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Venezuela’s Chávez and Syria’s Assad lash out against Israel
(WJC)–The presidents of Venezuela and Syria, Hugo Chávez and Bashar al-Assad, have accused Israel of terrorism. “Terrorism for us in the Middle East is one word which has a single synonym; that is Israel particularly,” a joint statement said. Assad met with Chávez in Caracas to discuss economic cooperation and developments in the Middle East.
Both leaders said they were not interested in war in the Middle East, but when diplomacy failed “resistance is the alternative solution and our duty is to support it.”
Chávez singled out Damascus for taking a leadership role in the region, saying Assad was to be commended for his ability to stand up to Western allies. “Imperialism is desperate,” the Venezuelan president said. “It is now threatening the use of force as it has been doing for years.” Chávez called Israel’s government “genocidal” and also condemned the last round of UN sanctions against Iran. Assad said all nations, including Iran, had a “right to develop nuclear energy.”
US Congressman Eliot Engel, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, swiftly condemned Chávez’ remarks: “Setting aside the falsehoods of his latest diatribe and the presence of the Syrian strongman, Bashar Assad, standing next to him, it’s not difficult to understand why President Chavez would try to distract from his problems at home.”
“If my country had the one of the highest murder rates in the world, the highest inflation rate in Latin America, and an economy which is expected to shrink by more than 6 percent this year, I, too, would be talking about anything but what’s going on at home. I guess that’s why Mr. Chávez is attacking the Israelis and why Foreign Policy Magazine just ranked him the 17th worst dictator in the world. And, I guess that’s why he’s hanging around Bashar Assad,” Engel said in a statement.
After his visit to Venezuela, Assad met with Cuban leader Raul Castro and later traveled to Brazil, where he met with President Lula da Silva. Assad also plans a visit to Argentina. Both Cuba and Syria are on a list of nations the US considers state sponsors of terrorism.
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Preceding provided by World Jewish Congress.
Switching cars to natural gas would achieve energy independence
By Shoshana Bryen
Shoshana Bryen
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) wouldn’t claim to be an expert on the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, but we have long supported diversifying our energy resources – oil, natural gas, nuclear, coal, wind and solar – and our sources of supply – domestic and foreign.
President Obama said in his speech, “Oil is a finite resource. We consume more than 20 percent of the world’s oil, but have less than 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves.” He stressed energy efficiency, green energy and “a comprehensive energy and climate bill to make clean energy profitable… Old factories are reopening to produce wind turbines, people are going back to work installing energy-efficient windows, and small businesses are making solar panels… Some have suggested raising efficiency standards in our buildings like we did in our cars and trucks. Some believe we should set standards to ensure that more of our electricity comes from wind and solar power… [We have to] “seriously tackle our addiction to fossil fuels.”
It would make sense to slash the percentage of the world’s oil America consumes. And the source of our oil imports matters greatly, as Providence and geology put a great deal of it under countries currently governed by people with interests inimical to ours. But building efficiency standards, thermal windows and wind turbines won’t do it and a “comprehensive climate bill” is a red herring.
The Energy Information Administration (EIA), the source of government energy statistics, tells us that most of the oil used in this country goes into transportation – gasoline and diesel fuel for cars, trucks, buses, railroads, boats; jet fuel; and the fuel oil used for tankers and other large vessels. (2/3 of the transportation oil is turned into gasoline for cars.) Other uses of oil – heating, factory operation, electricity generation, etc. – have declined considerably. According to the EIA, “while oil continues to account for more than 95 percent of all the energy used for transportation in the United States, oil accounts for less than 20 percent of the energy consumed for other, stationary uses, down from 30 percent in 1973.”
The American “addiction to fossil fuels” is really a car problem. Americans won’t give up their cars any time soon, hybrids only nibble the edges of the problem, and when gas prices fall, sales of bigger cars rise (now, for example, as compared to the $4.25/gal we paid after Hurricane Katrina). What if we tried something radical – a public-private partnership?
