Info from: The Stand Up America Blog
Iran and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas
Published on 06/01/11
SUA has been reporting on Iranian activities across the globe, and more importantly, here in the western hemisphere in the last few years. The latest breach of the Monroe Doctrine by Iran involves statements by Iran’s Defense Minister
General Ahmad Vahidi. The important part of which were where the words were spoken – in La Paz Bolivia, South America. Over and over, Iran’s hands are meddling in the affairs of our neighbors to the south.
Mark Lavey of the Associated Press revealed last week:
“Venezuela and Bolivia are supplying Iran with uranium for its nuclear program, according to a secret Israeli government report obtained Monday by The Associated Press.” (Posted by Breitbart news alerts)
Please read the article below, and the associated excerpts of other articles below occurring in other South American countries, including Central American activity in the northern hemisphere closest to the USA, namely Mexican Drug Cartel ties to Hezbollah and Hamas.
For more information on the Iranian directives to Hezbollah and Hamas read the following at the World Tribune excerpted here:
Western intelligence sources said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has facilitated assistance and coordination between Hamas and Hizbullah. The sources said the two Iranian proxies have begun working together on operations outside the Middle East in an effort to bolster Teheran’s policies.
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‘Iran will counter any US antagonism’
Press TV
Iran’s Defense Minister General Ahmad Vahidi says that the country is prepared to counter any “hostile and unwise behavior” initiated by the United States.
He made the remarks during a press conference in the capital of Bolivia, La Paz, on the sidelines of an inauguration ceremony of a defense academy for members of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA), which includes Latin American and Caribbean nations.
The ALBA is an international cooperation organization built upon social, political, and economic integration between the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
“Powerful Iran is ready to deliver a firm response to any hostile and unwise behavior by the United States,” said Vahidi, quoted by Fars news agency.
The Iranian minister also described as “illogical and unjustifiable” the recent US sanctions against Venezuela’s state-run oil company for its sale of gasoline products to Iran.
Last month, the US government slapped sanctions on seven foreign companies, including Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), over their transactions with the Islamic Republic as part of a US campaign to tighten sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program.
“The US has imposed sanctions on Iran for 32 years. The sanctions have no affects on Iran; rather, they have led to the development and empowerment of the country. There is little doubt that the sanctions on the Venezuelan oil company will [also] lead to self-sufficiency, solidarity and empowerment of the country,” Vahidi stressed.
The sanctions will ban the Venezuelan oil company from all US government contracts, US import-export financing and export licenses for sensitive technology. However, it will not stop the company from selling crude oil to the US.
Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro has described the sanctions as “illegal, abusive measures taken this weak by the government of the United States,” and pointed out that “those most affected [by the sanctions] are businesspeople of the United States.”
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Monroe Doctrine Breached
Atlantic Sentinel
When the fifth president of the United States designed the Monroe Doctrine, which was a watershed moment in the country’s foreign policy to check the ambitions of European imperial powers in Latin America, he could not have imagined that one day, a Persian nation would breach it.
President James Monroe devised his famous doctrine in 1823 after the Holy Alliance of Austria, Prussia and Russia managed to reestablish Bourbon rule over Spain and its colonies by force. Spain’s dominions in South America were struggling for independence at the time. The Monroe Doctrine made it clear to Europe that armed intervention to prevent these nations from attaining self sovereignty would be considered nothing short of an attack upon the United States.
Read the rest of the article here
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Venezuelan Missile Base
Iran building rocket bases in Venezuela
The Iranian government is moving forward with the construction of rocket launch bases in Venezuela, the German daily Die Welt wrote in its Friday edition.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is Teheran’s most important South American ally.
Iran is building intermediate- range missile launch pads on the Paraguaná Peninsula, and engineers from a construction firm – Khatam al-Anbia – owned by the Revolutionary Guards visited Paraguaná in February. Amir al-Hadschisadeh, the head of the Guard’s Air Force, participated in the visit, according to the report. Die Welt cited information from “Western security insiders.”
The rocket bases are to include measures to prevent air attacks on Venezuela as well as commando and control stations.
The Iranian military involvement in the project extends to bunker, barracks and watch tower construction. Twenty-meter deep rocket silos are planned. The cost of the Venezuelan military project is being paid for with Iranian oil revenue. The Iranians paid in cash for the preliminary phase of the project and, the total cost is expected to amount to “dozens of millions” of dollars, Die Welt wrote.
The Paraguaná Peninsula is on the coast of Venezuela and is roughly 120 kilometers from America’s main South American partner, Columbia.
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Chile
Israel was worried about Iran’s S. America influence
Jerusalem Post February 2011
Israel was concerned with Iran’s growing influence in South America and worked together with the Chilean government to monitor “unusual activity” from the Islamic Republic’s envoy to Santiago, a US diplomatic cable from February, 2008 released by WikiLeaks revealed.
Israeli Defense Attache to Chile Yoeli Or said, according to the cable “that he works with Chile’s Investigative Police (PDI ) and ‘other agencies’ sharing information, and providing training when possible.”
The cable said that “while there are no signs of GOI affiliation with terrorist groups in Chile, the Chilean intelligence service and the Israeli government are screening for anything they deem suspicious.”
Or told US diplomats that Israel was worried about increasing Iranian presence in Venezuela, Columbia and Iranian influence on Chilean Muslim and Palestinian communities.
The Israeli diplomat stated that ideally “Israel would be doing more to expand trade ties with Latin America, in part to help balance Iran’s expanding influence in the region.” However, he said that a lack of resources prevented Israel from properly carrying out this plan.
The revelations in the cable come after a number of South American countries at the end of 2010 recognized a Palestinian state.
Brazil was the first of the Latin American countries to initiate the move and was soon followed by countries such as Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Bolivia.
