You probably read that the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has come out with a report (http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2014/3048/pdf/fs2014-3048.pdf) that says there might be a million barrels of oil and 6 billion cubic feet of natural gas recoverable from the innards of the current Republic of Armenia.
This report has been pending for a while. But let’s be clear. The USGS found four possible sources of hydrocarbons, but didn’t even evaluate three of them because the chances that anything might actually be found were very low. Even the reported oil and gas has only a 10 percent chance of existing.
You might be wondering how this is possible. Realize that this report is not based on even a single test-well being drilled. It simply studied the geology of the area and based on what was there, projected the possibility that oil and natural gas might exist.
And, if this rings vague bells, as though you’ve heard something like this before, it could be because the study was based on data from a 1974 publication in Russian. Someone else might have made similar guesses in the past.
Why, you’re probably wondering, is this news another example of being screwed? Think of it. Given the corruption in the Republic of Armenia (RoA), all it will take is for some connected crook to get the notion that there’s oil/gas underground, and somehow get the money to start looking for it. This could well destroy underground water and above-ground agricultural resources because the area in which these hydrocarbons are thought to lie under is…you guessed it, the Ararat plain, Armenia’s agricultural heart!
As if this isn’t enough, news came out the same day that the U.S. State Department had cleared a $320-million medium-range air-to-air missile sale to Turkey. This is happening, it is explained by those in power, in the context of increasing security risks in the region, and, of course, the NATO alliance. We’re also told this won’t alter the basic military balance in the region. These two points seem contradictory. If the balance isn’t altered in Turkey’s favor, what’s the point of selling them the equipment?
We’re also told that these will help Turkey defend its extensive coastline and borders. I’m really curious as to what airborne threat could possibly assail Turkey. Would it come (in alphabetical order) from Armenia? The Black Sea (maybe flight-capable monsters inhabit these waters…)? Bulgaria? Greece? Iran? Iraq? Kurdistan? Syria? Each of these is more preposterous a proposition than the rest! It’s not at all possible that Turkey might use these weapons against the RoA and Artsakh should Azerbaijan’s bellicosity lead to another shooting war on that front, right?
It turns out that this sale could have been prevented if a hold had been put on it within two weeks by a U.S. Senator. It didn’t happen. Why? Could it be that our elected Senators have a guilty conscience, knowing that one or more U.S. government agencies may have been quietly supporting Turkey’s indiscriminate support of anti-Syrian-regime rebels?
Write to your Senators and ask for an explanation about this foolhardy sale to an ever more regionally destabilizing country, Turkey.
Garen Yegparian
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I just went to Sivas, the original homeland of my Armenian family. I spent 6 days and nights there. Uhhh…..we are much better off in New York, to be honest. I wouldnt live in Sivas if Ankara paid me, gave me property back, etc…. Dont know how we lived there in that barren, dry, dusty No Man’s land for 4000 years.
My family is also from Sivas. So sorry it didn’t meet up to your western standards. Were you looking for 5 star hotels? Disappointed that the restaurants didn’t offer discounts on yelp? Turkish coffee wasn’t a suitable substitute for Starbucks? What exactly were you expecting to see from a poor city in poor (by western standards) country? You visit your families ancestral homeland and your takeaway is how dry and dusty it is? I’ll tell you one thing, the Turkish government loves Armenians like you: “Went to Turkey. Didn’t like it. I’ll stay in America.” Great. That’s what they want you to do.
@stephen, The love for your ancestral homeland must be unconditional just like the love between a mother and her child is. I understand that being born and raised in the west, the United States in particular, and being exposed to all the comfortable western way of living may give you a big shock while visiting the dusty town or village of your family but you need to remember that much worse than that is being uprooted from your ancestral homeland, planted in foreign shores and, slowly but surely, watch your Armenian families and neighbors generation after generation sink deeper and deeper into assimilation until one day when you may only be Armenian by name.
The land of your family and ancestors, today devoid of its indigenous Armenians, needs its former and native inhabitants to nurture it and with commitment and dedication to the land you can always turn that dusty town or village into an oasis. I would rather live in that dusty village and help bring it up to this century’s standards than live in rat-infested New York surrounded by high rises and corporate criminals.
Leave it to RVDV from Turkey to teach an Armenian how to act like an Armenian. It would seem that the comforts of New York could not accomplish that task.
Of course I am sure at one time what is today New York was also a barren, cold, desolate place, and for a lot longer than Sivas (Sepastia) was.
“You visit your families ancestral homeland and your takeaway is how dry and dusty it is?”
Very well said RVDV.
This is a just tip of an iceberg and they have more than they have revealed ,but as always we Armenian have to kiss an American Senator to defend us ,why in hell no one electing an Armenian in so called Armenian filled populated areas? why we are always asking others to defend us? why we are not doing as Jews have done to secure the land they ve got? why are we so hate to be an Armenian as we immigrate other countries to be Westernised? why are we not beginning from me and build the our country and strength the economy and military so no one can dare to look down on us again ? there is so many why`s and no one taking any actions as we want as always a Cross to protect us ,that is why we built all these churches and no Hospitals or anything social values ,no living standards as our appartments looks great inside and outside a disaster,hallways reminder of WWII happened and left alone and no one cares what is outside as long as our space is ok! this is what is now in Armenias buildings . They say ” home is our castle” indeed it is for Armenian and they don’t care for neighbours how they live and no one put step forward to fix a simple problem. this is what happening now to every Armenian , as long as we hate each other we will never succeed “”” Unite and Love every single countryman and you get strong””
Had Armenians not been evicted from their ancestral lands,you can be sure they would have made a little Switzerland out of it.What with the mountains, valleys rivers gorges etc.For Armenians are a hard working people.Alas they were uprooted and found themselves in far away lands and made latter prosper…instead of their own.
indeed the U.S. is different , so is Canada, Australia etc.but then nowadas small ,medium size countries are popping up demanding INDEPENDENCE.,in spanish there is a saying ¨para algo sera¨ means more or less…there must b e something to it….
I cherish the Independent Armenian and artsakhj