Iran's Subversion Into Western Hemisphere

by John M. Curtis
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Copyright October 20, 2010
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            Meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran, 56-year-old Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez promised to create “a new world order,” ending U.S. dominance in global affairs.  Chavez has been a thorn in the U.S. side since coming to power Feb. 2, 1999, often blasting U.S. imperialist policies in Latin America.  His affinity for Iran stems from Iran’s stong presence in OPEC and its defiant but growing  nuclear program.  Chavez has used Venezuela’s oil industry Petroleos de Venezuela much like Iran uses cheap petrodollars in the Persian Gulf to assert dominance in Latin America.  He’s a strong backer of Iran’s nuclear rights, criticizing the U.S. and U.N. for accusing Iran of seeking nuclear weapons.  “Iran and Venezuela are united to establish a new world order based on humanity and justice,” said Ahmadinejad, signing 11 cooperation agreements with Chavez.

            When Ahmadinejad and Chavez talk of a new world order, they’re referring to an alliance to subvert U.S. global influence.  Chavez seeks added clout from developing nuclear power, criticizing the U.N. and U.S. for trying to restrain Iran’s nuclear enrichment program.  Ahmadinejad believes Iran is well within its rights under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty to complete the nuclear fuel cycle, using atomic power for peaceful purposes.  “World domination are on the verge of collapse,” said Ahmadinejad, referring to the growing paralysis of U.S. influence.  Chavez signaled he hopes to “consolidate strategic alliances in political, economic, technological, energy and social areas,” joining forces with Tehran to restrain imperialist U.S. foreign policy.  Chavez views the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan “great threats,” siding with Tehran against U.S. aggression.

            Chavez plans to send a Venezuelan delegation to Tehran to consummate agreements that include nuclear technology transfers.  He wants Tehran’s connections in OPEC to help Caracas sell petroleum to Europe and Asia.  Before making his ninth trip to Tehran, Chavez visited Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.  After leaving Tehran, Chavez flew to Damascus and then plans stops in Libya and Portugal.  Chavez’ trip to Moscow hoped to make similar arrangements as Tehran to help Venezuela build its first nuclear power plant.  Russia just completed loading fuel rods Aug. 13 into Iran’s Bushehr nuclear reactor.  “Imperialism has entered a decisive phase of decline . . . is headed, like elephants, to its graveyard,” Chavez told Venezuelan the state news agency.  Destabilizing U.S. influence in the Latin America and the Middle gives Chavez added clout among non-aligned powers.

            With President Barack Obama battling a stubborn recession domestically and two foreign wars, Ahmadienjad and Chavez have the same idea of weakening U.S. power.  Wedged between Iran’s nuclear ambitions in the Persian Gulf and now containing Chavez in Latin America, Chavez sees a golden opportunity to weaken U.S. influence.  Obama finds himself battling to salvage the Democratic Party’s power in the upcoming midterm elections.  If voter dissatisfaction holds, Barack stands to lose the House, placing his legislative agenda at risk.  Ahmadinejad and Chavez seize on Obama’s domestic political problems to take advantage in foreign policy.  Ahmadinejad hopes to keep the administration so off balance, incapable to leading the charge in the U.N. Security Council to restrain Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.  Most Western powers believe Tehran seeks atomic weapons.

            Chavez has learned from Iran that only nuclear power brings the kind of deterrence to restrain U.S. influence.  Iran watched Pakistan get the bomb and neutralize its archenemy India.  Resisting four rounds of U.N. sanctions, Tehran has no intent of halting its nuclear ambitions.  Most atomic experts expect Tehran to have enough enriched uranium in the next year or so to build two or more atomic bombs.  No amount of U.N., EU or U.S. sanctions or threats of military action appear to discourage Tehran from completing the nuclear fuel cycle.  Ahmandinejad’s recent visit to Hezbollah in Lebanon sends a loud message to Tel Aviv, that no amount of gunboat diplomacy will halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions.  Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has said he considers a nuclear-armed Iran an existential threat.  Yet, given Iran’s geopolitical maneuvers, the West is running out of time.

            Ahmadinejad and Chavez have found kindred spirits in their hatred of the United States.  Both seek to weaken U.S. influence in the Persian Gulf and Western Hemisphere.  Both seize on current U.S. economic and domestic political weakness to simultaneously present serious problems to U.S. global influence.  Chavez demands respect for Iran’s right as a nuclear power, insisting “those who think they are most powerful and want to impose their will on the world respect Iran,” accepting Tehran’s nuclear ambitions as proof of its new influence.  Joining “a new world order” with Tehran, Chavez hopes to dominate Latin America.  Signing a deal with Russia for a nuclear reactor, Chavez throws a monkey wrench into U.S. foreign policy, unable to contain either Iran or Venezuela’s new nuclear ambitions.  When the dust settles from the midterm elections, Obama will have to address Tehran and Caracas.

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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