December 28, 2011 Iran at our Doorstep - Part II, The EMP Threat
By Bob Beauprez
9/24/2011
In Part I of this series, "Iran at our Doorstep," published in the August issue of A Line of Sight, I documented Iran's continued quest to develop a nuclear weapon. Additionally, I explained the Iran-Venezuela-Russia alliance currently constructing a military missile base on the extreme northern coast of Venezuela well within reach of many heavily populated U.S. cities. The publicly stated purpose of building the base is to provide the capability for Venezuela to launch missiles at "Iran's enemies."
Subsequently on September 4 we published contributing editor Major General Paul Vallely's article summarizing the release by the United Nation's IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) of a "restricted report" regarding Iran's continued nuclear activity. Consistent with the documentation shared on these pages last month, the U.N. nuclear agency said it is "increasingly concerned" by a stream of "extensive and comprehensive" intelligence coming from "many member states" suggesting that Iran continues to work secretly on developing a nuclear payload for a missile and other components of a nuclear weapons program.
General Vallely now serves as Chairman of Stand Up America, a private organization that includes numerous former military and intelligence community experts and analysts. In his September 4 article, Vallely wrote, "SUA believes strongly that Iran now possesses low yield nuclear war heads that can be mounted on the Shehab missile and deployed on the oceans in container ships with the Russian provided Club K missile launch system." The General went on to explain that Iran's objective is to "launch EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) weapons on U.S. Coastal cities and freeze our national grid systems."
A June, 2011 RAND report agreed with Vallely's analysis. According to RAND senior defense policy analyst Gregory S. Jones, Tehran's nuclear program has progressed to the point that "it will take around two months for the Iranian regime to produce the 20kg of uranium enriched to 90 percent required for the production of a nuclear warhead."
The window may have slammed shut on the opportunity to prevent Iran from going nuclear.
Americans are increasingly concerned about the vulnerability to a cyber-attack. On a personal level, that could involve the hacking into one's personal financial or other identity information. A cyber-attack could also escalate to a much larger scale of a corporate or large network cyber-theft, and certainly a cyber-attack that penetrated our various government, military or national security agencies could be catastrophic.
But, an EMP attack would be even far more destructive and life threatening. For those unfamiliar, one of America's most experience terrorism experts, RP Eddy, offers this layman's definition: "An EMP is a result of a nuclear explosion, or of another weapon, that releases a wave of electrons that will fry every electronic gizmo or tool that civilization needs to survive." Among his lengthy and distinguished credentials, Eddy served the Clinton Administration on the National Security Council as the Director of Counterterroism, and following the 9/11 attacks founded the Center of Tactical Counterterrorism in New York.
This isn't just theoretical or "Hollywood" fantasy. A quick search will yield a large library full of information and warnings about EMPs dating back over many decades. The U.S. found out about EMPs somewhat by accident during the World War II era when some of our own planes were affected by our own nuclear weapons tests. Although no nation has deployed an EMP, it is commonly accepted that many developed nations have such weapons. Since the technology required is considerably less sophisticated than advanced nuclear weaponry, experts believe that nations with developing nuclear capabilities and terrorist organizations may find EMPs far too appealing.
In a 2009 interview with Fox News, Eddy explained that part of the appeal to perceived lesser powers is that an EMP is far easier to build than a traditional nuclear weapon in part because it doesn't have to be as accurate nor as long range. And there are far too many bargain priced aged missiles lying around that can be picked on the cheap and nukes galore, too. Most estimates put the Russian stockpile alone of old and new nukes at more than 10,000. Eddy also referenced the ability to launch an EMP from a "floating barge" – the same Club K Russian weapons technology that looks like a common semi-truck trailer highlighted by Vallely in his September 4 article, and now being marketed to the world.
The above graphic is from 1997 congressional testimony, and it has been repeatedly referenced since that time to demonstrate that a single explosion sufficiently high in the atmosphere could paralyze the entire North American continent. As Eddy explains, an EMP attack would "fry" everything electric, and the "power grid would be out for months." Not only would our cell phones and computers not work, neither would hospital systems, air traffic control, food production and refrigeration, manufacturing, distribution of goods and services, financial transactions and records….you get the picture.
Frank Gaffney is a former Assistant Secretary of Defense and was in charge of Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy at the Pentagon under President Reagan. Currently, Gaffney is President of the Center for Security Policy. His warning of the potential devastation from an EMP attack is terrifying. "Within a year of that attack, nine out of 10 Americans would be dead, because we can't support a population of the present size in urban centers and the like without electricity," he says. "And that is exactly what I believe the Iranians are working towards."
Senator Jon Kyl, previously the Chairman and now Ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary's Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security, is deeply concerned about the vulnerability to an EMP attack. He says that it "is one of only a few ways that the United States could be defeated by its enemies – terrorist or otherwise. And it is probably the easiest."
"A terrorist organization might have trouble putting a nuclear warhead on target with a Scud, but it would be much easier to simply launch and detonate in the atmosphere," Kyl wrote in the Washington Post. "No need for risk and difficulty of trying to smuggle a nuclear weapon over the border or hit a particular city. Just launch a cheap missile from a freighter in international waters – al Qaida is believed to own about 80 such vessels – and make sure to get it a few miles in the air."
In addition to the 9/11 Commission charged with review and making recommendations following the 9/11 attacks, the government established The Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack. The Commission released their first report in 2004, about the same time as the 9/11 Commission, and a subsequent report in 2008. Unfortunately, only a few politicians like Sen. Kyl even paid attention. In fact, there have been at least six national commissions as well as the government commissions to issue reports on the threat of EMP. But, virtually all of the warnings and recommendations of the experts have been ignored. "Congress has merely deliberated it, but has not taken substantive action," according to the Heritage Foundation. "The Administration and federal agencies remain mostly ambivalent."
