Iran and Venezuela: A Dangerous Alliance
Thus far, the Obama administration has been reasonably supportive of the Colombian government, much to the disgruntlement of Chávez. The United States has also been supportive of Brazil, providing funds for the development of her quite substantial oil fields which may in a few years supplant those of Venezuela — which have deteriorated substantially under government control. Brazilian oil fields may well surpass those of Venezuela. In Brazil, “the part-public, part-private Petrobras will, with foreign partners, produce 5.7m barrels of oil and gas a day more than double the output of Venezuela.” These are good things and have niggled a bit at Chávez’s efforts to dominate Latin America. More, not less, needs to be done in this direction. For a start, perhaps the United States could exploit her own vast but untapped oil reserves. To have any significant effect this would obviously require some new oil refineries. “The last new domestic refinery was started up in 1976.” Not particularly “green,” but that seems to be more an ideological than a practical issue.
The reception of Chávez in Venice as an idol worthy of worldwide adulation — by journalists as well as by celebrities — was disgusting. Chávez attended the premier performance of Oliver Stone’s new motion picture South of the Border, a glowing hagiography of Chávez. “Stone told reporters that Europe and the world in general need ‘dozens of Hugo Chávezes,’ that is to say leaders who fulfill their promises.” Stone also said, probably with a straight face:
“If you go to Venezuela, 80 or almost 90 percent of the media are against Chavez. They say very harsh things about him and he allows it, he doesn’t punish those people and they are still there,” while — for example — in the United States, “that could not happen.”
Wow. Obviously, the Brazilian senate was off base on September 2 in censuring Chávez for “reducing the freedom of the press, one of the main features of democratic governments.”
Stone’s adulation to the contrary withstanding, there is little if anything to be gained by trying to make friends with Chávez or Ahmadinejad — they already have too many — and there is much to lose. Both countries are extraordinarily repressive of their people, and both want their repressive examples to metastasize.
As noted here, the abandonment of Honduras and the demand that she accept reinstatement of Zelaya are likely to give the United States a black eye in those Latin American countries not already in pervasive symbiotic relations with Chávez. It is likely to diminish any lingering hopes that the United States will materially assist them in rebuffing Venezuelan efforts to assert dominion. In the process, should Chávez become stronger internationally, his very substantial domestic problems in Venezuela can to that extent be suppressed.
The United States has shown herself to be anything but a supporter of freedom and the democratic process by her stand on Iran. Her stance with respect to Honduras is worse. Her current posture with respect to Israel vis a vis the Palestinians is delusional and also leaves much to be desired. The current United States position on such matters may well be consistent with President Obama’s worldview, but it seems antithetical to the worldview of most United States citizens.
The second President Roosevelt, FDR, is said to have regarded Joseph Stalin as rather like a U.S. senator who could be bought by spending money in his state. FDR was mistaken; President Truman caught on to Stalin rather quickly and got rid of many of the left-leaning advisors of his predecessor. Whatever happened to the Truman Doctrine, supportive of democracy and freedom? President Obama has appeared to search high and low for more left-leaning advisors, whose positions he appears to advance with great relish. The most recent was Van Jones, who resigned under public scrutiny as his “green czar.” President Obama has others who could perhaps be characterized accurately as “red czars.” There are more than a few.
If the United States is to regain her status as a world power, she needs to remember her roots. Even if she is not to regain that status, she must remember her roots and act in accordance with them. She has a constitution, and to the extent that she ignores it she disgraces those roots.
Trying to make friends with Chávez, Ahmadinejad et al will not succeed unless the people of the United States become willing to accept their views on freedom and democracy. With the exception of a small but significant minority in the United States, that seems unlikely. I think, and certainly hope, that as the vast majority in the United States come to realize what is in store for them should the present domestic and international policies of the Obama administration continue, there will be an expanding realization that a far different path than the present one must be followed.
Obama’s foreign policies are extremely disturbing. What is his agenda?
First, he has routinely and almost childishly, insulted the leaders of key US allies, such as the UK, France, Canada.
Then, he denigrated the US, defining it pr-Obama, as essentially a ‘rogue state’ and constantly apologizing for its pre-Obama transgressions.
He ‘honeyed-up’ to the Islamic tribal states, bowing to the Saudi King, giving a Cairo speech filled with intellectually dishonest tales of Muslim scientific achievements – ignoring the Saudi worldwide funding of radical Islamic mosques, ignoring the truth about the repression of science and reason in the Islamic states.
He’s rejected the reality of jihadist terrorism and its agenda of take-over of Western culture.
He’s supported the ex-Honduran president’s attempt to violate the Honduran constitution and set up a dictatorship. And one that is allied to the dictatorship of Venezuala.
