So, now Russia brokered a new deal between Armenia, Artsakh and Azerbaijan. Two years ago, Russia brokered a ceasefire and sent a contingent of their military to assure the ceasefire they brokered was kept intact and to allow for passage of food, medicine and other necessities from Armenia to Artsakh. The Azerbaijanis constantly violated that ceasefire agreement, blocked passage to Artsakh and shelled Armenian towns. Russia did nothing to stop this violation, while the rest of the world turned a blind eye to Azerbaijan’s belligerence.
Russia has never been a friend of Armenia. In the past, tsarist Russia invaded Armenia and held the Armenian church hostage. Under the Soviet Union, Stalin placated Turkey and Azerbaijan by ceding Kars to Turkey and placing the majority of Armenians in Artsakh and Nakhichevan under the jurisdiction of the Soviet Azerbaijani government. He later deported tens of thousands of Armenians to prison camps in Siberia—and the Russians are supposed to be Armenia’s friend? Is Azerbaijan’s next move, with the help of Turkey, to invade the Republic of Armenia? If so, who would stop them?
President Biden has recognized the Armenian Genocide, but words are useless if no action is taken. Hopefully, and it may be a dream, the current American government, having recognized the Armenian Genocide, can play a key role in supporting Armenia. Russia has proven itself to be tepid in its relationship and defense of Armenia. Many questions but few answers.
Ezan Bagdasarian
Gainesville, VA
September 22, 2023
Ezan Bagdasarian
Latest posts by Ezan Bagdasarian (see all)
- Letter to the Editor: The Future Viability of Armenia - October 18, 2023
- Letter to the Editor: Russia, a phony ally and an enemy of Armenia - September 27, 2023
- Armenian Thoughts on Ukraine’s Zelensky - September 27, 2022
Absolutely on target. Armenian needs to take a page from the Israeli playbook and make strong alliances with the US and Western nations. Armenian needs money and training to put its military on par with the Israelis. It is only a matter of time before the Turk once again invades Mayr Hayastan.
US support actually started after 1967 war when the Israelis won against all odds. The whole world was impressed. But in the first 20 years of its existence Israel was mainly supported by Jews from Diaspora- many immigrated there. Israel was the fulfillment of their prayers and billions were invested to build up the country and its defenses. In other words, Israelis were already defending their country successfully before the US got seriously involved. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for Armenia. The economic, diplomatic and military track record is not impressive and the US cannot be expected to backstop it. Being victims of genocide will only get you USAID and no real help. Armenians either were lazy or could not get out of the servile and abusive relationship with Russia which meant it could not develop on many fronts. Armenia must reverse trends rapidly 1) increase GDP from $ 20 Bn to 100 Bn by developing tech and other sectors , 2) increase population by 1 million people by immigration, 3) develop and acquire most advanced weapons to defend itself, 4) define clearly its red lines and execute diplomatically and militarily to gain agency. I just hope that its not too late because Azerbaijan has been busy doing that for the past 20 years.
His entire life, Nikol dreamed of abandoning Artsakh, forgetting the Armenian Genocide, unconditionally opening Armenia’s borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey and, last but not least, bringing Armenia out of Russia’s orbit. These unique characteristics exhibited by Nikol naturally did not escape the attention of various intelligence services around the world. This essentially is how and why Western and Turkish interests helped place Nikol into power in 2018. This is not a speculation. This can actually be proven in court. Follow the money trail that paved the way to Nikol’s “New Armenia” (NED, USAID, British Council, European Council, large numbers of western financed NGOs, large numbers of western financed news outlets, money transfers from Baku to Armenia just prior to the “velvet revolution”, etc) and you will end up in Washington, London, Brussels, Ankara and perhaps Tel Aviv. To it’s utter shame and disgrace, the Armenian world, both native and diasporan, preferred to keep Nikol in power not once but twice, the second time being after the embarrassing defeat Armenia suffered in 2020.
Having much bigger matters to tend to in Ukraine, 2018 was also when Russia, Armenia’s only lifeline since 1992, began pulling its protective hand away from both Armenia and Artsakh, but did so only slightly so that the two wouldn’t disappear completely from the map.
In other words, seeing that official Yerevan was persistently seeking to embrace the West to off-set Russian influence in Armenia, protecting Armenian interests, as Moscow had done since 1992 at the expense of alienating Turks and Azeris, no longer served Russia’s strategic interests. With a major world crisis approaching, instead of moving closer to the Russian Federation for security, which would be a natural move as Armenia was and continues to be almost entirely dependent on Russia for survival, by 2018, the Armenian world had effectively maneuvered Armenia into geopolitical isolation and a dead end. Just like how Moscow punished Baku in 1992, Tbilisi in 2008 and Kiev from 2014-present, Moscow also punished Yerevan in 2020. But, unlike what the Kremlin will do to Ukraine (i.e. Ukraine will ceases to exist when this war is over), the Kremlin will make sure that an Armenia survives in some form, as Russians still need Armenians in the south Caucasus as a buffer against Turks and Muslims.
In a nutshell, what I just described is how Armenians lost Artsakh. This is why Armenia today is like a rudderless boat on a stormy sea. All in all, the last 5 years in Armenia was a nightmare, and a toxic by-product of western-style democracy and the self-destructive efforts of Armenians worldwide to use the West as a leverage against Russia. Consequently, Armenians have no right to complain today, as they were the main authors of the country’s latest tragedy.
A historic tragedy is palying out right in front of our very eyes. Some of us were warning about this for the past 5 years. We were called Putin’s agents, traitors, etc. Those of you looking for someone to blame for what happened to Artsakh, look in the mirror and blame yourselves. As I keep saying, anyone that at any time spoke bad about Robert Kocharyan, Serj Sargsyan, Vladimir Putin or Russia, you partook in making this tragedy possible. Any of you that supported Nikol and his Western-financed Turkophiles at any time during the past 5 years, have blood of Artsakh-Armenians on your hands. The past 30 years have proven beyond any doubt that Armenians are not ready for independence. The past 5 years have shown beyond any doubt that Armenians don’t even deserve independence. If Armenia does not join Russia in some form in the near future, there will not be an Armenia on the world map.
Ezan,
Did you write this fairytale or was it given to you by your handlers in Washington or Langley? By the way, will the US help protect Armenia’s boders in the same way your former organization is protecting America’s borders?
Do you even speak Armenian? Have you even visited the country of your ancestors?
Did you ever ask your father how the French eventually thanked Armenians for their faithful service to France?
Did you know that Russia resurrected Armenia two hundred years ago? Did you know that for the past two hundred years Armenia has survived in a terrible neighborhood largely thanks to the Russian factor in the region? I therefore suggest you put to rest Uncle Sam’s toxic agenda towards Armenia and for once say spasiba to Russia.
You are apparently ignorant of Armenian history. It is people such as you that try to whitewash what the Armenians endured for the past 200 years. Yes, I speak Armenian and have been to Armenia 5 times. What does that prove to you? The Armenian legionnaires fought under the French flag because the French promised Cilicia to be part of an independent Armenia after WWI. Armenians were double-crossed by the French and later by the Soviet government (Stalin) which created the hostility that exists today with Azerbaijan. My question to you is who are you? Are you a Turk, Jew, Azerbaijani or a Russian sycophant?. What credentials do you possess on these subject matters? By responding to your ignorant remarks, I am violating one of my favorite sayings by the Greek philosopher, Pythagoras, “It is better to be silent than to dispute with the ignorant”.
That you resort to an ad-hominem attack and egregious assumption about the author at the outset of your so-called rebuttal, Gurgen, is a testament to your intellectual laziness. You know my full name now too, so go ahead and Google away to your heart’s content. Those who are in the service of justice have no need to hide behind the anonymous veil of the internet. As a Christian and an Armenian, I have nothing but love for you. I pray you can someday find a way to love yourself.
PS: Jews have been a major factor in culture, finance and politics in the Western world for centuries. Organized Jewry yeilds great influence over Western powers today. Jews number many times more than Armenians. Jews are much more organized, efficient, united, religious and nationalistic than Armenians. A single Jewish family can be wealthier than all Armenians of the world combined. Comparing Jews to Armenians is like comparing apples to rocks. It only shows the cognitive dissonance and political illiteracy of Armenians.