Young Leader or an Affront to Democracy?

Claudia Rosett presented a distorted picture of the political situation in Azerbaijan in her Nov. 6 editorial-page commentary on Ilham Aliyev ("Potentate Jr."). Ilham Aliyev is one of many young leaders in Azerbaijan. Just because he is the son of the current president, he is in no way a "potentate" or "heir apparent." He is not even a declared candidate for president. If Mr. Aliyev does decide to run for president in the future, it will be up to the people of Azerbaijan to decide whether or not to elect him on his own merits -- just as the people of the U.S. elected the son of a former president.

I am a scholar of and frequent visitor to Azerbaijan. In contrast to Ms. Rosett's dreary depiction of the country's regime, it should be noted that Azerbaijan has a much more active civil society than most of the other countries that emerged out of the antidemocratic experiences of Soviet rule. Most importantly, Azerbaijan has a vibrant press that produces six major daily newspapers -- some of which criticize the country's government even more boldly than Ms. Rosett did in her column.

At the same time, Ms. Rosett was very correct in identifying why Azerbaijan should become an important ally of the U.S. -- it is a secular, moderate Muslim-majority country that borders on both Iran and Russia, has significant potential as an oil and gas producer, and has enthusiastically cooperated with America's campaign against international terrorism.

Brenda Shaffer, Ph.D.

Research Director

Caspian Studies Program

Harvard University

Cambridge, Mass.