Iran and Castro: October surprises

The Washington Times ^ | January 27, 2004 | Constantine C. Menges

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The clerical dictatorship in Iran wants the defeat of President Bush because his commitment to political democracy in Afghanistan, Iraq and his endorsement of freedom for the people of Iran threatens a regime that knows it is deeply unpopular. Mr. Castro also wants to see Bush defeated because his determination to help democratic allies could threaten the emerging pro-Castro axis in Latin America. Both dictatorships have plans that could result in visible and sharp foreign policy setbacks that might cost President Bush the 2004 election.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Castro and Chavez: U.S. Wary of Cuba's Support for Leftists WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is becoming increasingly concerned about what it sees as a joint effort by Cuba and Venezuela to nurture anti-American sentiment in Latin America with money, political indoctrination and training.

As U.S. officials see it, the alliance combines Cuban President Fidel Castro's political savvy with surplus cash that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez obtains from oil exports.

Venezuelan resources may have been decisive in the ouster of Bolivia's elected, pro-American president, Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A key recipient of Venezuelan help has been Evo Morales, a charismatic Bolivian legislator who has broad support among his country's indigenous population. He is an avowed opponent of the capitalist system.

Before Sanchez de Lozada was deposed, one official said, Venezuela's military attache in Bolivia was expelled for giving money to Morales, and Morales received money from Venezuelan officials in a visit to Caracas.

There also has been evidence of Venezuelan money and manpower in Ecuador and Uruguay being used in support of anti-government groups, the officials said. Despite Venezuelan denials, they said, Chavez has supported Colombia's FARC and ELN rebels, allowing use of territory in western Venezuela as a springboard for attacks inside Colombia. ***

Hugo Chavez - Venezuela

Fidel Castro - Cuba

Former U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter (L) is greeted by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during Carter's visit to the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, January 26, 2004. International observers called Monday for a closer check on Venezuela's troubled referendum process, as a dispute over verification threatened to disrupt the path to a recall vote against Chavez. Carter is in Venezuela to verify progress on the referendum recall process. REUTERS/Miraflores Palace-Handout NO SALES

Chavez appoints radicals to head Venezuelan passport agency - reports of Arabs otaining ID documents*** CARACAS -- Already facing allegations that Muslim extremists have obtained Venezuelan identity documents, President Hugo Chávez has put the country's passport agency in the hands of two radicals -- one a supporter of Saddam Hussein.

Hugo Cabezas and Tareck el Aissami were appointed last month as director and deputy director of the Identification and Immigration Directorate, in charge of border controls and issuing passports and national ID cards. The agency also works with electoral authorities on voter registration.

Both were top student leaders at the University of the Andes in the western city of Merida, described by senior school officials as a virtual haven for armed Chávez supporters and leftist guerrillas.

When El Aissami served as president of the student body from 2001 to 2003, his armed supporters controlled the university's dormitories, said Oswando Alcala, a professor and director of student affairs.

Cabezas and El Aissami declined several Herald requests for interviews. Calls to the Information Ministry in Caracas also failed to elicit an official response.

Their appointments to the passport office raised eyebrows both because of the reports of Arabs obtaining Venezuelan ID documents and the possibility of fraud in an ongoing drive for a referendum to recall Chávez. His popularity stands at less than 40 percent.

''These appointments raise suspicions,'' said Pompeyo Marquez, a former Cabinet minister for border issues and an opponent of Chávez opponent. ``The risk is that they can play tricks both as regards elections and with identity cards.''

MAGAZINE REPORT

Allegations that Chávez's leftist government issued ID documents to Islamic radicals surfaced most recently in the newsweekly U.S. News and World Report. ''Venezuela is providing support -- including identity documents -- that could prove useful to radical Islamic groups,'' the magazine reported last month, quoting senior U.S. military and intelligence officials.

Chávez has strongly denied previous opposition allegations of links to Islamic radicals and leftist guerrillas from neighboring Colombia. Following the U.S. magazine's report, he accused the U.S. ''extreme right'' of trying to justify his ouster by ``anything: an assassination, a coup d'etat, an invasion.''*** [More at LINK]

[Pro-Bush]

BUMP! Where's the outrage!!!!

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is becoming increasingly concerned about what it sees as a joint effort by Cuba and Venezuela to nurture anti-American sentiment in Latin America with money, political indoctrination and training.

The leftist enemy is next door, and not one single response.

...I see, that's why I quit posting.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Too many are anti-Cuban or still think Hugo Chavez is the poor man's savior battling Globalism. I've tried but with limited success to get the facts out there.

[carl in alaska]

Covert ops to remove Castro and Chavez may well be ongoing. Reports from Cuba say Castro is not in good health these days. Could be time for his demise, followed by a popular uprising in Cuba. Chavez is living on time borrowed from his numerous enemies.

[Pro-Bush]

Well I hope I works in their 2nd attempt!

[Tailgunner Joe]

bttt

[Patriot_from_CA]

BTT

[Luis Gonzalez]

Thanks for posting this.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Well, the "conservatives" in FR seem to think that Kerry will handle all this much better than Bush will.

[nopardons]

Here's hoping that they and we will never have the chance to find out . :-)

[Luis Gonzalez]

Question:

What do Democrats, Communists dictators, terrorism-sponsoring Muslim extremists, and FR's "real conservatives" have in common?

Answer:

They all want Bush out of the White House really, really badly.

One of those things that just makes you just wanna go "mmmmm..."

[nopardons]

Nailed in one, Luis! :-)

[Texasforever]

One of those things that just makes you just wanna go "mmmmm..."

It makes me go ARGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH. Or maybe I am having a heart attack.

[gatorbait]

One of those things that just makes you just wanna go "mmmmm..."

Could it be "true conservative with principles" is a code word for DNC shill?

[nopardons]

No, USEFUL IDIOTS, more like.

[Mo1]

Here's hoping that they and we will never have the chance to find out . :-)

I'll second that!

[nopardons]

:-)

[Texasforever]

Could it be "true conservative with principles" is a code word for DNC shill?

Naw a "true conservative with principles" is a code word for chronic constipation.

[ozzymandus]

You've got something there, bud. Every time I hear some idiot say "Duh, I ain't votin' for Bush because he ain't conservative enough", I get a headache.

[gatorbait]

Naw a "true conservative with principles" is a code word for chronic constipation.

Both ends... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------