November 4, 2020
The American Mideast Coalition for Democracy applauds Republican Congressman Paul Gosar from Arizona who sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, with copies to Robert O’Brien, the National Security Advisor, and Mark Esper, Secretary of Defense, urging the U.S. to take strong action against the transfer of Iranian long-range missiles and ICMBs to Venezuela. The letter was signed by Scott Perry (Republican, Pennsylvania), Ken Buck (Republican, Colorado), Ted Yoho (Republican, Florida), Guy Reschenthaler (Republican, Pennsylvania), and Rick Crawford (Republican, Arizona). As stated in the letter:
“The presence of lranian ballistic missiles in America’s backyard would be detrimental to U.S. national security and would limit our ability to check Iranian aggression. Iranian tactics seek to shift the battlefield away from Iran and into the backyards of its enemies, and the developing relationship with Venezuela falls in line with this strategic aim. The IRGC and Hezbollah are the tools through which this goal is accomplished. The long-established Hezbollah footprint in Latin America is of great concern.”
“The US needs to be very firm and interdict any vessel engaged in bringing missiles to Venezuela,” said AMCD co-chair Tom Harb. “We absolutely cannot allow Iranian missiles to be installed in South America.”
“We could have another Cuban Missile Crisis on our hands,” added AMCD co-chair John Hajjar. “Iran is definitely serious about trying to place missiles that would put the US mainland within range. We absolutely cannot allow it.”
“The Iranians know they could not win a nuclear exchange with the US,” added Hossein Khorram, AMCD vice-chair. “However, they are masters at blackmail. The ability to hit a US city with a nuclear weapon, or even a conventional weapon, would give them unlimited leverage and that’s what they’re shooting for.”
AMCD stands with these Republican congressmen and President Trump who has vowed he will never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. We believe it is imperative that Iran not be allowed to have any missile emplacements in South America at all. We stand with Secretary Pompeo as he makes that clear to the Iranians.