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AZERBAIJAN'S EXAMPLE OF HOW TO BREED SUCCESS
The Washington Times
March 19, 2013 Tuesday
U.S. must signal Russia and Iran to keep hands' off
By S. Rob Sobhani SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES
As the world focuses on the passing of Hugo Chavez and the impact of
his socialist policies on oil-rich Venezuela, halfway around the globe
a different kind of leader has been quietly transforming his country
into a prosperous and reliable partner of the West. Since assuming the
presidency in 2003, Ilham Aliyev, the 52-year old Azerbaijani head
of state, has used his country's vast energy resources to make the
transition from a centrally planned economy to a free and prosperous
one. While socialism has ruined Venezuela's enormous potential, Mr.
Aliyev's adoption of market capitalism has transformed his country
into the Kuwait of the former Soviet Union with an average annual gross
domestic product growth rate of 24 percent over the past 10 years.
Chavez's governing style was to put demagoguery before country. In Mr.
Aliyev, Azerbaijanis have a leader who has put his country before
ideology. For example, unlike Chavez, who drove away American energy
companies, Mr. Aliyev has welcomed cooperation with the likes of
Exxon and Chevron. The results are phenomenal: Azerbaijan's 1 million
barrels per day of oil is exported via pipeline to consumers around
the world without any glitch, and its oil fund now stands at more
than $35 billion. Unlike Chavez, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Iran's
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mr. Aliyev does not use his country's oil as
a weapon. Instead, he shares Washington's vision of an uninterrupted
flow of oil and gas from the landlocked Caspian Sea to international
markets.
Unlike Chavez, who spent his time with thugs and anti-Semites such
as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mr. Aliyev has steered this
Shia Muslim nation of 8 million clear of religious fundamentalism.
When one meets with this forward-looking leader, the first topic of
conversation is the importance of religious tolerance. Mr. Aliyev
and a majority of Azerbaijanis pride themselves on having created a
society whose foundation rests on cultural and religious coexistence.
While operatives of the Iranian regime kill Israeli tourists around
the world, Mr. Aliyev takes pride in inaugurating synagogues and
churches in downtown Baku.
On foreign policy, while Chavez became the ringleader of the
anti-American club, Mr. Aliyev has promoted friendly ties with the
United States. Immediately after the attacks on our country on Sept.
11, 2001, Azerbaijan extended its hand of cooperation in the war
against terrorism. Today, troops from Azerbaijan serve in Afghanistan
carrying out dangerous missions alongside American soldiers. In fact,
according to Sen. John McCain, Azerbaijan's special forces have
performed critical operations with courage and skill.
Mr. Aliyev also understands that we live in the 21st century and is
investing his country's wealth in the future. The recent launch of
Azerspace I is a clear example of his forward-thinking approach. The
satellite was manufactured by Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corp.,
supporting 1,500 American jobs. He understands that growing the
nascent satellite industry will boost his country's intellectual
capacity and knowledge stream through constant research and education.
It is not surprising that 2013 was declared the year of information and
communications technologies by the president. The launch of Azerspace
marks another milestone in the partnership between Washington and Baku.
Although Azerbaijan is making steady progress in its transition to
a free-market economy and an elevated standard of living for its
citizens, challenges remain. The legacy of human rights violations
and corruption inherited from Soviet times has presented some bumps on
the road to smoother bilateral relations between the United States and
Azerbaijan. Nonetheless, under the leadership of Mr. Aliyev, Azerbaijan
is making the arduous transition to a democracy. Washington must work
with Baku in order to address these issues, but also remember that
America's transition to a free and fair country took many years.
In recognition of Azerbaijan's role as a reliable and responsible ally
in the broader Middle East and its strategic location (situated between
a belligerent Russia and theocratic Iran), Washington should take two
immediate steps to further broaden and strengthen this relationship:
First, the United States must make a more robust effort at the
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and
Armenia. President Obama's second term affords no domestic political
land mines. Since the new secretary of state, John F. Kerry, is known
to be a friend of Armenia and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is a good
friend of Azerbaijan, it is in U.S. national security interest to end
this "frozen" conflict. Second, Mr. Obama should invite Mr. Aliyev
to the White House to show America's appreciation to a friend and
ally. Beyond showing our appreciation, we must send a signal to Moscow
and Tehran that we will not tolerate any adventurism or pushing around
of smaller countries in the region.
As the world contemplates the effects of Chavez's rule of Venezuela, it
is a useful moment to consider how a very different kind of leadership
in a strategically important, energy-rich country has led not to
confrontation, but to partnership. Azerbaijan still has some work
to do in building its democratic institutions, but in the meantime,
it has been laying the foundations of economic prosperity for its
people. For an example of how Venezuela could have turned out better,
one need only look at Azerbaijan.
