Method to the Madness

By Jirair Tutunjian

Although enthusiastically embraced by the Armenian diaspora upon his election seven years ago, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has since created a new fissure in the Armenian diaspora. Diasporans who support Pashinyan obviously agree with the majority of his statements and decisions. Those who oppose Pashinyan criticize him not only for his nation-ripping decisions but also for his servile and humiliating words and manners when in the company of the two Turkbeijan dictators. Diasporans are repelled by his obsequious manner, his desperate attempts to raise half a smile from our tormentors, his fawning of Erdogan who made the Aliyev aggression possible (the 2020 invasion and war, the 2023 invasion of Artsakh) and who has tacitly encouraged Aliyev to threaten Armenian sovereignty. The cloying, ridiculous, pitiful Pashinyan shames the Armenian nation every time he kowtows the two Turkish genociders. He behaves like a little boy begging bigger boys to let him play.

Pashinyan courts the two Turkish dictators while:

Aliyev refuses to release the leaders of Artsakh.

Aliyev refuses the return of Armenians to Artsakh.

Aliyev illegally occupies 220 kilometers of Armenian territory.

Aliyev destroys Armenian churches.

Aliyev claims eastern Lake Sevan.

Aliyev demands Armenia dismantle the vital Medzamor.

Aloyev forces Pashinyan to remove Ararat from Armenia’s coat-of-arms.

Aliyev demands that more than 300,000 Azeris be settled in Armenia while ignoring 475,486 (352, 410 from Azerbaijan proper plus 123,076 from Artsakh) Armenians were made refugees by Azerbaijan.

Aliyev calls Armenia “Western Azerbaijan” and threatens to overrun Armenia.

Aliyev claims Armenians are foreigners in southern Caucasus.

Pashinyan sharply reduces Armenia’s defense budget while Azerbaijan increases its already bloated war budget: genocidal Israel is ever ready to ship planeloads of sophisticated weapons to Baku.

Pashinyan kisses Erdogan’s criminal hands hoping the dictator would be kind to him.

In denial, Pashinyan refuses to recognize that Erdogan and Aliyev are playing good cop, bad cop with him.

Pussycat Pashinyan meows when in the company of the two butchers and is transformed into a frothing lion in the Armenian parliament, threatening anyone who disagrees with him.

The litany of Pashinyan’s crimes, blunders, and shortcomings is much longer.

No Armenian politician in the past 2,500 years has embarrassed the Armenian nation as much as this out-of-control blowhard.

So, the obvious question is: “Why does Pashinyan swoon in the presence of the Turkish Twins who wouldn’t shed a tear if Armenia and Armenians vanished.”

Pashinyan surely suffers from the Helsinki Syndrome: a psychological phenomenon whereby the captive/prisoner develops empathy and even love towards his tormentors/captors. It’s a psychological state where the victim feels even loyalty or attachment towards his yesterday’s tormentors. And sometimes–when long-time enemies reconcile–one or both become effusively affectionate with each other. The pent-up hostility of decades is suddenly transformed into trust and affection. In seconds the dam suddenly bursts and the mental roadblocks are shattered. Yesterday’s foes embrace and become effusive friends. But in the context of Armenia-Azerbaijan “reconciliation,” it’s only the loser—Pashinyan—who becomes overly friendly, overly effusive…the cloying fool beams while the Twin Dictators look down in contempt at the embarrassing man who has “led” Armenia for seven unfortunate years.

While most citizens of Armenia have watched Pashinyan’s marionette act in disbelief, only a third have said they wished he was gone. Next year’s elections will determine the political future of perfidious Pashinyan…and perhaps that of Armenia.