![]() While its stop-and-go struggle to consolidate its democracy is frustrating for many, Georgia still remains much more democratic and free than neighboring countries in the region and in most of the Middle East. Georgia is also the most Western-oriented country in the region. Georgia, for its part, has long supported Western, specifically American, interests in the Middle East - including by sending troops to fight alongside Americans in Iraq while remaining a staunch ally of Israel as well. ![]() Thus far, these refugees have not had a significant impact on political life in the region, but that could change. Although the numbers are still relatively small, they will likely grow in the future as people continue to flee the seemingly endless wars in the Middle East. In recent years, Armenia has begun to welcome refugees from Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere. Nonetheless, because it still has some of the largest oil reserves outside of Russia and the Middle East itself, as well as its own concerns about jihadist terror, Azerbaijan has interests and resources that overlap with many Western countries.Īrmenia is trying to shake off its previous incarnation as almost a Russian client, something that a smart Western strategy could use to help balance Russia’s growing influence in the Middle East. ![]() Moreover, the three countries in this region - Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia - have differing positions with regard to the Middle East and the U.S.Īzerbaijan remains close with Turkey and is concerned about the large ethnic Azeri population in Iran. Its proximity to the Middle East as well as the strong economic, and in some cases historical, ties between the two regions, mean it is likely that the Caucasus, in the future, will be both more pertinent to and more affected by Western policy in the Middle East.īecause the South Caucasus is just north of the Middle East, south of Russia, and east of Turkey, it is unavoidable that a changing Middle East will impact it as well. These parts of the world are thousands of miles away from Baghdad, Jerusalem, Damascus, and other Middle Eastern capitals, but the southern tip of Europe, the Caucasus, is much closer and, therefore, a particularly important case for policymakers in Washington and Brussels. Refugee crises, terrorism, and political instability in the Middle East have impacted foreign and domestic policy and politics in North America and Europe. For years, politics and conflicts in the Middle East have spilled over into many other regions of the world.
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