One of the most damning indictments of the 9/11 Commission's findings was a "failure of imagination." America couldn't imagine that we were vulnerable to a terrorist attack inside our border on the scale of 9/11. Have we allowed our imaginations to fall asleep again?
As threatening as an EMP attack is, there is also a great deal that can be done. The EMP Commission says the "appropriate national-level approach should balance prevention, protection, and recovery." Both comprehensive reports by the Commission contain specific recommendations to accomplish that balanced strategic approach. Unfortunately, we have done virtually nothing while the capabilities of our adversaries continue to advance.
James Carafano, the National Defense and Homeland Security expert at the Heritage Foundation offers this straightforward agenda:
1. Fund comprehensive missile defense
2. Develop a National Recovery Plan and a plan to respond to severe space emergencies.
3. Require more research on the EMP Threat.
Carafano also voices a frustration that echoes across the pages of the EMP Commission's 2008 report. "Simply recognizing the EMP threat would go a long way toward better preparing America for the unthinkable."
It has been ten years since the 9/11 attacks, and America has not suffered another significant attack on the homeland during the decade. Our national bravado and the passage of time cause us to not dwell on the unknown nor take seriously "death to America" pledges by tyrants like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. If as the experts warn, a single EMP attack could put America "back to the 19th century," do we not need to be vigilant?
In addition to a complacency developed from extended relative peace, by ignoring our increasing national security vulnerabilities and the capabilities of our enemies, America presented a target that was exploited by our enemies on 9/11. We have done much in the last ten years to prevent terrorists from flying planes into buildings, again, but are we ignoring an even bigger threat?
Iran either already has or is rapidly developing weapons technologies capable of great damage to America and our allies. In addition, the regime is expanding influence globally, particularly in South and Central America that further threatens our national security and global balance of power. In the coming weeks, we will expose more of the extended threatening web that the Iranians are weaving, and why it can neither be ignored nor tolerated.
Bob Beauprez
Bob Beauprez is a former Member of Congress and is currently the editor-in-chief of A Line of Sight, an online policy resource. Prior to serving in Congress, Mr. Beauprez was a dairy farmer and community banker. He and his wife Claudia reside in Lafayette, Colorado. You may contact him at: http://bobbeauprez.com/contact/
17 May 2011
Iran Proceeding With Venezuelan Missile Base
Iran, Iranian Nuclear Threat, Venezuela
The Paraguaná Peninsula is the little frying pan shaped extension on the west end of the coast directly below Aruba.
Back in December, NYM quoted a Hudson Institute article by the Moroccan-Italian journalist Anna Mahjar-Barducci discussing a report (English translation) from the German newpaper Die Welt which quoted “Western security sources” on Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela signing an agreement with Teheran last October 19th to permit an Iranian missile base on Venezuelan soil.
It was reported in December that construction was intended to commence late in 2011, and the Jerusalem Post repeats a report from last Friday’s Die Welt noting that Iranian engineers have already been on-site.
The location selected for the missile base is at the western edge of Venezuela’s northern coast, as close as possible to American targets.
The Iranian government is moving forward with the construction of rocket launch bases in Venezuela, the German daily Die Welt wrote in its Friday edition.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is Teheran’s most important South American ally.
Iran is building intermediate- range missile launch pads on the Paraguaná Peninsula, and engineers from a construction firm – Khatam al-Anbia – owned by the Revolutionary Guards visited Paraguaná in February. Amir al-Hadschisadeh, the head of the Guard’s Air Force, participated in the visit, according to the report. Die Welt cited information from “Western security insiders.”
The rocket bases are to include measures to prevent air attacks on Venezuela as well as commando and control stations.
The Iranian military involvement in the project extends to bunker, barracks and watch tower construction. Twenty-meter deep rocket silos are planned. The cost of the Venezuelan military project is being paid for with Iranian oil revenue. The Iranians paid in cash for the preliminary phase of the project and, the total cost is expected to amount to “dozens of millions” of dollars, Die Welt wrote.
The Paraguaná Peninsula is on the coast of Venezuela and is roughly 120 kilometers from America’s main South American partner, Columbia.
According to Die Welt, the clandestine agreement between Venezuela and Iran would mean the Chavez government would fire rocket at Iran’s enemies should the Islamic Republic face military strikes.
Welt – On Line
http://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article11219574/Iran-plant-Bau-einer-Raketenstellung-in-Venezuela.html
Tehran-Caracas Axis
Drucken Bewerten Print review Author: C. Wergin and H. Stausberg 25.11.2010
Iran plans to build a missile base in Venezuela
Both countries to intensify their relationship - at all levels. A secret treaty also provides for common ground to ground missiles.
Iran wants a base on Venezuelan soil for medium-range missiles up and deepen the strategic cooperation with the regime of Hugo Chavez. As "World Online" learned from Western security sources, an agreement between the two countries during the last visit of the Venezuelan president in Tehran on 19 Signed in October. The previously undisclosed contract provides for the establishment of a jointly operated missile base in Venezuela and the joint development of ground-ground missiles.
Photo: REUTERS axis Caracas-Tehran: Iran's President Ahmadinejad (left) is greeted by Hugo Chavez
The other Iran
The agreement follows a recommendation of the Supreme Security Council on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Ali Khamenei, religious leader a few months ago. According to information of this newspaper, the Security Council had proposed a joint military facility on Venezuelan soil, to increase the deterrent power of Iran against the West. The cooperation would be an opportunity for Iran, a strategic base in the South American continent to establish - in the backyard of the United States.
