ARMENIAN - Erevangala500

Epilogue
Armenian terrorism: History is both poison and antidote.
Historians usually contribute little or nothing to discuss­
ions o f present-day terrorism. Middle-East historians
have especially avoided comment on Armenian terrorism,
preferring topics more remote and less likely to shoot
back. However, in considering Armenian violence, his­
tory cannot be ignored, for history is both the cause o f
Armenian terrorism and its only cure. Armenian terrorism
is rooted in a false view o f history. Only by correcting
that view will Armenian terrorism be defeated. I therefore
wish to suggest a method not usually used to combat ter­
rorism: the study o f history.
Each terrorist needs a raison d'etre - a philosophy and a
cause for which he can kill and die. History usually plays
a part in this, both because terrorists often look back to an
idyllic past in which all was well with their people, and
because terrorists almost always remember real or imagined
historical injuries and vow vengeance. But the main
wish o f terrorists is always to free their people from foreign
bondage. That was the case with the Viet Kong, and
that is the case today with the I. R. A. Today's Armenian
terrorists are unique in that history, or at least their version
o f it, is their only real justification. In recent days I.
R. A. seems to be o f "minorr" importance. Same for the
"freedom fighters" o f Sardinia, Kosovo or Spain's problem
with the ETA-separatists. Also the most cruel events
in the Middle East made A nnenia's criminal attack
against Azerbaijan somehow forgotten. But the refugees
from Western Azerbaijan will never forget.
And the Turks will never forget the Armenian ruthless
accusations.
For the Armenian terrorists, there are no people to be "liberated".
The Armenian terrorists have only one cause:
revenge - revenge for what they see as mistakes made by
the other side (the Turks).
I began by stating that the best weapon against Armenian
terrorism is the study o f history. Perhaps it would be more
accurate to say: The best weapon is the truth. Then perhaps
we could make the words o f the late Gregorian patriarch
o f Istanbul Snork Kalutsian might become true:
"M ay all those unhappy events which take place in every
country have an end. May the Peace o f God be with all
people o f good w ill.”
156