American Analyst Comments on Recent Incident in Yeraskh

Michael Rubin, a senior analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, has commented on the recent incident in Yeraskh, where Azerbaijani forces opened fire towards a factory constructed with American investments, resulting in injuries to two Indian citizens.

The article emphasizes two realities: “The first is that contrary to the State Department’s assurance that Azerbaijan had refrained from military operations to resolve the dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, it continues to use its military for terrorism. The second is that Azerbaijan can use the contradictions surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as a pretext, but its target is Armenia itself. Yeraskh is Armenian territory that is not claimed by any country,” writes Rubin, also recalling the attack on Jermuk and the occupation of certain parts of Armenian territory by Azerbaijani forces.

The analyst also criticizes the U.S. State Department, stating that the concerns raised contradict U.S. legislation that prohibits providing military aid to Azerbaijan as long as it maintains military ambitions. Michael Rubin calls on President Joe Biden’s administration to revoke the waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act and immediately cease all forms of military and non-humanitarian assistance to Azerbaijan; otherwise, it would signify that President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken are “not interested in protecting American interests, American lives, or complying with American laws.”