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While we are trying to understand the military-political consequences of the Four-Day War, the motives of its outbreak are gradually becoming outlined. We will have to use terminology connected with fire, because Azerbaijan is the “Land of Fire”, and its President likes to “play with fire”.

There are other infamous historical figures similar to the Absheron pyromaniac.

When they asked Herostratus about the reason he burned down one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, he said he was seeking notoriety. And now those analysts in service of Aliyev’s regime point out with foolish delight that through the war, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict came out of oblivion and became an important part of international affairs. It is true that Azerbaijan’s main aim has always been not to let the NK conflict “freeze” and save it from “oblivion”. Trying to get the international attention by the gradual escalation of violence and constant violations of the ceasefire, was serving the purpose. The threats of resolving the conflict with force were serving as a pressure point in the negotiation process. This is perhaps the unsuccessful imitation of US Secretary of State, Dulles’ (in office since 1953 to 1959) brinkmanship policy. On the other hand, by constantly escalating the situation on the Line of Contact, Azerbaijan aims to make its threats credible. All these would probably seem logical, if the situation didn’t come out of control and turned into a large-scale offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh because of the miscalculations of Azerbaijani leadership on April 2.

At the end, it turns out that Azerbaijan is ready to “keep alive” the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the agenda of international affairs at any cost; through senselessly spilled blood, through war crimes and blatant violation of international humanitarian rights. To put it mildly, this comes to prove the irrationality of Azerbaijani authorities.

Another historical figure Aliyev wants to imitate is Roman dictator Nero, who according to many sources, burned down Rome to commence a wave of prosecution against Christians. In other words, Aliyev needed this failed attempt of blitzkrieg for intra-national consolidation and marginalization of political opponents. He also needed this to unite the nation around him during the difficult social-economic situation. It’s not a coincidence, that those in service of Aliyev’s propaganda, constantly announce that one of the results of this war is that “the President and the nation are united”. We can agree that this is an immoral goal realized through nefarious means, which is typical of any dictator.

Naturally, there are other intra-national and extra-national reasons for the situation to escalate at this point and with such intensity; violation of military balance, intense geopolitical condition, oil prices etc., the full study of which we leave for the historians of the future.

Summing it up, we should create all the necessary conditions for the pyromaniac of the “Land of Fire” to burn in his own flames. It shall be this way, as long as Azerbaijan is suffering from “Armenophobia”.

Anna Mkrtchyan, political scientist