pentagon has released its “National Military Strategy of the United States of America 2015,” June 2015. http://news.usni.org/2015/07/02/document-2015-u-s-national-military-strategy
The document announces a shift in focus from terrorists to “state actors” that “are challenging international norms.” It is important to understand what these words mean. Governments that challenge international norms are sovereign countries that pursue policies independently of Washington’s policies. These “revisionist states” are threats, not because they plan to attack the US, which the Pentagon admits neither Russia nor China intend, but because they are independent.
Be sure to grasp the point: The threat is the existence of sovereign states, whose independence of action makes them “revisionist states.” In other words, their independence is out of step with the neoconservative Uni-Power doctrine that declares independent action to be the right of Washington alone. Washington’s History-given hegemony precludes any other country being independent in its actions. By definition, a country with a foreign policy independent of Washington is a threat.
The Pentagon’s report defines the foremost “revisionist states” as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. The focus is primarily on Russia. Washington hopes to co-op China, despite the “tension to the Asia-Pacific region” that China’s defense of its sphere of influence causes, a defense “inconsistent with international law” (this from Washington, the great violator of international law), by turning over what remains of the American consumer market to China. It is not yet certain that Iran has escaped the fate that Washington imposed on Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan, Ukraine, and by complicity Palestine.
The Pentagon report is sufficiently audacious in its hypocrisy, as all statements from Washington are, to declare that Washington and its vassals “support the established institutions and processes dedicated to preventing conflict, respecting sovereignty, and furthering human rights.” This from the military of a government that has invaded, bombed, and overthrown 11 governments, murdering and displacing millions of peoples, since the Clinton regime and is currently working to overthrow governments in Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil, and Argentina.
In the Pentagon document, Russia is under fire for not acting “in accordance with international norms,” which means Russia is not following Washington’s leadership and behaving as a vassal, which is the behavior to which the Uni-Power is entitled
In other words, this is a bullshit report written by neocons in order to foment war with Russia.
Nothing else can be said about the Pentagon report, which justifies war and more war until no one exists. Without war and conquests, Americans are not safe. This path to nuclear Armageddon is being drilled every day into the heads of Americans and Washington’s vassals in Europe by the Western presstitute media. “War makes us safe!”
Washington’s view toward Russia is the same as Cato the Elder’s view toward Carthage. Cato the Elder finished his every speech on any subject in the Roman Senate with the statement “Carthage must be destroyed.”
This Pentagon report tells us that war with Russia is our future unless Russia agrees to become a vassal state like every country in Europe, and Canada, Australia, Ukraine, and Japan. Otherwise, the neoconservatives have decided that it is impossible for Americans to tolerate living in a world in which countries make decisions independently of Washington. If America cannot be The Uni-Power dictating to the world, better that we are all dead. At least that will show the Russians.
The article saying that America is not safe unless it conquers the whole world really fits hand in glove with "Jews don't feel safe unless they destroy the national identities of European Gentiles". America has really become the hub of rootless cosmopolitanism while Russia has become the bastion of tradition.
DeleteOn the other hand, I do plan on getting into the business of blog writing so any topic that you guys need covered, I can do it.
Jerriko, that is why the British and Americans have merged with Judaism to form the global hegemon known as the Anglo-American-Jewish global order. The three noted component of this evil trinity keenly understand each other - and they feed off the rest of us. We are living in an Anglo-American-Jewish world. Everything good, bad or ugly about our times is a result of it.
DeleteOnce more, I would like to remind the reader that as long as the Western world's political/financial establishment is not seriously threatened with destruction (i.e. as long as the Western world does not suffer dire consequences for their actions around the world) they will continue to treat the world as a far way, exotic land and a place to safely carryout toxic experiments. Think of it this way: They destroy nations, kill millions and ruin the lives of hundreds-of-millions and then they go up on public podiums and contemplate whether it was the right thing to do... In other words, regardless of how bad it gets around the world as a direct result of their policies, at the end of the day, they simply get into their luxury cars, go to their estates or gated communities, sit by their fireplace, sip their wine and check to see how their stocks are doing. As long as this now over a century old process continues, the Western order, which thrives on being the top predator, will enjoy superiority in world affairs.
Anyway, I am glad you feel the need to speak out. We need more voices out there.
Well in other news India and Pakistan are confirmed to be joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as fully fledged members. I know that Armenia has an observer status in that organization, so how come Sargsyan didn't call for Armenian full membership in the SCO? CSTO had Afghanistan and Serbia as observer states while Armenia is a full member.
DeleteIs there a potential for an enlargement of both the CSTO and the SCO? Erdogan was joking about Turkey wanting to join the SCO because he was whining about Turkey not getting EU membership.
Abris Arevordi,
ReplyDeleteWe Armenians know to never trust the west, we know this from very bad experiences. Way of the future is Russia and China, Armenia is doing the right thing
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/811940/shanghai-cooperation-organization-opens-wide-prospects.html
Raffi
Thank you Raffi. Needless to say, I agree with you.
DeleteWestern powers have been successful during the past one hundred-plus years because they have successfully undermined/destroyed/contained all their potential competitors on the global stage: Czarist Russia, Germany, Japan and the Soviet Union. Destroying them or undermining them while they are still developing and thus vulnerable is the bully's secret to success. This successful formula is also why they are currently conspiring against Russia and to a lesser extent China. This time, however, Western powers will find themselves incapable of having their way because Russia CANNOT be defeated. The nation hit two low points in its history in a single century. Today, it is on the rise and there is nothing on the horizon to suggest any internal problems. In other words, Russia today is gradually reclaiming the military might it had lost after the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union - at the same time Russia today does not have the internal vulnerabilities that plagued the Soviet Union from the very beginning. This is a serious danger for Western powers because Western powers are so large and well fed today that any lesser role for them on the global stage may prove fatal for them. In other words, when you are on the very top the only placed left to go is straight down. And therein lies the real danger mankind faces today: How will the West react to a rising Russia that cannot be defeated militarily, economically or socially? If the world as we know it does not come to a fiery, and I don't think it will, I am confident that the next few decades will see a paradigm shift: The 21 century will be a Eurasian century, and here is another bit of good news -
Eurasian Economic Union, India Create Group on Free Trade Zone: http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20150706/1024279020.html
This is very important, Georgia is complaining about Russians placing a border control tower 300m forward from a line of contact between south osetian and georgian villages. the article mentions that the oil pipeline baku supsa passing thru there is now under russian border guard control.
ReplyDeletehttp://vz.ru/news/2015/7/12/755719.html
Interesting development, especially regarding Azerbaijan and the pipeline there. Azerbaijan has absolutely no room to maneuver around Russia, especially when considering that the Russian-Armenian alliance is the player and power in the South Caucasus region.
DeleteThe incident described in the article and the hysteria from the Georgian side reminded me of this clip from 2007 when Sack-Of-Shitvilli threatened Russian border troops over alleged advances the Russians made from their positions in Abkhazia.
Abkhazia: "Peace-Keepers" violating status-quo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyU6Ud_BYtA
Looks like it is a warning to Georgia. and azerbaijan probably.
DeleteTK, if true, then it is most definitely a warning against not only Georgia but also Azerbaijan.
DeleteSarkis, the following blog post has a better video of that famous incident -
Saakashvili Confronts Russians in Disputed Region in Georgia (October, 2007):
http://theriseofrussia.blogspot.com/2009/02/words-wont-do-it-any-justice.html
I honestly don't care if Georgians get killed and become extinct they are filthy scum. Our only 'Christian' neighbour who chooses dirty islamic dog turks over us. I hope Russia finishes them off and gives us a border.
DeleteIf the news is true Russia is pretty much giving Georgia and Azerbaijan if you try something...you kno what happens next.
Gev
Georgia: Russia Occupies BP Oil Pipeline
Deletehttp://www.eurasianet.org/node/74201
Read this - http://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/2416795.html
Delete“Cooperation between Georgia and Azerbaijan is really strong,” said Khidasheli. “From our side, I can say that Azerbaijan is the most reliable, loyal friend partner for Georgia and we do appreciate this
-------------
Georgians are going to feel it one day by these filthy turk dogs.
The EU has finally made some noise about the South Ossetia advance that left a portion of a pipeline from Azerbaijan out of Georgia's control. This means now there can be no doubt of its authenticity. So, what does it all mean? What's the political message behind it? What's all the sudden talk by the top military command of Baku of the need to cooperate with the Pentagon? It appears this extremely significant event was briefly overshadowed by the Iran deal, let's get back to it!
DeleteEU warning over Russia 'land grab' in South Ossetia border row
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2015/07/16/eurus/1734866
If we are lucky, this could mean there was some form of a secretdeal reached between Moscow and the West: Give a little of Iran, take a little of Georgia and Azerbaijan.
DeleteGerman Sterligov:
ReplyDeleteHis (Armenian) manifesto:
http://vk.com/doc190311096_407410480?hash=d004bb5bb262322f52&dl=19417221f2ba9ab80f
Buying a mill and riding Artsakh horses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co3Mv9m3dB4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_jX9cAYVtA
German Sterligov is a Russian billionaire who some years ago traded in his luxury cars, yachts and mansions for a horse, a rifle and a farm. Now, German has made yet another sensational move: He has moved to Artsakh with his family. I'm not yet convinced he had to flee from problems at home. If he wanted to protect himself and his family from "threats" at home he could have gone into hiding in Russia itself. Russia is so vast there are places in the country where even the FSB would not be able to find him. Moreover, if he really felt threatened by anything or anyone, he would not be openly riding around Artskah on his brand new donkey and horse. If he really wanted to hide himself from threats, he would not be proudly advertizing his intentions of opening a water mill, producing and exporting organic foods to Russia and helping his wife open up a fashion studio and a clothing production line. To be honest, I really don't care why the Sterligovs have suddenly arrived in Artsakh. I am simply happy they are there, and I would be even happier if they settle there permanently and have their children marry Armenians. The presence of these people on Armenian soil can only be positive. They are an iconic family. In fact, the Sterligovs’ are the embodiment of the ideal family: Christian, patriotic, brave, hard working, innovative, conservative, traditional and ecologically conscious. It is people like this that we should be celebrating and turning into role models, not Westernized whores from the US. After all, this man essentially gave up an opulent lifestyle the rest of us can only dream about to live as a simple farmer, and now he has given up his land of birth to live amongst Armenians. This man puts all of us Armenians to shame, especially the wealthy ones amongst us. Finally, stuff like this also underscores the great importance of Armenian lobbying efforts in Russia, be it by officials, be it by civilians. This also shows the important role of shared cultural values between our two historically allied peoples, shared values such as Christianity, genuine patriotism (i.e. attachment to the soil) and the world's oldest and most successful institution, the traditional family. Again, I don't care why the Sterligovs are in Artsakh. I am glad they are there and I hope they can help in starting a similar trend amongst Armenians.
