BREITBART: ‘Baku to the Future’

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

BAKU, Azerbaijan — The recurring argument broadcast by the American celebrity left is that their trips abroad establish that the United States should speak softly and carry a small stick.

This Bellini-fueled analysis, hyped as weighty by the mainstream media, is usually formed at junkets in San Sebastian or Cannes, on vacation in Portofino or Davos, or on late-night walks in London parks with Kevin Spacey and his dog, Hugo Chavez - both of whom couldn’t care less about Tbilisi, Georgia.

The world is bigger, more complex and more dangerous than the groovy comfort zones frequented by certain spineless Europeans and their American sycophants. More important, most of the rest of the world is economically developing, and its opinion of the U.S. is constantly evolving.

With our reputation and might in play, more pedestrian Americans like myself have much to gain from trying to win over less-romantic regions of the globe and not just making nice in Nice.

One such place is Azerbaijan.

Early last Monday, I landed in the capital city of Baku knowing little more than the country’s Wikipedia entry. The oil-rich, moderate Muslim, former Soviet republic borders regional thugs Iran and Russia, along with America’s now weakened ally, Georgia. Only a few hundred miles to the north, Russia and Georgia began warring only days before my arrival.

I soon joined forces with one Dutch and seven American journalists on a “fact-finding” trip sponsored by the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. Upon our arrival, this Western media contingency was thrust onto national prime-time television. For seven days from event to event, we were flanked by Azeri camera crews desperate to get us to comment on their big problem.

The first night, I led the nightly news. The Chyron on the screen read, “Andrey Breyban,” as I was asked about Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan’s territorial dispute with Armenia. “I know nothing,” I answered regretfully.

(Should I know something about Nagorno-Karabakh? I recall similar ugly pangs in the ‘90s as Bosnia-Herzegovina began to become an American problem. I was actually relieved they got my name wrong.)

Independent war correspondent Michael J. Totten and National Review’s Rob Long joined me one night in a discussion on an hourlong news program. The topic? Nagorno-Karabakh. Out of necessity, we changed the subject to journalism, specifically to the American concept of a free press - something Azerbaijan claims to be working on. We sold them “transparency” - and it was transparent that we didn’t know much about our strategic ally’s key issue.

Azerbaijan is an under-praised ally of the United States, having granted the U.S. military access to Iraq via its vital airspace, and it has 150 troops assisting coalition forces guarding the Haditha Dam. The first Azeri soldier was killed in Iraq in June. No other majority Muslim country (somewhere near 95 percent, according to my hosts) risks the wrath of extremist Islamic elements quite like this.

If the democratization of the Islamic world is key to American geopolitical thinking, then Azerbaijan must be rewarded for its practical and symbolic help - especially when Iran flexes and Russia thrusts their muscles so brazenly these days.

Getting to know about Azerbaijan may be a good start along this path.

While there are no Starbucks or Crate and Barrels in Baku, the city’s 2-million-plus residents experience a life radically more American than Saudi. Soviet aesthetics and mannerisms still dominate, yet materialism rears its Bulgari-ed head.

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