This is why it is so important the Obama administration uphold the American values, ideals and morals and not undercut and undermine its strategic relationship with the government and people of Azerbaijan, according to Aderholt.

Aderholt calls Azerbaijan "a small and very important" country, which sits on the west shore of the Caspian Sea, between Russia to the North and Iran to the South.

Aderholt believes that Azerbaijan is of particular importance since it holds the rights to significant reserves of oil and gas in the region, and this makes this country very strategically important to the West.

Aderholt said that as a member of Congress who sits on a number of committees and organizations dealing directly or indirectly with international issues, he has had the opportunity to visit Azerbaijan several times.

The article said that Azerbaijan’s location between Asia and Eastern Europe, its commitment to the West, makes it of extreme importance. It also puts Azerbaijan in a position to feel threatened from its neighbors, Aderholt added.

“With Russia’s backing of rebels in Ukraine and President Putin’s annexation of Crimea, we have reasons to be concerned about Azerbaijan’s future as well,” said the article.

“The government of Azerbaijan has been very clear in its opposition to the Russian meddling in Ukraine,” said Aderholt. “In fact, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova were the only post-Soviet states to vote against Russian aggression in the UN Security Council last year.”

In his article, Aderholt also notes that Azerbaijan has a history of standing with the US and its allies for the good of the world community.

“However if Azerbaijan were to find itself at the end of the barrel of Russian aggression, I believe President Obama’s handing of the situation in Ukraine gives us all great concern over what the Administration’s response would be,” said the article.

“I fear that from past experiences, the response would amount to strong words and not much action,” Aderholt added.

“President Obama has laid down several red lines in the past as a response to world conflicts, and many times we have seen the US retreat when those lines were ultimately crossed.”

He added that however, President Putin has made it clear by his actions, that if he wants something, he will do what is necessary to attain it.

The US must support Azerbaijan, not just because it’s in its interests to do so, but because Baku has also supported Washington in some of its darkest days, said the congressman.

“After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Azerbaijan committed its military personnel and put them on the ground in Afghanistan to support Operation Enduring Freedom,” said the article. “How could we possibly turn our backs on them after committing their national treasure to support us in our fight against radical Islam?”

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