ReplyDeleteПресс-конференция Германа Стерлигова. Часть 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co3Mv9m3dB4
Герман Стерлигов купил мельницу в Нагорном Карабахе: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_jX9cAYVtA
Интервью !!! Герман Стерлигов объявил о возвращении из Карабаха в Москву!!! Interview G. Sterligov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXzmGRakj8
Ինչո՞ւ են Ստերլիգովները հաստատվել Արցախում: http://www.armradio.am/hy/2015/07/09/ինչո՞ւ-են-ստերլիգովները-հաստատվել-ար/
Why The Sterligov Family Has Settled in Artsakh: http://asbarez.com/137649/why-the-sterligov-family-has-settled-in-artsakh/
German Sterligov To Start Eco-Friendly Food Production in Nagorno-Karabakh: http://asbarez.com/137672/german-sterligov-to-start-eco-friendly-food-production-in-nagorno-karabakh/
Karabakh is a marvelous land with wonderful people, Russian tycoon says: http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/07/09/karabakh-is-a-marvelous-land-with-wonderful-people-russian-tycoon-says/
From Shushi With Love: Russian multimillionaire moves to Karabakh: http://armenianow.com/karabakh/65269/armenia_karabakh_russian_businessman_german_sterligov
German Sterligov, Orthodox Environmentalist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFxnJoHBYq0
Excellent post Arevordi.
DeleteAnyone have any idea how much he is actually worth? Millionaire or billionaire? He could do a lot of good for Artsakh create jobs etc.
Contrast that with this in America: http://rt.com/usa/273463-us-military-transgender-ban/?utm_source=browser&utm_medium=aplication_chrome&utm_campaign=chrome
DeleteColonel Cassad, the well-known blogger of Ukrainian events, had a post on him:
Deletehttp://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/2284661.html
As near as I can figure, he talks about a coup attempt a few years ago that involved the money guys, such as Surkov, and that he was against it.
Apologies for any mistakes, as my Russian is lousy.
Eurasian
15 years ago I was conversing with an Armenian who had just returned from visiting the homeland, and had spent 20 days in Artsakh. He was a journalist and was doing a series of articles on Armenia with the Artsaj war times as a background. He remarked that having spent time in Artsaj, and witnessing its majestic beauty he will never ever have the urge to visit Switzerland and its mountains. In his view Artsaj was a hidden jewel,with unsurpassed natural beauty, a terrestrial Eden; and it would be better it remained hidden and unknown to the outside world. If foreigners discovered this hidden nirvana, it would soon turn into a tourist magnet, flooded with third rate wanderers, followed by commercialization, and its consequences of usurpation, debauchery and exploitation. Artsaj is an inalienable patrimony of the Armenian nation, if they have nothing else left but Artsaj, it is worth the fighting and the dying for this sacred piece of soil, were his final comments. It is fantastic that Sterlikov has decided to plant roots here with his family. The land needs to be populated and settled by self reliant settlers, disciplined , independent minded and resourceful in self sufficiency. His contribution to Artsaj could be enormously beneficial. Personally I visit Armenia every year, and Artsaj is one of the spots I keep going back again and again. I would say I visit Artsaj first , on my way to the rest of the motherland. I would exhort every Hye with the maxim : See Artsaj and then die.
Deletedont know if anyone posted this yet:
ReplyDeletehttp://rinf.com/alt-news/editorials/russian-politician-predicts-u-s-coup-ousting-putin-soon/
Fedorov is correct in his statements. It is no secret that Western powers have been trying to fragment Russia for hundreds of years and there is nothing they wold like more than to see President Putin out of power. But by predicting that Putin will be ousted from power by a Western-led coup within two years, he is clearly fear-mongering to justify stricter government control over Russia's foreign funded NGOs, political activists and news organizations. In other words: When you tell a highly patriotic people that their most beloved president is being conspired against by Western powers, what you are doing in essence is further galvanizing societal patriotism and ensuring that the citizenry remain gathered around the national flag. With Russian patriotism at a fever pitch; Putin's approval rating at an unprecedented 80%; its military modernization in full swing; and its economy doing quite well despite Western sanctions, the US has a better chance of falling apart in the next two years than the Russian Federation. Make no mistake, Fedorov is a very smart man. He is saying what he is saying for a reason. Expect Russian authorities therefore to become more proactive and even more aggressive in the coming years in their attempt to weaken Western power on their periphery and expand Russian influence beyond its borders.
DeleteArevordi, Putin's approval rating is an incredible 89%! Has there been a world leader this popular?
DeletePutin’s approval ratings hit 89 percent, the highest they’ve ever been
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/06/24/putins-approval-ratings-hit-89-percent-the-highest-theyve-ever-been/
Well, it appears the Iran nuclear deal is sealed. Armenia was quick to hail the deal. There is immense economic potential for Armenia, without a question. The sanctions on Iran in effect acted as an indirect form of blockade on Armenia itself. I think this creates a lot of potential for Armenia. What can we expect politically, and geostrategically speaking? A cooling in tensions with the West for Iran will contribute to stability in the region as well, which benefits Armenia.
ReplyDeleteAre Western powers and Iran going to kiss and makeup after thirty years of bad relations? No way! Is Iran gradually being duped into something that will hurt it in the future? Maybe. Were Western powers pushed into a corner by Iranian diplomacy and political maneuvering and therefore had to give into some Iranian demands? Most probably. In the big picture, if this deal is somehow upheld, it is most beneficial for Iran because Tehran gets to free itself of the sanctions and maintain its nuclear capability. All in all, I just hope Tehran was able to outmaneuver its antagonists and gain some breathing room because ultimately that is a good thing for Armenia as well as Russia. The following picture perhaps says it all -
Deletehttp://sputnik.co.am/images/15/08/150820.jpg
I believe Lavrov has paid a crucial role in this agreement which means it is a good deal for Russia and Armenia too. Rouhani in his meeting with Putin thanked him and mentioned Lavrov's indispensable help. My feeling is that USA was told by Russia, China and even some EU countries that they will unilaterally withdraw the sanctions and place a UN vote if USA abandons this negotiations due to jewish pressure.
DeleteTK, what you say may not be too far off the mark. Iran had some powerful chess pieces at play during the negotiations process: Russia, China, EU powers such as France and Germany, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Assad and the Alewites in Syria, the Huthis in Yemen, Muqtada al-Sadr in Iraq, potential nuclear weapons capability, oil, gas... I honestly believe Uncle Sam was maneuvered by Tehran into a difficult corner where the best option for the US was to stay in the game by lessening tensions with Iran. I think Iran's energy potential as an alternative route for Europe had to have played a role in the outcome. If so, it lessens the strategic importance of Azerbaijan and pushes Baku further into the Russian orbit. Was Russia's recent action in Georgia related to this? Anyway, regardless of what happens going forward, Russia played a pivotal role in all this. Uncle Sam has no choice but to admit it -
DeleteObama: Iran deal would not have been reached without Russia: http://armenpress.am/eng/news/812208/iran-nuclear-deal-would-not-have-been-reached-without-russia-obama.html
Obama tells about Putin's inspiring call: http://armenpress.am/eng/news/812218/obama-tells-about-putin’s-inspiring-call.html
Some might like this article about what Armenia stands to gain from the Iranian deal:
Deletehttp://thearmenite.com/2015/07/iranian-nuclear-deal-for-armenia-mher-almasian/
Eurasian
I guess Baku-Supsa might be true after all if these morons are writing about it.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.apa.az/xeber_socar__azerbaijan_can_deliver_oil_to_sup_229769.html
P.S few days ago General Chief of azerbaijan army said they want to coporate with the Pentagon and Nato...wonder why the sudden move?????? aliyev was recently getting close with Putin???????? why sudden change? as far as i remember he was criticizing the west & now...
Gev
In a related topic: Look at how these Western assholes are concerned about the military balance in the region shifting towards Armenia due to the recent $200 million soft loan Moscow earmarked for Armenia's military. Were they this concerned about the billions Baku has been spending for years? -
DeleteKarabakh: Mediators concerned over possible military imbalance in conflict zone: http://www.armenianow.com/karabakh/65388/armenia_karabakh_weapons_warlick_osce_minsk_group_negotiations
And look at how some Armenian assholes are subtly suggesting that Russia is hurting the "peace process" over NKR by supplying Armenia with long range, precision weapons -
Weapons of War: Expert says military buildup in Armenia, Azerbaijan challenges peace prospects: http://www.armenianow.com/karabakh/65264/armenia_karabakh_war_weapons_azerbaijan_iskander_m_missiles
Westerners really are assholes, the absolute scum of the Earth. Look that this statement that the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan made. One can only hope that before he leaves, Cekuta along with his family get to experience first hand the extreme amounts of "tolerance" to be found in the land of Ramil Safarov.
DeleteAzerbaijan is the example of tolerance - US ambassador
http://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/2416656.html
Since arriving in Azerbaijan, I have learned about many things Azerbaijan can offer to the world. One such thing is the example of tolerance and the history of people of different religions living together and respecting each other, the US ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta told during iftar ceremony on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan at his residency.
Check out this very remarkable footage that Artsakh's government released featuring clips recorded on the cellphone of the captured Azerbaijani saboteurs/murderers from a year ago who infiltrated Armenian territory and were subsequently captured. It shows the reconnaissance work the Azeris carried out on an Armenian military base in Artsakh, and also has a segment where the Azeris talk about and film the 17-year-old Armenian boy they captured and murdered, and most remarkably features a recording made back in Azerbaijan of the Azeris interrogating and medically examining an Armenian soldier they captured and beat last year (Hakob Injighulyan, he was eventually released to a third country, repatriated to Armenia, and continued his military service). I remember when the story first came out and I read the statement where Armenian authorities stated that the captured Azeri saboteurs cell phone contained a video showing the Armenian POW being interrogated, I couldn't believe Azeris could be that retarded to carry such a recording on them while infiltrating behind Armenian lines. I guess I underestimated the levels of էշ that Azeris exist in.
ReplyDeleteՔԱՐՎԱՃԱՌԻ ԴԻՎԵՐՍԱՆՏՆԵՐԸ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sERaxOgT_YY
The recent shooting in Mukhachevo by the Right Sector is a good sign that the Maidan nightmare might implode from the inside because the Chocolate King would be at the mercy of these thugs. You know, there is a good way for Ukraine to get rid of the Right Sector at the same time make them useful though: they can be sent to the Philippines to help us fight the communist New People's Army, which have been terrorizing our country for a while. A win-win situation for a post-Maidan sane Ukrainian leadership that seeks to not only get rid of undesirable elements and replace them with competent and level leaded leaders who want to have good relations with Russia, but they could send them to places where fighting is at the thickest. It'd be like former Waffen-SS veterans who ended up joining the French Foreign Legion and were sent to the jungles of Vietnam.
