The Corridor Trap
The "Pax-Americana Goes to Caucasus" initiative has been criticized for trading Armenian leverage for optics.
The Washington rollout promised prosperity and "soft deterrence," anchored by a 99-year U.S.-Armenia joint venture to run a commercial rail link "under Armenian law."
However, the key aspects of the agreement, such as jurisdiction, enforcement, and suspension, were deferred to future commissions and side texts. This design prioritizes Armenian concessions over sovereignty, effectively decoupling human security from economic benefits and leaving Azerbaijan's pressure tools intact.
As a result, the initiative does not represent a mutually beneficial agreement, but rather a form of compellence with improved appearances, described as "compellence with better lighting."
Author's summary: Initiative prioritizes optics over Armenian leverage.