After "world line" information to Venezuela committed in the agreement, which allow Iran to establish a military base, which should be manned by Iranian missile officers, soldiers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Venezuelan missile officers. The base is primarily as a storage location for strategic Iranian weapons serve. In addition, Iran has given permission to be allowed in case of emergency rocket fire from mobile bases. In return, it says in the agreement that Venezuela can use the basis for "national needs". This would increase the threat to neighbors like Colombia. Iran is also committed to help Venezuela with expertise in rocket technology, such as through intensive training of officers.
Also planned is the development of a common floor-to-ground missile, based on the extensive experience of the Iranians. The agreement also provides for Iranian Shahab 3 (range 1300-1500 km), Scud-B missile (285-330 kilometers) and Scud-C missiles (300, 500 and 700 kilometers) to move to the new base, and four mobile launchers. According to information found to be of "online world" still has a place suitable for the base.
Photo: picture alliance / abaca / ParsPix The Iranian Shahab 3 has a range of 1300 bis 1500 km
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Rocket
Photo: picture alliance / abaca / ParsPix The Iranian Shahab 3 has a range of 1300 bis 1500 km
Both sides want but the end of 2011 to begin construction of the infrastructure of the military establishment. The intensive training of Venezuelan officers to be held in the coming months in Tehran's Sharif University. There should be informed of the Venezuelan LNG drives of rocket engines, navigation systems and on the analysis of missile performance.
Washington watched these developments with growing suspicion. When Chavez broke half a decade on his first visit to Tehran, he was ridiculed. Since then, he was there nine times - three times alone in the past year and a half. Ahmadinejad visited Venezuela again formally four times. Several cooperation agreements have been signed since then hundreds, only 250 in September and another 70 in October. Between the two countries are so developed close contacts at all levels, that one can confidently speak of an "axis Caracas-Tehran."
VIDEO
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Ahmadinejad threatens Israel with state visit
Chavez has long been one of the main support for the Iranian nuclear program. He defended it strongly, and castigates the word international sanctions against Iran. In September he gave for the first time publicly that his country had "preliminary studies" undertaken to build its own nuclear program, which should be used "purely peaceful purposes." The close cooperation with Tehran, he did not deny it. Western intelligence agencies already exists extensive evidence.
Nevertheless, it came like a bombshell, as Roger Noriega in early October in the journal "Foreign Policy" summarizing some of them in an essay for a broader public. In the paper "Chávez's Secret Nuclear Program," said the former Republican vice foreign minister and current adviser working on the conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute, Chavez systematically for two years on building its own nuclear program.
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Ahmadinejad's outrageous speech to the UN
Photo: AP Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's appearance before the UN General Assembly in 2010 again used in order to make one of his infamous speeches.
Basis is the secret agreement signed in November 2008 on scientific and technological cooperation with Tehran. This is helping Iran to circumvent international sanctions and to get uranium. Facts on Empire shows Noriega, Chavez understands how to conceal these preparations sent. So it's no secret that Venezuela has in the state of Bolivar on one of the largest uranium deposits in the world. Iran is now very active there, said in a gold mine. Since then, the air space around the plant is widely blocked for civil aviation. In addition, a special unit was stationed there again in February this year, transport helicopters, Mi-17V-5 - equipped with rockets and machine guns.
Control are also deprived of any direct flights between the two countries. You can not book them, take-offs and landings take place on a military section of the airport in Caracas. Venezuela is for Tehran to become major suppliers of uranium? There are already a jointly operated ship transport company, will provide Venezuela with the supposedly oil to Europe. The entire management of the Venezuelan ports is also in the hands of the Cuban security forces such as airports. Cuba provided military personnel with Chavez - his own armed forces since he trusts the failed coup attempt no more in 2002.
Photo: picture-alliance / dpa / ITAR-TASS Sukhoi Su-30 is a Russian multi-role combat aircraft
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Combat aircraft
Photo: picture-alliance / dpa / ITAR-TASS Sukhoi Su-30 is a Russian multi-role combat aircraft
Recently, the first Venezuelan-Iranian Energy Committee met for the eighth time to discuss an even closer cooperation. Supposedly, the bilateral trade volume between the two countries has reached five billion dollars. Iran has set up companies in Venezuela for the production of such diverse products such as milk, bicycles, tractors and cement. However, should the past year have left only six machines, tractor factory, is a significant cement production not do it.
Is it to avoid bogus companies to the sanctions and to launder money? Has long been assumed there is a joint Venezuelan-Iranian bank to be chaired by the recently retired bank chief Tahmasb Mazaheri. Even the controversial Iranian Saderat Bank of Iran is active in Venezuela. Noriega notes that the Inter-American Development Bank is concerned with the financial settlement of Iranian businesses in Venezuela - a violation of UN resolutions. This should also be in Berlin set off alarm bells, Germany is finally an associate member of this institute since 1979, the largest multilateral donor to Latin America and the Caribbean.
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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Photo: REUTERS Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been the third August 2005, the sixth president of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The photo shows him in his re-election in June 2009.
The Venezuelan-Iranian friendship can also be the last weapons purchases by Chavez in Russia in a new light. In September, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev halted because of UN sanctions in 2007 with Tehran agreeing to sell S-300 air defense missiles. Shortly thereafter, Chavez said in Moscow that he wanted to buy them now. Venezuela has bought Russian weapons since 2005, worth some five billion dollars, including 24 Sukhoi Su-30 fighter planes, 50 combat helicopters and 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles.