ReplyDeleteIn other news, there is a new pro-Ukrainian battaltion aptly named "Crimea" and any village idiot could guess that the "Crimea Battalion" would consist of Crimean Tatars who are fighting against the rebels in Donbass. It almost sounds like a complete justification for another round of Surgunlik once the Novorossiya Armed Forces do end up capturing these idiots. Although I am at a loss as to how any foreigner could join the NAF, but I found a facebook message on how to join the Azov Battalion.
This is an important article but it's in Russian.
ReplyDeletehttp://novostink.ru/analytics/116150-rossiya-i-armyane-kavkaza-i-blizhnego-vostoka-voprosy-geostrategii.html
Words of Peter the Great and Emperor Alexandr I about Armenians and the need to help them and welcome them in Russia from the same article
С исторической точки зрения Армянский фактор на севере этого региона тесно соприкасался с Россией. Так, массовое расселение армян на Северном Кавказе началось еще в начале XVIII века и явилось результатом целенаправленной политики Российской Империи. Приведем отрывок из широко цитируемого сенатского Указа, подписанного Петром I в 1711 г.: "Армян как возможно приласкать и облегчить в чем пристойно, дабы дать охоту для большего их приезда". Такой подход к армянам был обусловлен их восприятием в качестве фактора, способствующего усилению позиций России в этих недавно присоединенных областях. Это политика продолжалась, фактически, и в последующем. Ее обоснование уже в следующем, XIX веке, четко дал император Александр I. Армяне, по его словам, “отличались примерным постоянством и преданностью и посреди смутных обстоятельств пребыли тверды и непоколебимы в своем усердии к нам и Престолу нашему, жертвуя имуществом своим и всеми средствами и самой жизнью”.
Подробности: http://novostink.ru/analytics/116150-rossiya-i-armyane-kavkaza-i-blizhnego-vostoka-voprosy-geostrategii.html#ixzz3g50qPnZ6
Любое использование материалов допускается только при наличии гиперссылки на NovostiNK.ru
Thank you TK. Here is an automatic translation from translate.google.com. You can also translate whole webpages from Russian to English or Armenian if you paste the website address (the URL) into the translate box:
DeleteFrom a historical point of view of the Armenian factor in the north of the region is closely connected with Russia. Thus, the mass resettlement of Armenians in the North Caucasus began in the early XVIII century and was the result of a deliberate policy of the Russian Empire. Here is an excerpt from the widely quoted Senate decree signed by Peter I in 1711 g .: "Armenians as possible to caress and to facilitate what is decent, in order to hunt for more of their arrival." This approach to the Armenians was due to their perception as a factor contributing to the strengthening of Russia's positions in these newly annexed areas. This policy continued, actually, and in the future. Its justification in the next, XIX century, made it the Emperor Alexander I. Armenians, he said, "differed exemplary perseverance and devotion and in the midst of vague circumstances may stand firm and steadfast in their zeal to us and to our throne, donating their property and all means and life itself. "
Details: http://novostink.ru/analytics/116150-rossiya-i-armyane-kavkaza-i-blizhnego-vostoka-voprosy-geostrategii.html#ixzz3g50qPnZ6
Any use of materials is allowed only if the reference to NovostiNK.ru
Comrade Svediatsi posted that very good history lecture from Professor George A. Bournoutian covering that crucial period in Armenian history:
Video Russo-Iranian relations and the formation of Modern Armenian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pN3lLDw8mw
Also, President Putin made a statement highlighting Russia's role in the reestablishment of Armenia and quote Tsar Peter I . I'm sorry this clip below is from an Azerbaijani source, but pay attention to Putin's words during the first minute and the close the video at 1:01 to avoid the Azeri propaganda. If anyone has a better video of Putin's speech I would appreciate a link.
Putin on Armenian History
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-1FK57LSik
Guys recent actions by Russia is a reaction to what is happening in the Caucasus. This is no bluff.
ReplyDeleteAzerbaijan Holds Army Drill, Risking Escalation With Armenia: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-16/azerbaijan-tells-hospitals-to-be-ready-for-war-starts-exercises?cmpid=yhoo
‘Agile Spirit’: NATO military exercises kick off in Georgia: http://www.rt.com/news/272518-nato-military-exercises-georgia/
Turkish Military Cooperation Prompts Russian Military Moves in the Caucasus: https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/turkish-military-cooperation-prompts-russian-military-moves-caucasus
Russia and the militarization of the South Caucasus: http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist/amanda-paul/russia-and-the-militarization-of-the-south-caucasus_393399.html
I agree, Arto. Recent moves by Moscow are indeed a reaction to things going on in the greater region, and the recent combat readiness drills in Armenia are also part of the picture -
DeleteRussia’s military base in Armenia alerted in snap combat readiness check: http://tass.ru/en/russia/806491
That article by Amanda Paul highlights an interesting trend. Arevordi is correct when he states that Turks and the Anglo-American-kike alliance have the exact same agenda as the traitorous and Russophobic "opposition" traitors inside Armenia. During this period of Russian ascendancy and growing bonds between Russia and Armenia as well as growing benefits for Armenia, our enemies are forced to acknowledge the myriad of benefits that Armenia receives from the alliance with Russia (protection of its borders from Turkey, being able to keep up with Azerbaijan in the arms race despite having a fraction of the funds Azerbaijan has, President Putin at Tsitsernakaberd on April 24, ". This acquisition would enhance Armenia's current military capabilities, boost the country's defense system and could be used to hit strategic infrastructure on Azerbaijan's coast if a war broke out over Nagorno-Karabakh," etc.) while trying to somehow make it sound like these are bad things for Armenians. Lately they have been harping on the fact that Russia is openly equipping Armenia with some of the best missiles in the world, crying about "increased militarization." They were dead silent when Azerbaijan was boasting that its military budget was larger than Armenia's state budget... Armenians are not as stupid or degenerate as people like Amanda Paul think: the Armenian military has nearly universal love and support in Armenia, and Armenians appreciate the importance of increasing the combat capabilities of the Armenian military through the acquisition of Russian arms. There is no noticeable pacifist movement inside Armenian because, unlike the United States, the Armenian military only engages in operations designed to protect the homeland and does not wage genocidal wars against innocent nations thousands of miles away; therefore these laments against "increased militarization" will not have any effect on Armenian society.
DeleteSo nice try Amanda. Stupid Anglo-American bitch.
Arevordi,
DeleteDo you think there is a possibility of war? It would seem to me that Georgia has nothing to gain, and a lot to lose. As for Azerbaijan, I would imagine that the Aliyev crime syndicate might feel that a big distraction could be useful, but this might be more like a number of quick attacks on Artsakh followed by pulling back.
Perhaps this is being optimistic. Do you think Baku would be willing to anger Moscow to that extent? My gut feeling is that Moscow would treat him and Azerbaijan a lot worse than Saakhashvili and Georgia were treated. There are several reasons for this. One is that Medvedev was in charge in 2008. The other is that the possibility of bringing Turkey in to the war would be a huge risk and complication, which would mean that stopping quickly would leave the same basic problem. Also, there are no clear borders that Western pressure could have Russia stop at. If Nakhichevan gets involved in the fight, I would expect Russia to see to it that at least the northern half or so ended up in Armenian hands at the end. Finally, Azerbaijan's biggest value to the West at the moment might be as a kamikaze pawn. The West might not care about whether Azerbaijan lost 5% or 25% of its territory. The Western presstitutes assigned to whispering nice things into Turks' ears would cry about the "needless bloodshed" in Azerbaijan, and the West would likely try to gain more influence in Ankara, but no real support that would matter.
Eurasian
Iran deal besides Israel is also bad for Azeries. If a new gas transit route is decided to pass through Armenia and Georgia it is double trouble for Azeries. So we can expect azeries to try to destabilize the region. That said if they ever think they can start a war Armenia and Russia should gain from that war. I don't see azeries having any chance to succeed.
DeleteOn a side note most likely we are getting Pantsir S along with Iskandars.
Eurasian, anything is possible in the current political climate, especially in that particular region. But, if I had to guess, I would say Turks will do their best to avoid a war in the south Caucasus, mainly because it would draw Russia into the fighting. Azeris are more of a wild card. The main problem with Azerbaijan is not the Aliyevs. I don't think Aliyev is the bloodthirsty warmonger he always portrays himself to be. I think he is more concerned about maintaining his fabulous wealth than "freeing" Karabakh. The main problem in Azerbaijan is the now decades old anti-Armenian propaganda the Azeri population has been exposed to on a constant basis. An entire generation of Azeris have grown up feeding on virulent anti-Armenian propaganda. Consequently, for these brainwashed people, anti-Armenianism is part of their being, their identity, which is why we see so many Azeris itching for war against the "occupiers". Consequently, it's a very volatile situation inside Azerbaijan for the Aliyev's. They crafted a hateful society that wants war, now they have to somehow deal with it. Ultimately, it's Azerbaijan's brainwashed warmongers that can trigger a war - or topple the Aliyevs. Aliyev knows this and the harsh rhetoric we see from him and the border skirmishes are meant to appease anti-Armenian sentiments in the country. Personally, I would rather see Aliyev stay in power in Baku. In the big geostrategic picture, he has been good for the region because he has not resumed the war. With that said, the biggest threat to peace in the south Caucasus today is still coming from Azerbaijan. As to Georgia: They are helpless hostages to the prevailing situation in the region. Tbilisi knows it has no option but to return to Russia's orbit, with or without South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Georgia will go back to Russia, it's only as matter of time. Once more: The only way the region can have peace and continue its development is if the entire region returns back under Russia's orbit. In other words, Pax Russicana.
DeletePS: Western influence in the Caucasus region is slowly but surely eroding. I think Western powers today have very little influence in the region.
TK, let not make too much of the Iran deal for now because there remains many serious obstacles in its way. We wont know how genuine or effective the deal was for a few years. In the meanwhile, however, even a little bit of easing of the sanctions will help Iran, as well as Armenia and Russia.
DeleteArevordi,
DeleteYes, that makes sense. Aliyev is just a corrupt dirtbag. But, like in the Ukraine, a dirtbag who summoned some demons and now finds the whole thing could come tumbling down. The Azerbaijani economy is likely to have a bad future now, what with Iran entering the game and a general decline in gas and oil revenues due over the next five to ten years. And we can see their great success in other business ventures, such as tourism for the Eurogames. Way to go.
The problem is that the entire purpose of the state is to fight Armenia. This is why I can imagine him wanting endless small skirmishes. It is also why I can't really imagine a peace settlement.
Maybe I am wrong, but I see a danger in Baku of another nature. The Iranian deal may really shaft them. Their revenue future looks bad. Armenia is likely to be on the upswing now. And, at least in my calculations, Turkey could really have some serious problems soon. I see serious factional/internal fights, and a Kurdish quasi-state on their borders. Then Georgia is likely to have to move towards Russia. This leaves Baku no choice but to beg for mercy in Moscow. But they have an entire country and even infrastructure dedicated to hating Armenia and trying to join with Turkish lands. And they are going to have difficulty becoming friends with Tehran, aren't they?
