venezuela about 50,000-tons probably that iran is now able to tap. sean: so perhaps it is to coincidence that iran has erected a series of factories in this uranium rich area of venezuela. it is troubleing that iran has established some factories, a lot of people estimate that these facilitie factories are r armaments and that the ties, the so-called economic ties between iran and venezuela or perhaps syria and venezuela hide support for terrorism. sean: those suspicions are grounded in an event that occurred in november of 2008 when turkey intercepted and iranian ship bound for venezuela. aboard the ship were 22 containers labeled track tore parts and authorities found equipment capable of producing explosives. while the iranians attempt to
export arms by sea a mysterious plane flight is allowing them to funnel personnel directly into south america. several times a week a flight from tehran to damascus to caracas and the people get off the plane and we don t know who they are. they are taken to the military terminal at the international airport in venezuela where it is alleged that a lot of terrorists are coming in from the middle east and from eastern europe, coming in to venezuela and then disbursing throughout south america. sean: syria and iran may be setting the terrorist west but venezuela is also helping to finance terrorism in the middle east. that is where syria comes in. the country is functionally under the control of iran, its territory used to plan and facilitate iranian backed terror operations in lebanon and around the world. the syria iran piece of it
on mutual interest and mutual respect. sean: president obama made negotiating with iran a priority from the outset. we know that you are a great civilization and you accomplishments have earned the respect of the united states and the world. my administration is committed to diplomacy and pursuing constructive ties among the united states and iran and the international community. sean: but the new axis threatening the united states suggests the administration tactics may need revision. iranians have rebuffed the open hand that the president extended in his inaugural address. the syrians continue to support terrorism around the world. and venezuela is openly disdainful of the obama administration. i think all of these regimes and unfortunately other american adversaries around the world as well see the obama administration as weak and they are planning to and are trying to take advantage of it.
mostly has to do with military and terrorist operations in the middle east because hezbollah is an iranian creation and iran runs the organization but syria controls the territory. sean: syria and through it iran are among the world s leading supporters and sponsors of terror. in november of 2008 when lebanese terrorist was released from a prison assad awarded him a medal of honor. he perpetrated one of the most brutal attacks, murdering a policeman in front of his 4-year-old daughter and then crushing the little girl s skull. today syria is facing a new problem. its oil production declined nearly 40% over the last decade. hugo chavez intervened to build it back up. the president made his first visit to carries ras cass last month. he ratified a pact to construct
a oil refinery in syria. that oil industry serves directly or indirectly to fund terrorist organizations backed by syria and through syria by iran then clearly the implications of the alliance between syria and iran, on the one hand, and venezuela on the other go far beyond the specific countries involved and they affect the entire middle eastern area. the obama administration for its part has been silent about this emerging axis. there is no real strategy, no real plan, no real overall vision for the relationship between the united states and the rest of the western hemisphere. sean: the president and hugo chavez shared a warm embrace at last year s summit of the americas. shortly thereafter, middle east envoy george mitchell visited damascus to convey the administration s desire to negotiate. the united states is committed to a dialogue based