Venezuela Brief: Countdown to Tyranny V
US lawmakers alarmed by Chvez’s plan for nuclear energy program in Venezuela
Two Florida congressmen said Friday that Washington should be alarmed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chvez’s plans to develop a nuclear energy program while building close ties with Iran. U.S. Reps. Connie Mack and Ron Klein said in a statement they are concerned Iran has been “an eager partner” willing to help Venezuela develop a nuclear program.
Are nukes on the horizon for Chavez?
In an interview, Chvez reiterated his interest in nuclear energy for peaceful uses and defended Iran’s nuclear research. The U.S. alleges that Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons. “Iran is developing its nuclear energy for peaceful ends, I’m sure of it,” Chavez said. “In the same way, Venezuela is also going to start developing nuclear energy.”
[More]Mack, a Republican, said Chavez and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s “dangerous alliance, and their desire to develop nuclear technology, should cause great alarm for the United States and its allies in the region.” He added: “It’s imperative that our allies around the world unite to prevent Chavez from gaining access to new nuclear technology.” “This new development of cooperation between Iran and Venezuela is too close to home,” said Klein, a Democrat.
Dos congresistas piden a Bush accin contra plan nuclear de Hugo Chvez
“Estados Unidos no puede continuar permitiendo que esta amenaza se desarrolle en nuestro hemisferio”, dijeron en una declaracin escrita los congresistas Connie Mack, republicano, y Ron Klein, demcrata.
Dos miembros del Congreso pidieron el viernes al gobierno del presidente George W. Bush emprender “verdaderas acciones” para detener el programa de desarrollo nuclear que planea el presidente venezolano Hugo Chvez. “Estados Unidos no puede continuar permitiendo que esta amenaza se desarrolle en nuestro hemisferio”, dijeron en una declaracin escrita los congresistas Connie Mack, republicano, y Ron Klein, demcrata, ambos de la Florida.
El pronunciamiento se produjo luego que Chvez dijera a un canal francs de televisin que Venezuela, al igual que Irn, “est avanzando” en sus planes para empezar un programa de desarrollo nuclear y, segn los congresistas, la presencia del presidente venezolano en Irn la prxima semana “tendra relacin” con ese inters.
Los dos congresistas son conocidos por su activismo contra el populismo anti-estadounidense de Chvez. Klein, quien es adems vicepresidente de un grupo de trabajo legislativo sobre Irn, promovi una resolucin aprobada este mes en la cual la Cmara de Representantes expresa su preocupacin por la presencia iran en Latinoamrica. “Irn ha tenido un gran inters en ayudar a Venezuela con el desarrollo de tecnologa nuclear”, dijeron en su comunicado conjunto. “En febrero del 2006, el presidente de la cmara legislativa iran anunci una oferta de ayuda a Venezuela en ese campo”.
Mack dijo que Chvez no oculta sus planes de “seguir los pasos de su amigo Mahmud Ahmadinejad”, el presidente iran, y de iniciar un programa nuclear en Venezuela, y al parecer est ahora “decidido a cumplir ese deseo”. “La peligrosa alianza entre Chvez y Ahmadinejad y su deseo de desarrollar tecnologa nuclear, debe ser causa de gran alarma para Estados Unidos y sus aliados en la regin”, dijo Mack.
Klein sostuvo que la proliferacin nuclear “es una de las mayores amenazas para nuestra seguridad nacional”. Mack dijo que en septiembre el Departamento de Estado le envi una carta en respuesta a sus preocupaciones indicndole que “esta administracin comparte sus preocupaciones sobre la creciente relacin de Venezuela con Irn y su manifiesto deseo de entrar en una cooperacin nuclear con Tehern”.
La riqueza venezolana en petrleo y particularmente gas natural “debera sugerir que es el poder trmico y no el nuclear la opcin lgica para la generacin de energa” en ese pas, dijo esa agencia, segn Mack.
“Debido a que el Departamento de Estado comparte nuestras preocupaciones sobre Venezuela y su creciente relacin con Irn, el presidente Bush y su gobierno deben enfrentar este tema y tomar verdaderas acciones para detener este intento de Chvez”, dijeron los legisladores.
Mr. Gaffney is the host of Secure Freedom Radio, a nationally-syndicated radio program heard weeknights throughout the country. He is an associate author of highly acclaimed Shariah: The Threat to America and the publisher of over a dozen other books and monographs from the Center for Security Policy Press.
In April 1987, Mr. Gaffney was nominated by President Reagan to become the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, the senior position in the Defense Department with responsibility for policies involving U.S.-USSR relations, nuclear forces, arms control, missile defense policy and U.S.-European defense ties. He acted in that capacity for seven months during which time, he was the Chairman of the prestigious High Level Group, NATO’s senior politico-military committee. He also represented the Secretary of Defense in key U.S.-Soviet negotiations and ministerial meetings.
From August 1983 until November 1987, Mr. Gaffney was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy under Assistant Secretary Richard Perle.
From February 1981 to August 1983, Mr. Gaffney was a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, chaired by the late Senator John Tower (R-Texas). And, in the latter 1970’s, Mr. Gaffney served as an aide to the late Senator Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson (D-Washington) in the areas of defense and foreign policy.
Mr. Gaffney holds a Master of Arts degree in International Studies from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Mr. Gaffney’s leadership has been recognized by numerous organizations including: the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Award (1987), the U.S. Business and Industry Council’s Defender of the National Interest Award (1994), the Navy League of the United States’ Alfred Thayer Mahan Literary Achievement Award (1999), and the Zionist Organization of America’s “Louis Brandeis Award” (2003), the Western Conservative Summit’s Stephen H. Long Award (2015), the Council for National Policy’s George Washington Military Leadership Award (2016) and the IMPACT Award from Ginni Thomas and United in Purpose (2017).
Mr. Gaffney was born in 1953 and resides in the Washington, D.C. area.
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