Article

2005-12-07 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Steve 2005-12-07 10:46|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Not much to add to Steve's potted history, except there is a fair amount of unfinished history here and chances are it will blow up again.

Posted by phil_b">phil_b 2005-12-07 13:10|| 2005-12-07 13:10|| Front Page Top

#2 Uhhh ... yeah. Armenia, being the oldest Christian nation in the entire world has, to put it delicately, some rather distinct issues centering upon Muslim aspirations towards ascendency in the region. The words "undying hatred" probably figure somewhat prominently in there somewhere.

Posted by Zenster 2005-12-07 14:26|| 2005-12-07 14:26|| Front Page Top

#3 yeah, but theres a language element that crosses the religious one. Armenian is an indoeuropean language, Azeri is related to Turkish. Russia AND Iran have supported the Armenians. Turkey (no fan of Armenia, or of Russia, or of Iran) supported the Azeris. The Azeris are Shia, but of course not Farsi speakers. The Azeris have supported the coalition of the willing on Iraq, and are considered potential important in the event of confrontation with Iran. Unfortunately the leader of Azerbaijan hasnt gotten this whole democracy thing down yet - the elections were better than say in Turkemenistan, but not really free and fair.

And of course theres plenty of reason to sympathize with the Armenians.

Posted by liberalhawk 2005-12-07 16:54|| 2005-12-07 16:54|| Front Page Top

#4 It's not as simple as LH has described.

Posted by Shipman 2005-12-07 17:10|| 2005-12-07 17:10|| Front Page Top

02:17 dhgmk
23:49 Omeresh Thraitch4407
23:44 Barbara Skolaut
23:25 gromgoru
23:22 RG
23:20 Zhang Fei
23:17 Zhang Fei
23:11 gromgoru
23:01 mac
22:57 gromgoru
22:53 gromgoru
22:43 Frank G
22:38 DMFD
22:37 Mahou Sensei Negi-bozu
22:33 DMFD
22:27 Frank G
22:18 Rafael
22:02 BA
21:58 Anonymoose
21:49 Frank G
21:37 Sliting Glamp4591
21:37 Rafael
21:26 Mike
21:21 Steve White