Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan
An interesting perspective from the former Azeri DM
Azerbaijani former deputy Minister of Defense: How can Ilham Aliyev
“recover country’s territorial integrity” being complete nonentity?
POLITICS 13:58 03/05/2016 REGION
In conditions of the problems that the Azerbaijani side has, it is not
necessary to speak about a full-fledged war despite the
intensification of the violations of the ceasefire agreement, former
Azerbaijani deputy Minister of Defense and former commander of corps,
colonel Isa Sadigov, told online Meydan TV.
He particularly notes the “trouble” with the formation of the
preparation of the “successive waves” corps,citing as a positive
examplethe Nazi Wehrmacht, which had 17 waves in its rear during the
attack against the Soviet Union. Isa Sadigov also mentions artillery
problems.
“The Azerbaijani authorities stated that they had spent 30 billion on
army re-equipment. Unfortunately, we did not see the recoil of those
billions during the events. That is why, it can be stated that the
lion’s share of that sum was robbed – one third of that money would be
enough to fully replenish the army with the latest military
equipment,” the former official said.
Referring to the revanchist and arrogant moods in Azerbaijan based on
the quantity and “best armament,”Sadigov notes that those are not
professional assessments. In his opinion, despite the “advantages” and
“theoretically possible blitzkrieg,” the behavior of the Azerbaijani
authorities, which did not use the 22 years of truce to prepare for a
war, obstructs it.
“My observations of our armed forces prove that the state of affairs
of the organizational issues can also play a bad joke on us,”Sadigov
notes emphasizing that a subdivision of the Azerbaijani Special Forces
was surrounded in Martakert direction during the latest military
action.
“And what if we run into resistance, and the war turns lengthy rather
than a light walk or safari? I do not know to what extent the
Azerbaijani public opinion is ready for that,”Sadigov wonders adding
that the army headquarters of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces acted
contrary to the classic canons of offensive operations during the
events, which occurred in early April.
He believes that Baku will not decide on a large-scale military action
without obtaining sanctions from Moscow.
Sadigov also covers the issue of the Azerbaijani society’s
consolidation around Ilham Aliyev’s personality, and notes that the
situation of the peculiar peaceful time, which “has been presented as
the regime’s main accomplishment during the past 14 years,” has been
formed thanks to the Aliyevs.
“As for us, current Azerbaijani authorities entirely depend on the
Kremlin’s will, and I cannot imagine that Ilham Aliyev, a complete
nonentity with his personal qualities, can start his own actions for
the recovery of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. His father could
not do it in favorable conditions of 1994, and he will not do
it,either, ”Sadigov states.
The Aliyev regime's only achievement is Azerbaijan’s isolation from
the civilized world in afull dependence on the Kremlin with its inner
and foreign policy. “Ilham Aliyev can make speeches with curses and
threats against the US, Germany, but it will never even express its
position as an answer to Moscow’s openly insulting attacks,”he says.
Sadigov assured that the Aliyev family is not interested in Karabakh,
they only want power and opportunity to rob the country. “After Heydar
Aliyev came to power, many people also believed that he ‘would soon
throw his coat and go to liberate Karabakh.’ Or nothing would be
necessary at all -- the Armenians would be so frightened of him, that
would escape. At that time, many people believed in him, and the
society united around the power. As a result, during 2 months, we lost
more than 5000 soldiers, and after that, the authorities signed the
shameful Bishkek agreements,” he reminds.
He also notes that during the 22 years of the truce, the Azerbaijani
authorities have not taken up reforms in the army, which is in
terrible plight: corruption rules, and dedovshchina storms.
“All this can hardly stop in a moment. It is an incredible stupidity
to speak about war in these conditions. I clearly understand that it
is impossible to start war with this regime, and it iseven more
impossible to win it,” he notes.
Summing up, the former deputy minister touched to the relevant issue
of Armenophobia widespread in Azerbaijan. Highlighting the issue, he
wonders whether the Azerbaijani society is ready for a joint
inhabitation with the Armenians in Karabakh.
“After Ramil Safarov’s story, I strongly doubt in that. The behavior
of the official circles back then is worth mentioning -- that man’s
pardon and inclusion in the range of national heroes only spoke about
the fact that in Baku, the murder of an Armenian is heroism. This case
is an obstacle in the final resolution of the Karabakh conflict, just
like the military action,”Sadigov answers to his own question.
