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During the tenure of Nikol Pashinyan, economic development in Armenia is not possible.

This is an axiom. no rational person will make a long-term investment in a country whose power is in the hands of unprincipled, inconsistent people in everything, in a country that is defenseless against the attacks of hostile countries, in a country whose society has no confidence in its future or even tomorrow, and whose there could be an explosion in the center and kill dozens of people in a few minutes.

No matter how cynical it sounds, Pashinyan does not need the development of Armenia either. A developed economy means a developed and well-off society, which cannot tolerate Pashinyan’s semi-literate and incompetent government. Pashinyan needs a hungry, ignorant and apathetic population that can feed on lies and maintain a half-starved existence, satisfying itself with the humanitarian aid thrown at it by the government. At one time, Pashinyan said that Sargsyan’s government keeps the society in poverty, so that in every election, it has the opportunity to reproduce with 10,000 dram election bribes. After coming to power, Pashinyan decided that this theory is the only guarantee of the strength and existence of his power, and he decided to thoroughly implement this theory in his life. Despite the devaluation of the dram and the unspeakable increase in prices,

It is even more cynicism when, under such conditions, Pashinyan organizes some events dedicated to the development of the economy, like the recent two-day discussion held at the study center of the Central Bank in Dilijan, which was dedicated to the development of policies implemented in various sectors of the economy. The Economic Policy Council attached to the Prime Minister is holding a session, but there is no word in the official reports whether the issue of dram appreciation, which is the most relevant for the economy at the moment, was discussed during that session. Businessmen of Armenia, hundreds of organizations uniting them, have been warning for a long time that the appreciating dram is destroying their business, their products are becoming uncompetitive, they are losing markets acquired over time and with great efforts, they are suffering huge financial losses. workplaces are being closed, but the Armenian government keeps stone silent regarding these alarms. The most obvious manifestation of indifference is the dram exchange rate.

The authorities of Armenia say that we have nothing to talk with you. It’s okay that your business is dying, but Armenia’s economy is developing. If you don’t believe it, look at the official statistics and you will see that we even have double-digit economic growth. It’s okay that manufacturers, builders, high-tech enterprises are collapsing, instead trade and the service sector are growing. And the banks are even thriving, making huge profits from absurd commissions.

There is a term in economics – “Dutch disease”, which is a very clear diagnosis of the current state of Armenia’s economy. In 1959, a huge gas deposit was discovered in a place called Groningen in the Netherlands, from which the extracted gas contributed to the sharp growth of the extractive industry, which led to the growth of exports, the appreciation of the guilder, the growth of the trade and service sector, but, on the contrary, the country’s industry began to decline. The gulden had become so valuable that importing goods from abroad became far more profitable than producing them in Holland. Holland, of course, was cured of the disease because the country had a competent and long-term government, but the diagnosis and symptoms of the disease remained in history.
No gas field was found in Armenia, but as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war, a large amount of foreign currency appeared in Armenia. Russian tourists, temporary residents of Armenia and businessmen bring with them a huge amount of foreign currency, which has led to dram appreciation. The country’s GDP is growing, but it is a toxic growth because the economy is not growing proportionately. Trade, service sector and banks are growing, but as a result of dram appreciation, other branches suffer losses and are suffocated as a result of this growth. They are demanding rescue measures, which are different, but there is nothing to do with their demand. Tomorrow, when the Russian-Ukrainian war will end and the Russians will return to their country, they will have the opportunity to do business in their country. That short-term effect of Armenia’s economic growth will disappear. And the closed and destroyed enterprises will no longer be possible to restore.

Do Pashinyan and his government representatives not understand this? No matter how semi-literate and incompetent the government is, they understand the seriousness of the disaster brought to Armenia as a result of their activities. But they are sure that this disaster will help to strengthen their power, that’s why they decided not to fight against it in any way.

Industrialists, builders, people involved in the field of high technologies are the most literate and developed part of the society. They are quite independent, because they are self-sufficient, they do not depend on the whims of the government and can create problems for the government. Meanwhile, traders and representatives of the service sector do not pose any threat to the government. They are not capable of consolidating and presenting some common demands.

It is beneficial for Pashinyan to be the head of the power of the tyrants and absolutists, he cannot aspire to more than that. A part of the society will bring and sell maika-tursik, nask from Turkey, and the other part will make beds for Russians and other tourists, drive a taxi, set the table, do hairdressing. What else does Pashinyan need? life is happy, livelihood is free. Of course, such a society is destructive for the country, but it is salvation for Pashinyan and his government.