Iran and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas
Published on 06/01/11
SUA has been reporting on Iranian activities across the globe, and more importantly, here in the western hemisphere in the last few years. The latest breach of the Monroe Doctrine by Iran involves statements by Iran’s Defense Minister
General Ahmad Vahidi. The important part of which were where the words were spoken – in La Paz Bolivia, South America. Over and over, Iran’s hands are meddling in the affairs of our neighbors to the south.Mark Lavey of the Associated Press revealed last week:
“Venezuela and Bolivia are supplying Iran with uranium for its nuclear program, according to a secret Israeli government report obtained Monday by The Associated Press.” (Posted by Breitbart news alerts)
Please read the article below, and the associated excerpts of other articles below occurring in other South American countries, including Central American activity in the northern hemisphere closest to the USA, namely Mexican Drug Cartel ties to Hezbollah and Hamas.
For more information on the Iranian directives to Hezbollah and Hamas read the following at the World Tribune excerpted here:
Western intelligence sources said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has facilitated assistance and coordination between Hamas and Hizbullah. The sources said the two Iranian proxies have begun working together on operations outside the Middle East in an effort to bolster Teheran’s policies.
________________________________________
‘Iran will counter any US antagonism’
Press TV
Iran’s Defense Minister General Ahmad Vahidi says that the country is prepared to counter any “hostile and unwise behavior” initiated by the United States.
He made the remarks during a press conference in the capital of Bolivia, La Paz, on the sidelines of an inauguration ceremony of a defense academy for members of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA), which includes Latin American and Caribbean nations.
The ALBA is an international cooperation organization built upon social, political, and economic integration between the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
“Powerful Iran is ready to deliver a firm response to any hostile and unwise behavior by the United States,” said Vahidi, quoted by Fars news agency.
The Iranian minister also described as “illogical and unjustifiable” the recent US sanctions against Venezuela’s state-run oil company for its sale of gasoline products to Iran.
Last month, the US government slapped sanctions on seven foreign companies, including Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), over their transactions with the Islamic Republic as part of a US campaign to tighten sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program.
“The US has imposed sanctions on Iran for 32 years. The sanctions have no affects on Iran; rather, they have led to the development and empowerment of the country. There is little doubt that the sanctions on the Venezuelan oil company will [also] lead to self-sufficiency, solidarity and empowerment of the country,” Vahidi stressed.
The sanctions will ban the Venezuelan oil company from all US government contracts, US import-export financing and export licenses for sensitive technology. However, it will not stop the company from selling crude oil to the US.
Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro has described the sanctions as “illegal, abusive measures taken this weak by the government of the United States,” and pointed out that “those most affected [by the sanctions] are businesspeople of the United States.”
________________________________________
Monroe Doctrine Breached
Atlantic Sentinel
When the fifth president of the United States designed the Monroe Doctrine, which was a watershed moment in the country’s foreign policy to check the ambitions of European imperial powers in Latin America, he could not have imagined that one day, a Persian nation would breach it.
President James Monroe devised his famous doctrine in 1823 after the Holy Alliance of Austria, Prussia and Russia managed to reestablish Bourbon rule over Spain and its colonies by force. Spain’s dominions in South America were struggling for independence at the time. The Monroe Doctrine made it clear to Europe that armed intervention to prevent these nations from attaining self sovereignty would be considered nothing short of an attack upon the United States.
Read the rest of the article here
________________________________________
Venezuelan Missile Base
Iran building rocket bases in Venezuela
The Iranian government is moving forward with the construction of rocket launch bases in Venezuela, the German daily Die Welt wrote in its Friday edition.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is Teheran’s most important South American ally.
Iran is building intermediate- range missile launch pads on the Paraguaná Peninsula, and engineers from a construction firm – Khatam al-Anbia – owned by the Revolutionary Guards visited Paraguaná in February. Amir al-Hadschisadeh, the head of the Guard’s Air Force, participated in the visit, according to the report. Die Welt cited information from “Western security insiders.”
The rocket bases are to include measures to prevent air attacks on Venezuela as well as commando and control stations.
The Iranian military involvement in the project extends to bunker, barracks and watch tower construction. Twenty-meter deep rocket silos are planned. The cost of the Venezuelan military project is being paid for with Iranian oil revenue. The Iranians paid in cash for the preliminary phase of the project and, the total cost is expected to amount to “dozens of millions” of dollars, Die Welt wrote.
The Paraguaná Peninsula is on the coast of Venezuela and is roughly 120 kilometers from America’s main South American partner, Columbia.
________________________________________
Chile
Israel was worried about Iran’s S. America influence
Jerusalem Post February 2011
Israel was concerned with Iran’s growing influence in South America and worked together with the Chilean government to monitor “unusual activity” from the Islamic Republic’s envoy to Santiago, a US diplomatic cable from February, 2008 released by WikiLeaks revealed.
Israeli Defense Attache to Chile Yoeli Or said, according to the cable “that he works with Chile’s Investigative Police (PDI ) and ‘other agencies’ sharing information, and providing training when possible.”
The cable said that “while there are no signs of GOI affiliation with terrorist groups in Chile, the Chilean intelligence service and the Israeli government are screening for anything they deem suspicious.”
Or told US diplomats that Israel was worried about increasing Iranian presence in Venezuela, Columbia and Iranian influence on Chilean Muslim and Palestinian communities.
The Israeli diplomat stated that ideally “Israel would be doing more to expand trade ties with Latin America, in part to help balance Iran’s expanding influence in the region.” However, he said that a lack of resources prevented Israel from properly carrying out this plan.
The revelations in the cable come after a number of South American countries at the end of 2010 recognized a Palestinian state.
Brazil was the first of the Latin American countries to initiate the move and was soon followed by countries such as Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Bolivia.