An interesting perspective from the former Azeri DM
Azerbaijani former deputy Minister of Defense: How can Ilham Aliyev
“recover country’s territorial integrity” being complete nonentity?
POLITICS 13:58 03/05/2016 REGION
In conditions of the problems that the Azerbaijani side has, it is not
necessary to speak about a full-fledged war despite the
intensification of the violations of the ceasefire agreement, former
Azerbaijani deputy Minister of Defense and former commander of corps,
colonel Isa Sadigov, told online Meydan TV.
He particularly notes the “trouble” with the formation of the
preparation of the “successive waves” corps,citing as a positive
examplethe Nazi Wehrmacht, which had 17 waves in its rear during the
attack against the Soviet Union. Isa Sadigov also mentions artillery
problems.
“The Azerbaijani authorities stated that they had spent 30 billion on
army re-equipment. Unfortunately, we did not see the recoil of those
billions during the events. That is why, it can be stated that the
lion’s share of that sum was robbed – one third of that money would be
enough to fully replenish the army with the latest military
equipment,” the former official said.
Referring to the revanchist and arrogant moods in Azerbaijan based on
the quantity and “best armament,”Sadigov notes that those are not
professional assessments. In his opinion, despite the “advantages” and
“theoretically possible blitzkrieg,” the behavior of the Azerbaijani
authorities, which did not use the 22 years of truce to prepare for a
war, obstructs it.
“My observations of our armed forces prove that the state of affairs
of the organizational issues can also play a bad joke on us,”Sadigov
notes emphasizing that a subdivision of the Azerbaijani Special Forces
was surrounded in Martakert direction during the latest military
action.
“And what if we run into resistance, and the war turns lengthy rather
than a light walk or safari? I do not know to what extent the
Azerbaijani public opinion is ready for that,”Sadigov wonders adding
that the army headquarters of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces acted
contrary to the classic canons of offensive operations during the
events, which occurred in early April.
He believes that Baku will not decide on a large-scale military action
without obtaining sanctions from Moscow.
Sadigov also covers the issue of the Azerbaijani society’s
consolidation around Ilham Aliyev’s personality, and notes that the
situation of the peculiar peaceful time, which “has been presented as
the regime’s main accomplishment during the past 14 years,” has been
formed thanks to the Aliyevs.
“As for us, current Azerbaijani authorities entirely depend on the
Kremlin’s will, and I cannot imagine that Ilham Aliyev, a complete
nonentity with his personal qualities, can start his own actions for
the recovery of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. His father could
not do it in favorable conditions of 1994, and he will not do
it,either, ”Sadigov states.
The Aliyev regime's only achievement is Azerbaijan’s isolation from
the civilized world in afull dependence on the Kremlin with its inner
and foreign policy. “Ilham Aliyev can make speeches with curses and
threats against the US, Germany, but it will never even express its
position as an answer to Moscow’s openly insulting attacks,”he says.
Sadigov assured that the Aliyev family is not interested in Karabakh,
they only want power and opportunity to rob the country. “After Heydar
Aliyev came to power, many people also believed that he ‘would soon
throw his coat and go to liberate Karabakh.’ Or nothing would be
necessary at all -- the Armenians would be so frightened of him, that
would escape. At that time, many people believed in him, and the
society united around the power. As a result, during 2 months, we lost
more than 5000 soldiers, and after that, the authorities signed the
shameful Bishkek agreements,” he reminds.
He also notes that during the 22 years of the truce, the Azerbaijani
authorities have not taken up reforms in the army, which is in
terrible plight: corruption rules, and dedovshchina storms.
“All this can hardly stop in a moment. It is an incredible stupidity
to speak about war in these conditions. I clearly understand that it
is impossible to start war with this regime, and it iseven more
impossible to win it,” he notes.
Summing up, the former deputy minister touched to the relevant issue
of Armenophobia widespread in Azerbaijan. Highlighting the issue, he
wonders whether the Azerbaijani society is ready for a joint
inhabitation with the Armenians in Karabakh.
“After Ramil Safarov’s story, I strongly doubt in that. The behavior
of the official circles back then is worth mentioning -- that man’s
pardon and inclusion in the range of national heroes only spoke about
the fact that in Baku, the murder of an Armenian is heroism. This case
is an obstacle in the final resolution of the Karabakh conflict, just
like the military action,”Sadigov answers to his own question.
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