Avetis Babajanyan

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• Mosul Museum in Iraq has reopened, six years after it was ransacked by ISIS and its exhibits destroyed 
• The museum is hosting a sculpture exhibition by Iraqi artist Omer Qais in its refurbished royal reception hall 
• Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, was overrun by ISIS in 2014 as it rapidly caputred territory in the Middle East
• The Islamists destroyed many of the artefacts, which they believe represent false Gods and sacreligious idols 

An Iraqi museum that was infamously ransacked by ISIS jihadists who destroyed and looted its artefacts has reopened to the public.

Mosul Museum, in Iraq‘s second-largest city, is hosting a sculpture exhibition by Iraqi artist Omer Qais in its restored royal reception hall, four years after it was plundered by the Islamic extremists.

ISIS overran Mosul in 2014, scattering the Iraqi army with a lightning-fast assault that announced the terror group as a major force in the Middle East.

The museum was one of the group’s first targets in the newly-occupied city, as hardline fighters destroyed artefacts that they consider to depict false Gods and idols. 

Many of the relics dated from the Sumerians, one of the first human civilisations whose people lived along the banks of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers some 3,000 years ago.

Sculptures, pottery and cuneiform writing tablets dating from this civilisation were among the works destroyed by ISIS troops, and were considered an invaluable chapter in the history of human development. 

Curators have been working to restore the museum to a semblance of its former glory ever since it was recaptured by Iraqi troops with assistance from the US-led coalition in 2017.

The museum partially reopened in January 2019, when it staged a contemporary art exhibition entitled ‘Return to Mosul’ in its reception hall.

However, much of the building remained closed while restoration work was ongoing while works were displayed on teporary walls.

Now, more of the building is accessible to visitors, while artworks are displayed throughout the main space.

Mosul Eye – a Twitter account run by a Mosuli historian – tweeted out images of the exhibition along with a caption which read: ‘Daesh is gone, our Mosul museum is back. Daesh will never win.’

Daesh is a term for ISIS which the group considers offensive because it sounds similar to their name in Arabic, but means ‘to trample underfoot’. 

Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8992781/Mosul-museum-reopens-four-years-destroyed-ISIS.html 

Today we enter the sixth day of the coordinated Turkish-Azeri aggression to invade and ethnically cleanse Artsakh, an Armenian-majority region gifted to Azerbaijan by the Soviet Union in the early 1920’s in the hope of appeasing the newly founded Turkish Republic and for it to also become a Soviet Republic.

The Azeris are cultural and linguistic kin with Turks. For Turkey’s ultra-nationalist government, a Greater Turkey that incorporates different Turkic states in the region, including Azerbaijan, as well as many former Ottoman territories, is a long-term strategic goal of Ankara’s.

Beirut-born Armenian Serj Tankian, most famous as the lead vocalist of metal band System of a Down and a lifelong human rights activist, has spoken with Greek City Times to discuss the Turkish-Azeri attempt to invade Artsakh, more commonly known as Nagorno-Karabakh, and ethnically cleanse the indigenous Armenian population.

GCT: Artsakh has an undeniable continuous Armenian heritage since at least 500BC and has always been an Armenian-majority region, even to this very day.

Why do the Azeris and Turks feel so strongly that they must expel the indigenous Armenian population from this region?

Tankian: I think Azerbaijan and Turkey have different intentions in their aggression against Artsakh and Armenia. For Azerbaijan it’s a matter of regime survival as they have a petro-oligarchic corrupt government that is being challenged by their opposition, who are mostly in jail, and from the people. Turkey’s motivation is and has been for more than a century Pan-Turanism. That is why they committed the genocide against Armenians, Greeks, and Assyrians a century ago and of course used our nations as scapegoats for their defeats during WWI. [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan and his corrupt, oppressive cohorts, thugs if you will, are using military adventurism in Syria, Libya, the Mediterranean and now the Caucasus to further their agenda.

I think those are the major motivations from the two aggressors in this conflict.

GCT: As Greeks, we share the same generational trauma that genocide and ethnic cleansing has had on Armenians. Most Greeks view the Turkish and Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh as a potential second genocide against the Armenians.

Are Greeks justified in believing this or is this an over exaggeration?

Tankian: When the grandchildren of genocide perpetrators are firing at the grandchildren of genocide survivors, bombing not just military positions but civilians, it is safe to assume that the people of Artsakh and Armenia are fighting an existential battle. This is also the message coming out of Yerevan today. Armenians cannot afford to lose.

GCT: The Greek government has expressed solidarity with Armenians and revealed that the visit of Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, to Yerevan “is imminent.” Greece however has not once condemned Azerbaijan for its invasion attempt of Artsakh.

Besides empty words of solidarity, what should and could Greece and the international community be doing to end the Turkish-sponsored Azerbaijani aggression?