The public part would be the President making a national security finding that importing oil from the Persian Gulf and Venezuela is a threat to American national security interests. He could mandate that American automobiles run on natural gas, which is in abundant domestic supply, within a specified amount of time. Existing cars could be retrofitted (they do it in Argentina) and new cars can be configured. The mandate is the public part. The private part would be auto companies producing the cars and gasoline stations (or “filling stations” as they used to be called and will be called again) creating the infrastructure to make the profit.
The 20 percent of current oil usage that is not transportation-related could come from Canada.
It is not the only way, of course, but any serious move would take a truly bold President – one who understands that imported oil funds terrorism and anti-Americanism around the world, and believes domestic oil is a risk for other reasons. It would take a President who would be pleased, not upset, by the howling of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Russia as oil prices fell in response to diminished American purchase.
It would take a President who is serious.
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Bryen is senior director of security policy of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs. Her column is sponsored by Waxie Sanitary Supply in memory of Morris Wax, longtime JINSA supporter and national board member.
Chavez fosters anti-Semitism in Venezuela
NEW YORK (Press Release)–Acerbic and hate-filled statements by President Hugo Chavez and other Venezuelan government leaders are once again contributing to a climate of rising anti-Semitism in Venezuela, where extreme criticism of Israel “continues to be used as a political tool.”
According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), recent statements from Chavez and others in the government fit into a pattern of extreme anti-Israel rhetoric from Venezuela’s current leaders. In the aftermath of the Gaza flotilla affair, President Chavez cursed Israel as a “terrorist state” and an enemy of the Venezuelan revolution and claimed Israel’s Mossad spy agency was trying to assassinate him.
“Extreme criticism and the de-legitimization of Israel continue to be used by the government of Venezuela as a political tool,” said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. “The atmosphere of extreme anti-Israel criticism and an unsettling focus on the Venezuelan Jewish community’s attitudes creates an environment for anti-Semitism to grow and flourish. So far this hasn’t translated into attacks against individual Jews or Jewish institutions. However, we cannot forget that the Jewish community in Venezuela has already witnessed violent anti-Semitic incidents in the past few years.”
In a new online report, the League documents recent anti-Semitic expressions in Venezuela in the aftermath of the Gaza flotilla incident, including those of government and political leaders, conspiracy theories and accusations in the government-run media, and statements on various anti-Israel Web sites.
In a June 12 interview with the government-owned national television network, Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro was asked about Hezbollah’s alleged presence in Venezuela and the threat of an attack on the Jewish community. He suggested that should a terrorist attack be carried out on Venezuelan soil, a likely culprit would be the “intelligence assassin apparatus of the State of Israel,” the Mossad.
Vilification of Zionism is particularly present in the government-run media and the so-called “alternative” media run by government sympathizers who are intricately intertwined with the government apparatus, according to ADL. Media and political leaders seem to take their cues from Chavez, who has in the past few years made his feelings about Israel all-too clear.
“While Chavez tries to inoculate himself against charges of anti-Semitism by issuing assurances that he is not against Jews, he and his government hold the Jewish community to account for their positions on Israel,” said Mr. Foxman. “Chavez has called on Venezuelan Jews to speak out against Israel, and this has put the community in a difficult position where their loyalty to their country is being called into question.”
The League’s report includes examples of cartoons and images from anti-Israel rallies, as well as excerpts of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel statements from the Web site Aporrea.org, whose founder and webmaster until February 2009 was Martin Sanchez, the Venezuelan Consul General of San Francisco. Aporrea is a forum for anti-Semitic sentiments filled with stereotypes of Jews reminiscent of the fictional “Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion.”
Editors Note: The full report, including visuals, is available on the League’s Web site .
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Preceding provided by the Anti-Defamation League
U.S. bungles relationships with Turkey and Honduras
By Shoshana Bryen
- Shoshana Bryen
WASHINGTON, D.C. –Turkey and Honduras, in different ways, highlight the lack of effective leadership the United States currently is able to exercise in the world.
