Advice from a Recent Enemy

By Jerry Tutunjian

Stop the presses. Stop the presses. The party which in 2020 was key in Azerbaijan’s victory over Armenia and the loss of Artsakh wants to see a strong Armenia. Wonders never cease.

A pro-Russia Armenia political party, named Strong Armenia, has hired an Israeli air force commander to advise Armenia on how to strengthen Armenia’s air force. Armenia should develop a new national security concept capable of addressing emerging threats, says Zvika Haimovich, former Israeli Air Defense Forces Commander. Uttering the obvious, the Israeli air force expert said Armenia’s air force capabilities is a “matter of life and death.”

Question 1: Since it’s highly unlikely that a former senior Israeli air force commander would take on such an assignment without the Israeli government’s green light, why would Israel assist Armenia when Tel Aviv’s military support (drones, for example) were key in Azerbaijan’s shattering defeat of Armenia six years ago?

Question 2: When Israel and Azerbaijan are allies and Israel gets a significant percentage of its fuel from Azerbaijan while in return the latter gets weapons why would Israel allow a senior Israeli air force personality assist Azerbaijan’s enemy?

Question 3: Why would pro-Russian Armenia Strong party hire Israeli Haimovich when Russia and Israel are at odds because of Israel’s participation in the downfall of Syria’s pro-Russian Assad and Russia’s military and intelligence assistance to Iran against the Israeli invasion of Iran?

Question 4: Azerbaijan’s 2026 military budget is $4.1 billion (4.5 percent of GDP) while Armenia recently reduced its military budget from $1.6 billion to $1.4 billion. The reduction means Azerbaijan will spend nearly three times more than Armenia. The continued flow of Azerbaijan’s gas and oil in Azerbaijan means it’s unlikely that Armenia will spend on its military as much as what Azeri President Ilham Aliyev spends on his military. And how can under these circumstances Armenia’s air force compete with Azerbaijan’s air force?

Question 5: In every category (jet fighters, helicopters, staff, drones, etc.) Azerbaijan has far more numbers than Armenia does. Even if Armenia had the funds and intention to upgrade its air force, why wouldn’t Azerbaijan resort to a preemptive strike?

Question 6: How would Israel’s Caucasus strategy improve through a stronger Armenia unless Israel wants to convert Armenia to a Zionist satellite? Sort of a near-distant satellite.

The Strong Armenia party owes to citizens of Armenia answers to the above questions.