Venezuela-Iran

Venezuela-Iran combo a growing threat

Pentagon advisor Bob Maginnis says he's pleased the Pentagon has finally woken up to the growing threat Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez is posing to America's national security, particularly with his ties to Iran.

Lt. Col. Bob Maginnis (USA-Ret.) recently wrote an op-ed piece centering on the friendship between Venezuelan President Chavez and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He says Tehran is working with Chavez to militarize that country, including growing terrorist groups. The two, he claims, are "doing essentially everything they possibly can" to hurt the United States.

"Now here recently we decided that we were going to reactivate the Fourth U.S. Naval Fleet for operations in the Caribbean and Latin America," notes the senior Army strategist. "[It's] past time to do this, but it's good that we're beginning to take notice. We're going to have to commit resources to that underbelly of the United States, which is incredibly vulnerable because of porous borders and because of the militarization."

Maginnis is also concerned that Venezuela is allowing Hezbollah and other terrorist groups free reign in that country.

"They have allowed Islamic groups to basically proselytize indigenous tribes -- and there's plenty of evidence of conversions to Shia Islam in that part of the world," he states. "They've in fact chased out New Tribes Ministry [from] that region in order for Hezbollah to operate."

Maginnis claims evidence exists showing that the Iranians are aiding Chavez in trying to develop nuclear weapons a mere 1,000 miles from Florida.