By Denise Simon
Make no mistake that Iran is not at a loss for friends globally and very willing RSVP’s from Latin America have signed on to Ahmedinejad’s objectives. The State Department’s diplomacy missions have failed throughout the Middle East and a blind eye is cast upon South America. Sure there are some that have questioned the recent tour by Ahmendinejad to key countries south of us, but no one is questioning just what agreements have been jointly agreed to by Latin leaders. Here are some questions that need to be asked by virtue of what Iran is presently doing that just may point to a larger impressionable circle of friends globally.
- Iran has a missile arsenal that includes ballistic systems, anti-cruise ship missiles as well as short-range systems. How is Chavez accommodating the spread of this inventory? Iran also has medium range missiles and the Shabab-3 that can reach Israel and Central Europe, and yes, Venezuela has essentially the same that can reach our shores.
- Iran has a multi-staged solid fuel missile, the Sejjil and is slated to have an intercontinental missile by 2015, so can one assume that Iran has shared these technologies with Latin America?
The Shahab-3 - its range from the bases in Venezuela compliments of Iran
- Iran has several para-military groups and deep connections to terror organizations that include the Qods force which is part of the IRGC. Do we understand the range of their footprint beyond the Middle East, North Africa, the Sub-Sahara, and inside Latin America completely?
- Iran has three exceptional propaganda outlets that include al-Alam, Press TV, and Hispanic TV. Is it logical to assume Latin America is the target of Iran for acceptance and recruiting?
- How much larger will Iran’s alliance grow beyond that of Chavez in Venezuela, Morales of Bolivia, Lukashenko of Belarus, Nasrallah of Lebanon, and al-Basher of Sudan?
- The Saudis are in deep consideration of seeking a nuclear weapons program to counter Iran, so will Egypt and Pakistan offer assistance and will the technology spread to allies in Latin America?
- Iran has a back-door friendship with Qatar, which has become the fair weather friend of many throughout the Middle East and has been an appeaser of Iran with financial contributions and the flow of the same for Hezbollah and Hamas. Is it no wonder that Qatar has been the tourist and conference destination of world leaders friendly to Iran?
- First among the BRIC nations is Brazil, so is it within reason that Obama has been so generous with Brazil with oil grant money for drilling, a feeble effort to win more diplomacy battles with a large oil producer to make an end run around Iran’s Latin America objective?
Moving on, Muqtada al Sadr forced the United States out of Iraq and the the Prime Minister of Iraq signed a pact with Tehran for a new defense package. Iran and Iraq are working to launch a joint military exercise and an early warning defense network against Israel. Iran has also partnered with Shiite militant and terror groups in Iraq that include Sadr’s Promise Day Brigade, Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl al Haqq.
On another front, Iran is earnestly requesting a transit route through Iraq for weapons transfer pathways to Syria and Lebanon and is requiring Baghdad to join in the military cooperation against Israel. Iraq is much weaker without the United States and may look to Russia and China for weapons assistance in the near future.
While Iran is getting attention on their nuclear weapons program, no one is asking questions about biological or chemical weapons reaching the hands of Hezbollah. Questions must be raised regarding dirty bombs and conventional weapons that Iran is providing to Syria and Lebanon. We must also ask about the status of previously received WMD from Saddam Hussein.
Iran and Venezuela have entered into a defense pact and the Qods and Hezbollah operatives are providing training and recruiting to build cells within Venezuela. The IRGC officers are onsite in Caracas providing full support for an estimated thirty Shabab-3 mid-sized missiles along with cooperating with providing nuclear technology to the Chavez government. Iran has also arranged for un-manned aerial vehicles for Venezuela. Chavez has admitted he has provided testing of uranium deposits in key locations inside Venezuela. As recently as 2009, Chavez signed an agreement with Russia to help build a nuclear reactor and an accompanying village with Iran’s cooperation. Sound familiar?
Iran is a puppet of Russia and Ahmedinejad is the grand marshal of the Kremlin’s call to action. This most recent Latin America tour by Ahmedinejad has advanced the alliance of key South American countries to subscribe to Iran’s and Russia’s thunder. While Hillary Clinton claims success in acquiring Burma as a new global partner, Iran signed up Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua to their circle that already includes Cuba, Russia, North Korea, Belarus and Sudan.