December 28, 2011 Iran at our Doorstep - Part II, The EMP Threat
By Bob Beauprez
9/24/2011
In Part I of this series, "Iran at our Doorstep," published in the August issue of A Line of Sight, I documented Iran's continued quest to develop a nuclear weapon. Additionally, I explained the Iran-Venezuela-Russia alliance currently constructing a military missile base on the extreme northern coast of Venezuela well within reach of many heavily populated U.S. cities. The publicly stated purpose of building the base is to provide the capability for Venezuela to launch missiles at "Iran's enemies."
Subsequently on September 4 we published contributing editor Major General Paul Vallely's article summarizing the release by the United Nation's IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) of a "restricted report" regarding Iran's continued nuclear activity. Consistent with the documentation shared on these pages last month, the U.N. nuclear agency said it is "increasingly concerned" by a stream of "extensive and comprehensive" intelligence coming from "many member states" suggesting that Iran continues to work secretly on developing a nuclear payload for a missile and other components of a nuclear weapons program.
General Vallely now serves as Chairman of Stand Up America, a private organization that includes numerous former military and intelligence community experts and analysts. In his September 4 article, Vallely wrote, "SUA believes strongly that Iran now possesses low yield nuclear war heads that can be mounted on the Shehab missile and deployed on the oceans in container ships with the Russian provided Club K missile launch system." The General went on to explain that Iran's objective is to "launch EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) weapons on U.S. Coastal cities and freeze our national grid systems."
A June, 2011 RAND report agreed with Vallely's analysis. According to RAND senior defense policy analyst Gregory S. Jones, Tehran's nuclear program has progressed to the point that "it will take around two months for the Iranian regime to produce the 20kg of uranium enriched to 90 percent required for the production of a nuclear warhead."
The window may have slammed shut on the opportunity to prevent Iran from going nuclear.
Americans are increasingly concerned about the vulnerability to a cyber-attack. On a personal level, that could involve the hacking into one's personal financial or other identity information. A cyber-attack could also escalate to a much larger scale of a corporate or large network cyber-theft, and certainly a cyber-attack that penetrated our various government, military or national security agencies could be catastrophic.
But, an EMP attack would be even far more destructive and life threatening. For those unfamiliar, one of America's most experience terrorism experts, RP Eddy, offers this layman's definition: "An EMP is a result of a nuclear explosion, or of another weapon, that releases a wave of electrons that will fry every electronic gizmo or tool that civilization needs to survive." Among his lengthy and distinguished credentials, Eddy served the Clinton Administration on the National Security Council as the Director of Counterterroism, and following the 9/11 attacks founded the Center of Tactical Counterterrorism in New York.
This isn't just theoretical or "Hollywood" fantasy. A quick search will yield a large library full of information and warnings about EMPs dating back over many decades. The U.S. found out about EMPs somewhat by accident during the World War II era when some of our own planes were affected by our own nuclear weapons tests. Although no nation has deployed an EMP, it is commonly accepted that many developed nations have such weapons. Since the technology required is considerably less sophisticated than advanced nuclear weaponry, experts believe that nations with developing nuclear capabilities and terrorist organizations may find EMPs far too appealing.
In a 2009 interview with Fox News, Eddy explained that part of the appeal to perceived lesser powers is that an EMP is far easier to build than a traditional nuclear weapon in part because it doesn't have to be as accurate nor as long range. And there are far too many bargain priced aged missiles lying around that can be picked on the cheap and nukes galore, too. Most estimates put the Russian stockpile alone of old and new nukes at more than 10,000. Eddy also referenced the ability to launch an EMP from a "floating barge" – the same Club K Russian weapons technology that looks like a common semi-truck trailer highlighted by Vallely in his September 4 article, and now being marketed to the world.
The above graphic is from 1997 congressional testimony, and it has been repeatedly referenced since that time to demonstrate that a single explosion sufficiently high in the atmosphere could paralyze the entire North American continent. As Eddy explains, an EMP attack would "fry" everything electric, and the "power grid would be out for months." Not only would our cell phones and computers not work, neither would hospital systems, air traffic control, food production and refrigeration, manufacturing, distribution of goods and services, financial transactions and records….you get the picture.
Frank Gaffney is a former Assistant Secretary of Defense and was in charge of Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy at the Pentagon under President Reagan. Currently, Gaffney is President of the Center for Security Policy. His warning of the potential devastation from an EMP attack is terrifying. "Within a year of that attack, nine out of 10 Americans would be dead, because we can't support a population of the present size in urban centers and the like without electricity," he says. "And that is exactly what I believe the Iranians are working towards."
Senator Jon Kyl, previously the Chairman and now Ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary's Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security, is deeply concerned about the vulnerability to an EMP attack. He says that it "is one of only a few ways that the United States could be defeated by its enemies – terrorist or otherwise. And it is probably the easiest."
"A terrorist organization might have trouble putting a nuclear warhead on target with a Scud, but it would be much easier to simply launch and detonate in the atmosphere," Kyl wrote in the Washington Post. "No need for risk and difficulty of trying to smuggle a nuclear weapon over the border or hit a particular city. Just launch a cheap missile from a freighter in international waters – al Qaida is believed to own about 80 such vessels – and make sure to get it a few miles in the air."
In addition to the 9/11 Commission charged with review and making recommendations following the 9/11 attacks, the government established The Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack. The Commission released their first report in 2004, about the same time as the 9/11 Commission, and a subsequent report in 2008. Unfortunately, only a few politicians like Sen. Kyl even paid attention. In fact, there have been at least six national commissions as well as the government commissions to issue reports on the threat of EMP. But, virtually all of the warnings and recommendations of the experts have been ignored. "Congress has merely deliberated it, but has not taken substantive action," according to the Heritage Foundation. "The Administration and federal agencies remain mostly ambivalent."
