Let us not forget Nagorno Karabakh

Submitted by Prashant (United States), Mar 27, 2021 at 17:24

Dear Dr Pipes,

While there is no dearth of fratricidal wars among Muslims of different hues, it should also be noted that they are persistently united against non-Muslim oppositions. It is the instruction in Quran. Due to this no conflict involving an Islamic group and a non-Muslim, should be seen separate from all other such conflicts. They are all intertwined. For example, there are very strong parallels between the causes, explanations and events of the Kashmir issue in the Indian subcontenent and between the events, causes and explanations of the (so called) Palestinian issue in the ME.

That brings me to the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh. Nagorno-Karabakh is a disputed region between Arminia and Azerbaijan. Armenia is mostly Christian and Azerbaijan is mostly Muslim. Nagorno Karabakh is mostly Christian-Armenian. Azerbaijan, due to its Soviet past, is said to be the most secular and moderate of the countries occupied by Islam. But recent events in Nagorno-Karabakh show that there is nothing moderate about Azerbaijan.

Last fall when the world was fighting the pandemic, Azerbaijani Muslims were fighting a violent war against the Arminians. In this war, Azerbaijan had a decisive victory and Armenia suffered a humiliating defeat. As the result, Azerbaijan usurped the control on the entire Nagorno Karabakh region. I must add that the total area of Nagorno-Karabakh is about 1700 sq-miles and the population is 70 to 90% Armenian and Christians.
In the winter of 2020, Russia brokered a peace between the two fighting sides and Azerbaijan got to maintain control on territories usurped by them.

Now comes the best part. It took Indian Hindus centuries of protests and legal battle to gain control of the Ayodhya land where Muslims had built a Mosque. But, our Azerbaijani brothers wasted no time. In three months after the usurpation, they have already destroyed an Arminian church in the region (ref1). The news link shown below shows the ruins of the church. The white stone is still visible on the ground. This is the history of Islam that we have all lived through and are still lving through in the 21st century. And, we pretend as if nothing happened. Yezidi genocide in Northern Iraq at the hands of Muslims happened only six or seven years ago. And, already, we stand as if nothing ever happened.

I am worried about the Christians of Armenia in general, and of Nagorna Karabakh in particular. I will like to remind the world that Mother Teressa was an Armenian nun before she lived and worked in India. I would also like to remind the world that Armenia is surrounded by Turkey, Iran, and Azerbaijan on three side and Georgia on the fourth. The second reference below (ref2) shows that many Christians are already fleeing the region.

Lastly, I must admit that Nagorno Karabakh region is disputed for a long time. In 1994, Armenia won the control of the region after another war. But unlike the Muslims for whom progress, peace, and prosperity is subservient to Islamic hegemony, Armenia was not decisive. They just won the region in 1994 but they did not fortify it. They did not know that Muslim wars never end. They continue for centuries. In there fancy everything is Darool Harb until it is made Darool Uloom by hook or crook.

What should the free people do? If non-Muslims were like Muslims, we would have started a war in the region with terrorist attacks, stone pelting, murders, worldwide protests and pretentions of victimhood. That is not the way to go (or there will be no difference). But, there are many other options. Moral support to Armenians is the most important. Investment in Arminia is another option. Telling Muslim-forces that their hypocrisy stinks is also vital. And, polite criticism of Islam is must-do.

I did some research regarding the relationship between Israel and Armenia. To my dismay, Armenia is not the best of the freinds of Israel. This is very counterintuitive and may be due to possible Turkish pressure on Armenia. The author of the third link below also laments the fact that the relationship between Armenia and Israel is not great (ref3). Armenia must realize that Islamic Turkey cannot be anyone's friend because such is the order in the book.

I, however, found that India probably realizes the importance of saving Armenia from any future Islamic attacks. The fourth reference (ref4) talks about Indo-Armenian cooperation.

I would like your readers to think about these facts. If Islamic hypocrisy is allowed to continue, what is Armenia's problem today, will become everyone's problem tomorrow.

ref1: https://asbarez.com/201365/azerbaijan-destroys-another-armenian-church-after-war/
ref2: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/azerbaijani-leader-christian-churches-protected-74217002
ref3: https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/.premium-disunited-by-genocide-how-armenia-s-relations-with-israel-have-come-to-a-dead-end-1.9270625
ref4: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/expert-columns-2/caucasian-connections-why-closer-ties-with-armania-matter-a-lot-for-india-5023261.html

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