S. Rob Sobhani is CEO of Caspian Group Holdings.
The Washington Times
March 19, 2013 Tuesday
U.S. must signal Russia and Iran to keep hands' off
By S. Rob Sobhani SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES
As the world focuses on the passing of Hugo Chavez and the impact of
his socialist policies on oil-rich Venezuela, halfway around the globe
a different kind of leader has been quietly transforming his country
into a prosperous and reliable partner of the West. Since assuming the
presidency in 2003, Ilham Aliyev, the 52-year old Azerbaijani head
of state, has used his country's vast energy resources to make the
transition from a centrally planned economy to a free and prosperous
one. While socialism has ruined Venezuela's enormous potential, Mr.
Aliyev's adoption of market capitalism has transformed his country
into the Kuwait of the former Soviet Union with an average annual gross
domestic product growth rate of 24 percent over the past 10 years.
Chavez's governing style was to put demagoguery before country. In Mr.
Aliyev, Azerbaijanis have a leader who has put his country before
ideology. For example, unlike Chavez, who drove away American energy
companies, Mr. Aliyev has welcomed cooperation with the likes of
Exxon and Chevron. The results are phenomenal: Azerbaijan's 1 million
barrels per day of oil is exported via pipeline to consumers around
the world without any glitch, and its oil fund now stands at more
than $35 billion. Unlike Chavez, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Iran's
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mr. Aliyev does not use his country's oil as
a weapon. Instead, he shares Washington's vision of an uninterrupted
flow of oil and gas from the landlocked Caspian Sea to international
markets.
Unlike Chavez, who spent his time with thugs and anti-Semites such
as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mr. Aliyev has steered this
Shia Muslim nation of 8 million clear of religious fundamentalism.
When one meets with this forward-looking leader, the first topic of
conversation is the importance of religious tolerance. Mr. Aliyev
and a majority of Azerbaijanis pride themselves on having created a
society whose foundation rests on cultural and religious coexistence.
While operatives of the Iranian regime kill Israeli tourists around
the world, Mr. Aliyev takes pride in inaugurating synagogues and
churches in downtown Baku.
On foreign policy, while Chavez became the ringleader of the
anti-American club, Mr. Aliyev has promoted friendly ties with the
United States. Immediately after the attacks on our country on Sept.
11, 2001, Azerbaijan extended its hand of cooperation in the war
against terrorism. Today, troops from Azerbaijan serve in Afghanistan
carrying out dangerous missions alongside American soldiers. In fact,
according to Sen. John McCain, Azerbaijan's special forces have
performed critical operations with courage and skill.
Mr. Aliyev also understands that we live in the 21st century and is
investing his country's wealth in the future. The recent launch of
Azerspace I is a clear example of his forward-thinking approach. The
satellite was manufactured by Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corp.,
supporting 1,500 American jobs. He understands that growing the
nascent satellite industry will boost his country's intellectual
capacity and knowledge stream through constant research and education.
It is not surprising that 2013 was declared the year of information and
communications technologies by the president. The launch of Azerspace
marks another milestone in the partnership between Washington and Baku.
Although Azerbaijan is making steady progress in its transition to
a free-market economy and an elevated standard of living for its
citizens, challenges remain. The legacy of human rights violations
and corruption inherited from Soviet times has presented some bumps on
the road to smoother bilateral relations between the United States and
Azerbaijan. Nonetheless, under the leadership of Mr. Aliyev, Azerbaijan
is making the arduous transition to a democracy. Washington must work
with Baku in order to address these issues, but also remember that
America's transition to a free and fair country took many years.
In recognition of Azerbaijan's role as a reliable and responsible ally
in the broader Middle East and its strategic location (situated between
a belligerent Russia and theocratic Iran), Washington should take two
immediate steps to further broaden and strengthen this relationship:
First, the United States must make a more robust effort at the
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and
Armenia. President Obama's second term affords no domestic political
land mines. Since the new secretary of state, John F. Kerry, is known
to be a friend of Armenia and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is a good
friend of Azerbaijan, it is in U.S. national security interest to end
this "frozen" conflict. Second, Mr. Obama should invite Mr. Aliyev
to the White House to show America's appreciation to a friend and
ally. Beyond showing our appreciation, we must send a signal to Moscow
and Tehran that we will not tolerate any adventurism or pushing around
of smaller countries in the region.
As the world contemplates the effects of Chavez's rule of Venezuela, it
is a useful moment to consider how a very different kind of leadership
in a strategically important, energy-rich country has led not to
confrontation, but to partnership. Azerbaijan still has some work
to do in building its democratic institutions, but in the meantime,
it has been laying the foundations of economic prosperity for its
people. For an example of how Venezuela could have turned out better,
one need only look at Azerbaijan.
S. Rob Sobhani is CEO of Caspian Group Holdings.