Tankian: Armenians are very grateful for the overtures by the leaders of Greece and Cyprus in this battle. Besides calling out Azerbaijan and Turkey for their invasion, Greece can team up with Cyprus on insisting that the EU sanction Turkey and Azerbaijan for their aggressive attack on Artsakh and Armenia. I don’t understand how the EU can threaten to sanction Turkey on the drilling issue and not include starting a full war in the Caucasus in the same week.

GCT: Although the Greek government has been “weak,” as Greek media and social media describes it, in their support for Armenia and Artsakh, there has been huge public solidarity. Separate from the government, there has been protests, Greek Twitter users have made hashtags trend that are in support of Artsakh, Greek hackers brought offline over 150 Azerbaijani government websites, and the first batch of ethnic Greek volunteers, as well as Armenian-Greek volunteers, are soon preparing to leave Greece to fight and defend Artsakh – with more batches of volunteers organizing to leave in the coming weeks.

Do you have any particular message you want to give to the Greek people and what can they do to support Armenia and Artsakh during this existential crisis?

Tankian: First of all, thank you for all the support. I wasn’t aware of the website hacking that had taken place. More of that geared toward Azeri and Turkish air command and control centers would be nice.

Armenia also stood by Greece when the drilling started by the Turkish ships in the Mediterranean. I think we need to work with each other [and] to help each other through these situations, as we are both dealing with the same aggressor that we know too well.

I am also moved by the volunteers who want to come and fight for justice. Humanitarian aid can also be very helpful of course as a good part of the population of Artsakh is living in bomb shelters right now. Most of all, making your voices heard to the leadership and having them work through the EU and international organizations to help Armenia and Artsakh. This would be very helpful. Again, I personally am very grateful.

GCT: Moving to the U.S., former National Security Adviser John Bolton described Donald Trump’s relationship with Erdoğan as a “bromance.” Trump has also said that he gets “along” with Erdoğan and described him as “very good.”

What kind of impact has this relationship had on leading up to this crisis in Artsakh?

Tankian: Trump’s “bromance,” as you put it, with Erdoğan has given him the green light to do whatever he wants in the region. That is clear. The U.S. did not stand up for their own Kurdish allies in Syria against Erdoğan. The U.S. administration has not tempered Turkey in Libya, Greece, Cyprus, nor the Caucuses. Many say that it is because of his hotel investments in both Turkey and Azerbaijan. There could be something even more than that. That is why it is imperative for Russia and the EU to temper Turkey’s regional ambitions and aggressions.

GCT: Although Azerbaijani media is already describing the volunteers from Greece going to Artsakh as “mercenaries,” the fact remains that they are not being paid unlike the Syrian terrorists that Turkey has and still is transferring to Azerbaijan. These are the very same Syrian terrorists who were/are attacking and killing the Armenian minority in Syria. These mercenary jihadists are now at the doorstep of Iran and Russia, and Turkey risks creating a wider geopolitical crisis in the entire region.

How do you analyze these events?

Tankian: I agree. The funneling of Syrian fighters under the control of Turkey will further destabilize the region. Iran, France, and Russia have expressed their dismay with this revelation. There are reports that Iran is amassing troops on their border with Azerbaijan. Russia does not want to fight Turkey on another front as they already are in Syria and Libya so Turkey is really pushing it as always. If not stopped it will lead to a larger regional war and maybe worse.

GCT: Turkey and much of the world resists recognizing the Greek, Armenian and Assyrian genocide of 1914-1923. Now more then ever it appears that genocide recognition is an international imperative.

Do you think international recognition and reparation’s could have made a difference in avoiding Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s current invasion attempt of Artsakh?

Tankian: Absolutely!!! Without punishing a crime, let alone a crime against humanity, the perpetrators are allowed to continue without impunity.

600 years of Turkish diplomatic experience has been at work. They tell everyone what they want to hear then do what they want to do. It’s called the many faces of Turkish diplomacy. We know it all too well. Erdoğan is pushing his luck though and there will come a time for payback soon. I think the world community should encourage regime change in both Turkey and Azerbaijan so we can all deal with more reasonable leaders and so that their people can also progress into the next millennia without being imprisoned for speaking their mind or belonging to this or that political group or party.

GCT: Armenia is a poor, landlocked country of only 3 million against 80 million in Turkey and 9 million in Azerbaijan. The military spending of Azerbaijan and Turkey in comparison to Armenia is several times over and incomparable. Yet, the Armenians are stubbornly and successfully defending their ancestral lands. It appears that an indigenous people fighting against neo-imperialist invaders can overcome such intimidating odds faced against them. However, despite the bravery of the Armenians, more then half of the martyred soldiers are 19 and 20 years old.

Would you agree with the statement just made, and what kind of impact will this war have on future generations?

Tankian: Artsakh and Armenia are fighting an existential battle that we cannot afford to lose. That is why the whole Armenian nation is unified in doing everything we can to provide a better tomorrow for our children. That is correct. We are fighting an enemy with more weapons that outspend our defense budget manyfold. But history has taught us all that it is not armies that win wars, it is the spirit and hearts and minds of those willing to sacrifice that wins wars.

No one in history has ever conquered Artsakh.

1968 was one of the most tumultuous years in American history. Cities across the country burned after the assassination of Martin Luther King. Robert Kennedy was gunned down a few months later. There was a lot of crime, and widespread unrest in response to the seemingly endless war in Vietnam. A bloody police riot marred the Democratic National Convention.

That was the year Richard Nixon unveiled his “Southern Strategy,” pivoting to a law and order message against liberal Democrat Hubert Humphrey, whom he painted as soft on crime and someone who coddled those dirty hippies. The campaign carried racial undertones that weren’t exactly subtle, but were sufficiently implicit to distinguish him from third party candidate George Wallace, the fiery Dixiecrat who had gained national notoriety for his staunch opposition to black civil rights.

n 2016, historian Josh Zeitz wrote that, “by focusing incessantly on racially coded issues like crime and urban unrest, Nixon signaled to white voters that he offered a respectable alternative to Wallace.”

Campaigning throughout the upper South, he endorsed the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which banned segregation in public schools, but also assured white voters that he felt it was wrong for the federal government to “force a local community to carry out what a federal administrator or bureaucrat may think is best for that local community.” Even the conservative Wall Street Journal criticized Nixon’s “harsh and strident efforts to capitalize on deep-seated discontent and frustration. This is the Richard Nixon who tells a whistle-stop rally in Deshler, Ohio that in the 45 minutes since his train left Lima, one murder, two rapes and 45 major crimes of violence had occurred in this country—and that ‘Hubert Humphrey defends the policies under which we have seen crime rise to this point.’”

It worked. Nixon won 14 more states than two his rivals combined. Four years later, in 1972–and 18 months after four protestors were shot down by National Guard troops at Kent State University–he won every state except Massachusetts. Republicans have, to varying degrees, employed that strategy ever since.

It’s easy to forget that the 2016 Republican National Convention opened with the theme, “Make America Safe Again.” Trump’s campaign echoed Nixon’s, as he claimed that he spoke for the “forgotten men and women” of America and would stand tall against Mexican rapists and the forces of “political correctness.” It was all about leveraging white Americans’ cultural grievances and anxiety about globalization and demographic change.

With his late-night tweets calling the people out protesting the police slaying of another unarmed black man in Minneapolis “thugs” and warning that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” it’s a safe bet that Trump will attempt to use today’s unrest to deflect from his utter failure to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

There are three good reasons to think it won’t work.

First, Nixon was taciturn, serious and experienced. As Josh Zeitz wrote, he “walked a thin line between statesmanship and demagoguery,” which is something that Trump, who has no discipline whatsoever and is the antithesis of a statesman, is incapable of doing. Nixon was able to pitch himself as a stabilizing force–a rock in a sea of chaos; Trump is himself an agent of chaos. A majority of Americans think he’s racist and uniquely divisive. Those yearning for stability and a return to “normalcy,” have an alternative in Joe Biden, a veteran moderate Democrat who’s served in government for decades and tends to speak in soothing tones. Biden’s leading Trump by a mile among voters who dislike both candidates.

Second, it didn’t work in 2016. Not only did he lose the popular vote by almost 3 million ballots, but the data show that he almost certainly would have lost the Electoral College as well if not for former FBI Director James Comey announcing that he was reopening the probe into Hillary Clinton’s emails 11 days before the vote.

It also didn’t help his party in the 2018 midterms, when Trump spent months railing about an “invasion” by a caravan of refugees making their way north to the United States through Mexico.

Finally, it’s simply the case that nothing seems to move the needle on Trump’s popularity with the public, or lack thereof. Opinions are set. He ended 2019 with a 42.6 percent approval rating in FiveThirtyEight’s average, and today–after 100,000 mostly avoidable deaths, 40 million lost jobs and a couple of stock market sell-offs–that number stands at 42.6 percent

Ultimately, Trump’s Nixonian pitch appeals to his hardcore base–the approximately 25 percent of voters who hold a “very favorable” view of his performance. It’s safe to assume that they celebrated his talk of shooting “thugs.” But there’s no reason to think it will resonate beyond MAGA nation, and every reason to believe it turns off more Americans than it energizes.