Azerbaijan-Armenia Conflict Could Spark World War III
The ongoing conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia has experts worried that it could spark World War III due to its strategic location at “the navel of major civilizational fault lines” with multiple Middle Powers and great powers from outside the region involved in the dispute.
Dec. 24, 2022 2:14AM
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A map showing Azerbaijan (in green) surrounded by other countries with whom it shares borders including Armenia (in red).
The world has been on edge since the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia began in July 2020. With both countries having ties to powerful external forces, many fear that this conflict could lead to a third world war. Azerbaijan is located at the “navel of major civilizational fault lines” with multiple Middle Powers and great powers from outside the region involved in the conflict. This makes it an ideal location for a potential global war to originate from. It is also home to some of the world’s most important energy resources, which could be used as leverage by one or more of these external powers if they become involved in the conflict. Experts believe that if a third world war were to occur, it would not start in Ukraine or Taiwan but rather from this current conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The two countries have already been engaged in fierce fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed region within their borders, and tensions are only increasing as time goes on. Both sides have accused each other of violating international law by targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure during their military operations. The United Nations has called for an immediate ceasefire between both sides but so far neither country has shown any sign of backing down from their positions. If no diplomatic solution can be found soon then there is a real risk that this conflict could escalate into something much larger than just a regional dispute between two small nations. This could potentially draw in other major powers who have interests in the region such as Russia, Turkey, Iran and Israel among others. It is unclear how long this situation will last or what its ultimate outcome will be but one thing is certain – if left unresolved it could easily spiral out of control leading to devastating consequences for all involved parties including those living within the region itself as well as those living further away who may find themselves dragged into another global war against their will.