Free The Armenia Caper by Hunter Blacke Page A

purposes.
     
    Buildings looked like they were bombed out but laundry hanging from many wires on the side of buildings indicated they were all occupied.
     
    Numerous cracked apartment windows had ominous smoke stacks out the kitchen windows and residents used the wood they could salvage to heat their apartments and cook. There were many throughout the city and wafts of curling smoke, laced with particles would rain over the city creating a pungent wood fire smell as well as overcast fog created by the escaping smoke.
     
    It was an odd sight but an obvious necessity to get through cold winters and have fire to cook and keep warm. The more affluent in those very same buildings had money to hook up their gas and water, and enjoy electricity when available. Others suffered severely.
     
    Added to this bleak scenario, were the city trees lining the streets being savaged by apartment residents for limbs and in many blocks the complete trees.  Yerevan became known as the city without trees and international funds were solicited to save the greenery. Times were tough. Times were in transition.  Corruption everywhere, however that was ingrained in duty.
     
    Blocks of the city were being razed to create new city road alignments. Others were razed simply to make way for new modern construction. The city was in turmoil. One foot in the past and one foot into the future. Armenians are a hardy lot. They have suffered and understand the depth of pain necessary to once again walk free and happy in life.
     
    City streets were torn up, concrete and asphalt pieces everywhere, piles of paving blocks and sand. Legions of vermin darted between the garbage piles on many streets. The city was a domestic war zone. Some roads totally impassable while others that were completed looked beautiful, charming, inviting. Some slick International store fronts were now appearing. Few could afford their products but it looked good. It gave hope for their future.
     

Chapter 3
Transition
    As this transition was underway the United States Government quietly began building an enormous Embassy in Yerevan. It would in time take some five years to complete. A massive undertaking where the obvious was this was centered to take in the Greater Caucasus Countries at the least. This included Armenia, perhaps Georgia, Azerbaijan and then of course bordering Iran for some 70 odd kilometres on the south.
     
    The Consulate would likely be keeping an eye on Eastern Turkey and the still large and active Russian Tank presence heavily embedded on the Turkish border in Northern Armenia. Russian 102nd Military Base is a quick response Russian Tank contingent, sanctioned by Armenia, located in Gyumri, Northern Armenia, and is part of the Transcaucasian Group of Forces.
     
    Shots are often exchanged across the border to escape boredom. Nobody was serious about Turkey invading as their only interest was economic invasion. They wanted the borders opened for products. Politicians said no.
     
    Gumryi the largest city in northern Armenia earlier in the mid-eighties was devastated by a massive crippling earthquake. The city was also attempting recovery as they were in Yerevan. Gumryi was at the mercy of Yerevan. Gumryi continued to reflect its own economic collapse because of that quake. Gumryi would prosper quicker with the Turkish border open.
     
    Unfortunately Yerevan controlled Gumryi with respect to all aspects of commerce. The Armenian mafia insured they controlled day and night and in doing so Gumryi continual suffered in any real rebuilding or progress of any kind since the quake. Gumryi looked like the quake hit yesterday according to those who witnessed the original tragedy.
     
    Many in the city just after the quake were housed in shipping containers. There were full containers and half containers. They were bunched together like North American trailer parks.
     
    To this, church groups, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Canada, USA, Russia and many other countries