Azerbaijan, You Dig?

There is an emerging opposition movement in the Balkans, aka Eastern Europe, and its southern end. The rose revolution in Georgia, the orange revolution in Ukraine, and now a little from column A and some from column B. Azerbaijan is a small nation located northwest of Iraq, on the Caspian Sea. It shares a border with Georgia, Russia, Armenia, Iran and Turkey. The border is confusing because Azerbaijan is two pieces, so check out the map. This one is courtesy of the University of Texas:

Opposition to electoral fraud has crystallized in a number of states and democracies around the world have taken steps to support these movements (as mentioned, Georgia and more so in the Ukraine where Washington and Moscow briefly clashed). Movement is slow in some entrenched dictatorships like Mubarak (Egypt) and the house of Saud, but there is movement. Others have moved with more speed.

Azerbaijan has a united opposition, the "Freedom" coalition, and they are wearing carnations and orange neck-ties in hopes of establishing the world's support for a free election. No multiple votes, no box stuffing, no intimidation, no voter suppression. The US and two other nations will be funding exit polling to watch for irregularities.

In Egypt, their President showed the effectiveness of not allowing the opposition fair access to campaign, and the opposition couldn't really run an effective campaign against him.

Azerbaijan has a chance for democracy and the US should be pushing for it with considerable pressure. It is a nation situated on Iran's northern border, in the oil rich Caspian Sea region. Iran is a nervous state. The enemy since the government's founding, "the great Satan," has taken control of states to the east and west. They are trying to put democracy in each state. This is a dictator's worst fear being realized.

There is one developed democracy in the Middle East region and it is Israel. Their economy is far bigger and more advanced than other nations in the region, yet they have no oil. None.

Now democracy (liberal capitalism) is spreading through a region with entrenched leaderships fighting tooth and nail against it. Anyone thinking Iran or Syria isn’t complicit in helping the Iraq insurgency is incredibly naive.

The chance to develop this region into a democracy rich area is a good long term investment. Having governments dedicated to developing markets and improving quality of life for it's citizens is preferable to dictators maintaining their distinction.

So watch to see what happens with Azerbaijan; it is a nation that matters.