[Marxism] Gates charges Iran with "subversive activity" in Latin America

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-01-27-voa65.cfm?renderforprint=1

Gates Warns of Iranian Influence in Latin America

By Julia Ritchey 
Washington

28 January 2009

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Senators Tuesday that although much
attention was given to Russia's recent courting of some Latin American
countries, he is more concerned about new activities of Iran in the region. 

Secretary Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee he is worried about
efforts by the Iranian government to gain influence in Latin America. 

"I'm concerned about the level of, frankly, subversive activity the Iranians
are carrying on in a number of places in Latin America, particularly South
America and Central America," said Secretary Gates. "They're opening a lot
of offices and a lot of fronts behind which they interfere with what is
going on in some of these countries." 

Other countries, including Russia and China, have also stepped up their
presence in Latin America, where the United States has historically had the
biggest influence. Russia caused concern to the region last November when it
sent a fleet of ships to conduct joint naval exercises with Venezuela. In
December, a Russian destroyer also passed through the Panama Canal for the
first time since World War II.

Still, Gates says a plunge in the world's oil prices has severely curbed
Russia's income and its ability to build up its navy.

"At 40 dollar oil the Russian navy does not bother me very much," said
Gates. "This is the first time they've had an out of area exercise in a
decade or so; it's important for us to keep perspective about their
capabilities."

Russia has had a tense relationship with the West since its troops invaded
Georgia in August. Gates says the United States is taking Russian activity
in Latin America in stride.

"I felt that our best response to the Russian ship visits to Venezuela was
nonchalance," he said. "In fact, if it hadn't been for the events in Georgia
in August, I probably would've tried to persuade the president to invite the
Russian ships to pay a port call in Miami, because I think they would've had
a lot better time than they did in Caracas."

Russian officials denied that the maneuvers were meant to provoke the United
States. President Dimitri Medevedev and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
defended cooperative agreements they signed in November, saying they would
help to create a "multi-polar" world that is not dominated by a single
power. 






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