Countries under such serious pressure can blow up. Another reason Armenia needs some contingency plans for things like a coup attempt in Baku followed by an attempt to deflect things into a war. There is probably a whole new generation of ambitious 48-year-olds who want to take over.
Eurasian
As much as i am reading about this Iran agreement as convinced i am becoming that this agreement has nothing to do with the nuclear issue. It is to place Iran in chains of western powers. Iran will have to give some to get some.
Deletehttp://sputniknews.com/columnists/20150716/1024716952.html
TK, we obviously do not know what Western strategists are actually thinking or planning, we also do not see any of the behind-the-doors deals and negotiations that go on regularly between powers, even between enemies. We the sheeple just see how governments behave and what policies they implement, and we then try to use our reasoning abilities and understanding of regional politics to figure out the who, what, when, where or the why. This process is what ultimately gives birth to speculation and conspiracy theories. So, allow me to speculate and delve a bit into a conspiracy theory: Was the Iran deal actually meant to set the stage in the region for an eventual military clash between Saudi Arabia and Iran? In other words, by giving Iran a little maneuvering room and an economic boost, are Western powers actually forcing Saudi Arabia's hand by putting it into a position where Riyadh has to get more aggressive with Tehran? Such a clash between arguably the region's two main Islamic powers could reap great benefits for Anglo-American-Jewish powers. It would actually be the climax of the well known Western plan to redesign the Middle East. It's just a thought. Anyway, I got this impression reading in between the lines of the following articles -
DeleteObama Pours Gas on the Mideast Fire: The nuclear deal with Iran will stoke more Sunni-Shiite violence, and the Saudis may go shopping for nukes: http://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-pours-gas-on-the-mideast-fire-1437087768-
Why Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Neocons Hate the Iran Deal: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/war_stories/2015/07/the_real_reason_israel_saudi_arabia_and_neocons_hate_the_iran_deal_they.html
In Iran today the Great Satan is no longer the United States: it's Saudi Arabia: http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/07/iran-today-great-satan-no-longer-united-states-its-saudi-arabia
WikiLeaks Shows a Saudi Obsession With Iran: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/17/world/middleeast/wikileaks-saudi-arabia-iran.html?_r=0
Saudi Arabia, Iran and the 'Great Game' in Yemen: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/09/saudi-arabia-iran-great-game-ye-201492984846324440.html
Constitutional Court rules Russian law above European HR Court decisions
ReplyDeletert.com/politics/273523-russia-court-rights-constitution/
Excellent development!! President Putin enjoys these incredibly high popularity ratings because he has restored Russia's sovereignty. The European Court for "Human Rights" is a disgusting institute that promotes the Anglo-American-kike agenda, attempting to subvert national sovereignty and force upon nations homosexuality, feminism, and all other types of psychological disorders designed to destroy societies. Subjugation to the eurocourt is guaranteed to lead to national decay and extinction within a few short decades. The eurocourt doesn't care one bit about the concepts of justice and traditional legal protections, it is a whole political entity and a part of the Anglo-American-kike elites war machine along with the psychological, information, economic, and internal subversion warfare divisions. The eurocourt is as toxic as every other aspect of the EU. The attempted extortion of billions from Russia in the Yukos case may have been the final straw, but this had to happen sooner or later. Armenia seriously needs to follow Russia's lead, just like it did when GMOs were banned a few years back.
On a side note, if any of you have every spent five minutes or more sitting in a room full of western lawyers (or really anyone who has been indoctrinated in a western university), you will immediately ask yourself "what the fuck is wrong with these people" and you will immediately be repulsed by the idea that they could have any say in the way Armenia or Russia are governed. It is not a coincidence that some of the worst anti-Armenian assholes from the Armenian diaspora in the west have been lawyers, including Raffi Hovannisian, Garo Ghazarian, Seto Boyadzian, Van Z. Krikorian, and several other faggots... These people at the very least make Pol Pot's hatred and corresponding treatment of intellectuals a bit more understandable.
Sterligov had a few interesting things to say. He thinks the West is vile and perverted.
ReplyDelete"Now became very well in connection with these sanctions, due to the fact that we broke up, finally, with cursed America and Europe, which we were hunted for decades, all the poison and continues until podtravlivat. And now began the substitution, which says Putin. Crossed — so their economy should be developed.
Just there are two ways of import substitution to do the same poison as abroad, and to fill Russian poison the shops or natural food. It two different ways. They both technically and methodologically different, and even legally different.
And I hope that we will choose the second way is to make real food and gradually dislodged from the shelves of a chemical poison, which came up with the damned scientists. We have a huge inventory of lands, soils that have a rest from chemo after Soviet chemical agriculture has collapsed, and now we can grow organic food and sell for big money in China and Europe.
There is no way to grow organic food, there are all the polluted soil chemistry and they didn't have a break, as we do after the destruction of the Soviet Union. They both showered chemistry, and pour. And and GMO.
"A lot of people want to leave Moscow for the city. But there is no way to get a significant amount of land, there is no way to build a house, no savings, no. We need public policies on this subject.
We need to help people. And no money to help, and building materials, exemption, cancellation procedures, which are absolutely absurd".
...
I saw how bad it is to live in new York and in London, as it's disgusting how vile the relationships between people, how phony, boring, gray, disgusting.
http://rusvesna.su/recent_opinions/1437165566
Eurasian
Empire State Building Glows Green to Celebrate Ramadans End
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dailyslave.com/empire-state-building-glows-green-to-celebrate-ramadans-end/
I believe it was Zoravar who said "Allah Akbar is the new western war cry." I hope more and more Armenians are coming to realize that the Anglo-American-Zionist empire is no friend of Armenia, in fact the Anglo-American-Zionist empire and their Turkish-Islamist allies are the enemy of all humanity. Of course the west does not give a damn about actual Muslims, if it did it wouldn't go around destroying millions of Muslim lives around the world.
The anglo-american-zionist empire is a corporate empire. It doesn't give a damn about any people, least of all it's own people. Their only achilles heal is the fake system of currency that they control and can continue to print into infinity. The only way to bring it down is to strike at the weak spot. I'm sure the Russians and Chinese know this well since they are the only ones that will be in a position to do this in a few years (God willing). Those people in the west that are not aware that their entire system of security (retirement funds, savings, pensions...etc) are all vulnerable are in for a nice surprise.
DeleteArto2
It is a fancy house-of-cards being upheld by power (military interventions in targeted areas) and hype (propaganda). The show will come to an end, but nobody knows when.
DeleteRally Against Receiving Mediterranean Refugees Breaks Out in Estonia
ReplyDeletehttp://sputniknews.com/europe/20150718/1024792287.html
The Baltic losers are getting exactly what they deserve for shoving their heads up the collective ass of the Anglo-American-kike empire. Estonians have such severe psychological issues as a nation that there was a serious movement in Estonia to change the name of the country from the "Russian-sounding Estonia" to the more "German-sounding 'Estland'". They are so crippled by Russophobia that they fail to see the Aryan/Latin root of the "-ia" suffix, and they overlook the slight fact that Estonians are an Asiatic Uralic (not Indo-European) tribe closer to Finns, Hungarians, and Turks and Mongols rather than Germans.
If Armenians are somewhat politically immature, the Baltic, western Slavic, and Ukranian peoples are outright suicidal and greatly unfit for survival. Being in the EU means mass third-world immigration, veneration of homosexuality and other psycho-sexual diseases, and interracialism, debt-slavery, and austerity, what kind of "logic" makes these Nouveau Europeans think they will escape the fate of France, Britain, Italy, and Germany? But hey, it is better than suffering under the "corrupt, evil, and intolerant Russkies" right? Jackasses.
The baltic swathe it's very white conscious . The Baltic nations had centuries of German influence. It is a mistake to conflate the average brain washed and indoctrinated Balt with their governments policies. The reaction of the Baltic citizenry to the proposed invasion is natural, but no matter how strong they protest, the government has its own agenda. The Baltic states are just an appendix, a protectorate or a hamlet of the larger Eu. The Baltic states can not decide anything on their own. A similar situation exists in Greece, where talk of a sovereign nation is absurd. The policy of the Eu is the destruction of national sovereign states, replacement of the native European populations with third world Afro Asian Muslim hordes, and all the other degenerate practices which are the fundamental principles of their political and social policies. The only way to reverse this situation is through violent revolution, not through fictitious electoral circuses. The mass control of the population at large is well structured and firmly organized; from early childhood in the schools the growing generations are inculcated with the mantra of globalization, multiculturalism,anti racism --- which means anti white---, materialism, hedonism, debauchery ,degradation and worshipping of the chosen race. These indoctrination continues with stronger emphasis in the next layers of academia indoctrination and mental programming. They shape our ideas, they craft our discourses, they form our ideologies, they even program our reactions. This kind of iron clad organized inculcation does not get overthrown overnight, and least of all at the ballot boxes, which in any case are all tightly rigged to guarantee the outcome. A typical and egregious example is the referendum in Greece. The referendum yielded a negative to the austerity program. Really ?, is that what the shepples voted for ?. Ignore them, we treat their No as a yes and we carry on with the program we have been instructed to implement. The populace and the nation were duped and shafted, where is the reaction ? The political class is a mercenary class, funded and employed by Brussles as clerks to control and run parliament. The government and opposition parties are two sides of the same coin, and they dance to the tune and script of the jewified supranational body of the Brussles JEU. Whether we know it or not we become and act like programmed robots. To expect the Estonian to put a spoke on the hybridization program for Europe through massive influx of kafirs and other undesirables, is unrealistic .
DeleteThe events in Turkey today mark the beginning of the spread of IS conflict inside Turkey proper, and the beginning of drawing Turkey directly into war...the beginning of its Iraqization/syriaization, or to put it simply, it's fragmentation.
ReplyDeleteArevordi Jan,
ReplyDeleteImagine an Armenia in the Caucasus, one that is led by Levonakan's--one that is conciliatory in the supposed name of peace and prosperity. Conciliatory to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Israel, and West as an official line of business. One that is ready to surrender Karabakh to Azerbaijan, and even theoretically Zangezur, to Azerbaijan (Which is the same Turkey and no different). Without getting more infamous, one that is ready to whore itself out (which, for the record, is not something indigenous to our people). What the hell has Russia got to gain? Armenia get's completely taken over. What has Russia got to gain? A Pan-Turanic dream stretching from Istanbul to the Caucasus--to the oil fields in Baku, that's what. What's Russia to gain? Russia get's thrown out of the last remaining influence it has in the strategic Caucasus region, that's what!
What am I trying to say? Even if you look at it through the worst possible lenses possible, Armenia's loss does not serve Russian influence. Yes, Russia today serves Armenia's interests. Yes, President Putin attending the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide because it fully recognized Armenia's strategic significance and value. Yes, when President Serj Sarkisian stated that he would not understand why President Putin would not attend the 100th anniversary commemorations in Yerevan, that was a direct veiled threat to Russia itself by our brilliant Karabakhci president.
What I'm saying is that Russia serves Armenia's long term Strategic NATIONAL interests; ARMENIA serves RUSSIA's LONG TERM strategic interests. Our interests coincide. We MUST make use of it.
HOWEVER, you are flawed in a few aspects:
1) It would be wrong to "hand over the key's to Moscow." Unless you're a kid, I really don't need to get into it! We simply can't put our hopes on anyone but ourselves. Did you see the warm reception given by Serj to the EU representative today ( 7/20/15)? That's also politics, that's also a message to Moscow.
2) Why hasn't filth like Levon Ter Petrosyan been assassinated, while Vazgen Sarkissian has? Just ask yourself that question.
3) The Armenian nation has known no greater a hero than General Andranik. When you go to Karabakh, ask the Karabakhcis about Andranik. And lastly, it was thanks to Andranik that Zangezur (and to extension Artsakh) is park of Armenia today. Your periodic shots against the hero is, to put it mildly, disgusting.
Other than that, you've got a fabulous ideology.
Arevordi
DeleteComes out you got fabulous ideology. i envy you. lol
It is a mystery why the scabrous dog Levon, with his jewish wife, his flats in Israel, and his son studying in Israel, has not been booted out from the politics of the country. I had the displeasure of meeting this Levon in Bs.As., in 1994, at a public function. He definitely looks more jewish than Armenian. However his thinking is aligned to the other septic politicians like Raffi, Parukyan and the cluster of mangy dogs. Coincidentally all of them have a common thread, they are free masons of varying degrees. Attacking Andranik is senseless. We have to lionize our heroes for their heroic deeds and not downplay them for their shortcomings. The whole basis of Armenian struggle against Turkey, for independence, is formed around the figure of the national hero. You can not attack , nor undermine the foundation of our history's struggle in the late IX early XX centuries. Heroes are human and subject to human foibles. We need and require a passionate discourse of our national heroes, their accomplishments, challenges, heroism and nationalism. What I still do not comprehend is why the murder of Vazken is still unresolved ? What were the reasons of the bandits breaking into parliament and murder him, and others ? Was it political, at a local level, national or international ?, was it a family vendetta ? what about the security ? one does not just walk into parliament loaded with machine guns. Too many questions and few satisfactory answers.If he had to be removed for grand political interests, there could have been more clinical methods. Where are these criminals now; still in jail or were they tried , sentenced and executed ? ... The answers one gets leads to further questions, and so it goes on. No matter whichever way one spins the web and the yarn; Armenia's fate is intertwined with that of Russia. It is unthinkable to think otherwise. It is going against history. Notwithstanding this, it is always weird to listen to the Russophobes . They harp on the Russians surrendering Armenian lands, they do not mention it was the primitive savage Bolcheviks who surrendered Armenian lands, and ironically the saviours of the last remnant of historic Armenia being swept away by the turks. And now this Russophobes need to understand ,--- they wont, because they sing to a different tune and are tuned to different wavelengths--, that Armenia can not survive without a " patron" or ally. In the present regional configuration we have only one choice, the other choice is to islamize and turkify ourselves, it is unthinkable and repugnant to say the least. In a muslim surrounding ocean, I want to hear what solutions have these russophobes for Armenia ?. They have none, they are worse than lobotomized nincompoops, or they are inveterate and consummate traitors. I would be inclined to think they fall into the category of traitors. Many of them say The West ? First of all what is the West, who is the |West ? The West today is a perfumed carcass, being manipulated and trotted out by the international jewish power. Their geopolitical interest are inimical to Armenia. Rufus
DeleteAnon,
DeleteA couple of thoughts regarding your point one. First of all, you want to not end up like the Ukraine, where your leadership class is simply trying to sell itself to the highest bidder. So dealing with the EU is important, of course, but it needs to be based on strategic goals. Second, why is the EU so warm? It is likely because of the surrounding situation. Iran will be growing economically and in power, and Azerbaijan and much of the hopes for the Caspian are not really going so well. Also, Russia is growing stronger and is now able to pressure Georgia and Azerbaijan more. Finally, Turkey has got some serious problems and Erdoghan is not in good graces. None of these things came about because of brilliance in Yerevan. It is just that the tides of politics and economics are now in Armenia's favor. Don't kid yourself into thinking that the EU has somehow turned from a cold-blooded reptile into something nice and warm. In fact, putting on my conspiratorial hat, I wonder if there isn't an EU game to try to stop some Russian and Iranian understanding that they will both use Armenia to put lots of pressure on Azerbaijan and Georgia. Basically, if those three came to an agreement, they could practically break Azerbaijan, with Georgia soon to follow.
Eurasian
TK,
DeleteFabulous was one thing this blog had not yet been called. But don't be too quick to envy because I'm not too sure if anonymous really meant it as a compliment.
Eurasian,
Washington's desire to stop the further deepening of Russian-Iranian relations is most definitely part of the calculus. I suspect a similar factor at play in Cuba as well. This is all very similar to how Washington began courting China in the early 1970s. Their desire to isolate, contain or fragment Russia is one of the Western world's most persistent geostrategic agendas. This agenda plays a role in virtually all hotspots on earth today.
Anon,
You, as so many anonymous visitors, are looking at my comments out of context. There are no flaws in my fabulous ideology: I stand ready to give the house keys to my Russian friends to the north yet again if God forbid the day comes when Armenia's existence as a state is threatened once more. Levon would have been assassinated as well had he not been smart enough to give up his presidency without a fight in 1998. Vazgen Sargsyan and Karen Demirjian would have remained alive had they not been stupid enough to try to put Armenia in the West's political orbit. Finally, you need to develop a little more critical thinking abilities when it comes to historic figures like General Andranik. Yes, he was instrumental in helping Armenians fight for Artsakh. But by trusting the British and not trusting his compatriots in the ARF he also played a role in losing Artsakh thereafter. Yes, Andranik was militarily very capable and he was extremely brave. But he was also extremely emotional and politically illiterate. My intent in criticizing a great military leader like Andranik is to help you the reader develop better critical thinking abilities and not take things at face value or base your understanding of history or politics on songs and folklore.
Arevordi,
DeleteI am not sure which "critical thinking abilities" you are putting into work when you say you're ready to "give the house keys to (your) Russian friends to the north yet again if God forbid the day comes when Armenia's existence as a state is threatened once more."
When no Russia was in sight when Armenians were push to a wall and forced to successfully fight back in Sardarabat, Bash Abaran, and Karakilisia, is that when you were ready to give the keys to Moscow?
When official Moscow and Azeris in operation Ring OMON were ethically cleasing Armenian regions of Artsakh, is that when you would be ready to hand to the keys to Moscow?
Please note, this is not meant as an attach on Russia. It's simply a historic fact. If you yourself took ur own opinion and used your "critical thinking abilities", you would see that "handing the keys to Moscow" is what would have truly threatened "Armenia's existence as a state."
General Andranik didn't trust the British; however, the British were number 1 back then, and we had to deal with them. In fact, it was on Russia Andranik placed some hopes, and ended up admitting he was mistaken to do so. The politically illiterate ones were the ARF leadership that ended up trusting the YeridTurks and ending the metdz Yeghern. It seems to me Andranik was right all along.
Levon may be a half-blind jerk, but the guy is extremely powerful and has got international backing behind him (you could say by dark forces--he is a masonakan). That's why he feels so free and confident in periodically expressing his truly anti-Armenian views, the most recent of which I believe was "adopting a pan-Armenian declaration we are putting claims on turkey and pissing them off which will hurt Armenia." In other words, he's saying Armenians took it up the ass, and better stay quiet about it, or else they'll take another one up the ass." This not just "defeatist" ideology, this is sick. A wrong was committed, and as a truly that wrong must be recognized and condemned. Would you tell a rape and assult victim, it happened forget about it, let's not talk about it again? that's whats happening.
DeleteLevon is too powerful, no one will assassinate him, or they'll be serous consequences. Ulimately, this Russia west is nonesence as well. Behind the scenes they sit down and have cocktails and laugh at the sheeple. This is all a show and a game. in my opinion, u can't truly understand world history without knowing of the masonakans. They are behind all lines.
On the same day, turkey demanded that Armenia immediately sign a treaty renouncing Sevres and all claims to western Armenia, including Kars and Ardahan. In addition Armenia had to accept temporary turkish jurisdiction in Nakhichevan and Sharur. In return the turks would guarantee the independence of the remaining portion of the Republic. Khatisian, aware of Dro's negotiations with the Bolsheviks, delayed Armenia's acceptance until the midnight of December 2. He then signed the Alexandropol agreement in the early hours of December 3. A small part of Armenia was thus saved from turkish occupation. Since his government no longer existed on December 3, Khatisian calculated that the Bolsheviks would denounce the treaty as null and void and would demand that the turks return to their former boundaries.
Delete-In fact, though null a void, Moscow decided to honor the agreement at the expense of Armenia.
The Russians, in exchange for Batum and parts of Akhalkalak and Akhaltsikh, which the turks had occupied, agreed to give up Surmalu and Mount Ararat, the symbol of Armenia, to the turks.
The treaty of Moscow, signed on March 16, 1921, was the last breath of the first Armenian Republic, some one thousand days after its formal beginning.
-How can you possibly be expected to be regarded as rational when you don't have the sincerity to say, "hey, that past act of Russia was anti-Armenian."
Anonymous,
DeleteI have had this silly conversation with many well meaning but hopelessly superficial morons like you in the past. I have learned from those experiences that nothing I say will acceptable to the likes of you because you are intellectually shallow and not interested in real knowledge. Keep believing in your silly fairytales.
You know sometimes this place makes me want to put my two cents in, so here it goes.
DeleteHow come every time some Armo says abandoned Armenia they never talk about the Russian revolution? They never take into account that the royal family of Russia was murdered? They never talk about Russia being torn apart? How come none of these are taken into account. And how come every time this is mentioned there is silence?
I'm getting sick of educating on the cheap, here is your change on two cents.
Vahram
To all the anonymice,
DeleteIt is hard to know who is saying what without a name.
The lesson of the past century regarding Russia is more that you can't count on their help when they are destroyed. After WWI and under Yeltsin. With Brest-Litovsk, Russia gave up what, a third of their productive land and factories and coal?
But don't act like it was a betrayal on their part to not help when they were on their knees. It is up to Yerevan to develop in such a way as to be prepared for various scenarios, both good and bad. As an example, what if Azerbaijan had a coup that turned into a longer fight within elite factions and the military? It is not up to Russia to help Armenia take advantage of that situation. It is up to Yerevan. If Yerevan did nothing, and some irregulars from Armenia or Artsakh finally got half-way organized and took a bit of territory, and then things settled down, would you blame Russia for saying "Don't take any more territory. We want a ceasefire."? It would be Armenia's fault for not taking advantage of the situation immediately. Russia would just be behaving in a rational way for a major power. There is a saying that "You make your own luck." Not always true, but true enough.
Eurasian
Eurasian, one of the negative traits we Armenians have is the uncanny ability to blame anyone and everyone for all our shortcomings. This very destructive flaw we have is rooted in our arrogance and inability to be self-critical. This flaw keeps us from learning from our past experiences as well as evolving politically. This flaw is why we Armenians 'expect' Russians to pamper us and we curse Russians for not spoon feeding us. The reality is that during the past two hundred years Russians have done more for Armenia than Armenians. Had it nor been for the Russian factor in the south Caucasus all our big talking Armenian nationalists today would still be living in eastern Turkey or northern Iran as second class citizens.
DeleteSarkis,
ReplyDeleteDo you happen to have any guesses as to how Armenia's economy would likely fare if the Turkish border were to be opened? I would imagine that such a large market next door would lead to significant economic growth. This would lead to many good things for Armenia, such as an increasing birth rate and lower costs for many goods, but what is in it for Turkey? Why anger Azerbaijan for such a small benefit to oneself?
Eurasian
I'm not an expert on this field, but the benefits for Turkey would be increased economic development for its eastern provinces, which happen to be the poorest and most backwards parts of Turkey as well as the parts with the highest rates of Kurdish people and occasional separatist tendencies. The Republic of Armenia and Western Armenia are naturally a continuous landmass, increasing economic activity for Yerevan and Gyumri would result in increased economic activity in Kars and other nearby regions. For example, during the Protocols era, there was talk of Armenian supermarket chains opening branches in Kars, a high voltage power line being constructed to import Armenian electricity, increased tourism, and other economic relations in which neighboring states usually engage.
DeleteAside from economic benefits, opening the border would give Ankara some diplomatic room to maneuver, I think. Russia, Europe, and the US all recognize that Turkey, not Armenia, is the party which unilaterally closed the border and maintains preconditions for an open border and for diplomatic relations. Turkey's policy was a gamble in the 1990s that might have destroyed Armenia through an economic stranglehold, but that gamble failed completely, circumstances changed, and today Turkey's continuation of that policy just makes them look like warmongering jackasses on the world stage. Armenia did not budge on Turkey's demands for Artsakh, and Armenia did not budge on Turkey's demand to abandon pursuing international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. It would be pragmatic for the Turks to cut their loses, open the border, and at least try to gain some influence inside Armenia through the large potential that the Turkish economy holds. Otherwise, Turkey has so far failed in every diplomatic game it has tried playing against Armenia, the only Turkish "victory" has been the fact that the world's two filthiest nations, namely Britain and America, have refused to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide; but the rest of the world can use the closed border with Armenia to attack Turkey every time Turks act out of line (like France did when Turkey was pushing for EU membership)... But that is up to Turkey's leaders. Turks suffer from extreme delusions of grandeur.
For Armenia the benefits would be reduced transaction costs on importing and exporting goods to/from Turkey and Europe. To paraphrase Arevordi's thoughts on the matter, as long as Armenia has Russian support and protection, Armenians have nothing to fear in dealing with Turks. In fact, Armenians hated oligarchs would eat the Turks alive if they had the chance, Armenia's oligarchs are like big fish in a small pond and they need to be let loose on larger markets like the Eurasian Union and Turkey. If Armenian oligarchs grow richer by exploiting other markets, Yerevan can force them to invest at least part of their profits back into Armenia for a net gain.
As to the question of Azerbaijan, I don't know to what extent Turkey would sacrifice its own interests for the sake of Azeri feelings, but I'm going to speculate "not any great extent" as realistic. The era when Azerbaijan held great potential has passed, Azerbaijan's future is one of isolation and a generally deteriorating existence.
The border between Armenia and Turkey will remain closed. If not for any geopolitical reasons, it will be for historical ones. Besides one needs to take into account there are two turkish states. A state of undeclared war is the situation at present with one of the turkish state. There are too many conflicting and fundamentally complex issues to overcome.There are latent and palpable territorial claims, historical grievances to be corrected ( The genocide recognition by the turks is one of them), claims from the second turkish state on Armenia itself , etc. . These state of affairs are not conducive to the opening of borders . Besides the turks reneged on the protocols, not Armenia. If the border is to be opened , the conditions imposed by turkey would be unacceptable. We are their enemies, more than they are our enemies. They will do anything and everything in their power to make life difficult and impossible. The border can open if it becomes a political case to favor the self interests of the major players in the region. The border has always been closed, since the days of the USSR. The situation in the region is evolving in such an alarming fashion, dangerously fraught with imponderables, which makes the matter of opening or closing of borders of significant indifference. You have ISIS and other splinter islamic groups, bent on warfare, instigated by outside forces, getting uncomfortably close to the homeland. Fire spreads fast. This is the beginning of a new scenario forming in the region. Thank God for the omnipresence of Russia. Piper
DeleteSarkis,
DeleteWe are talking about an area of the world where harsh reality often gets in the way of business development. The downside for Turkey is that you would have an opening of an area that is ripe for being lost. A Kurdish state of some form in Iraq is reasonably likely, and a quasi-state in Syria. Would Ankara really want all the people near the border with Armenia to go to a cafe with an agent for Russia or Armenia? If Turkey opened up, it would become much easier for Armenia or others to prepare future trouble. Besides, I am not convinced that Turks even care for Kurds. Isn't the policy to drive them off their lands, not develop things?
Your point about Turkey's image and positioning go against your normal argument that what matters is strength, and that image doesn't count for much in this world. To me, Turkey has a lousy image, but what matters is their its strength and size, as well as location. Nobody may like them, but that is the way it goes. They may have played their cards very badly, and may find themselves with very few friends when things get decided in that part of the world over the next year or two.
Eurasian
Eurasian, I don't disagree with most of what you wrote. My original question was whether, given the major shift occurring in the region, there was any chance that the Turkish-Armenia border would be opened. You asked for potential benefits for the parties, so I listed them. I want the border opened because I am fully confidant that Armenia would extract the maximum gains from increased commerce, while Yerevan and Moscow would block any Turkish attempts to subvert Armenia. The question ought to be "do potential benefits outweigh the current gains from a closed border?" The answer is debatable, and I wanted to hear what others here think.
DeleteThere is nothing stopping Armenian or Russian agents from infiltrating Kurdish regions of Turkey at the moment. And the "harsh reality" hasn't stopped business ties between Armenia and Turkey, it has just made it more cumbersome and expensive to conduct.
Piper, Armenia's official policy has been that Armenia has no land claims against Turkey. Of course this statement is in direct contradiction to the Declaration of Independence which created the Republic of Armenia out of the Armenian SSR in 1991. That is a good example of Armenians playing and winning diplomatic games.
Armenia has never made Genocide recognition a precondition for relations either. I may be mistaken but even in 1918 Armenia had relations and representation in Turkey.
The Turks cannot do anything to make life in Armenia difficult or impossible, that opportunity died in 1993 when Russian military officials bluntly told the Turks that if they invaded Armenia it would result in World War 3.
And I don't think it is accurate or fair to compare the Iron Curtain which existed during the Cold War to today's reality.
As for Islamists on Armenia's borders, that has always been a reality. There were Mujahedeen in Artsakh during the war, and there are Islamist radicals and mercenaries which Azerbaijan occasionally tries to utilize. There is also the danger of ethnic Azeri subversives from Iran trying to infiltrate Armenia. This is the reality, but it is also something that Armenia's Russian-back intelligence and security bodies have no trouble dealing with. Islamists cannot pose any danger to Armenia, I think, because a group of Islamists would never be able to penetrate into Armenian territory, and if they somehow succeeded Armenians would quickly neutralize them.
My point still stands: an open border would benefit Armenia's economy. A permanently closed border is not sustainable.
There are very good analysts around. However the analysis is done unilaterally from our perspective and prism lens. On the issue of the border I would be inclined to support the view that the opening of the border does not serve the Turkish interests ( two turkeys, west and east Azerbaijan) . The closure of the border is a fact. The country has lived, and commensurately prospered and developed with a closed border. It would be interesting to have an insight look into the thinking of the Turk establishment regarding this. it seems it is a matter of supreme indifference to them . If the opening of the border advances Turkish regional interests, they will open it , if not it will stay closed. The Turks are very good at politics. Whether they are "delusional or megalomaniacs" and barbarous does not detract from their political acumen. Enjoy your comments and write ups, for my part I will be in Erevan competing in tha PAG from 2nd August to 14th. Enjoying the brands of cognac and vodka and hauling some medals along the way. We have free days, in which to do sightseeing. We'll end the sojourn with a group visit to haute Garabagh.
DeleteWe must and need to have a paradigm shift in our essence. We need to breakaway from this economic plus ultra , plus ultra never ending progress and prosperity. There is a limit to how much economic development any country can have. Armenia will develop according to her capacity in economic terms . There is a school of thought propagating the idea that Armenia can attained the same standards of living as the USA. However these same pundits have no genuine prescriptions on how they intend to make them stand. Words, gaseous generalizations like more democracy, more reforms, more investments ( everyone needs more investment) open borders, free movement of labor and capital, more freedom etc. these are just utopian pipe dreams which fit into the grand agenda of the grand designers. Economics should be , in the natural order of things, subordinated to politics., and not the other way around the . Politics should dictate economic , and not economics shaping politics. There are many examples of staid , stable politico economic situations having gone to rack and ruin on the basis of enlightened ( blighted) concepts of unrealistic and inapplicable goals. As for handing the house keys to foreigners, be aware. The Greeks handed the house keys to Brussels. They are now not able to open other doors in their own house. The same with spaniards, house keys to Brussels. Argentina handed the house keys to Washington in 1999, fortunately for argentines they had other spare keys.
ReplyDelete
DeleteArevordi's assertion that, as between having political illiterates and/or traitors come to power in Yerevan versus handing over the keys to Moscow, Moscow is the better choice, is totally reasonable because Armenia's existence serves Russian interests, so the Russians will maintain it. Of course that is a worst-case scenario following a hypothetical coup d'état in Armenia. What is totally unreasonable is for people like you to compare Russia and Russian-Armenian relations/interests to Brussels and EU-Greece relations/interests. It is a comparison that is so out of line and stupid that it does not warrant any real comment or explanation other than pointing this fact out for the benefit of any casual readers.
Weren't you the same person that, just before the electricity protests began, stated that economic development is an unnecessary utopian ideal for Armenia, and that a Spartan-like (i.e. mythical and utopian) focus on military spending was the only correct policy? I have never heard anyone argue on this blog or anywhere else that Armenia needs "never ending progress and prosperity," but I'm going to take a wild guess that something like 99.9% of Armenians understand that economically developing Armenia is a vital security issue for the nation which affects, inter alia, demographics, military spending, social welfare for the poor population (because what good is occupying land if significant parts of your people live like animals in domiks), and of course for keeping people happy and content so they don't take to the streets over an eighteen cent increase in electricity rates. There may be a limit to how much economic development any country can have, but if anyone argues that Armenia is even remotely close to approaching that limit, I say that person needs to take their damn medication. Seriously, I usually take the position that materialism and money should not be the primary focus of anyone's existence, but I cannot support any self-righteous preacher who argues "Armenians, your crippling, undignified poverty is actually a blessing because otherwise {following reasons that have no basis in logic} you'd import third world immigrants and turn into slaves of the 'juden'."
