Sobering Reflections upon the 30th Anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Armenia

The 44-day catastrophe of the Artsakh war suddenly pulled the cover off the enormously sad realities of the New Armenia!

It has become painfully evident that in the course of the 30 years of independence, all successive governments had been irresponsibly careless and guilty in neglecting to consider the permanent upgrading of Armenia’s military readiness to combat, which should have been their very first and top priority.

It should be evident to anyone claiming the responsibility of being Armenia’s governing authority that the country is geographically surrounded by neighbors the majority of which are its relentless hostile historical archenemies and aim at its complete destruction. Therefore, just as important as bread, butter and water, the maintenance of a top quality army is a top priority to be secured at all times and at the cost of any sacrifice.

While keeping proportions in perspective, the example of Israel surrounded by similarly threatening hostile neighbors offers an obvious lesson the Armenians need to emulate in many respects. Since its embryonic and difficult beginnings as an independent state, in 1948, the entire Israeli population and nation has lived in a state of permanent military readiness. All men and women are militarily trained there – why not do the same in Armenia? Israel has built over the years the world’s top grade military industry.

There is no need to expect that much of Armenia. However, why did Armenia not make its utmost effort to maintain what it had inherited from the Soviet regime, and relentlessly develop further its capabilities, especially in the relevant fields of lasers, drones and other relevant weaponry? These are only a few questions of which the answers point embarrassingly to the utter irresponsibility of Armenia’s succeeding governing circles and the so-called elite, where drinking the traditional “genatz” shots on Armenia’s independence days was considered enough to give a feeling of security to the country.

We in the diaspora are not blameless. We have been taken in by this deeply irresponsible attitude in Armenia. In retrospect, up until and even during the 44-day war, we too, sheeplike, expected that Armenia’s army was capable of and actually was effectively conducting the war victoriously against the Turkish-backed Azerbaijani aggressors.

The sudden and catastrophic Armenian capitulation of November 9, 2020 has unveiled an entirely different and sad reality. Suddenly a chain of fundamental flaws in the Armenian state have revealed its true image. Actually, to this date, the full reality of all that was involved in the devastating defeat has not been revealed because of the absence of a credible process of investigation. Furthermore, after almost a full year since the defeat, and a miserably ill-prepared general election that, as was expected, resulted in a totally dysfunctional National Assembly, Armenia as a country and Armenians as a nation, face dangerously threatening existential realities that can not be ignored.

As we approach the 30th independence anniversary date of September 21, given the balance sheet of the past thirty years as sketched above, informed and concerned Armenians, whether living in Armenia, in Artsakh or in the diaspora, are certainly not in a mood for celebrations. Instead, they have the most sobering serious thoughts and unconditional demands.

The current political landscape in Armenia is chaotic and unquestionably self-destructive, inside as well as outside the parliament. The so-called opposition forces of Kocharyan/ Armenian Revolutionary Federation/ Sargsyan have proven to be at the peak of political destructive irresponsibility, with not even the shade of any constructive proposals as an alternative to those proposed by Pashinyan’s majority government. The latter, which was pushed lately to the level of a majority only as a negative vote against the previous regimes, continues to act with the same arrogance and self-reliance that it had shown in its preceding reign of some three years that ended in the catastrophic defeat.

The Path Forward

The current regime has systematically avoided any effort to look for political and intellectual talent, outside its own narrow circle of friends and followers. Armenia can not afford nor tolerate such a narrow mindedness! We expressly demand of the large group of remaining political and intellectual elements of Armenia to finally step forward and take hold of the destiny of the nation. The so called “Third Force” (the so far invisible wished for political force, composed of Armenia’s experienced, serious intellectuals, politicians and professionals), wherever it is now, hiding itself, must come out to prevent a complete collapse and loss of the Armenian nation. The current ridiculous bunch of some 25 “political parties,” which are at best just small groups of friends gathered around some central leading individuals, incapable of having any possible political impact, would have been considered as political jokes, had the nation not been at this time in an emergency state.

Ironically, already just few months after the last anticipated elections, there is again serious talk for “new anticipated elections.” If and when that happens, the foregoing sad masquerade can not and must not be tolerated to happen again. A true effective, well balanced, all inclusive “third force” must already take shape starting now, in order to take over the destiny of the nation, and form a government of “National Rescue.” The diaspora, which has remained completely isolated from the entire last political upheaval in the motherland, must be able to participate, at the very least, by providing the benefit of its politically savvy members and others with well proven track records.

The next priority to be demanded of the expected government of National Rescue, or for that matter, of any responsible government, is to immediately put in place a long overdue program for the reconstruction of the nation and the urgent pursuit of efforts to generate the vital components necessary for an independent nation to possess and rely on.

The foremost need in this process is to revamp Armenia’s badly damaged military capabilities. That means the complete restructuring of the army to boost the moral of its fighters, as well as the initiation of a program of acquisition of up-to-date and relevant armament. The latter will require both the revival of the sadly abandoned local military industry, as well as the attempt to purchase modern material from friendly as well as simply commercially interested suppliers. Without undertaking seriously this effort, it is futile to pretend that any other nation building programs are being pursued!

Once the defense of the nation is reasonably catered to, the next vital step is to introduce serious programs for the development of Armenia’s financial, industrial, educational and cultural infrastructures. This requires credible planning with the help of well-established experts from within as well as from outside Armenia, preferably but not necessarily only Armenians. The diaspora can and must help.

The above will create stability in Armenia and will help re-establish the morale of the nation, leading to every kind of positive outcome.

In conclusion, in the wake of the tragedy that our nation just lived through over a period of nearly one year, the marking of the 30th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Armenia can acquire a genuine significance, only if and when the entire Armenian people, extending from Armenia to Artsakh and then throughout its worldwide diaspora, expresses its unwavering expectation that those claiming the responsibility of national leadership unquestionably respect and implement the above demands.