A Magnificent Odyssey

Early in 1992, most people were surprised at all of the unforeseen changes that had occurred around the world. Long-standing empires were collapsing, enemies would try to become friends and a large amount of uncertainty faced a majority of the world. Victors were no longer victors because of economic woes; the inability of distributing even the barest of needed essentials could cause havoc amongst many societies in several capitals of the world. If the traditional leaders faltered, they would be unable to help those in real dire need let alone themselves. As in any time of historical uncertainty, there is always a large amount of political intrigue as where the select nondescript few standing along the sidelines, thinking that they were safe, did not understand that they too would be sucked into the on-coming maelstrom of uncertainty. Sometimes they would lose, sometimes one or two might even win.

Nothing was certain. Here in America it was an election year. After one year following Desert Storm, Saddam Hussein was still in power. Ironically it was impossible to predict that George Bush would lose his reelection and Hussein would still remain in Iraq ready to further unleash his mischief. The winning coalition was no more and would soon be dissolved. Only a decade later would the son of Bush the Elder alter the strategic calculus that previously allowed such individuals as Hussein to remain in power despite world opinion or the Iraqi people. This change would be achieved but only at a huge price, some of which was already paid for in human misery, again at the expense of the suffering Iraqi people.

Things have changed. Maybe Bush the Elder was not ready or could not have found a different way. The Russians always seemed to be the ‘wild card’. Gorbachev, who was fatally flawed from the very beginning, tried in vain to make so many things right in a decaying and corrupt society. Because of his background, Gorbachev was hindered by all of the in-bred decades of Marxist-Leninism and its ideological baggage of inherent lies that he had to carry on his back. The truth evaded Gorbachev and the power of the Soviet Empire. Truth is very important to humanity. Gorbachev was only a minor signpost and could only go so far before another man of history, Boris Yeltsin, would step forward to take the lead and he too would succumb to the whims of time and personal ambitions. Who would have the vision to guide the 'ship of state' amongst those hidden and uncertain shores and dangerous reefs of the future?  Unfortunately history would probably be less kind to Yeltsin than it will be to Gorbachev.

As far as the saga that is told amongst these pages, it speaks of common values.  For example, Bush the Younger has an opportunity to alter history and human destiny moreso than any other President since Abraham Lincoln. During his political career, he has acted as an “Avenging” angel righting political wrongs. A former governor of Texas made unnecessary remarks at a political convention. He defeated her easily and became the Governor of Texas. A former president, whose administration was rife with sexual scandals, made comments about his father, Bush the Elder, and that individual’s power as well as that of the political party that supported him has been greatly diminished. When, after the first Gulf war, Saddam Hussein made a fatal error wen he tried to assassinate Bush the Elder. Moreover, this and Iraq’s training of terrorists using a disabled 707 located at Salmon Pak, his financing of suicide bombers in Palestine, and his thirst for weapons of mass destruction to dominate the region indicate that a second invasion into Iraq should have been seen as a foregone conclusion. This would have been obvious to anyone that understands Texan or American family values especially after 9-11. If the son cared so much for his father, could the father not have cared any less for his own son? Of course not…..

To a degree, these issues are common to the values espoused here. Can a man alter history as either Bush the Younger or Bush the Elder? More importantly, how strong are the ties that bind a father to his son? Thus, this is a story about the human need for creating a family and the problems that a father goes through to find his son, a special child that represents more than the memories of a happier past. We are not talking about Presidents or political leaders but the everyday common folk that live and die without a glance, a whimper, or even anyone’s second thoughts. Moreover, they do so without making any significant changes in human history but they still have intrinsic value amongst the family of mankind. Yet, one has to ask is anything sacred? Yes, there are other things that remain timeless but, if we are careless, we often miss these minute events that pass us by in the twinkling of an eye.

Let me cite an example that you, the reader, could easily understand. I remember watching a CNN news broadcast reporting about several American doctors who were visiting Armenia. This was during the early-nineties in the midst of the war with Azerbahjan over Karabagh. Conditions were terrible. The doctors tried to help in any way possible. In many cases they operated on children and adults, most of the time without the benefit of anesthetics, which must have been an extremely painful experience for either the children or grown-ups. With this background, the CNN announcer kept talking about events that were occurring as people were coming into the hospital when a little boy of about eight years old was behind the announcer and was being prepared by his mother and a doctor for major surgery. The boy was standing up and talking to his mother as the doctor was removing his shirt to examine the child and would check his heartbeat.

Just before he left his mother’s arms the boy valiantly faced the camera, raised his right fist defiantly toward the ceiling and said something very loud that was barely audible above the announcer's drone-like meaningless commentary. The newsman had absolutely no idea what was said and paid no attention to the little boy’s words. He mindlessly continued with his news broadcast for his own few meager moments of media fame.

I heard and remember what that young boy said in the background noise of the seven o’clock news. What the boy said in his native Armenian tongue was: "Remember Karabagh!"

Imagine a little boy who would be operated upon caring more about Kar