To confuse and consign the possibility that Armenians can enjoy decent living standards as "utopian pipe dreams which fit into the grand agenda of the grand designers" is just crippling paranoia. Take a look at the first ten years or so of the reign of your own personal hero Hitler (before he decided to invade the Soviet Union) if you need an example how important economic development is in order to restore dignity to a long suffering nation.
As long as we have institutions like the Armenian Apostolic Church to provide moral guidance to the population, and as long as the government in Yerevan keeps the wealthy elites and oligarchs or Armenian society reigned in and in line with national development goals, economic development only benefits Armenia.
This poll in Armenia is a clear indicative how Armenians feel about Russia and the west. Seems like "freedom of speech" had opposite effect in Armenia.
ReplyDeletehttp://news.am/arm/news/278439.html
Good survey. But I am not overly happy about the results. In my opinion, for a country with the history and the geopolitical complications that Armenia has, anything less than 75% pro-Russian sentiments in Armenian society is very worrying. I think pro-Russian sentiments in Armenia have been in a slow decline in recent decades due to the flourishing of Western propaganda around the world. The poll does reveal yet another interesting thing: The lowest rating Russia got and the highest rating the EU got was during the immediate aftermath of the Gyumri killings. This goes to show you the kind of power psy-ops has over the sheeple. I understand that Russian officials have a lot on their hands, but Armenia remains a crucially important piece of territory for them. They have to therefore understand that Armenia remains vulnerable to Western manipulation and exploitation. They have to therefore do a better job in the PR department.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c65k6dqG8iQ&list=UUtBqVgzL_cDv_t9o2hFiXXg&index=1
ReplyDeleteWill Jews Bust Iran Deal?
Take the time to watch the above clip from Nathanael Kapner, especially the part showing the degenerate cuckold faggots in the US Congress giving Satanyahood a standing ovations literally after every sentence. Keep in mind that these are the worthless trash that the Armenian diaspora has been placing its hopes on to "recognize" the Armenian Genocide for the past two decades, and getting screwed over every single time in the process.
And in case anyone thought that somehow Turkey had lost its importance for the US and that the US would at some time in the future "recognize" the Armenian Genocide, the link below should be a cold splash of reality:
US to use Turkish airbases in war against ISIS - reports
http://www.rt.com/usa/310618-turkey-airbase-usa-isis/
These are very tough times for the Russophobes and Captain Americas in the Armenian community, and its only going to get worse for them.
A penny or a second spent lobbying the Armenian cause in the anti-Armenian vipers' den known as Washington is a penny or second wasted.
Sarkis,
DeleteIf Netanyahu had said that it was important to legalize bestiality immediately, all the Congresscritters would have shouted paroxysms of "Yes" and clapped madly and asked how soon some animals could be brought to Congress.
What is the strategy behind the push to get the US Congress to recognize the AG? If they did, then what? What does it get you? Isn't this all just a scam to get politically-motivated "activists" opportunities to get grants and waste money on trips and offices?
We can agree to disagree on the situation with Turkey today. I would totally agree that the US was tightly in bed with Turkey till some combination of Erdoghan breaking with Gulen and the US desire for a clean break to break up the Middle East, including Turkey, becoming much too real for Ankara's tastes. The Kurds can be much more controlled pawns than Turkey, and Turks in recent years have gotten the crazy idea that they can become more than just a big Jordan or something like that. The US doesn't have friends, it has interests, and one of the biggest interests is not having any country getting so powerful that it can do what it wants. Hussein or the Shah come to mind on that front, but the list of dead "friends" of America is quite long.
Eurasian
Eurasian, I don't know how long you've been following this blog, but I can't count the times where I have expressed my view that not only is begging the criminal US government to bestow their worthless "recognition" on the Armenian Genocide a waste of time and money, but that it is an insult to the memory of the murdered Armenians to allow their memory to be turned into a bargaining chip by a government which has committed or assisted in dozens of acts of genocide around the world, and which today remains the key reason why Turkey has not yet been brought to real justice and carved up into several pieces, and the key reason why Armenians still face an existential threat from these same Turks and kikes.
DeleteYou are absolutely correct about the "activists", some of the lobbyists from various organizations make a living off of the genocide, from soliciting donations or selling merchandise. I know of a few"insider" accounts that I'd consider very unethical, such as an organization which states its goal to be "educating about the genocide" which received a large grant several years ago, and the director decided to reward himself and his associate (who was the one who gave me this information) by going out for $300 steaks at a high-end restaurant. Spending any amount on a personal restaurant visit would be unethical, but $300 is not too far from the average monthly salary in Armenia. I just went on their website, it looks like it hasn't been updated in years. That's just one of I'm sure many examples.
As far as Turkey is concerned, I agree with Arevordi. It has always been the west's favorite and most necessary and reliable pawn against Russia and against Arab nationalism in the states which border Turkey. In many ways Turkey is more important for the west than Israel; they may bitchslap or assassinate Turkish leaders that are getting a little too independent, but American influence within Turkey is too deep and too firmly established for their to be any compelling reason for America to fracture Turkey in the foreseeable future... But reasonable minds can differ so we'll leave it at that.
Turkey has now joined the coalition air strikes on Syria , attacks on Isis held territories. The Kurds are now engulfed into this quagmire and will come into contact with the Turk army. Eastern Anatolia can become a cauldron of Kurdish agitation and resistance, turning it into a fulcrum of destabilizing turkey. It is a development requiring a close watch. It all serves to butter Israeli regional ambitions of aggrandizement. Syria appears to have been carved up, Iraq is destroyed, the Kurds have been raised as a looming political factor, the other amorphous armed militia groups ( all created and funded by the jewamerikwa and their partners) have staked their claims, and now turkey is being drawn into the fray. What will the end result be of all this juggling of land and resources is the expansion of Israel and redrawing the map of the ME. Sooner or later Iran will be baited into this gambit. There are increasing voices from the psychopaths in Israel to launch a unilateral attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Israel alone can not accomplish such a task, but engulfing the region into a huge ball of fire the appropriate conditions can be created for the realization of such a high risk attempt. The question is how and in what form an assault on Iran' nuclear infrastructure can materialize. The only capable force for such a venture is Amerikwa. Regardless of the military balance in the region, in the event of a totally bizarre and outlandish Israel's strike against Iran , it is unlikely that Iran could , in the present, mount a successful nuclear retaliation agains the psychopaths in Israel. A nuclear Iran will thwart the zionis grand dream of turning Israel in the principal power in the ME chequer board. Watch out for heightened regional conflagration with turkey as a debutant in the ME sweepstakes.
ReplyDeleteAnon,
DeleteThere is a case to be made that the nuclear program was never the real issue. It is a simulacrum for debate and maneuvering. The issue is the economic and thus diplomatic, strategic, and military, power of Iran. For such a small country as Israel, nukes are probably not even needed, setting aside the fact that Hezbollah is so close. With today's dramatic improvements in technology and cost, missiles that could carry other things, such as hex, should be able to wipe out Israel once Iran has the economy to focus on it.
For what it is worth, many of us think that the Jews that matter are the Sabbateans/Frankists. These guys are more than willing to sell the average Jew down the river. The end result from their point of view does not necessarily mean a big and rich Israel - it could just be endless war they want, along with control of certain oil and gas regions.
Eurasian
Not saying it is true, but there is a letter going around that is supposedly from a Karen Hilliard, of USAID, to Artur Sakunts, of some Helsinki NGO, about the failure in Yerevan and the need to up their game, particularly when it comes to taking over Azerbaijan. It goes roughly as follows:
ReplyDelete---
Dear Mr. Sakunts,
I write to you with a view to express concern about the significant decline in protest activity of citizens in Yerevan. Despite your assurances about the readiness of the Armenian society to relentlessly defend their interests, we observe not only the reduction in the number of protesters, but also the transition from a rigid, uncompromising rhetoric, the dialogue with the government, as well as the abandonment of political demands. Obviously, you were not able to adequately take advantage of the resources you need. The results of your work can be viewed as weak, and the main objective of the project has not been achieved.
Nevertheless, we consider unacceptable today to stop work on any of the previously mentioned areas, as this could lead to disruption of the coordination of activities planned in Azerbaijan. You should make every effort to activate all forms of popular protest. This project is the cornerstone of our regional strategy in the near future. Your next steps will determine the format of our cooperation in the future.
Sincerely,
Karen Hilliard
---
http://i.imgbox.com/hIV0RGLC.png or just search the Internet. The original has slightly better English, as this came through English-Russian-English translation.
Eurasian
This letter maybe a fake. the context is what they do but to openly write such stuff on an official letterhead from USAID mission director is unthinkable. Especially Hillard is a seasoned agent. Sakunts is a major traitor, mostly hated by people and has no weight in Armenian politics besides daily barking.
DeleteI also think the letter is a forgery, but it does a good job of showing how the Western-led opposition in Armenia operates. Sakunts is a seasoned traitor who's ties to the political West goes back to the 1990s.
DeleteMy initial reaction was that this looks like a Russian op. About time they do more. One counter-argument is that the whole Anglo-Zionist Empire has gone mad with hubris, so it is possible they would put something in writing now that they would not have in the past. They, too, are victims of all the absurd pharmaceuticals and food additives, as well as the general poisoning of the spirit that is going on in a hundred ways in the West. If you spend any time in the States today, you are likely to see somebody go crazy over nothing. This was not the case decades ago.
DeleteEurasian
Eurasian, hubris is what brings down empires. Hubris is something the Western alliance has a surplus of today. In fact, arrogance is the main characteral trait of the Anglo-American-Jewish empire. So, I agree that such attitudes can lead to such sloppiness. FYI: I caught a television interview today with an Armenian political analysts who made a direct reference to the USAID letter. I know it does not prove the letter's validity but it does show that the letter is getting some traction in the news media here in Armenia.
DeleteFollowing links show what were Anglosaxons up to in Russia inciting bolshevik revolution.
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Siberian_Expeditionary_Force
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_intervention_in_the_Russian_Civil_War
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberian_Intervention
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_intervention_in_Siberia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Russia_Intervention
These military incursions are presented in Western history books as a Western effort to help Russian nationalists battle the Bolsheviks. These incursions were most probably strategic probing raids and/or an effort to help prolong the bloody civil war raging in Russia at the time. This is similar to how they sometimes assist both sides of a conflict when they want it to drag on for a long time.
