The government of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez is emerging as a rare
supplier of diesel to Syria, potentially undermining Western sanctions
and helping the Syrian government fuel its military in the middle of a
bloody crackdown on civilian protests.A cargo of diesel, which can be used to fuel army tanks or as heating fuel, was expected to arrive at Syria's Mediterranean port of Banias this week, according to two traders and shipping data. The cargo could be worth up to $50 million.
Chavez is a vociferous advocate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who face pressure from Western sanctions. Few leaders on the world stage have polarized opinion as sharply as the Venezuelan president.
Chavez, who still defends the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has repeatedly backed Arab leaders who have faced a year-long wave of popular protests, which have already toppled four governments.
Asked on Thursday about the shipments to Syria and whether they could be used for military purposes, Chavez said Venezuela never asked the United States what it did with the fuel that Venezuela sold it, and that no one could dictate to Caracas.
"We are free. We are a free country," he said, standing with his friend Sean Penn, the U.S. actor, who is visiting Venezuela. Read More
Iran and North Korea deepen bond over sanctions
The
relationship between North Korea and Iran appears to be becoming closer
and more cooperative as international criticism over their
controversial nuclear programs increases and economic sanctions squeeze
tighter.
But amid growing ties between them, Seoul’s bilateral relations with Pyongyang and Tehran have deteriorated as it moves in sync with U.S. positions on the diplomatic front based on the allies’ “global, multifaceted” strategic partnership.
North Korea and Iran apparently strengthened their security cooperation in 2002 when former U.S. President George W. Bush branded them and Iraq as members of the “axis of evil” in his 2002 State of the Union address ― the first after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack in 2001.
“As the two countries were designated as America’s enemy forces and Iraq, one member of the axis of the evil, was brought down, they cannot help but cooperate more closely,” said Chang Byung-ock, Iran expert at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
“As Tehran cannot cooperate with Western countries in the military technology sector, it seeks to expand cooperation with North Korea and other nations such as Russia and China.”
Chang also mentioned the ongoing rivalry between the two blocs ― one made up of North Korea, Iran, China and Russia, and another consisting of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan. Read More
The
relationship between North Korea and Iran appears to be becoming closer
and more cooperative as international criticism over their
controversial nuclear programs increases and economic sanctions squeeze
tighter.But amid growing ties between them, Seoul’s bilateral relations with Pyongyang and Tehran have deteriorated as it moves in sync with U.S. positions on the diplomatic front based on the allies’ “global, multifaceted” strategic partnership.
North Korea and Iran apparently strengthened their security cooperation in 2002 when former U.S. President George W. Bush branded them and Iraq as members of the “axis of evil” in his 2002 State of the Union address ― the first after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack in 2001.
“As the two countries were designated as America’s enemy forces and Iraq, one member of the axis of the evil, was brought down, they cannot help but cooperate more closely,” said Chang Byung-ock, Iran expert at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
“As Tehran cannot cooperate with Western countries in the military technology sector, it seeks to expand cooperation with North Korea and other nations such as Russia and China.”
Chang also mentioned the ongoing rivalry between the two blocs ― one made up of North Korea, Iran, China and Russia, and another consisting of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan. Read More
Iran history lesson
We
are hearing a new concept these days in discussions about Iran - the
zone of immunity. The idea, often explained by Ehud Barak, Israel’s
defense minister, is that soon Iran will have enough nuclear capability
that Israel would not be able to inflict a crippling blow to its
program.
In fact, while the specifics are fresh, this is not a new strategic concept at all. Nations have often believed that they face a closing window to act, and almost always such thinking has led to disaster. The most famous example, of course, was Germany’s decision to start what became World War I. The German General Staff believed that Russia - its archenemy - was rearming on a scale that would soon nullify Germany’s superior military strength. The Germans believed that within two years - by 1916 - Russia would have a significant, and perhaps unbeatable, strategic advantage.
As a result, when turmoil began in the Balkans in June 1914, Germany decided to act while it had the advantage. To stop Russia from entering a “zone of immunity,” Germany invaded France (Russia’s main ally) and Belgium, which forced British entry into the war, thus setting in motion a two-front European war that lasted four years and resulted in more than 37 million casualties. Read More
We
are hearing a new concept these days in discussions about Iran - the
zone of immunity. The idea, often explained by Ehud Barak, Israel’s
defense minister, is that soon Iran will have enough nuclear capability
that Israel would not be able to inflict a crippling blow to its
program.In fact, while the specifics are fresh, this is not a new strategic concept at all. Nations have often believed that they face a closing window to act, and almost always such thinking has led to disaster. The most famous example, of course, was Germany’s decision to start what became World War I. The German General Staff believed that Russia - its archenemy - was rearming on a scale that would soon nullify Germany’s superior military strength. The Germans believed that within two years - by 1916 - Russia would have a significant, and perhaps unbeatable, strategic advantage.
As a result, when turmoil began in the Balkans in June 1914, Germany decided to act while it had the advantage. To stop Russia from entering a “zone of immunity,” Germany invaded France (Russia’s main ally) and Belgium, which forced British entry into the war, thus setting in motion a two-front European war that lasted four years and resulted in more than 37 million casualties. Read More
(Cnn) In 2012, hard-nosed rhetoric from the United States and Israel has
accompanied an ever louder drumbeat for a possible "military option" to
combat Iran's nuclear program.Tehran has responded with threats and escalating rhetoric. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on the 33rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution (February 11), emphasized Iran's determination for nuclear development, promising to announce new breakthroughs in the near future. And Wednesday he watched as fuel rods were loaded into the core of a Tehran reactor.
Is a military strike inevitable? U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta recently expressed his belief that Israel might strike within the next two to three months. Whether or not he knows for sure, one wonders why such statements were made public. Read More
Meet the U.S. 'Top Guns' with eyes on Iran
Aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CNN) -- Lt. Timothy Breen flies missions close to Iranian air space almost every day in his U.S. Navy F-18 Hornet, often encountering Iranian military aircraft over the strategic waters of the Strait of Hormuz.
Breen's squadron, the Blue Blasters, are currently stationed aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, a huge aircraft carrier whose presence in the region is testament to the escalating tensions between the West and Iran.
He says in almost all cases, the interaction between U.S. and Iranian pilots is professional -- they stay out of each other's way. But he also knows, the Abraham Lincoln is here to make sure the Iranians don't overstep their boundaries.
"We have a responsibility to our coalition partners and to the world just to help make sure that freedom of navigation is going along smoothly and that people can feel safe transiting international waters," Breen said during a recent CNN visit to the carrier. Read More
General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, says a strike 'at this time would be destabilising'The United States is stepping up efforts to dissuade Israel from attacking Iran's nuclear facilities, with a strong public warning by the US military's most senior figure and the dispatch of two high-ranking officials to Jerusalem.
General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said in a television interview that it was "not prudent at this point" to attack Iran, and "a strike at this time would be destabilising".
But in a comment likely to fuel speculation about Israel's military plans, he added: "I wouldn't suggest we've persuaded them that our view is the correct view." The two countries were having a "candid, collaborative conversation" which was continuing, he said.
His concerns were echoed by William Hague, the British foreign secretary, who said it was "not a wise thing at this moment" for Israel to launch military action against Iran.
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