The current trip of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mamud Ahmadinejad, to Venezuela, Bolivia, and Brazil demonstrates the great importance fundamentalist Islam places in its alliance with the neo-communist and socialist states of Latin America. Their common enemy is the United States, their mutual interest – at least on this trip – is challenging the U.S. nuclear monopoly in the Western Hemisphere.
Ahmadinejad’s Latin tour is occurring while the Iranian military is engaging in large and what Iranian air defense chief General Ahmad Mighani calls “vital” maneuvers involving the defense from air attack of Iran’s nuclear facilities. The Islamic Republic of Iran has characterized the exercises as “unprecedented” and are to last five days, involving “vast areas” of western Iran.
