The United States has been steadily upping its military clout in the region. In early 2003, United States Department of Defense announced several major military programs in the Caucasus. Washington's military aid to Armenia in 2005 amounted to $5 million, and in April 2004, the two sides signed a military-technical cooperation accord.
In late 2004, Armenia deployed a unit of 46 soldiers, which included bomb-disposal experts, doctors, and transport specialists, to Iraq as part of the American-led Multi-National Force Iraq. In 2005, the United States allocated $7 million to modernize the military communications of the Armenian Armed Forces.
Since 2003, Armenia and the Kansas National Guard have exchanged military delegations as part of a National Guard Bureau program to promote better relations between the United States and developing nations. [Wikipedia]
Humiliating 'peace agreement'
Hence this argument is perhaps plausible that Russia allowed the fighting continued till Armenia was unable to sustain it and accepted the ceasefire terms that are favorable to Azerbaijan.
The agreement allows Azerbaijan to keep areas of Nagorno-Karabakh it seized during the war and Armenia agreed to leave several other areas in the next few weeks.
Armenia must return several territories under its control, including parts of the Gazakh region by Agdam and Gazakh regions by November 20, Kelbajar region by November 15 and the Lachin region by December 1. Both sides must also guarantee the unimpeded, safe flow of traffic through established corridors through Azerbaijan to Lachin and through Armenia to the Nakhchivan exclave bordering Turkey and Iran.
According to the agreement some 1,960 Russian personnel equipped with small arms, 90 armored personnel carriers, 380 units of vehicles and special equipment would be deployed along the Nagorno-Karabakh frontlines and the Lachin corridor for a mandate of five years, with an automatic five-year extension if neither party decided otherwise six months before the expiration date.
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