One of the most damning indictments of the 9/11 Commission's findings was a "failure of imagination." America couldn't imagine that we were vulnerable to a terrorist attack inside our border on the scale of 9/11. Have we allowed our imaginations to fall asleep again?
As threatening as an EMP attack is, there is also a great deal that can be done. The EMP Commission says the "appropriate national-level approach should balance prevention, protection, and recovery." Both comprehensive reports by the Commission contain specific recommendations to accomplish that balanced strategic approach. Unfortunately, we have done virtually nothing while the capabilities of our adversaries continue to advance.
James Carafano, the National Defense and Homeland Security expert at the Heritage Foundation offers this straightforward agenda:
1. Fund comprehensive missile defense
2. Develop a National Recovery Plan and a plan to respond to severe space emergencies.
3. Require more research on the EMP Threat.
Carafano also voices a frustration that echoes across the pages of the EMP Commission's 2008 report. "Simply recognizing the EMP threat would go a long way toward better preparing America for the unthinkable."
It has been ten years since the 9/11 attacks, and America has not suffered another significant attack on the homeland during the decade. Our national bravado and the passage of time cause us to not dwell on the unknown nor take seriously "death to America" pledges by tyrants like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. If as the experts warn, a single EMP attack could put America "back to the 19th century," do we not need to be vigilant?
In addition to a complacency developed from extended relative peace, by ignoring our increasing national security vulnerabilities and the capabilities of our enemies, America presented a target that was exploited by our enemies on 9/11. We have done much in the last ten years to prevent terrorists from flying planes into buildings, again, but are we ignoring an even bigger threat?
Iran either already has or is rapidly developing weapons technologies capable of great damage to America and our allies. In addition, the regime is expanding influence globally, particularly in South and Central America that further threatens our national security and global balance of power. In the coming weeks, we will expose more of the extended threatening web that the Iranians are weaving, and why it can neither be ignored nor tolerated.
Bob Beauprez
Bob Beauprez is a former Member of Congress and is currently the editor-in-chief of A Line of Sight, an online policy resource. Prior to serving in Congress, Mr. Beauprez was a dairy farmer and community banker. He and his wife Claudia reside in Lafayette, Colorado. You may contact him at: http://bobbeauprez.com/contact/
17 May 2011
Iran Proceeding With Venezuelan Missile Base
Iran, Iranian Nuclear Threat, Venezuela
The Paraguaná Peninsula is the little frying pan shaped extension on the west end of the coast directly below Aruba.
Back in December, NYM quoted a Hudson Institute article by the Moroccan-Italian journalist Anna Mahjar-Barducci discussing a report (English translation) from the German newpaper Die Welt which quoted “Western security sources” on Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela signing an agreement with Teheran last October 19th to permit an Iranian missile base on Venezuelan soil.
It was reported in December that construction was intended to commence late in 2011, and the Jerusalem Post repeats a report from last Friday’s Die Welt noting that Iranian engineers have already been on-site.
The location selected for the missile base is at the western edge of Venezuela’s northern coast, as close as possible to American targets.
The Iranian government is moving forward with the construction of rocket launch bases in Venezuela, the German daily Die Welt wrote in its Friday edition.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is Teheran’s most important South American ally.
Iran is building intermediate- range missile launch pads on the Paraguaná Peninsula, and engineers from a construction firm – Khatam al-Anbia – owned by the Revolutionary Guards visited Paraguaná in February. Amir al-Hadschisadeh, the head of the Guard’s Air Force, participated in the visit, according to the report. Die Welt cited information from “Western security insiders.”
The rocket bases are to include measures to prevent air attacks on Venezuela as well as commando and control stations.
The Iranian military involvement in the project extends to bunker, barracks and watch tower construction. Twenty-meter deep rocket silos are planned. The cost of the Venezuelan military project is being paid for with Iranian oil revenue. The Iranians paid in cash for the preliminary phase of the project and, the total cost is expected to amount to “dozens of millions” of dollars, Die Welt wrote.
The Paraguaná Peninsula is on the coast of Venezuela and is roughly 120 kilometers from America’s main South American partner, Columbia.
According to Die Welt, the clandestine agreement between Venezuela and Iran would mean the Chavez government would fire rocket at Iran’s enemies should the Islamic Republic face military strikes.
Welt – On Line
http://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article11219574/Iran-plant-Bau-einer-Raketenstellung-in-Venezuela.html
Tehran-Caracas Axis
Drucken Bewerten Print review Author: C. Wergin and H. Stausberg 25.11.2010
Iran plans to build a missile base in Venezuela
Both countries to intensify their relationship - at all levels. A secret treaty also provides for common ground to ground missiles.
Iran wants a base on Venezuelan soil for medium-range missiles up and deepen the strategic cooperation with the regime of Hugo Chavez. As "World Online" learned from Western security sources, an agreement between the two countries during the last visit of the Venezuelan president in Tehran on 19 Signed in October. The previously undisclosed contract provides for the establishment of a jointly operated missile base in Venezuela and the joint development of ground-ground missiles.
Photo: REUTERS axis Caracas-Tehran: Iran's President Ahmadinejad (left) is greeted by Hugo Chavez
The other Iran
The agreement follows a recommendation of the Supreme Security Council on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Ali Khamenei, religious leader a few months ago. According to information of this newspaper, the Security Council had proposed a joint military facility on Venezuelan soil, to increase the deterrent power of Iran against the West. The cooperation would be an opportunity for Iran, a strategic base in the South American continent to establish - in the backyard of the United States.
After "world line" information to Venezuela committed in the agreement, which allow Iran to establish a military base, which should be manned by Iranian missile officers, soldiers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Venezuelan missile officers. The base is primarily as a storage location for strategic Iranian weapons serve. In addition, Iran has given permission to be allowed in case of emergency rocket fire from mobile bases. In return, it says in the agreement that Venezuela can use the basis for "national needs". This would increase the threat to neighbors like Colombia. Iran is also committed to help Venezuela with expertise in rocket technology, such as through intensive training of officers.
