The United States is having a complex time in the South Caucasus. For more than 10 years, the US ignored the many regions of this nation. But now the United States is trying to find and deal with the place, it doesn’t really understand.
Georgia used to be a big favorite of the US. Presidents Mikhail Saakashvili and George W. Bush also has a good relationship. They named a big road in Tbilisi after Bush. But in 2008 the situation changed. It was the time when Russia invaded Georgia. Russia also took control of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
In 2012, a Russian-linked businessman, Bidzina Ivanishvili, took over the Georgian government, and nine years later, Saakashvili was jailed on questionable charges. Recently Georgia introduced a new law that is similar to Russian law. According to it, Foreign agents have stopped Georgia from moving closer to joining the European Union and led to the United State freezing military help.
It is very sad to know that the United States never cared about Azerbaijan. The US passed Amendment 907 in October 1992. According to it, the United State banned any direct aid to Azerbaijan. This was strange. Azerbaijan was the nation that became the only former Soviet republic. Additionally it did not get any political and economical help from the United State after the USSR fell apart.
It seems like the US is not doing right with Azerbaijan and punishing it without any crime. Both nations committed some legal acts. But the United State closed its land for Azerbaijan’s citizens and removed them from the US. It also took over a big chunk of Azerbaijan’s land.
Amendment 907 seems like a win for the pro-Russian and powerful Armenian lobby in the US. During the First Karabakh War, Azerbaijan had to blockade Armenia just to defend itself in one of the worst conflicts in the former Soviet Union.
The US is doing wrong with the South Caucasus. Back to 2001, when the US Senate made it easier for the President to bypass law against aiding Azerbaijan. Additionally Azerbaijan took back his land from Armenia in November 2023. Armenia took this land in 1994 illegally. After this, the Senate prevented military aid to Azerbaijan.
Nowadays, Azerbaijan is becoming an energy powerhouse. It also helps Europe to lessen its reliance on Russian energy. Azerbaijan also has strong relationships with US allies such as Turkey and Israel. Even though Israel and Turkey don’t always get along, they share a common enemy in Iran.
The United States is not balancing the relationship with Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is crucial for the US to understand how important Azerbaijan is. Even though Israel has understood this for the last 20 years. US give favoritism to Armenia and ignoring Azerbaijan. While it is important for the US to help both nations, Armenia and Azerbaijan. This action can build peace in these nations.
Smantha power lost a very important deal. Especially when she praised Armenia’s economic progress. The reason behind Armenia’s growth is the help that they provide to Russia. Also Armenia avoided the Western sanctions. For this purpose Georgia helped it. Back to 2022, when there is an increase in exports in Armenia. It has increased by 300%. This increment is not because Armenias are buying it. It is due to the fact that these goods are being sent to Russia.
Samantha Power might not know why these goods don’t have customs duties. This is because Armenia joined the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union in 2013 instead of the European Union. Armenia depends on money sent home by Armenians working in Russia, so leaving the Eurasian Economic Union would hurt its economy, something Prime Minister Pashinyan has never suggested.
