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STLtoday.com
Dec 27 2014
America has it right in standing with Armenia
I read the letter from Lala Aliyeva ("U.S. sending too much money to
Armenia," Dec. 20) with some interest as she complained that America
is wrong to stand with the democratic country of Armenia, an ancient
Christian nation with powerful moral and cultural ties to the U.S. and
the Western world.
Armenia is a democracy. While its elections have not been perfect,
there is, by any standard, a night-and-day difference with the
single-family petro-monarchy that's taken over Azerbaijan. The
disenfranchisement of Azerbaijan's own citizens is reflected annually
in the State Department's human rights reports.
Armenia is operating its economy on a model driven by Western reform.
Its market-based policies face pressure from the blockade of its
borders by Azerbaijan and Turkey. Without these illegal blockades,
Armenia would more quickly complete its transition to a prosperous
democratic republic with a fully Western-style economy.
Armenians worldwide will, in 2015, commemorate the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide at the hands of Ottoman Turkey. This small
Christian country has faced genocide and persecution throughout its
existence. The Karabagh war with Azerbaijan over the freedom and
future of this historically Armenian province resulted in the
persecution of Armenians in Azerbaijan. Bloody pogroms in Sumgait
(1988), Ganja (1988), and Baku (1990) resulted in the deaths of
countless Armenians.
Despite all these challenges, Armenia spends on arms only a tiny
fraction of what Turkey and Azerbaijan allocate to their massive
militaries. In fact, Baku's military budget this year was larger than
the combined total of all of Armenia's government spending.
America is right to stand on the side of peace, of democracy, and
shared Western values. America is right to stand with Armenia.
Steve Hagopian * Glen Carbon
http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/mailbag/america-has-it-right-in-standing-with-armenia/article_b1be28c6-e972-5936-b952-4b3b2d646a79.html
Dec 27 2014
America has it right in standing with Armenia
I read the letter from Lala Aliyeva ("U.S. sending too much money to
Armenia," Dec. 20) with some interest as she complained that America
is wrong to stand with the democratic country of Armenia, an ancient
Christian nation with powerful moral and cultural ties to the U.S. and
the Western world.
Armenia is a democracy. While its elections have not been perfect,
there is, by any standard, a night-and-day difference with the
single-family petro-monarchy that's taken over Azerbaijan. The
disenfranchisement of Azerbaijan's own citizens is reflected annually
in the State Department's human rights reports.
Armenia is operating its economy on a model driven by Western reform.
Its market-based policies face pressure from the blockade of its
borders by Azerbaijan and Turkey. Without these illegal blockades,
Armenia would more quickly complete its transition to a prosperous
democratic republic with a fully Western-style economy.
Armenians worldwide will, in 2015, commemorate the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide at the hands of Ottoman Turkey. This small
Christian country has faced genocide and persecution throughout its
existence. The Karabagh war with Azerbaijan over the freedom and
future of this historically Armenian province resulted in the
persecution of Armenians in Azerbaijan. Bloody pogroms in Sumgait
(1988), Ganja (1988), and Baku (1990) resulted in the deaths of
countless Armenians.
Despite all these challenges, Armenia spends on arms only a tiny
fraction of what Turkey and Azerbaijan allocate to their massive
militaries. In fact, Baku's military budget this year was larger than
the combined total of all of Armenia's government spending.
America is right to stand on the side of peace, of democracy, and
shared Western values. America is right to stand with Armenia.
Steve Hagopian * Glen Carbon
http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/mailbag/america-has-it-right-in-standing-with-armenia/article_b1be28c6-e972-5936-b952-4b3b2d646a79.html