Also planned is the development of a common floor-to-ground missile, based on the extensive experience of the Iranians. The agreement also provides for Iranian Shahab 3 (range 1300-1500 km), Scud-B missile (285-330 kilometers) and Scud-C missiles (300, 500 and 700 kilometers) to move to the new base, and four mobile launchers. According to information found to be of "online world" still has a place suitable for the base.
Photo: picture alliance / abaca / ParsPix The Iranian Shahab 3 has a range of 1300 bis 1500 km
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Rocket
Photo: picture alliance / abaca / ParsPix The Iranian Shahab 3 has a range of 1300 bis 1500 km
Both sides want but the end of 2011 to begin construction of the infrastructure of the military establishment. The intensive training of Venezuelan officers to be held in the coming months in Tehran's Sharif University. There should be informed of the Venezuelan LNG drives of rocket engines, navigation systems and on the analysis of missile performance.
Washington watched these developments with growing suspicion. When Chavez broke half a decade on his first visit to Tehran, he was ridiculed. Since then, he was there nine times - three times alone in the past year and a half. Ahmadinejad visited Venezuela again formally four times. Several cooperation agreements have been signed since then hundreds, only 250 in September and another 70 in October. Between the two countries are so developed close contacts at all levels, that one can confidently speak of an "axis Caracas-Tehran."
VIDEO
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Ahmadinejad threatens Israel with state visit
Chavez has long been one of the main support for the Iranian nuclear program. He defended it strongly, and castigates the word international sanctions against Iran. In September he gave for the first time publicly that his country had "preliminary studies" undertaken to build its own nuclear program, which should be used "purely peaceful purposes." The close cooperation with Tehran, he did not deny it. Western intelligence agencies already exists extensive evidence.
Nevertheless, it came like a bombshell, as Roger Noriega in early October in the journal "Foreign Policy" summarizing some of them in an essay for a broader public. In the paper "Chávez's Secret Nuclear Program," said the former Republican vice foreign minister and current adviser working on the conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute, Chavez systematically for two years on building its own nuclear program.
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Ahmadinejad's outrageous speech to the UN
Photo: AP Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's appearance before the UN General Assembly in 2010 again used in order to make one of his infamous speeches.
Basis is the secret agreement signed in November 2008 on scientific and technological cooperation with Tehran. This is helping Iran to circumvent international sanctions and to get uranium. Facts on Empire shows Noriega, Chavez understands how to conceal these preparations sent. So it's no secret that Venezuela has in the state of Bolivar on one of the largest uranium deposits in the world. Iran is now very active there, said in a gold mine. Since then, the air space around the plant is widely blocked for civil aviation. In addition, a special unit was stationed there again in February this year, transport helicopters, Mi-17V-5 - equipped with rockets and machine guns.
Control are also deprived of any direct flights between the two countries. You can not book them, take-offs and landings take place on a military section of the airport in Caracas. Venezuela is for Tehran to become major suppliers of uranium? There are already a jointly operated ship transport company, will provide Venezuela with the supposedly oil to Europe. The entire management of the Venezuelan ports is also in the hands of the Cuban security forces such as airports. Cuba provided military personnel with Chavez - his own armed forces since he trusts the failed coup attempt no more in 2002.
Photo: picture-alliance / dpa / ITAR-TASS Sukhoi Su-30 is a Russian multi-role combat aircraft
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Combat aircraft
Photo: picture-alliance / dpa / ITAR-TASS Sukhoi Su-30 is a Russian multi-role combat aircraft
Recently, the first Venezuelan-Iranian Energy Committee met for the eighth time to discuss an even closer cooperation. Supposedly, the bilateral trade volume between the two countries has reached five billion dollars. Iran has set up companies in Venezuela for the production of such diverse products such as milk, bicycles, tractors and cement. However, should the past year have left only six machines, tractor factory, is a significant cement production not do it.
Is it to avoid bogus companies to the sanctions and to launder money? Has long been assumed there is a joint Venezuelan-Iranian bank to be chaired by the recently retired bank chief Tahmasb Mazaheri. Even the controversial Iranian Saderat Bank of Iran is active in Venezuela. Noriega notes that the Inter-American Development Bank is concerned with the financial settlement of Iranian businesses in Venezuela - a violation of UN resolutions. This should also be in Berlin set off alarm bells, Germany is finally an associate member of this institute since 1979, the largest multilateral donor to Latin America and the Caribbean.
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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Photo: REUTERS Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been the third August 2005, the sixth president of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The photo shows him in his re-election in June 2009.
The Venezuelan-Iranian friendship can also be the last weapons purchases by Chavez in Russia in a new light. In September, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev halted because of UN sanctions in 2007 with Tehran agreeing to sell S-300 air defense missiles. Shortly thereafter, Chavez said in Moscow that he wanted to buy them now. Venezuela has bought Russian weapons since 2005, worth some five billion dollars, including 24 Sukhoi Su-30 fighter planes, 50 combat helicopters and 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles.
Only a month ago, Chavez has forced the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA to sell its 50 percent stake in the German Ruhr Oel - to the Russian oil company Rosneft, allegedly well below cost. With the proceeds of $ 1.6 billion Chavez will probably buy new weapons. He has also signed an agreement with Moscow on the construction of a Venezuelan nuclear power plant.
The Americans can not the unholy alliance between Tehran and Caracas indifferent. Iranian missiles at a Venezuelan military base, which could potentially reach the medium term, the United States, awaken memories of the Cuban missile crisis of 1962.
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