Hayatsk Yerevanits– In recent days, the head of the executive, strange as it may sound to many, has shown an aversion to phrases built around the word “strong”: “strong Armenia,” “strong army,” “strong peace,” “strong diplomacy,” and so on. Even after the March 19 press briefing, which was full of controversial statements, Pashinyan did not refrain from addressing the word “strong” in a video posted on his Telegram channel.
There is a mix of irony, humor, and challenge, as if he is attempting to define what makes a leader strong, and what constitutes his own strength.
We will attempt to help answer that question to the best of our modest ability.
A strong leader would not a) bring false accusations against political opponents or imprison them unlawfully; b) indulge in lavish celebrations and reckless pleasures after a dramatic increase in wartime casualties, many of whom are buried in the Yerablur Military Pantheon; c) promote artificial religious rituals, namely divine liturgy, pressure the 1,700-year-old Armenian Apostolic Church, or interfere in its affairs; d) weaken the armed forces, dismantle the army under external pressure, dismiss experienced officers, or punish them unjustly; e) cast doubt on the Armenian Genocide or deny the suffering and memory of one and a half million Armenian victims. This list could go on endlessly.
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A weak leader, by contrast, a) surrounds himself with heavy security, driven by constant fear, unwilling to take even a few steps without protection; b) is prone to betrayal, even treason, readily abandoning allies, military units, or the nation itself; c) is obsessed with power and willing to endure any humiliation to retain it indefinitely; d) lacks the trust of both the public and his own circle—his words carry little weight, and his promises inspire no confidence; e) is an ineffective negotiator, unable to defend national interests or assert himself on the international stage.
A defeated mindset is inseparable from weak leadership. Indeed, one might argue that there is no such thing as a weak leader—because if a person is weak, then he is not truly a leader. At least, that is how it ought to be.
Read more at ACNIS reView, Armenian Center for National and International Studies