DeleteI'm going off topic, but sometimes I point these raids out when I make the argument that Germany would have had a reasonable foundation to establish an actual peace and an alliance with the Soviet Union before Operation Barbarossa, at least if Hitler had not been so hardline, arrogant, and generally incompetent at foreign/military policy.
DeleteIt doesn't really accomplish anything to debate WW2 today, except that we can try to learn from the mistakes that were made and try to avoid the series of traps and metal errors which led to those mistakes.
anglosaxons created, financed and equipped bolsheviks to overthrow the Tzar. Just like they have used Pravii Sector (the most violent and extreme group willing to kill their own people). However, they were to do the dirty job of creating chaos, civil war and destruction of Russia. Than those expeditionary forces were to come, break up the country and install their own people to rule. But bolsheviks were able to unite people under international communist flag and defeat western forces. In a sense Russian revolution was another example of today's Orange revolutions.
DeleteSome hidden aspects of the Allied Intervention in Russia. From "The Bolshevik Revolution 1917-1923", vol II, by E.H Carr, pp. 134-135:
DeleteAt the first All-Russian Congress of Councils of National Economy [April 1918] Radek "read...a statement of policy drawn up for the guidance of the Soviet negotiators in the Soviet-German economic negotiations. Since a passive balance in Soviet foreign trade was inevitable for some years to come, Soviet Russia could obtain 'foreign goods indispensable for Russian production' only through foreign loans and credits. This in turn can be achieved only by granting concessions 'for the creation of new enterprises necessary for the systematic development of the still unutilized resources of Russia according to a general plan'....The statement was drafted throughout with explicit or implicit reference to Germany alone, but contained this significant clause:
'For Russia, as a neutral country, it is an indispensable condition of restoration of her national economy to establish economic relations with the central powers as well as to maintain and broaden relations with the Entente countries'.
Larin relates that during the winter of 1917-1918 he put forward a scheme for a commercial agreement with the United States offering a concession over Kamchatka in return for good or a loan, but only Radek took the idea seriously. Nevertheless when the American Colonel Robins returned from Moscow to the United States in May 1918, he carried with him a general offer of concessions on the lines of the Radek statement; and Bronsky at the first All-Russian Congress of Councils of National Economy described America as 'the only country which could send us something to restore our national economy'. Such schemes were at this time utopian....But it is interesting to note that the outlines of future concessions policy of the Soviet Government were already sketched out in some detail at this early date."
We may confidently assume that the details were already sketched out when the Jewish-German-America bankers (Schiff, Warburg, Kuhn, Loeb&Co) were loaning Trotsky the money to foment the Revolution. It was repayment, that was the meaning of the NEP and that's why Stalin became the "counter-revolutionary" monster after he put a stop to that policy. It is what we see repeating.
TK, I agree with everything you said. But let's please never forget the fact that Bolshevism was Russified as result of Stalin's purges (perhaps intentional, perhaps not) and the Slavic patriotism that took shape in Russia as a result of Nazi Germany's invasion of Russian territories in 1941. Prior to this Russification of Communism, tens-of-millions of Christian Slavs were murdered and the entire wealth of the four hundred year old empire was utterly looted. So, before Stalin's purges, the plan to destroy Russia from the inside was progressing quite well. Our modern day Westernizers/Democratizers in Eurasia and ISIS/Al Qaeda in the Muslim world are similar in character and nature to what Marxists and Bolsheviks were back then. In fact, the behind-the-scenes supporters of our Westernizers/Democratizers and Wahhabist extremist groups today are essentially the same group of people that financed Marxism and Bolshevism yesterday.
DeleteAll of that is important, but there is a strong case to be made that the Russian Imperial system was unable to industrialize/modernize properly. The famous gold train was due to the weakness in the system. It isn't enough to go from building 100 trains in a year to 200 if Germany or Britain are going from 200 to 1000. Similarly, many in Japan argue that the so-called Meiji Restoration was a Rothschild plot, which there is a certain amount of evidence for. But it also the case that the country had no choice but to industrialize, something they did so well that they defeated the Russians in 30 years. If not for the Russian Revolution, it might have been twenty years later under even more catastrophic circumstances. One Stolypin reformer was not enough, and he was killed.
DeleteMy concern for today is that Russia is not changing its economic and financial models nearly quickly enough. Putin can order military drills all the time, and create new Naval Doctrines, but it is new industrial production that will make or break Russia.
Eurasian
Eurasian,
DeleteBy the late 19th century, the Russian Empire had grown very old and rigid. It had seen it glory days and was on a decline. By the turn of the 20th century it had fallen back seriously as industrial powers such as USA, Britain, Germany, France and Japan were making a big name for themselves. The imperial court in Saint Petersburg realized this all too late. While Stolypin was one man, he was a promising sign that the Czar had taken the importance of Russia's development seriously. Had he not been assassinated, had there not been a world war, had there not been a revolution, there would have been more Russians to follow his footsteps. But, as I said, it was too late because vultures from the West had already infiltrated Russia with their Marxist gangs and were already poisoning the Russian sheeples minds. As I have been saying all along: Assassinations, revolutions, political unrest, economic sanctions and wars are all designed to keep targeted nations weak and unable to develop. But none of this has any bearing on the initial topic. We were discussing "who were Bolsheviks?" and not the sociopolitical circumstances that led to the weakening of the Russian Empire.
You cannot grow an economy (and by extension the people's standard of living) at a fast pace just because you want it that way. Things have their natural growth cycles, specially large nations like Russia. With that said, I see Russia's economy progressing and diversifying at a good pace; well, as good as it can under Russia's circumstances. More importantly, I see Kremlin officials drawing from lessons learned from a century ago. They know Russia had fallen behind again by the time of the Soviet collapse, they know Western powers are doing their best again to keep Russia isolated and weak, they know they have to fight an uphill battle again. The Russian military and all the muscle flexing we see it doing recently is designed to protect the Russian nation as it slowly, naturally advances.
I would say it is the West that is in decline today. Russia needs to stay the course: Develop good ties with China, maintain good relations with Germany, propagate patriotism in Russia and call on its nuclear armed military to protect it's borders. Russia will do just fine. The 21th century will see the gradual decline of Western power around the world. The 21th century belongs to Russia and China.
Something worth reading:
ReplyDeletehttp://russia-insider.com/en/russia-us-conventional-military-balance/ri8940
It does reveal about how NATO's preparation for a possible war with Russia and how they might not perform rather well against Russia's military. If we can assume that in any potential conflict NATO would deploy more of their tanks, they'd probably would consume more petroleum than Russian tanks. Of course, NATO officials proudly announcing its creation of a 10,000 rapid reaction force is completely foolhardy and idiotic because it's basically giving away information of your abilities to an adversary, and Putin's decision to enlarge the Russian Airborne Forces was done discreetly.
Here is an interesting observation about NGOs in Armenia. this one which is active in all Caucasus republics has major funding from many sources, millions per year. Not only they have their hidden agenda, they also don't really spend any of that funding in those countries. It is a club to employ or pay sons and daughters of the western political elite. they take the money from taxpayers and spend on themselves. I am sure 90% of the money they get is used for paying this or that western research associate. they only employ few locals who get paid pennies.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.crrc.am/about/Donors-and-Partners?lang=en
http://www.crrc.ge/uploads/files/CRRC_Georgia_-_Research_Projects__Funding_List_11.12.14.pdf
Davutoglu's recent speech more-or-less basically confirmed what I have been saying all along: What is happening in Turkey recently has nothing to do with ISIS spreading into Turkey or an uprising by Turkish Kurds, what is happening n Turkey it is part of the grand Western-Israeli-Turkish-Saudi plan to officially partition Syria at a future date. The deadly bomb explosion in south-eastern Turkey last week, blamed on ISIS, was most definitely carried-out by Ankara. An uptick in activity by the PKK was most probably a reaction to Ankara's designs against Syria, which also includes designs against Syrian Kurds. Nevertheless, Syria's border with Turkey and Jordan are now in the process of becoming fully militarized and ready for war. When the time is right and a green light is given, Syria will be invaded by ground forces from the north and from the south and a coalition of other nations will be providing the necessary military intelligence and air cover. The excuse will naturally be ISIS. The Kremlin of course fully understands all this. This is why Putin's recent meeting with Erdoghan was about the situation Syria and according to news reports, it was very tense. If anyone still thinks ISIS is not part of the Western-Israeli-Turkish-Saudi plan to fragment Syria, please go and have your head checked.
ReplyDeleteArevordi
DeleteWhat options do you think Russia and Iran have to counter. I think Nato bases in Ukraine and Georgia are also planned under some made up pretext. the west continues to push and Russia's options are becoming more and more dangerous.
In light of all this i think Armenia may get more and more advanced weapons. Armenia's military strategic importance to Russia increases daily. We need to use this opportunity.
The Syrian partition is almost decided. There are some areas that both sides want to take control of, notably the north and the South. There are zones where the fate has already been decided (From Damascus up to Latakia to the Alawis, the eastern parts to the Sunnis). Now Daraa and Aleppo are the main prizes, and Palmyra is desired by Assad too.
DeleteMost probably a truce will happen sooner or later where later Syria will be divided into 2-3 countries which will later on constantly fight one another.
TK,
DeleteI personally do not think Western powers are foolish enough to expand NATO into Ukraine and Georgia. If such a thing becomes imminent, we will see the Russian military moving into Ukraine and Georgia and perhaps into Kaliningrad as well. Such a move by NATO today will trigger a massive Russian response. Armenia's geostrategic significance has already been boosted as a result of the current political climate in the region.
Svediatsi,
I agree. Syria's fate has been decided amongst all the powers involved, including Assad's regime and Russia. As I have been saying all along, the current fighting is about who will control what when the final bomb explodes. The presence of ISIS in Syria was able to secure a large piece of territory for the Western-Israeli-Turkish-Saudi partnership. And ISIS will be the excuse for the final, "peace keeping" military intervention.
dear Arevordi,
DeleteDo you think Turks will enter Aleppo as well? What will happen to the Armenians living there? is Russia able to evacuate them in case of a Turkish invasion?
Vahan,
DeleteI have no way of knowing what Ankara is specifically planning to do in Syria. With that said, Aleppo is strategically located and has therefore been bitterly contested by all sides involved since the beginning of the conflict. So, yes, Ankara will most likely make a move on Aleppo. However, I doubt Turkish troops themselves will try to enter the city. I don't think Ankara wants to engage Assad's forces in a direct military confrontation. Instead, they will help ISIS and other Islamic groups to do the dirty ground work. What's interesting in all this is what Putin told Erdoghan during their short but tense meeting last week. Anyway, nothing is yet set in stone in this conflict.
Syria's Armenian community (as eventually with all other Armenian diasporas) is all but dead. It would be foolish and a waste of effort to try to maintain that community. The ideal thing to do is to evacuate the entire community to Armenia. But knowing the prevailing mentalities amongst regional Armenians, that will not happen. The next best thing would therefore be for them to supplement Lebanon's Armenian community.