Tiny Christian Nation Facing Genocide Amid Militant Neighbors' Quest for 'Islamic Empire'

[rangerrebew]

Tiny Christian Nation Facing Genocide Amid Militant Neighbors' Quest for 'Islamic Empire'
CHUCK HOLTON
11-29-2023
 

SOUTHERN ARMENIA – While the world focuses on Israel's war against Hamas, an ongoing conflict threatens a tiny Christian nation at the intersection of Europe and Asia. Armenia is facing a potential genocide at the hands of its militant neighbor, Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan's army is five times larger than Armenia's. With backing from Turkey, Azerbaijan moved in October to take over the Nagorno-Karabach district, a disputed exclave of 1,700 square miles that has been inhabited by Armenians for millennia.

After a brutal war over that territory in 2020, a ceasefire was brokered by Russia, who sent peacekeepers to enforce the terms of the deal.  Now, as Russia's war against Ukraine takes a heavy toll, Azerbaijan seized the region in a brutal 3-day campaign and drove out more than 120,000 Armenians.
 
Armenian survivor Gita recalled, "I was in my father's village when the attack took place. The first explosions were in the village. All of us were shocked, we did not know what to do."

https://www2.cbn.com/news/world/tiny-christian-nation-facing-genocide-amid-militant-neighbors-quest-islamic-empire

[mountaineer]

Senate Votes 100-0 To End Aid to Azerbaijan As War Concerns Grow
 Jon Dougherty
December 9, 2023
Conservative Brief

In a rare display of widespread bipartisanship, the Senate voted 100-0 to cease aid to Azerbaijan for the next two years amid concerns that the country might soon invade neighboring Armenia.

As reported by Defense News, all senators unanimously approved the Armenian Protection Act through unanimous consent on Wednesday. Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.) introduced the legislation, which bars President Joe Biden from granting a waiver in fiscal years 2024 and 2025 to continue supplying security assistance to Azerbaijan.  ...

[mountaineer]

Referenced Defense News article:

Senate votes to stop Azerbaijan aid waiver amid Armenia invasion fears
By Bryant Harris
 Monday, Nov 20

WASHINGTON ― Senators unanimously passed legislation last week that would cut off U.S. security aid to Azerbaijan for the next two years amid growing concerns that it may invade southern Armenia in the near future.

The Senate passed the Armenian Protection Act by unanimous consent with little fanfare on Wednesday. The bill, introduced by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., would bar President Joe Biden from issuing a waiver in fiscal 2024 and FY25 needed to unlock Azerbaijani security assistance.  ...

The State Department and Pentagon reported $164 million in security aid for Azerbaijan between FY02 and FY20, per the Government Accountability Office, a small portion of the overall U.S. security assistance budget. The Trump administration was responsible for the bulk of that total, providing nearly $100 million in security aid to Azerbaijan in FY18 and FY19 under a Pentagon program designed to build partner capacity.  ...

[libertybele]

Referenced Defense News article:

Good to know -- the Trump administration was responsible for most of the aid that went to Azerbaijan.

Hopefully the House will pass the Armenian Protection Act.