Joel C. Rosenberg’s Blog: A Shia Muslim country that backs the US, opposes Iranian aggression, and is friends with Israel? Sound like fiction. But welcome to Azerbaijan.

Steve Martin 0 Comments

Azerbaijan-Ambassdor-mtgNew post on Joel C. Rosenberg’s Blog

A Shia Muslim country that backs the US, opposes Iranian aggression, and is friends with Israel? Sound like fiction. But welcome to Azerbaijan.

by joelcrosenberg
(Washington, D.C.) — In this crazy, chaotic world of ours, could there really be a Shia Muslim nation that strongly backs the U.S., opposes Iranian terrorism and regional aggression, and is not only a friend and ally of Israel but recently welcomed Israel’s Prime Minister for a state visit?
Sounds like fiction, I know. But it really exists — Azerbaijan.
Yesterday, I had the honor of a two-hour meeting with Ambassador Elin Sulaymanov at Azerbaijan’s Embassy in Washington. While our conversation was off the record, it was certainly fascinating. I gave the Ambassador an advance copy of WITHOUT WARNING, and he invited me to visit Baku.
Some facts about the country:
  • 9.8 million people
  • 97% Shia Muslim, 3% Christian, but with a fairly secular government
  • “Oil-rich Azerbaijan has redefined itself over the past two decades from a struggling newly independent state to a major regional energy player,” notes the BBC.
  • A former Soviet republic which became independent on August 30, 1991, just before the formal dissolution of the USSR
  • Located in a tough neighborhood, with Russian President Vladimir Putin to the north, Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to the south, and Armenia to the west which wrested control of some 20% of Azerbaijan (the Nagorno-Karabakh region) after a period of war and separatist uprisings during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
  • Criticized by some internationally for an authoritarian government
  • Working closely with the U.S. and the West on regional energy and security issues
Some articles worth reading about the country:
Azerbaijan-map
———————
———————-—-
joelcrosenberg | March 9, 2017 at 10:01 pm | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-78T
Love For His People, Inc. founded in 2010 by Steve & Laurie Martin. Charlotte, NC USA

Steve Martin

STEVE & LAURIE MARTIN - LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE FOUNDERS My good wife Laurie and I (married 45 years), founded Love For His People Ministry in 2010. This work gives love and support to our friends in Israel and other nations with friendship and humanitarian aid. Through social media, Steve's messages, and our Ahava Adventures trips to Israel, the ministry is a growing, effective outreach. Steve has also authored and published 36 books. We live in the Charlotte, NC area and have four adult children, spouses, and eight grandkids. Ahava and shalom with blessings on ye head!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *