Top U.S. Military Commander in South America: Iran Quds Force Active in Venezuela

Breitbart ^ | 12/04/2020 | Ben Kew

[xomething]

Iran is sending Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro’s socialist regime weapons and troops, a top U.S. military official told the Wall Street Journal Wednesday.

“We see a growing Iranian influence in there,” the head of the U.S. Southern Command, Admiral Craig Faller, told the Journal. “We’re real [sic] concerned about what Iran is up to, not just globally, but here in this hemisphere.”

He went on to cite the “alarming and concerning” arrival of military personnel from the elite Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), notorious for its terrorist activities in other countries including Syria and Iraq. Faller also confirmed that the military is seeing an “uptick” in weapons shipments from Iran to Venezuela, although he did not specify the specific arms being supplied.

The IRGC is a U.S.-designated terror group that is accused by Washington of “actively participating, financing, and promoting terrorism as a tool of statecraft.” Its former leader, Major General Qasem Soleimani, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in January this year, marking a major blow to the Iranian regime. Among those to pay tribute to Soleimani was Maduro’s right-hand man, Diosdado Cabello, who visited the Iranian embassy in Caracas to host a ceremony mourning his death.

In August, Colombian President Iván Duque, whose country borders Venezuela, claimed that the Maduro regime is currently negotiating the purchase of medium- and long-range missiles from Iran, although they remain in the preliminary stages.

“There is information from international intelligence organisms that work with us which shows there is interest from the dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro in acquiring some medium and long-range missiles through Iran,” he warned at the time. “The information is that (the missiles) still haven’t arrived but there has been contact especially under instructions from (Venezuela Defense Minister Vladimir) Padrino.”...

[servantboy777]

Walk in the park.

[sockmonkey]

*** notorious for its terrorist activities in other countries including Syria and Iraq. ***

Oh, please, from where I’m sitting the US trying to sell another regime change war, financing “moderate” rebels, aka, moderate headchoppers, and our looting Syrian oil is the real terror in Syria.

Americans are suffering, but we seem to have plenty of money for perpetual war.

[Deaf Smith]

Met a Army soldier back in April when the shut downs begain.

He was tasked with the UN in Columbia concerning Vensulaia refugees and movements in & out Vensulaia and reported to the Pentagon.

In country for his Mom's funeral, he had no transport back out when the military locked down movements.

He stated observations that cannot be repeated (A lot going on last Spring).

His Dad said he finally got a ride to Virgina.

[ETL]

Re: Maduro allies

2020...

Russia to boost Venezuela ties amid US pressure

February 8, 2020 - BBC

Russia has pledged to boost military and economic co-operation with Venezuela to help the South American nation deal with growing US pressure.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s comments came after his meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas.

Mr Lavrov said any attempts to remove Mr Maduro’s government by force were unacceptable.

The US accuses Mr Maduro of leading a corrupt and brutal regime. ...”

“Russia is a key ally of Venezuela, lending it billions of dollars and backing its oil industry and military.”
______________________________________________________________________

2015...

The Links Between Black Lives Matter and Nicolas Maduro Revealed

PanAm Post ^ | June 23, 2020 | PanAm Post Staff

[excerpt]
"...while Black Lives Matter claim to oppose police abuse and racism around the world, the organization is simultaneously a great supporter of some of the world’s most brutal and repressive dictators. In particular, the founders of BLM have been staunch supporters and allies of the sanguinary Venezuela dictator Nicolas Maduro and of the Castro regime in Cuba.

In December 2015 Black Lives Matter sent a delegation, headed by the organization’s co-founder, Opal Tometi, to act as observers during the Venezuelan Parliamentary elections of that year. The Maduro regime did not allow accreditation for observers from the Organization of American States, the UN, or the EU. The only accredited observers where from regimes and organizations friendly to the “revolutionary cause.”

Later that same month Tometi penned an article where she espouses, word for word, the regime’s standard text for international propaganda.

“In these last 17 years, we have witnessed the Bolivarian Revolution champion participatory democracy and construct a fair, transparent election system recognized as among the best in the world ,” wrote Tometi about one of the world’s most corrupt voting systems in history.

Earlier in 2015 Maduro was given an award at the Afro-descenndants Summit” held in Harlem. Maduro was invited at the behest of the Black Lives Matter leadership. ..."

[Venezuelan President] Nicolas Maduro with Opal Tometi (right), co-founder
of Black Lives Matter, in Harlem, Manhattan, December 2015.

______________________________________________________________________

Also in 2015...

Moscow defense minister inks deals with Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua for joint exercises

by Bill Gertz, February 20, 2015

Russia agreed to provide military training for three leftist regimes in Latin America and increase military visits and exercises following a visit last week to the region by Moscow's Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu, Pentagon officials said.

Shoygu met with defense and military leaders in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua and signed several agreements on warship visits and military training during the visit, which ran from Feb 11 to 14.

It is not clear whether any new arms deals were completed during the visit.

Defense officials said the Russian leader is seeking bases in the region for strategic bomber flights that Shoygu recently promised would include flights over the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. ..."

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

You can include in this military alliance communist China and Iran.

[ETL]

Black Activists Honor Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro In Harlem

“We recognize that in the person of Nicolas Maduro, the president of Venezuela, we have an exceptional leader,” said state Sen. Bill Perkins.

By Roque Planas, Sept 29, 2015

NEW YORK — Black intellectuals, activists and political leaders honored Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro at the National Black Theatre in Harlem on Monday [Sept 2015], praising his left-wing government’s education and health care policies as an alternative and possible remedy to U.S. policies they say foster racism.

Maduro is one of dozens of heads of state who traveled to New York this week to speak before the annual U.N. General Assembly — and his stop in Harlem carried symbolic weight. Taking the podium in front of a banner displaying his own mustachioed image and raised fist, Maduro excoriated European colonialism and U.S.-led neoliberalism as the twin foundations of racism in the Americas. ...”

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/black-activists-nicolas-maduro-harlem_n_560a836fe4b0af3706ddc573

[Venezuelan President] Nicolas Maduro with Opal Tometi (right), co-founder
of Black Lives Matter, in Harlem, Manhattan, December 2015.

[ETL]

Obama, Chavez, and Maduro (note the "soul-bro" handshake)

[Viking2002]

And a Dopey Joe in office would let them come streaming in like ants. Refugees, and all that. I hope against hope that Trump prevails. Or God help The Republic.

[Vermont Lt]

I cannot imagine that a bunch of Muslims are going to be welcomed with open arms in the deeply catholic South America.

So, they are not going to be there very long.

I once started a story about how Iranians were going to slowly smuggle groups of one or two soldiers into the country—and plan an attack on DC—a coordinated, company sized assault.

I pretty much had the plan down pat. It really wouldn’t be that difficult once you get them in the country. It would take about three or four months. One or two getting caught wouldn’t mean anything. Once here, the freedom to travel and availability of firearms and other weapons would be easy to gather.

Then they show up, in uniform, on our streets and wreak havoc.

At that point, they would not be “terrorists” but merely attacking a country that attacked them.

I never got it finished.

Maybe, I should pull it out and see how it ends up.

[ETL]

There is an increasingly tight military alliance between Russia, China, Venezuela and Iran...

Re: OBAMA IRAN DEAL

Obama allowing Iran to purchase uranium from Russia

Daniel Horowitz | January 10, 2017 [prior to Trump's Jan 20th inauguration]

Remember those side deals Obama forged with Iran that were not part of the text of the official treaty? [ie, Iran Deal] Now we are finding out some of the details.

Yesterday [Jan 2017], the Washington Free Beacon reported that Iranian officials confirmed they have received at least $10 billion in cash, commodities, and assets from Washington since 2013. And that is likely a conservative estimate [turned out to be $150 BILLION!].

But cash is not the only thing the Islamic Republic of Iran is receiving for gracing us with their willingness to sign onto our own capitulation.

The AP is reporting that Russia, with the support of President Obama, is shipping Iran 116 metric tons of natural uranium. ..."

_____________________________________________________

Aug 2015

[SaveFerris]

[SaveFerris]

[sauropod]

.

[Thunder90]

There’s also Spetsnaz in Venezuela. Russia and China have also discussed moving long range missiles into Venezuela, with Russia talking about nuclear weapons there.

[ETL]

If not anything else my posts show that Russia is STILL very much in bed with the communist left, quite the opposite of the Dems’ BS claims that Russia was colluding with Trump. Few if any on our side spit this back in their face, as they should every single time, they cry “Russia, Russia, Russia” on Trump, as they have done for the past 4 friggin years, 24/7, and continue to do to this day.

Also being ignored by damn near all the media, including the right-wing media (Hannity, Limbaugh, etc, etc, etc), is the increasingly close military alliance between Russia and communist China, the two staging massive joint war games together for 15 years now.

[mac_truck]

The problems in this country trace directly back to Great Britain, not Russia.

[ETL]

Lol! From the co-chair of the FR Putinistas!

Can’t believe you’re still here after all these years.

[Mark17]

There’s also Spetsnaz in Venezuela. Russia and China have also discussed moving long range missiles into Venezuela, with Russia talking about nuclear weapons there.

Didn’t we go through something similar, back in 1962? 🤗

[ETL]

Recall, Bill Clinton's treasonous ChinaGate scandal began in late 1996...

From the Sino-Russian Joint Statement of April 23, 1997:
"The two sides [China and Russia] shall, in the spirit of partnership, strive to promote the multipolarization of the world and the establishment of a new international order."

__________________________

"Joint war games are a logical outcome of the Sino-Russian Friendship and Cooperation Treaty signed in 2001, and reflect the shared worldview and growing economic ties between the two Eastern Hemisphere giants."
______________________________________________________________________

Peace Mission 2005

Peace Mission 2005 was the first ever joint military exercise between China and Russia.

The exercise started on August 19, 2005, and consisted of combined land, sea, and air elements simulating an intervention in a state besieged by terrorists or political turmoil.

It concluded on August 25, 2005. The force practiced air and naval blockades, an amphibious assault, and occupying a region. Approximately 8,000 Chinese troops took part along with 2,000 Russian troops.

China initially wanted to hold the exercise near the Taiwan Strait, Russia wanted to hold the exercise in Northwestern China near central Asia, but instead settlement was made on the Shandong Peninsula.

There are a number of reasons for the exercise, including:

China is the largest consumer of Russian military technology. The exercise will showcase the Russian weapons including the Tupolev Tu-22M and Tupolev Tu-95 long range bombers.

The two countries are by far the most influential in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the exercise will help to strengthen military ties.

Both countries have stated that the exercise is not directed at any one country, but many believed to be a show of force against the United States and particularly Taiwan.

The United States was not invited to observe the exercise, but did observe using satellite reconnaissance.[citation needed] The stated reason for the exercise is counter-terrorism; however, many analysts agree that the use of such heavy firepower, including long-range bombers, is not necessary. ...”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Mission_2005
______________________________________________________________________

Below, from The Ministry of Defense for the Russian Federation website, Feb 3, 2020...

About 10 thousand servicemen will take part in the anti-terrorist exercise “Peace mission-2020”

About 10 thousand military personnel of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member States will take part in a joint anti - terrorist exercise, which will be held for the first time at the Yurginsky training ground in the Kemerovo region in August this year.

Military representatives of the member States of the Shanghai cooperation organization (SCO) signed a joint Protocol on the results of the second round of consultations and staff negotiations.

The signed agreement includes issues of comprehensive support of troops and the plan of the exercise stages. Also, during the joint work, the participants visited the Yurginsky training ground, where they conducted reconnaissance of the main stage site.

In addition, the foreign military inspected the place of overcoming the water crossing on the equipment. This will be the first experience for some participating countries.

The consultations were attended by representatives of 8 countries - Russia, India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The negotiations were led by the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Central Military District, Major General Rustam Minnekayev.

The anti-terrorist exercise “Peace mission-2020” will be held in August on the territory of the Central Military District at the Yurginsky training ground in the Kemerovo region.

During the exercise, the military personnel will have to work out the tasks of preparing and conducting an anti-terrorist operation by the joint group of troops (forces) of the SCO member States.

Press Service of the Central Military District

https://eng.mil.ru/en/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12280242@egNews
______________________________________________________________________

2015: First Russia-China naval war games underway in Mediterranean

By Carol J. Williams
May 11, 2015

Reporting from Moscow —

Neither Russia nor China has one inch of coastline on the Mediterranean Sea, making it an unlikely and provocative venue for their first joint naval war games.

The 10 days of maneuvers that got underway Monday will include live-fire exercises in the strategic sea connecting Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The point is lost on no one: A powerful new alliance of eastern giants is flexing its muscles in the very backyard of Western Europe — much as China has done on its own in the Pacific.

The war games follow Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow, where he headlined Victory Day celebrations and spent three days making billion-dollar deals with Russian President Vladimir Putin. ...”

https://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-china-russia-joint-naval-maneuvers-20150511-story.html
______________________________________________________________________

Russia and China’s Growing Military Interaction; Surprised?

by Peter Zwack | September 9, 2018

The drums are already rolling for the upcoming Russian “Vostok” (east) wargames commencing on September 11. With its focal point in the Trans-Baikal region of eastern Siberia adjoining Chinese Manchuria and Mongolia, this is a nationwide Russian military and societal event.

Touted by Russian minister of defense Sergei Shoigu as “unprecedented in scale, both in terms of area of operations and numbers of military command structure, troops, and forces involved,” Russian state press is declaring that up to three hundred thousand troops and one thousand aircraft will be involved, with the majority from the Eastern and Central Military Districts.

This would be even larger than the near-legendary Zapad-81 maneuvers held in the western USSR during the depths of the Cold War. ...”

[ETL]

U.S. Military Wary of China’s Foothold in Venezuela

The head of U.S. Southern Command says Beijing is using disinformation and debt diplomacy to dig in as Maduro clings to power.

By Lara Seligman

April 8, 2019

In an interview with Foreign Policy, Adm. Craig Faller, the four-star military officer who heads U.S. Southern Command, pointed to a Chinese disinformation campaign designed to blame the United States for the blackouts that devastated Venezuela in recent weeks.

Maduro, whose government is backed by China, Russia, and Cuba, has himself publicly accused the U.S. Defense Department of causing the blackouts. Following the power failures, Beijing offered to help the Venezuelan government restore its grid.

“China came out publicly, a state spokesman, implying the blackouts were attributable to U.S. cyberattacks,” Faller said during a recent trip to Washington, D.C. “That is just such a blatant lie. The blackouts are attributed to Maduro’s inept leadership, corruption, inattention to his people, and lack of concern for any humanity.”

The Pentagon is worried about China in other arenas as well. In the Pacific, China is building up its military capability, intimidating its smaller neighbors, and threatening Taiwan. In Africa, Beijing is using debt diplomacy to gain control of crucial ports and other infrastructure. And in Europe, the Trump administration is pushing NATO to address potential Chinese cyberthreats and commercial threats.

“I think the biggest threat to democracy and the way of life around the world is the trend that we see in China,” Faller said.

He said China was trying to assert economic control in Venezuela by investing in infrastructure and providing hefty loans that Caracas would have difficulty paying back. Much of Beijing’s financial interest in Venezuela is tied to loans-for-oil deals struck between the two countries in 2007. By 2014, the China Development Bank had provided Venezuela with more than $30 billion in loans tied to oil production.

These loans have served to prop up the Venezuelan government over the past two decades, “far beyond the point at which its bad policies would have historically caused a change,” said Evan Ellis, an analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“There is no other actor in Latin America, with the possible exception of the Cubans, who as much controls the fate of Nicolás Maduro and his henchman as China does,” Ellis said.

China also has a major information technology footprint in the country. The Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE is creating a new ID card that can be used to monitor citizens’ behavior, Faller said. Using information from these cards, the government can trace a person’s finances, medical history, and voting record, Reuters reported last fall.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/04/08/us-military-wary-of-chinas-foothold-in-venezuela-maduro-faller-guaido-trump-pentagon/