Mr. Korajian’s article about Armenia developing Nuclear Weapons. You are damn right absolutely correct.
Posted on October. 1. 2020
BY RICHARD VARTANIAN
(U.S. Air Force 1953-1961)
USA ARMENIAN LIFE MAGAZINE
Re: The Beirut Explosion and Lessons Armenia should Learn from such a Calamity (August 09, 2020) BY GARBIS KORAJIAN
Dear Mr. Korajian,
I read with great interest your August 09th article about Armenia developing Nuclear Weapons;—that you now favor this.
I wanted to respond to you about your article, so I did an internet search, found your email addresses, —and Voila, —here I am.
You are damn right absolutely correct. Until Armenia has Nuclear muscle, it will remain the puny kid in the neighborhood. Armenia will receive nice lip service from the International community, but the decisions of the International’s will always be at Armenia’s expense.
In the event of heavy, or annihilating, attacks by Azerbaijan/Turkey, Armenia is on its own, — except maybe for 50/50 Russia. Not the USA, – not Europe, – not NATO, — not any country will come to the aid of Armenia. They will only urge both sides to “play nice”.
As you stated, Armenia had and has the brains to produce its own Nuclear weapons. Inter-Continental delivery is not needed. Armenia has or can easily obtain the vehicles required for local delivery to its territorial enemies, and thus equalize their overwhelming military power. Should the enemies then acquire Nuclear Weapons, —Mutually Assured Destruction will cause Armenia’s enemies to think a thousand times. MAD has worked with the USSR/Russia, from the early 1950’s when they developed deliverable weapons systems.
The question is whether or not the leadership has the gumption to proceed with this production. Sure, the International community will be in an uproar,—as they have for the others outside of the USA, UK, France, nuclear club. Nothing has been done about the “others”. Notably, for Israel, all have remained silent.
The uproar might bring this benefit. Truly serious recognition of, and support for, Armenia,—in exchange for No Nukes. NO begging necessary! The world will not want Nukes in the hands of the crazies in Turkey and Azerbaijan,—as Armenia’s enemies would no doubt announce they too will develop their own Nukes. In fact Erdogan has already said it is not acceptable that Turkey should not have Nukes. So the race is on! Who would Erdogan use Nukes on other than Armenia?
When I was age 7, my father taught me how to deal with a neighbor bully in Chicago, a bigger and 2-3 year older kid,—from what he experienced in Sepastia during and after 1915/WW-1. My father would not step in. My father said: “He’s a bully, he is more afraid of you, then you are of him. Never look for a fight. But always defend yourself.” I took my father’s advice the next time that kid bullied me, —tho with high trepidation. I tore into the bully. Terrified, he ran off, — never to bully me again! My father’s teaching has served me well for the past 78 years, —refusing to submit, and combating against bullies in physical, and later non-physical, encounters.
Have any in Armenia’s leadership ever experienced any similar forgings? I seriously wonder and doubt it. There are good people, no doubt. But it requires more than “good”.
This subject needs to be opened.
Hayastan’s leadership needs to wake up, and:
(1) STOP Armenia merely Treading Water.
(2) STOP Allowing Armenia’s defense survival to depend on the whims of Russian help, —though never turning against Russia.
(3) STOP Allowing Armenia’s landlocked survival to depend on transit of goods and equipment thru a sometimes-hostile Georgia.
(4) STOP Being almost totally dependent on IRAN for surface access to the world, —for which all Armenians should be grateful. I know that I am. Threatened, is this “totally dependent” surface door to the world that the current U.S. administration would like to close.
No person of sound mind wants to possess or use Nuclear Weapons. However, Armenia being landlocked and isolated, —these weapons are a necessary evil to assure our continued survival! We’ve been here for thousands of years, —we are not going away.
Everyone gets hurt in a fight. No one emerges unscathed. But, when you can punch far above your weight, adversaries will seriously not want to suffer the damaging consequences of even one Nuclear blast. Any Nuclear blasts on Armenia or its enemies would poison and contaminate the entire Caucasus and Anatolia with radiation, —which includes Azerbaijan/Nakhichevan and Western Armenia (now Eastern Turkey). They’ll not want to poison themselves.
There is much more I could say. You being an experienced journalist of decades I am confident that you get my point.
Respectfully,
Richard M. Vartanian, U.S. Air Force 1953-196
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Richard Vartanian Born Chicago 1935 Resident of Pasadena since 1946 Family: Father’s side Sepastia & Gürün Mother’s side Adana & Palu Served in the U.S. Air Force 1953-1961 Used my aviation knowledge gained in the Air Force to establish my aviation business in 1965 to the 1990’s, — serving both international & domestic clients, — both military & civilian.