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Opinions About Armenian Politics

The Armenian Weekly just published an article that I wrote about the current political climate in Armenia, which I ordinarily do not discuss on this blog, and I mention what the Armenian opposition is doing (or rather not doing) about stopping the protocols.

I have been trying to refrain from focusing on political issues on this blog because I wanted to get away from politics here, redirecting readers to my other blog, Footprints, which is sponsored by Hetq Online. But I will just mention here briefly that I think the protocols are detrimental to Armenia's statehood and the future of the Armenian nation for several reasons.

In any case, if Armenian politics doesn't bore you, please read the article and check out Footprints. Feel free to write whatever is on your mind either for or against the protocols in the comments section below.
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Anonymous said…
Don't you think that it's time for the Armenians to get down from their high horse? Currently the geopolitical situation in Caucasus is interesting, to say the least but the situation is not as dire as in your garden variety Middle East hot spot. And the region has the propensity go super nova and become one of those red dots in CIA fact book. But at the same time if someone has the dignity and the strength to stop yanking on their length of the rope in this dimwitted tug of war the whole region can cool down a little. Yep Armenians were massacred and swindled out of their lands, to forget that is a crime to say the least. But you are not obliged to remind everyone, everywhere, all the time.
Lots of Armenians are banging on about "never relenting until we get our lands back". Can’t you see how ridiculous it is to take this stance? Reality check folks, under current circumstances and accounting that there won’t be radically twisted political changes in Caucasus, Armenia will never get the lands pack. PERIOD. You think the rest of the world cares about you and someone will rush to your help? It’s time to roll up the sleeves, bend down and take one for the team.
What I see is progress in those protocols. Firstly, because there are mutual talks about the genocide now. Yes, it’ll take decades to come to a unanimous conclusion that it did happen but it’s worth it. Secondly Armenia won’t be so isolated and it’ll promote greater commerce and that’s good because not tanks not peaceful demonstrations guarantee peace but cold hard salt of the earth business. Look at the EU, most of it’s members were feuding for hundreds of years but after the WWII they started working together and you know what? Brits and Frenchies still hate each other but they’re not looking at the other side through a gun sight.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Christian Garbis said…
Well, I think you have to do a better job in examining history before you can belittle Armenian calls for genocide recognition and the return of historic lands to Armenian control. If you actually read the protocols, you will realize that there really isn't anything in Armenia's favor described in them. And I obviously don't think that to "bend down and take one for the team" will be beneficial to Armenia's long-term geostrategic and socioeconomic interests. Millions of people round the world who are of the same option will agree with me.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Anonymous said…
Well millions of people around the globe believe that there are brainwashed spirits of alien beings incrusted in our minds but that doesn’t make it true. So what do you think would be an ideal solution? Because I don’t think you’re gullible enough to believe that Armenians stand the chance of getting the lands back in the near future. And two: I’m pretty certain that in the depth of your heart of hearts you know that only ones that actually care about the recognition of the genocide are the Turks and Armenians. So yeah my thoughts can seem unfavorable to Armenians but in my opinion it’s the only short term non- violent solution that can actually push out Armenia out of isolation.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Christian Garbis said…
How exactly is Armenia in isolation? Economically it isn't as it is able to import anything it needs via Georgia (from Turkey) and Iran by land routes. It has more than friendly relations with Georgia, Iran and especially, Russia. Armenians have been surviving and are doing quite well for themselves despite their untrustworthy, insincere and completely unreliable neighbors to their immediate east and west that have blockaded Armenia since the early 1990s.

The term "isolation" regarding Armenia is a word that the west loves to use to make Armenia look weak and poor in the eyes of the world. Fact is, the poor and underprivileged will not have better lives with an opened border with Turkey. Only the rich Armenians will become wealthier, and they will eventually be bought out by their Turkish rivals. These protocols will only secure Armenia's dependence on a historically hostile neighbor which wants nothing more than to impose its hegemony and bring Armenia to its knees economically, politically and socially. It's already succeeding in doing just that even with a closed border--Armenian consumers is highly dependent on Turkish goods which floods the Armenian marketplace. Open the border under the vague conditions stipulated in the protocols and Armenian businesses will eventually wither away, unable to compete.

If a closed border indeed means that Armenia is in isolation (which it is not), then so be it. Better to be isolated than undermined and weak.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
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