He’s removing missile defense bases from Eastern Europe – a territory that Russia wants to regain.
He’s ignored the Iranian people’s public desires for free and honest elections and is ignoring Iran’s nuclear agenda and its intention of taking over the Middle East (Iraq, Syria, Egypt).
What is Obama’s agenda?
Obama is actually enabling a global alliance of Russia-Iran-Venezuala. Each of these states has a clear and public agenda of inserting an imperialist military and political control over neighbouring states in their area. Obama’s actions are enabling this imperialism.
What’s going on?
The Islamic Revolution and the Bolivarian Revolution, directed by the KGB state in the Kremlin and supported by Communist China?
So… one of these things is not like the other. I wonder, perhaps it is a case of “Muslim clothes, Communist heart” in Iran? And of course we have a Red Army honor guard and high-level Russian dignitaries attending the 40th anniversary of Qaddafi’s coup in Libya. Meanwhile, the US retreats from its support of Eastern Europe, and puts its Afghan operations increasingly at the mercy of Russia and its little statelettes Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, & etc. And of course no one has yet definitively solved the riddle of the ship Arctic Sea.
So. Is it tending toward some general strategic crisis, or is it just to increase the revenue of a few thousand disgusting individuals in ruling cliques? And second, what is the status of Marxism-Leninism among these people?
It was revealed today that the United States is terminating plans for a “missile defense shield in the Czech Republic and Poland that had deeply angered Russia.” As noted here, this “represents the appalling appeasement of Russian aggression and a willingness to sacrifice American allies on the altar of political expediency.”
New day, same feces.
Oh – and let’s not forget Obama has set the agenda of the next UN Security Council meeting as “nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.” Whose? Undoubtedly ours, since we have shown irrevocably that we cannot prevent states like North Korea, Pakistan, and probably Iran from getting nuclear weapons. Of course we have absolutely no idea how to deal with Russia, since for all the Nunn-Lugar nonsense Russia has now fielded a new road-mobile ICBM and new SLBMs. I agree ETAB – what is all this? People say perestroika was not a deception – and yet how would the world be any different now if it had not been? And of course now Japan has elected its very own Obama. I wonder whether he has Leninist associations or inclinations. The Japanese attitude toward the Pacific Rim security structure will be decisive in the coming few years, and it appears to favor retreat and dependency.
Things may not appear dire or determined at the moment, but it sure seems as though – feels as though – the geostrategic clock is ticking much faster lately.
Don’t worry, Dan. Events are going just as predicted – in that ancient tome you prefer not to look at, the Hebrew Bible.
But it ain’t going to be pretty. Delusionary visions are common for leaders who will be overthrown or who will die in office, so the delusions of the American leaders are a good indicator of the future. You are probably better off in Panamá than in the States, mi amigo. You chose to leave, and you chose wisely. See if you can get your kids out, if you have any.
As for the upcoming Security Council session the idea is to defang the Israeli nuclear weapons cache. A bigger threat to mankind can not be imagined, you realize. IN the meantime, the Persians will get to enjoy “peaceful” nuclear power plants….
Sounds like a great 5770 coming up!
Dan, expecting Agent Zero and his zombies to do a 180 makes a leopard changing its spots look easy.
Aren’t there enough Americans, living outside the United States, to declare a government-in-exile? Because the objections you raise rise higher than the interests of those who want to rise by tearing down others. Obama and crew are wrong. Period. End of sentence.
Because, if Obama started telling the truth, who
in their right mind would believe him? How many
times has he used words where he determines the meaning, thereby making himself look good, regardless of what the conventional meaning of those words are.
Slightly OT, it’s kind of fascinating to look at Mossadegh’s usurpations in Iran (Persia) and note the eerie similarity between his machinations and Chavez’. They could do one of those “History Repeats Itself” 45′s on it – like they did on the Lincoln/Kennedy assassinations back in the 60s.
Mossadegh, despite his secular policies, was one of the heroes lauded during the 1979 revolution. So it’s no surprise Ahminadinnahjacket and the mullahs have developed such a close bromance with Chavez.
Many warned of the intentions of Obama. Very few listened. Very few are listening now. Sadly, those that oppose and those that decided not to listen will be disposed of. This is the way. Use the foot soldiers, then after the war send them to their death.
Obama is an evil that we allowed. Now only God can save us.
Dan:
Your wisdom is exceeded only by your sailing and SCUBA abilities. While I have been very pessimistic about O, I think he is vulnerable. The elderly in the US vote more heavily than any other demo segment. I do not think that anything that occurs in foreign affairs will shift the liberal Democratic free loaders and non-tax payers, but the elderly terrified of Medicare cuts just may save us. We will see in Nov 2010. Keep writing.