Turkey: Turkish government support for the IHH ship in the Gaza flotilla is now well understood and the anti-Semitic ravings of both official Turks and the Turkish media have made Turkey’s intention to split from Israel clear.
But it is a mistake to think this is only about Israel. Support for the flotilla was only the latest in a series of Turkish decisions designed to distance itself from the United States and move toward closer political relations with countries adversarial to us. Immediately after the bloody 2007 Hamas coup against Fatah in Gaza, the United States and the European Union reiterated that Hamas was a terrorist organization to be shunned. Instead, Turkey’s prime minister invited Hamas leadership to Ankara. The Hamas-Turkey relationship has grown as the Turkey-Palestinian Authority relationship, the relationship supported by the United States and the EU, has declined. Rapprochement with Russia, Syria and Iran, and the Iran-Brazil-Turkey enriched uranium deal are more of the same.
After his meeting with Secretary of State Clinton, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters, “Citizens of member states were attacked by a country that is not a member of NATO. I think you can make some conclusions out of this statement.” The implication was that Turkey would ask NATO for some satisfaction-or some slap at Israel.
Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Minister.
Turkey, as a member of NATO, is privy to intelligence information having to do with terrorism and with Iran. If Turkey finds its best friends to be Iran, Hamas, Syria and Brazil (look for Venezuela in the future) the security of that information (and Western technology in weapons in Turkey’s arsenal) is suspect. The United States should seriously consider suspending military cooperation with Turkey as a prelude to removing it from the organization.
Honduras: The United States tried to have it both ways. The Obama Administration quickly jumped in with Venezuela, Brazil, Cuba and Nicaragua to denounce what it called a “coup” in Honduras. The United States voted with its new best friends to oust Honduras from the Organization of American States (OAS), and cut off various forms of diplomatic and economic aid to the small Central American country. After the Congressional Research Service (CRS) concluded that the Honduran Congress, Supreme Court and military had acted in accordance with the Honduran Constitution, the Obama Administration brokered a deal that permitted the previously scheduled election with previously nominated candidates to go forward. When the new president was sworn in, the United States recognized the new government and withdrew its sanctions.
All’s well that ends well, right? Not exactly.
At the OAS meeting in Peru this week, the United States tried to have Honduras reinstated. Guess who said no; Venezuela, Cuba, Brazil and Nicaragua refused to even to put the issue on the table. Hugo, Lula, Fidel and Danny were perfectly happy to let the Obama Administration join them in ganging up on a (former) American ally. But they still think they’re leading.
Maybe they are.
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Bryen is senior director of security policy of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs. Her column is sponsored by Waxie Sanitary Supply in memory of Morris Wax, longtime JINSA supporter and national board member.
Hugo Chávez calls Israel a “cursed terrorist and murderous state”
(WJC)–In his latest diatribe, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Frias has called Israel “genocidal” and a “cursed terrorist and murderous state”. In a speech broadcast on national television and amid shouts of “Long Live Palestine” Chávez also accused Israel of supporting the local opposition against his government. “Israel is financing the Venezuelan opposition. There are even groups of Israeli terrorists, of the Mossad, who are after me trying to kill me,” he said.
In the same speech, Chavez sent his “greetings and respect” to the local Jewish community. “They know they have our affection and respect,” he said, adding later that “I doubt very much that a Venezuelan Jew would support such an atrocity.”
The local Jewish community has had a strained relationship with the government following a spate of attacks against Jewish houses of worship last year, including an assault against the city’s main synagogue.
Other Latin American nations closely aligned with Chavez have also come out strongly against the Jewish state. Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa recalled his country’s ambassador from Tel Aviv, while Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said he was suspending diplomatic relations between the two nations. Venezuela severed its diplomatic ties with Israel last year, following the war in Gaza.
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Preceding provided by World Jewish Congress.
U.S. nuclear vote betrays Israel, rewards Iran
Shoshana Bryen
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Friday, as Americans were heading off for the long Memorial Day holiday, the Obama Administration threw Israel down the well as the U.S. delegation to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty Review in New York voted for the conference final document, in which the Arab states demanded-and won-the singling out of Israel. Not Iran. Not North Korea. Not Pakistan.
Israel.
The Obama Administration told us is would never happen, of course-at least not in the middle of the charm offensive. NSC adviser Gen. Jim Jones said the U.S Government would “not permit a conference or actions that could jeopardize Israel’s national security.” Gary Samore, the President’s nuclear coordinator, said the delegates pushing to name only Israel sent a signal that the event would be used to isolate the country. “We will not support a meeting that puts Israel in that kind of position.”
But they did.
According to The Washington Post, “As delegations prepared for a last round of talks, the conference president informed them that the latest draft of the text was a take-it-or-leave-it document, officials said. Final NPT documents require a consensus. Many diplomats had expected U.S. Officials to withhold approval of the final document because of the mention of Israel.”
Little did they understand the Obama Administration’s priorities.
The Post continued, “The U.S. government was apparently reluctant to be viewed as the spoiler at a conference that focused on one of Obama’s priorities.” In another article, The Post noted, “U.S. officials said the meeting at least avoided the fate of the last NPT review, in 2005, which collapsed in rancor, with many countries accusing the George W. Bush administration of intransigence … This review’s final document praised President Obama’s nuclear achievements including a new arms treaty with Russia, and echoed his language on seeking a world free of nuclear weapons.”
So, while the Bush Administration protected Israel and walked away from a fundamentally flawed document, the Obama Administration sold Israel out in order to be “not Bush,” and for praise of itself. [Speaking of flaws, while President Obama basks in the praise of the likes of Iran, Egypt, Turkey, Brazil and Venezuela for its nuclear deal with Russia, Russia has announced plans for nuclear cooperation with Syria. Civilian, of course.]
But let’s try to see it from his side. Who could blame him? All those countries calling him “not Bush.” All those countries reaching out to him. All those countries waiting to praise him, the President of the United States, “not Bush.” All those countries willing to sign on to his pipe dream of a world free of nuclear weapons if he would just throw the god damn Jews down the well.
At least Borat was satire.
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Bryen is senior director of security policy of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs. Her column is sponsored by Waxie Sanitary Supply in memory of Morris Wax, longtime JINSA supporter and national board member.
Ahmadinejad agrees “in principle” to mediated talks with West
(WJC)–Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has agreed “in principle” to new talks with the major powers, mediated by Brazil, on the enriching of Iranian uranium outside the country in exchange for nuclear fuel. Last
October, a deal was reached between the Group of Six Nations, the International Nuclear Energy Agency, and Iran at talks in Geneva, but the regime in Tehran later backtracked on the agreement.
Key part of that deal was to remove most of Iran’s low-enriched uranium stockpile to minimize the risk of it being used for atomic bombs, while Iran would get specially processed fuel to keep its nuclear reactor for medical research running.
“In a telephone conversation with his Venezuelan counterpart [Hugo Chávez Frias], Ahmadinejad agreed in principle to Brazil’s mediation over the nuclear fuel deal,” the Iranian news agency ‘Fars’ reported, quoting a statement issued by Ahmadinejad’s office. Brazil and Turkey, which are currently members of the United Nations Security Council, have been trying to revive the fuel deal with Iran in an attempt to stave off further sanctions against Tehran. However, Western powers have ruled out changing the deal agreed in October 2009, and many observers believe that Iran is just trying to gain more time to stave off new UN sanctions.
In an interview with the US broadcaster ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ show, however, Ahmadinejad vowed Iran would continue with its nuclear program. He said: “Iran will definitely continue its path. You should not even doubt that we will continue our path.” Asked if that meant Iran was playing with fire as it faced an Israeli military strike, Ahmadinejad replied: “Those who have stockpiled their bombs and impose their will on others and act unlawfully are the ones who are playing with fire.”
Meanwhile, the Iranian military on Wednesday began a series of war games in the Straits of Hormuz.
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Preceding provided by World Jewish Congress.
