Armenia’s Respect for US Power

I have precious little sympathy for Armenia. The national obsession over the alleged genocide is toxic to the civic culture (for example, they prioritize Turkey’s recognition of the massacre over basic development). The government is abysmal, on par with the dictatorship in Belarus. But I didn’t think there was a viable alternative to the current situation until I read this in Eurasianet:

The Armenian opposition is growing frustrated with the European Union’s apparent reluctance to press hard for political reform in Yerevan. Opposition leaders now regard the United States as the only potential source of external support for their efforts to force President Robert Kocharian’s resignation and to open Armenia’s political system.

One prominent oppositionist spoke for many of his colleagues recently when he said privately, “The world has only one boss, and you know what that country is.”

Woah, tough words! (And eerily proto-fascist.) But the Armenian opposition is simply respecting power, plain and simple. The EU is pathetically toothless in encouraging democracy in the region, criticizing Armenia’s numerous economic and political problems yet obliging President Kocharian to achieve nothing. Unhappy opposition leaders now feel that support for regime change in Armenia will come from Washington, apparently fueling a boom in pro-American sentiment.

But note: the respect isn’t because of our values, it’s because of our power. As one member of the opposition said, “It is clear to everybody that the superpower’s [US] position in our region will increasingly strengthen. So everybody is seeking to be friends with the future master.” That, my friends, is how politics work. Forget respect for values and ideals. When it comes down to the wire, people will respect us because of our strength. And, of course, how we use it.

Sage advice for fellows such as Mr. Craig Murray.