Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Tehran-Caracas Axis
Wall Street Journal ^ | January 16, 2006 | MARY ANASTASIA O'GRADY

Posted on 01/15/2006 11:15:09 PM PST by West Coast Conservative

With Iranian nuclear aspirations gaining notice, it's worth directing attention to the growing relationship between Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez. The Reagan administration repulsed Soviet efforts to set up camp in Central America. Iranian designs on Venezuela perhaps deserve similar U.S. attention.

The warmth and moral support between Ahmadinejad and Chávez is very public. The two tyrants are a lot more than just pen pals. Venezuela has made it clear that it backs Iran's nuclear ambitions and embraces the mullahs' hateful anti-Semitism. What remains more speculative is just how far along Iran is in putting down roots in Venezuela.

In September, when the International Atomic Energy Agency offered a resolution condemning Iran for its "many failures and breaches of its obligations to comply" with its treaty commitments, Venezuela was the only country that voted "no." Ahmadinejad congratulated the Venezuelan government, calling the vote "brave and judicious."

Three months later, in a Christmas Eve TV broadcast, Chávez declared that "minorities, the descendants of those who crucified Christ, have taken over the riches of the world." That ugly anti-Semitic swipe was of a piece with an insidious assault over the past several years on the country's Jewish community. In 2004, heavily armed Chávez commandos raided a Caracas Jewish school, terrifying children and parents. The government's claim that it had reason to believe that the school was storing arms was never supported. A more reasonable explanation is that the raid was part of the Chávez political strategy of fomenting class hatred--an agenda that finds a vulnerable target in the country's Jewish minority--and as a way to show Tehran that Venezuela is on board. Ahmadinejad rivals Hitler in his hatred for the Jewish people.

(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: ahmadinejad; ahmedsabatgold; antiamericanism; antisemitism; axisofevil; bombbombbombbombiran; chavez; china; iran; iranvenezuelaaxis; nuclearweapons; redjihad; russia; venezuela

1 posted on 01/15/2006 11:15:12 PM PST by West Coast Conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: West Coast Conservative

What about Caracas-Havana or the Caracas-Beijing axis?


2 posted on 01/15/2006 11:20:16 PM PST by endthematrix (None dare call it ISLAMOFACISM!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: West Coast Conservative

Or for that matter the Tehran-Moscow axis? I'll stop now...


3 posted on 01/15/2006 11:21:37 PM PST by endthematrix (None dare call it ISLAMOFACISM!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: West Coast Conservative

bttt


4 posted on 01/15/2006 11:21:52 PM PST by nopardons
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: West Coast Conservative

Paging Pat Robertson, we now have two "assignments" for you...


5 posted on 01/16/2006 1:07:50 AM PST by DTogo (I haven't left the GOP, the GOP left me.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: endthematrix; West Coast Conservative

Hugo's love affair with Iran is particularly dangerous on a number of levels, one being that both he and the Iranian president are nutcases with fully developed messiah complexes and are beyond the reach of reason. Chavez has been getting closer and closer to Islamic extremists, and like many violent leftists - such as his hero, the terrorist Carlos the Jackal, a convert to Islam - finds common cause with the most violent, authoritarian form of Islam.

The Chinese and the Russians, for all the real threat they may pose to us, are still more or less rational and are not eager to act against their own best interests. On the other hand, Chavez and the Iranians are crazy, motivated by a crazy religion, and will do anything they can to attack us, even if it were to result in harm to them and their countries. Lets hope Iran isn't busy extending its "nuclear power program" to Venezuela.


6 posted on 01/16/2006 2:48:29 AM PST by livius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: livius
"Lets hope Iran isn't busy extending its "nuclear power program" to Venezuela."

What's the range of the Iranian Shahab Missile? How far north can it fly fired from, lets say, the northern coast of Venezuela.
7 posted on 01/16/2006 5:28:58 AM PST by Gum Shoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Gum Shoe
Shahab-3 Missile range : 1350-1500 miles

Not a pleasant thought is it?

http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/iran/missile/shahab-3.htm
8 posted on 01/16/2006 5:33:37 AM PST by Gum Shoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Gum Shoe

Wow...Just looked it up on a web Atlas. Puerto Rico and South Florida would be in range of a Shahab-3 fired from Venezuela.


9 posted on 01/16/2006 5:42:15 AM PST by Gum Shoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Gum Shoe

It is well known that VZ has been arming, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if Hugo and his Muslim buddies have something like this in mind.


10 posted on 01/16/2006 11:04:39 AM PST by livius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: West Coast Conservative

bttt


11 posted on 01/16/2006 10:20:47 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson